It's been a while since I posted a quilt block tutorial for you, so I thought I'd do one for this version of the Friendship Star. I found it called Simplex Star (by Hearth & Home) somewhere, and I'm sure it has a few more names too. I think we mostly recognize it as a slightly different coloring of the Friendship Star. Choose to make the block your own style by coloring all the half-square triangles one color like the block on the left. Or make it a rainbow of color like the block on the right.
Friendship Star Block. Finished Block is 9"
As always, read through the instructions start to finish before beginning your blocks. I have shown two different colorway options - and you can choose which one you like in the
Cutting Instructions below.
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Cutting Instructions. (Multi-color block - shown right above)
From Blue Background, cut:
* (4) 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" squares. (Half-Square Triangles aka HSTs)
From Green Solid, cut:
* (4) 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" squares. (corners)
From Light Blue Solid, cut:
* (1) 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" square. (center)
From Yellow, Red, Navy and Purple Solid, cut:
* (1) 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" squares. (Half-Square Triangles aka HSTs)
-You will make 2 HSTs of each color using the HST method described below. We will only need 1 HST of each color for this block. Use the extras to make a second block!
Alternate Colorway. The alternate colorway in the picture above (left) shows only 1 Color in the HSTs. To do this, omit cutting the Yellow, Red, Navy and Purple Solids. Instead...
You only need to cut *(2) 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" squares of Green Solid and (2) 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" squares Blue Background.
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Piecing Instructions. *Use a scant 1/4" on all seam allowances.
Make Half-Square Triangle (HST) units.
1. Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of the 4 1/4” x 4 1/4” Blue Background squares.
2. Layer (1) Blue square atop (1) 4 1/4” x 4 1/4” Red square with right sides together. Sew
the pair together, stitching 1/4" away of each side of the drawn line.
3. Cut the pair apart along the drawn line to make two HST units. Press. Repeat this step as needed. We will need (4) HSTs for the block.
The HSTs should be squared up to: 3 1/2" (unfinished size)
Layout Block.
4. Layout (4) Half-Square Triangle Units, the 3 1/2” x 3 1/2” Light Blue center square and (4) 3 1/2” x 3 1/2” Green squares.
5. Sew the units together into the three rows. Alternate the direction the seams are pressed. I like to press the seams from the top and bottom rows out toward the HSTs and press the middle row seams in toward the center square.
6. Sew the three rows together to complete the block. Press all seams.
Block size: 9 1/2" unfinished / 9" finished
