Cluster of Stars Quilt Block Free Tutorial

By: Elaine Huff

Today let's sew together this cute Cluster of Stars quilt block! While you could certainly just make little 6" Ohio Star blocks, the method of construction I'm going to show you makes for fewer seams. Also, the traditional coloring for this block is to only use two colors - a light and a dark of the same color. But of course I had to do it my way (more on that later) and make it scrappy. Let's do this!

Fabric Requirements for a 12" Cluster of Stars Quilt Block:

Light/White: 4 - 3.5" squares, 4 - 2" squares, and 12 - 2" x 3.5" rectangles
Medium/Blue: 4 - 3.5" squares
Assorted Prints: 32 - 2" squares

Sewing Directions:

Step 1:

Mark a diagonal line from corner to corner on the back of all of the Assorted Prints 2" squares.

Square in a Square Units:

Step 2:

Using four of the Light/White 3.5" squares and 16 of the Assorted Prints 2" squares, make four Square in a Square units as shown in the picture below. You can find my tutorial for a Square in a Square Block at: https://fabric406.com/blogs/fabric406-blog/how-to-sew-a-basic-square-in-a-square-block

Flying Geese Units:

Step 3:

Using 8 of the Light/White 2" x 3.5" rectangles and the remaining 16 Assorted Prints 2" squares, piece together 8 Flying Geese units like what you see in the picture below. You can find my virtually foolproof method for making Flying Geese blocks at: https://fabric406.com/blogs/fabric406-blog/how-to-sew-a-basic-flying-geese-block (A wonderful quilting teacher and friend taught me this method when I first started quilting and I've never had issues with Flying Geese.)

Putting It All Together:

Step 4:

Using the picture below as a reference, lay out the Square in a Square units, the Flying Geese units, the Medium/Blue 3.5" squares, the Light/White 2" squares, and the Light/White 2" x 3.5" rectangles.

Step 5:

Sew the units together in rows like I have done in the picture below.

Step 6:

Press the seam allowances away from the Flying Geese units and the Square in a Square units as shown in the photograph below.

Step 7:

Now all you need to do is sew the rows together to complete the quilt block...

Step 8:

And press the seam allowances. I've pressed mine with the outside seams going toward the middle of the block and the two inside seams going toward the outside of the block (as you can see in the picture below), but you can press them all in one direction or open - whatever you would like to do!

Layout Ideas:

Here's a basic 4 x 4 layout. Looks a little busy!

Let's break up the blocks with sashing and cornerstones.

This layout uses a large Hourglass block for an alternating block. I've also used the traditional coloring of two colors plus the background.

This version of an alternating layout shows what an alternating scrappy chain block would look like.

Here's an on-point layout example using a chain block as the alternating block and in the setting triangles.

This on-point layout has a complementary color sashing and cornerstones as well as a light (not white) background and setting triangles.

In Conclusion:

So I didn't want to make a boring two-color quilt and thought this Cluster of Stars quilt block would look really good as a scrappy block. Well, my first attempt didn't look so good - way too scrappy! The star points kind of got lost.

This was my second attempt - better but still not great.

Maybe a two-color block was the way to go! But I like my scrappy star points against the white so I'm happy with the way it turned out. The block went together quickly. I can see myself making the Square in a Square and Flying Geese units whenever I have a few minutes and when I get enough made, put them together into this Cluster of Stars block.

I hope you enjoy this tutorial for a Cluster of Stars quilt block!

If you like this tutorial and want to see more plus receive a free PDF quilt pattern called "Chained Weathervane", simply click HERE to sign up for my newsletter.

Until next time,

Happy Quilting!

Elaine

P.S. Want to see more star blocks? Check out this link: https://fabric406.com/blogs/fabric406-blog/30-of-the-best-star-quilt-block-patterns

P.P.S. Check out my Etsy shop at https://www.etsy.com/shop/fabric406