This month for Saturday Sampler we are making Stack, Cut, and Sew Stars. They are so fun that we thought we should share with everyone. So here goes:

Stack, Cut, and Sew Stars Tutorial

Supplies:
6) 8 1/2” assorted squares (this is enough to make 6 stars)
Rotary cutter and board
Freezer paper
This pattern for your star

#1- Trace the star pattern onto an 8 1/2” square piece of freezer paper.

#2- Press your fabric squares. Stack your 6 pieces of fabric right side up on top of each other in the following order; starting with the bottom . . .
1st – Solid orange
2nd – Black/orange print
3rd – Gold
4th – Dark grey dot
5th – Green
6th – Black

#3- Press the freezer paper onto the top fabric in the stack. It’s okay if the paper is a little larger than the fabric. Just center the pattern on your stack.

#4- Using a rotary cutter and a ruler, cut your stack of fabric on the lines shown on your pattern. First cut the sections apart from each other, A from B from C. Then sub-cut each section into three pieces. As you cut, place your stacks back into the same position as your original pattern. You will need to keep track of where each stack will go as you sew it all back together,**Be careful as you cut, your ruler can slip easily on the paper, so go slowly. Remember that if you make a wrong cut, you are cutting your entire stack of 6 pieces of fabric wrong. Just take your time and be careful.

#5- Carefully peel off the freezer paper. As you peel off the paper, place your stack of fabric back in its place.

#6- Refer to your original pattern. Pick up the entire A1 stack. Take off the top piece of fabric in that stack and rotate it to the bottom of the stack. Place this stack back in its place. Repeat this process with stacks A3, B1 and C1.

#7- You should now have rotated 4 stacks. Make sure all your stacks are placed together exactly like the original pattern. Your pieces will now have a star of one color with all the background pieces being another color.

#8- You will now sew the pieces back together to form a star block. As you sew pieces together, you will see that they don’t line up well. That’s okay, Always place the smaller piece in the center of the larger piece and it will work out great. Place all your pieces right sides together and use 1/4” seams.

#9- Sew A1 to A2
Sew B1 to B2
Sew C1 to C2

#10 – Press seams toward the #2 pieces.

#11- Notice that your edges are now uneven. The next steps will let you know when and how to trim these uneven edges. You will only trim the edge where you are going to attach another piece.

#12- Trim off the edge of piece A1/A2 where it will attach to A3. Lay your ruler along the edge of the triangle portion and trim off the excess background fabric.

#13- Trim off the edge of B1/B2 along the edge where it will attach onto B3. Lay your ruler along the edge of the triangle and trim off the excess.

#14- Trim off the edge of C1/C2 where it will attach to C3. Lay your ruler along the edge of the triangle and trim off the excess.

#15- Place the #3 pieces right sides together with the #1/#2 trimmed pieces. Line up the edges evenly along the edge that you just trimmed. Sew all of  the #3 pieces onto the #1/#2 pieces.

#16- Press all these seams open.

#17- Trim the excess and uneven fabric off of the top of Section A. Line up your ruler with the edge of the triangle.

#18- Trim off the excess fabric along the bottom edge of section B.

#19- Place section A right side together with section B. Try to line up the seams on the triangles so they will match up after you have sewn the seam. This area where you need to match the seam is marked with an * on your pattern piece.

#20- Press this seam open.

#21- Trim off the top edge of unit A/B.


#22- Trim off the bottom edge of unit C.

#23- Place Unit A/B right side together with unit C. You will need to place unit C so the point of the star will be centered on your star. Sew unit A/B to unit C. Press the seam open.

#24- Your star is all done. The outer edge of your block will be really uneven. Repeat steps 9-23 for all 6 stars.

And your done! For Saturday Sampler we are trimming this down to a 5 1/2 inch circle and then appliqueing it onto a four patch. You can use it however you want! Wasn’t that fun?