Stars
Six-Pointed Star
Six 60-degree diamonds meeting at the center, set into four corner backgrounds with Y-seams. English Paper Piecing is the traditional approach — baste each diamond around a paper template, whipstitch them together, then applique or set into the background.
Cut list
Dimensions for a 12 inch finished block with a standard 1/4 inch seam allowance. Scale proportionally for other finished sizes.
| Region | Role | Pieces | Cut size |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Diamond | Feature | 1 | 5 1/2" × 5 1/2" |
| Northeast Diamond | Feature | 1 | 5 1/2" × 5 1/2" |
| Northwest Diamond | Feature | 1 | 5 1/2" × 5 1/2" |
| West Diamond | Feature | 1 | 5 1/2" × 5 1/2" |
| Southwest Diamond | Feature | 1 | 5 1/2" × 5 1/2" |
| Southeast Diamond | Feature | 1 | 5 1/2" × 5 1/2" |
| Northwest Background | Background | 1 | 6 1/2" × 6 1/2" |
| Northeast Background | Background | 1 | 6 1/2" × 6 1/2" |
| Southeast Background | Background | 1 | 6 1/2" × 6 1/2" |
| Southwest Background | Background | 1 | 6 1/2" × 6 1/2" |
| East-Northeast Valley | Background | 1 | 5" × 5" |
| North Valley | Background | 1 | 5" × 5" |
| West-Northwest Valley | Background | 1 | 5" × 5" |
| West-Southwest Valley | Background | 1 | 5" × 5" |
| South Valley | Background | 1 | 5" × 5" |
| East-Southeast Valley | Background | 1 | 5" × 5" |
How it goes together
- Step 1
Cut your pieces
Cut each region using the dimensions in the cut table for a 12 inch finished Six-Pointed Star block. Standard 1/4 inch seam allowance is included.
- Step 2
Sew sub-units, leaving set-in seams for last
Sew straight seams that meet at the points where set-in seams will land. Stop a 1/4 inch from each corner.
- Step 3
Assemble the block
Join the sewn sub-units with Y-seams. Press final seams open or to the side per your preference. Square 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 Six-Pointed Star on a real layout.
Open it on the Design Wall. Try a few colors, see the math, change your mind.