Chevron Star 2.0
Using my "No More Tears"© Foundation Piecing Method
Paper-Piecing for the 21st Century
Twenty Years Later
36" x 36" without borders
40 1/2 x 40 1/2 with borders
"Chevron Star 2.0" is a riff on a pattern I designed almost twenty years ago, and it was definitely time for an update. For those of you who might not be familiar with my work, I love bold, graphic quilts. I also love illusions, like seeing curves where there are only straight lines or seams. And this pattern illustrates just that. By using lights and darks with high contrast, the pattern just “pops”. At first glance it’s a black and white quilt; however, when you look closely you see that the background and center “pinwheel” stars are black and white, but the strips in the main star are dark grey and off white. It’s a subtle difference but it works and helps create the illusion of curves.
BRING TO CLASS
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Your precut strips and HSTs
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Sewing machine (with a new needle), thread and bobbin. Before you come to class, make sure your machine is in good working order. There's nothing more frustrating than having to deal with machine issues during class.
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Regular piecing foot and your quarter inch foot
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Seam ripper (just in case)
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Rotary cutter (with a fresh blade)
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Small cutting mat. 9x12 is fine
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Highlighter (Pink, green, blue, orange, but NOT yellow)
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A Hand Needle (embroidery, cotton darning) as long as it has a sharp point and a long eye
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6"x12" ruler
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Add-A-Quarter ruler - the longer the better
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Paper and fabric scissors
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Invisible Scotch tape - any brand
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Oral B Glide Pro-Health Floss or any ribbon floss​
For Virtual Classes Only:​
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A new Elmer's Disappearing Purple Glue Stick (highly recommended)
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Your patterns, templates and and any other preprinted documents ​
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FABRIC SELECTION
A good rule of thumb:
This is actually a "method" class. Some of you are learning the method from scratch and some of you already know it but need a refresher. Choosing your forever fabrics is easier once you know how the blocks are made and then how the blocks are put together. I would suggest that you use fabric from your stash for learning, and then choose the fabrics you wish to have in your finished quilt. Remember, we'll only be making a couple of blocks in class. And please, I beg of you, limit your choices to four fabrics.
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What you're looking for is two colorways. In my quilt, I started with black and white for the background and center "pinwheel" stars. Then I chose dark grey (a little lighter than black) and off-white (a little darker than white) for the chevron star itself. It's the subtle change in color that is key for highlighting the illusion of curves.
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I chose all solids, but tone-on-tone, blenders and/or very small prints will work equally as well. You'll be fine as long as your darkest and lightest fabrics have high contrast. Click on the images above to see other color variations of my black and white quilt.
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CUTTING SPECS
​​Finished block 12" x 12"
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Start with 3/4 yard (does not include border) of each fabric. You'll some extra left over.​​​
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For Class
From the Darkest Fabric (Black)
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Cut one 4-1/2" Strips
Cut the strips into nine 4-12" Squares.
Cut the squares in half diagonally into eighteen HSTs (Half Square Triangles)
Cut one 1-3/4" Strips. Bring the strip to class.
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From the Lightest Fabric (White)
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Cut one 4-1/2" Strips
Cut the strips into nine 4 1/2" Squares.
Cut the squares in half diagonally into eighteen HSTs (Half Square Triangles)
Cut one 1-3/4" Strip. Bring the strip to class
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From the Darker Fabric (Grey)
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Cut one 5-1/4" Strip
Cut the strips into twenty-four 1-3/4" x 5--1/4" pieces
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Cut one 1-3/4" strip. Bring the strip to class
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From the Lighter Fabric (Off-White)
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Cut one 5-1/4" Strips
Cut the strips into twenty-four 1-3/4" x 5--1/4" pieces
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For the full quilt
​These cutting specs are for the entire quilt and include the strips and triangles you cut for class.
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From the Darkest Fabric (Black)
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Cut four 4-1/2" Strips
Cut the strips into thirty-six 4-12" Squares.
Cut the squares in half diagonally into seventy-two HSTs (Half Square Triangles)
Cut three 1-3/4" Strips to use for cutting out the template pieces
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From the Lightest Fabric (White)
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Cut four 4-1/2" Strips
Cut the strips into thirty-six 4 1/2" Squares.
Cut the squares in half diagonally into seventy-two HSTs (Half Square Triangles)
Cut three 1-3/4" Strips for templates to use for cutting out the template pieces
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From the Darker Fabric (Grey)
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Cut three 5-1/4" Strips
Cut the strips into seventy-two 1-3/4" x 5--1/4" pieces
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Cut three 1-3/4" strips
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From the Lighter Fabric (Off-White)
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Cut three 5-1/4" Strips
Cut the strips into seventy-two 1-3/4" x 5--1/4" pieces
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Cut three 1-3/4" strips
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