A Step-by-Step Throwing Stars Quilt Block Tutorial
I call this quilt design Throwing Stars because the finished blocks look like little spinning ninja stars across the quilt. This project uses the Creative Grids Scrap Crazy 6" Template Set and the Scrap Crazy 6" booklet by Karen Montgomery, but I’m only using one piece from the template set to show just how versatile it can be. With a background fabric, a print fabric, and a little strip piecing, this block comes together in rows to create a bold, repeating design that looks much more complicated than it really is.
For my Throwing Stars block, I started by choosing two fabrics: one print fabric for the stars and one background fabric to help the design stand out. I cut both fabrics into 4 1/2 inch strips, then subcut those strips into 3 1/2 inch by 4 1/2 inch rectangles. For each throwing star section, I used four rectangles of the print fabric and three rectangles of the background fabric.
Next, I sewed the rectangles together in an alternating pattern, switching between the print and background fabric. Once the strip was sewn, I used Template A from the Creative Grids Scrap Crazy 6 inch template set to cut the angled triangle pieces. I placed the template at each seam intersection, cut the shape, flipped the template to the next section, and continued cutting. One thing I really like about this template is that it trims off the sharp points, leaving flat ends that make the pieces much easier to sew together.
After cutting, I made sure every triangle unit was facing the same direction, with the print fabric on the right side of each piece. This step is very important because if some pieces face the opposite way, the star design will not come together correctly. To lay out the block, I placed the first triangle down, then lined up the bottom edge of the next piece with the long edge of the print fabric. I repeated that with the third piece, creating a rotating shape that looks like a throwing star.
Once the three pieces were arranged, I sewed them together using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. These small star sections are then repeated and sewn into rows. As the rows come together, the throwing star pattern starts to appear across the quilt. This design is made from simple repeated units, but the finished effect looks detailed, playful, and full of movement. I would love to try this with different colors for each star to see how much the design changes.
