S'more Rows.3 Exploding Stars

Exploding Stars

(row #1)

This row is made up of 6, 10" x 10 " finished blocks.  (If you measure your block from edge to edge it will measure 10 1/2" x 10 1/2".  The extra 1/2" is for the seam allowances.)

The Exploding Star block is a nine patch block made of 1 square patch (the center), 4 pieced patches that look like open beaks (the edges) and 4 twinkles patches (the corners).  It is essentially the same block that we made last month.  Only the corner patches are different.

About those patches... I had planned to construct these by making half square triangles, and sewing them in four patches with tiny squares.  However, I found that the size of the block frustrated my plans.  The best I can figure the problem lies in the size of the block.  10"  x 10" is not neatly divisible by 6 when your rulers are all based on quarter inches.   Either I had to make the block bigger(there is no way I was going to make it smaller) or I had to find a more accurate way to make the block.   Consequently, I resorted to paper piecing.  This is not a traditional use of the method...but it works, and your pieces will fit the way they are supposed to.  If you have never paper pieced please refer to my tutorial for more specific instructions.

Fabric Requirements:

• Background - I used Bella neutral (SKU #9900-12)
• 2/3 yard, or 23" x width of fabric (wof)  plus the remnant (3 7/8" x 26-ish") from step 1   
• Stars -  
• 6, 10" x 10" squares
• Twinkles-
•  6, sets of 8, 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" squares (this fits perfectly on a 5" x 10" rectangle)
• Printer paper, 6 sheets
• When you print the pattern be sure that your settings are as follows
• Fit to printable area - YES!!!
• Print one page and measure the pattern pieces
• The largest solid line rectangles should measure 3 3/8" x 1 11/16"
• Once you are sure the pieces print out correctly, print the remaining 5 pages.
• You need 6 of this pattern 

Cutting Directions:

• Background
• Edge pieces
• You need 24, 3 7/8" x 3 7/8" squares
• cut 2, 3 7/8" x wof strips
• sub cut into 10, 3 7/8" x 3 7/8" squares each for 20 squares
• cut 4, 3 7/8" x 3 7/8" squares from remnant from step 1
• Corners
• Background
• You need 96, 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" squares
• cut 6,  1/2" x wof strips
• sub cut each strip into 16, 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" squares
• Stars - cut one set of the following from each of 6 squares - one for each block.
• Centers - cut 1, 3 7/8" x 3 7/8" square
• Points - cut 4, 3" x 5" rectangles
• Twinkles - cut one set for each of 6 squares - one for each block.
• cut 8, 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" squares
• Paper - cut rectangles apart, just outside the dotted line.  You should have 48 rectangles when you are done.

Break time!!

I meant it when I told you last month that I need a break between cutting and sewing.  So I'm going to share another quilt with you. 

This is what Exploding Stars looks like when  you replicate it.  I hope it makes you smile as much as it does me.

If you make 16 blocks and set them in a grid of 4 x 4 you get the quilt above.  By adding two borders the finished quilt measures 68" x 68".  It is a nice sized throw.

Specific fabric requirements are:

• Background - 2 1/2 yards
• Inner border -
• 2 3/4 yards - if you fussy cut it like I did in my drawing you need OR
• 3/4 yards - otherwise.
• Outer border - 1 yard
• Stars - 16, 10" x 10" squares
• Tinkles - 16, 5" x 10" rectangles
• Binding - 1/2 yard
• Backing - 4 1/4 yards 





...and back to our regularly scheduled directions....





Sewing Directions:

• Make one block at a time.
• Gather:
• Background
• 4, 3 7/8" x 3 7/8" squares
• 16, 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" squares
• Star
• 1, 3 7/8" x 3 7/8" square
• 4, 3" x 5" rectangles
• Twinkle
• 8, 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" squares
• Paper
• 8 rectangular pattern pieces
• EDGE BLOCK CONSTRUCTION:
• Gather
• 4, 3 7/8" x 3 7/8" squares background fabric
• 4, 3" x 5" rectangles star fabric
• Make edge blocks according to the directions used in last months post.  (You can go back to it here.)
• The difference between the two rows at this point is only the color of the fabric  you are using.

• CORNER BLOCK CONSTRUCTION:
• Gather
• 16, 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" squares background fabric
• 8, 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" squares twinkle fabric
• 8, rectangular, paper pattern pieces
• Make 4 blocks according to paper pieced pattern - refer to tutorial if you need help.

• ASSEMBLE BLOCK
• Gather 9, 3 7/8" blocks (4 corners, 4 edges, 1 center)
• Arrange blocks
• The star triangles meet beside the center block.
• The background triangles should be pointing toward the center.
• The twinkle 4 patches look like the butterflies are flying away from the center.
• Sew blocks together to make three rows.
• Rows 1 & 3: 4 patch flying toward the upper left, edge block pointing down; 4 patch flying toward the upper right
• Row 2: edge block pointing to the right; center (matches star points); edge block pointing to the left.
• Sew rows together to make block.
• Trim to 10 1/2" x 10 1/2" square
• Repeat 5 times for a total of 6 Exploding Star blocks.
• Sew 6 blocks in a row to complete Exploding Star row of this project.