Stars
Card Trick
Four interwoven 'cards' on a nine-patch grid. The corners are half-square triangles (background point with a card color); the four sides are two-color HSTs where neighboring cards overlap; the center is a quarter-square triangle that pins all four cards together. Drafted here in two card colors so opposite cards share a fabric.
Cut list
What to cut for one 12 inch finished block. A quarter inch seam allowance is already in every size.
Feature
- 1 square
- 5¼"Cut twice on the diagonal, layered with the accent fabric. Each square makes 4 triangles. This block uses 2.
- 1 square
- 4⅞"Cut once on the diagonal, layered with the background fabric. Each square makes 2 triangles.
- 2 squares
- 4⅞"Cut once on the diagonal, layered with the accent fabric. Each square makes 2 triangles.
Accent
- 1 square
- 5¼"Cut twice on the diagonal, layered with the feature fabric. Each square makes 4 triangles. This block uses 2.
- 1 square
- 4⅞"Cut once on the diagonal, layered with the background fabric. Each square makes 2 triangles.
- 2 squares
- 4⅞"Cut once on the diagonal, layered with the feature fabric. Each square makes 2 triangles.
Background
- 1 square
- 4⅞"Cut once on the diagonal, layered with the feature fabric. Each square makes 2 triangles.
- 1 square
- 4⅞"Cut once on the diagonal, layered with the accent fabric. Each square makes 2 triangles.
By region
| Region | Fabric | Units | Cut from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top Left Background | Background | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Top Left Card | Feature | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Top Right Background | Background | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Top Right Card | Accent | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Bottom Right Background | Background | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Bottom Right Card | Feature | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Bottom Left Background | Background | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Bottom Left Card | Accent | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Top Card Left | Feature | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Top Card Right | Accent | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Right Card Top | Accent | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Right Card Bottom | Feature | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Bottom Card Right | Feature | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Bottom Card Left | Accent | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Left Card Top | Feature | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Left Card Bottom | Accent | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Center Top | Feature | 1 | 5¼" square, cut twice on the diagonal |
| Center Right | Accent | 1 | 5¼" square, cut twice on the diagonal |
| Center Bottom | Feature | 1 | 5¼" square, cut twice on the diagonal |
| Center Left | Accent | 1 | 5¼" square, cut twice on the diagonal |
How it goes together
- Step 1
Cut your pieces
Cut the pieces in the cut list. The sizes are for a 12 inch finished Card Trick block and already include a quarter inch seam allowance.
- Step 2
Make the quarter-square triangle and half-square triangle units
Join the quarter-square triangles in pairs along their short edges, then join the pairs. Sew each pair of triangles along its long edge and press toward the darker fabric. Trim every unit to size before you join it.
- Step 3
Assemble the block
Join the units into rows, then join the rows. Press as you go and square the finished block to size.
Read more
Color value vs hue in quilts
Value is how light or dark a color is. Hue is what we usually call “the color itself.” In quilts, value carries the design — hue carries the mood.
5 min read
Quilt block families, explained
Most quilt blocks belong to one of six families — Patchwork, Half-square triangles, Flying geese, Stars, Curves, and Hexagons. Each family is a way of piecing fabric together.
6 min read
The quilter’s seam allowance, explained
A seam allowance is the strip of fabric between the seam and the raw edge. Quilters work in a standard 1/4 inch — and getting it right is the difference between a top that finishes flat and one that fights you.
5 min read
Try the Card Trick on a real layout.
Open it on the Design Wall. Try a few colors, see the math, change your mind.