Machine Piecing Diamond Star

12 Inch Finished Size

You could use the same directions for hand piecing just use the templates with the ¼” seam allowance included or try machine piecing this way.

This month's block is a challenging one.  There are 16 set-in or "Y" seams.  The trick is to sew up to but not through the seam allowances where the three seams meet.  Leave them not sewn together.  The sewing procedure is the same throughout the construction of the block.

A = White         

B = Med. Gray  

 C = Black          

Diamond Star has three color values.  Use the drawing at the left as a color value guide (note the letters describe the color value not a specific template).

Choose three fabrics and label them with these letters.

                          A = lightest

                          B = medium

                          C = darkest               

Cutting instructions:

From Fabric - A - cut   2 squares 4 1/4" x 4 1/4"

                               cut   5 squares 3 1/2" x 3 1/2"

From Fabric - B - cut   2 strips 2" x 20" (extra length is included)

From Fabric - C - cut   2 strips 2" x 20" (extra length is included)

                              cut   2 squares 3" x 3"

Assembly:

      Print out the parallelogram from the hand piecing instructions or use a 45-degree triangle ruler to cut the   20" strips into pieces.  This block has 4 sets of Medium (fabric - B-) mirror image pieces and four sets of Dark (fabric -C-) mirror image sets.

1.   Place the 2 medium color strips right sides together  and cut them together.  This will insure that you end up with mirror images.  Cut with a 45-degree ruler moving it exactly 3 3/4" between cuts or lay the hand-piecing template on the strip and make the cuts using it as a guide (be sure you include the seam allowances with your template)  

2.    Repeat step #1 with the two strips of the Dark (fabric - C-).  Make 4 cuts.  

3.   Sewing set-in seams.  The trick is not to sew the seam allowances together.  This is unit - A - follow the diagrams for all the set in seams.

4.   Mark the seam allowances and sew one of  the corner squares (lightest fabric) to unit - A - matching and stopping at the intersection of the seam allowance exactly.  Leave the allowance free.  Swivel the fabrics and line up the seams of the second side of unit - A - with the square, be careful to fold all the other seam allowances and fabric out of the way and start sewing at the seam intersection.  Sew the second seam creating the block's corner unit.  Make 4.

5.   Sew the medium (fabric - B -) parallelograms together like this and press.       Make 4

6.   Cut the 2 - 4 1/4" light (fabric - A-) squares in both directions making eight triangles.  Doing it this way will make the outside edge of the block's fabric on-grain.

                                                 7.   Add two light (fabric - A -) top triangles to the parallelograms, stop sewing at the intersection of the seam allowances as shown.  Be exact.         Make 4

       8.   Cut the two dark (fabric - C -) 3 1/2" squares in half on the diagonal making   4 triangles.

9.  Then using the set-in seam technique, set in the dark (fabric - C -) triangles at the bottom of this unit.  Make 4

       10.  Sew the two remaining set in seam sections to make the top row of the block.

      11.  Repeat to make the bottom row of the block.

      12.  Sew the center units together to make a strip.

      13.  Then sew the final sections of the set in seams to complete the block.  (see the 4 double arrows)