By CherStep-by-Step Guide to the Woven Star Block
The Woven Star quilt block is truly beautiful! Although this traditional block may seem complicated to create, I’ve been able to piece it together quickly and easily. This tutorial does not involve paper piecing or intricate seams. The final block measures 10-1/2 inches square, with the points positioned at the top and bottom, as well as on the sides, rather than diagonally. I chose two colors—burgundy and green—with a white background, and I have included printable cheat sheets to help you cut the blocks!
This block is easy to assemble if you think of it in terms of quadrants. Each quadrant consists of a 3-1/2 inch square made from the white background fabric, a strip of one of the main colors measuring 3-1/2 inches long by 2-1/2 inches wide with a small triangle attached at one end, and another contrasting strip with a triangle that measures 5-1/2 inches long and 2-1/2 inches wide. Each quadrant is created in the same manner and then sewn together in a “pinwheel” fashion to form the complete block. The woven appearance is achieved by strategically placing the colors, which is why I created the cheat sheets for guidance. If you are making a scrappy version of the block (where none of the strips match), the color placement is less important, but each quadrant and block are still constructed in the same way.
Preparing the Pieces for the Blocks
Let’s get started! Begin by cutting the 3-1/2 inch squares from the background fabric. There are four of these squares per block, and the number will depend on how many blocks you want to make. I wasn’t sure how many blocks I wanted to make because I’m not sure what this project will be – I’ll let it tell me later!
Next, cut more squares from the background fabric but these will be 3 inches square with four per block. Then, cut them in half diagonally so that there are eight triangles.
Now, let’s start cutting our strips… Print out the cheat sheets for guidance before beginning. The shorter strips are cut with a 45° angle facing one way and the longer strips have the angle facing the opposite way. I chose to have one strip of each length from four different fabrics for each block. Use a sewing marker (<– affiliate link!) to label these A, B, C, and D.
Sewing It All Together
Now, we’ll start sewing these together. I suggest using a 1/4-inch quilting foot on your sewing machine—it is so helpful! Sew one triangle to the mitered end of each of the fabric strips.
Next, referring to the cheat sheets, sew one of the shorter strips of Color C to the side of the background square with the background triangle facing away. Press the seam with the background fabric pointing toward the colored fabric.
Then, sew a longer strip of Color A along the top of the background square and the shorter Color C strip again with the white triangle facing away, and press the seam. The first quadrant of the block is finished!
Repeat the process for the remaining quadrants and refer to the first page of the cheat sheets for the color positioning.
Finishing the Blocks
Once each quadrant has been completed, sew them together to make a square and press the seams. If necessary, straighten and trim the block to 10-1/2 inches square.
That’s it – you did it! Isn’t it easy? The most complicated part of this method is keeping the colors in order while sewing but outside of that, it’s a breeze!
Stay tuned because I will post another easy quilt block that will coordinate with this one for a bigger project. For now, here are a few helpful tips:
- An iron with steam is your best friend!
- Press all of the light-colored fabrics toward the dark-colored fabrics.
- Trim the finished block, if necessary, to straighten the edges.
Have questions about how to make a Woven Star quilt block? Leave a comment below!