2023 AQS & AccuQuilt-Along Series: Stars in the Crown, Part 2

It’s time for Part 2 of the 2023 AQS & AccuQuilt-Along Series: Stars in the Crown Throw Quilt, and I couldn’t be more excited about this project! Not only do I love this pattern (and my fabric selections), but I really love quilting along with everyone and sharing the experience!

In case you’re just joining us for this event – welcome! AccuQuilt is teaming up with the American Quilter's Society (AQS) for five quilt-alongs this year, starting with this one! We’re making the GO! Stars in the Crown Throw Quilt using a GO! Mix & Match Qube set and a GO! Setting Triangles Die. If you don’t have a GO! Fabric Cutter yet – no worries! The introduction blog on February 1 had rotary cutting directions as well.

Review

Last week, we made two different units for the star blocks – Flying Geese and Square on Point, or Square in a Square, units. Here’s a look at last week’s show if you missed it:

The Next Steps

Now, let’s put those star blocks together! The first thing we need to do is cut 36 small squares using Shape 2 from your GO! Mix & Match Qube. We're using the 8” size, so the cut size of these squares is 2 1/2” x 2 1/2”. Just like last week, refer to your pattern for cutting directions, or simply measure 1/4” on either side of the outside edge of the blades and cut a Width of Fabric (WOF) strip that size. Shape 2 for the 8” Qube cuts four squares on the die, and our fabric is cut at 5 1/2” x WOF.

Fanfold your strip over the die, cutting no more than six layers of fabric at once, cover with a cutting mat and cut. You can cut the dies from the 8” Qube with any GO! Fabric Cutter, including the GO! Me!

Now, it’s time to lay out your block and start sewing the rows together.

You’ll want to press those seams open on this block!

Now, here's a little pro tip for you: I like to sew my units together with the Flying Geese units on top. That way, I can make sure my points are picture-perfect every time!

Quarter Square Blocks

For the quarter square blocks, you’ll be using the corner piece on the GO! Setting Triangles Die that corresponds to the size GO! Qube you are using (or following the rotary cutting directions in the introduction blog for the 8” size).

Be sure to refer to the cutting directions in the pattern because this pattern's designer, Marjorie Busby, has made sure you’ll be maximizing your fabric! For the 8” version, you’ll need to rough cut a 7 3/4” x WOF strip and then fold it “like a flag.” To do this, I cut off the selvedge edges, took one corner and folded it across the strip to create a triangle shape that will be slightly larger than the shape we are cutting.

Marjorie suggests pressing your folds, and I did, folding the fabric triangle section over again so that I would be cutting six layers of fabric. Then, I rough cut off the remaining strip.

The first cut gave me six triangles, and the next cut gave me the final two for my center accent fabric.

Repeat the process with your background fabric. Since you will need a total of 12 of these shapes out of your background fabric, why not cut them now? I was able to get ten of the corner triangle shapes out of my first strip and then cut an additional square at 7 3/4" x 7 3/4", folded corner to corner. Set aside the four extra corner triangles and grab the other eight to make some blocks.

For this part of the project, we are using the GO! Setting Triangles-8” Finished Die corner triangles as quarter square triangles, with the long edge to the outside of the block. This long edge will have some stretch to it, so you’ll want to be careful not to pull or distort it while sewing or pressing. Once sewn onto its neighboring blocks, there will be no issue.

I suggest laying out your shapes to make sure you’re sewing them correctly. Once they are sewn into sets of two, go ahead and give them a press. I suggest pressing to the dark side so that you can “nest” that center point.

Once your four blocks are together, be sure to press them out. Note how you can open a few stitches at the center to open that point and press it flat.

Now, you’ve completed week two of this AQS & AccuQuilt-Along! If you’re like me, you won’t be able to stop yourself from laying out your blocks and seeing how wonderful they look together – and be sure to take a picture to share with us!

We’re having such a great time chatting with everyone on the AQS Quilting Project Parade FaceBook page and seeing pictures of your progress, and you’ll find us listed as AccuQuilt Educator Pam Heller and AccuQuilt Erica. Be sure to use the hashtag #AQSews on all your social media posts, too.

See you next week when we’ll be cutting side setting triangles and putting our rows together – I can’t wait!