Creative articles about quilting

Old Block Quilt-Along, Part 5: Morning Star


Andrea from Quiltmanufaktur and author for the German BERNINA blog is your guide for this fantastic quilt-along over the next 12 months. Together, you will sew classic patchwork blocks and combine them into a sampler. The completed quilt will be traditional, yet modern! The next part has been written and we are delighted that you join this quilt project.


Today, we’ve got a beautiful new block for you in the Old Block Quilt-Along! In the blog post below, I’m going to show you the “Morning Star” patchwork block.

This block is slightly different from the original, which I found in the book “Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns” by Barbara Brackmann. It does not give the year of publication, just the fact that it was sold by the Old Chelsea Station Needlecraft Company. Old Chelsea Station is a mail order company founded in 1933. The pseudonyms of the authors were Alice Brooks, Laura Wheeler and Carol Curtis. Mail orders were sent to the Needlecraft Service in the Old Chelsea Station Post Office in New York, which is why collectors refer to it as the Old Chelsea Station Needlecraft Company.

The book mentioned above lists 18 fundamentally different blocks with the name “Morning Star”, so it’s not the most imaginative name. But if you start with a star or sun in the middle section of this block and choose appropriate colors, it looks a bit like a star in the early morning.

We are sewing the “Morning Star” patchwork block

The “Morning Star” block measures 12.5″ including the seam allowance.

The whole block is worked using the foundation paper piecing technique. With so many diagonal seams and seam points that have to meet up, the FPP technique is always preferable. 

Before you start, I would like to ask you, as always, to read through the instructions for the block in full and only then to start cutting and sewing!

Download the patchwork templates

For cutting out, I have created two PDF documents to download:

  • The first is a coloring sheet. This allows you to try out colors and designs for this block to see what they look like.
  • And on the second PDF you will find the templates for the foundation paper piecing.

On the PDF with the FPP templates, I have put a control square with a side length of 1 inch so that you can check whether your printout of the templates is the right size. It is important to set your print options to “Actual size”.

Here are the downloads:

“Morning Star” coloring sheet

“Morning Star” FPP templates

Cutting out the pattern pieces

With this block, there are no cutting instructions for each template. 

The sheet with the FPP templates has to be printed out 4 times.

Tip: Use colored pencils to color in the respective areas on the FPP templates that you want to use for your choice of fabric and color according to the coloring sheet. 

Sewing the “Morning Star” patchwork block

The “Morning Star” block consists of a total of 8 FPP pieces. These are made up of 2 triangles per quarter block. 

First work the 8 FPP pieces – 4 x each of pieces A and B, as shown and numbered on the template. I have not provided any pictures showing how to sew the FPP templates here because you are so good by now that you don’t need any!

When you are finished with the FPP templates, lay out the sewn pieces in position. 

Tip: Leave the paper in until you have sewn the two halves of each square together. And insert pins at the points where the seams should meet. You will see that everything fits exactly! 

First, sew together the quarter pieces, each consisting of two triangles. This will give you four square block pieces.

Next, join together the two upper and lower squares and as the final step, sew the resulting two halves together.

And this is what the finished “Morning Star” patchwork block looks like. I hope you like it and that you have great fun sewing it yourself!

You can see how I’ve played with the layout of this block here:

So now, dear folks, its time to get on your machines! And when you’re done with your block, show it to me and everyone else as always here in the Community section of the Old Block Sampler or on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #BERNINAOldBlockSampler. It’s always exciting to see what stunning blocks everyone is making!

New here?

Have you only just discovered the quilt-along? No problem! You can join at any time. Registration is not required, and you can win a BERNINA 570 QE! All the posts will remain permanently available at the following link: Old Block Quilt-Along – overview of all the posts

In the first post, which was the invitation to participate in the quilt-along, you will find the important initial information about our joint project:

Old Block Quilt-Along – who’s in?

You can find the rest of the blocks from the quilt-along that have already been published here:

Old Block Quilt-Along, Part 1: “Bride’s Bouquet”

Old Block Quilt-Along, Part 2: “Quilter’s Delight”

 Old Block Quilt-Along, Part 3: “Bird’s Nest”

Old Block Quilt-Along, Part 4: “Cross and Star”

I’m already looking forward to being able to admire all your great blocks again!

Have great fun sewing and see you soon,

Andrea

 

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  • Jean Schafer EditEditing comments on the BERNINA blog is only possible after logging in with a blog user account. Sign up now or create a user account if you do not have one yet.

    I’m feeling decidedly stupid trying to work out the placement of these FPPs. You’ve overestimated my intelligence! They are a completely different shape from the other ones. 

    • ramonawirth EditEditing comments on the BERNINA blog is only possible after logging in with a blog user account. Sign up now or create a user account if you do not have one yet.

      Dear Jean,

      You can do it, dont give up! If you continue to have problems with this block, why not visit the Community Section and ask one of your fellow sewists who already completed it for advice? You may have to try several times because not everyone realises they have recieved a comment, but I’m positive there are some lovely quilters out there who would be happy to help. Also, you still have more then half a year left to create the Old Block Quilt, so there is no hurry and you can always put a block aside and try again later when you have gained more experience.

      Kind regards, Ramona from BERNINA International

  • Lynne Gardiner EditEditing comments on the BERNINA blog is only possible after logging in with a blog user account. Sign up now or create a user account if you do not have one yet.

    I really think the instructions for the FPP for this pattern need to be included. It is an entirely different shape to the other ones we have done. In the first one for the quilters delight we are given the exact measurements of the side pieces that attach to the central triangle ( i.e. Cut four 3″ x 3 3/4″ rectangles.). EWhat size rectangles do we cut for the attached pieces. I wouldnt know where to start. Thank you

    • ramonawirth EditEditing comments on the BERNINA blog is only possible after logging in with a blog user account. Sign up now or create a user account if you do not have one yet.

      Dear Lynne,
      In order to cut the rectangles, you can find their size by measuring the template. In this picture, I drew in arrows to show you how to measure the height and lenght of a piece. Make sure to always include the sewing allowance. I hope this helps! (picture added as a seperate comment) Or maybe another reader who has already made this block is able to help you? If you check the community posts and write a comment on someones photo, maybe that person can help you as well!

  • agentlemoment EditEditing comments on the BERNINA blog is only possible after logging in with a blog user account. Sign up now or create a user account if you do not have one yet.

    hello wow looks good , although just discovered you as new to Bernina i will have to play catchup best wishes all kind regards claire

  • Jeanette Shirley EditEditing comments on the BERNINA blog is only possible after logging in with a blog user account. Sign up now or create a user account if you do not have one yet.

    I am enjoying doing the blocks, but I do have one problem, that is, the information has not come through via email twice so far, I have accidentally found it on the web. I have also noticed that it is weeks after others have posted pictures of the next completed block before I manage to come across the block and instructions.

    Regards Jeanette

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