How to Sew a Lone Star Quilt Block - Not Your Traditional Lone Star

Today let's take a look at this Lone Star quilt block. This block's creation is attributed to Alice Brooks, a name created by a New York needlework syndicate called Old Chelsea Station (among several other names). It is not the traditional quilt pattern that I associate with Lone Star but it is an easy and fun block to sew together.

To learn more about Alice Brooks, you can read more at Barbara Brackman's blog post at https://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com/2020/01/alice-brooks-darn-her.html

Fabric Requirements for a 12" Finished Lone Star Quilt Block:

• White: 4 - 4.5" squares, and 12 - 2.5" squares
• Medium Blue: 4 - 4.5" squares, and 4 - 2.5" squares
• Dark Blue: 8 - 2.5" squares
• Light Center Print: 1 - 4.5" square

Sewing Directions:

Half Square in a Square:

Step 1:

This unit is a take on a Square in a Square block but only two adjacent corners are "snowballed". You can find a detailed tutorial for making a Square in a Square block at https://fabric406.com/blogs/fabric406-blog/how-to-sew-a-basic-square-in-a-square-block. This is also the same procedure as a Flying Geese block but a large square is used instead of a rectangle. 

Using a White 4.5" square and two Dark Blue 2.5" squares sew together a Half Square in a Square unit. Here are the first four steps (left to right, top to bottom):

• Mark a diagonal line from corner to corner on the back of the Dark Blue 2.5" squares.
• Sew a Dark Blue square to the White square along the marked line (top left image). Note the orientation of the marked line. 
• Match the corners of the Dark Blue square and press (top right image).
• Trim off seam allowance (bottom left image).
• Refold (bottom right image).

Step 2:

Repeat Step 1 on an adjacent corner of the White square as shown in the picture below.

Step 3:

Repeat Steps 1 and 2 for a total of four Half Square in a Square units like the ones shown below.

Three-Quarter Square in a Square Units:

Step 4:

Using the four Medium Blue 4.5" squares and the 12 White 2.5" squares, repeat Step 1 on three corners of the Medium Blue squares. 

To be more efficient, you can work on the two opposite corners at the same time.

Square in a Square Unit:

Step 5:

Using the Light Blue Print 4.5 " square and the four Medium Blue 2.5" squares, repeat Step 1 on all four corners of the Light Blue Print square.

Putting It All Together:

Step 6:

Lay out the Half, Three-Quarter, and full Square in a Square units according to the picture below. From here the block goes together like a typical Nine Patch block.

Step 7:

Sew the units into three rows. Matching up those diagonal seams can be tricky. I simply made sure that the units were matched up top and bottom and trusted that the diagonals would match. Awfully close - from a couple of feet away, one can't even tell if they aren't perfect!

Step 8:

Press the seam allowances toward the Half Square in a Square units as shown in the picture below.

Step 9:

Then sew the three rows together to complete the block.

Step 10:

Layout Ideas:

Conclusion: