No collection of quilt block designs is complete without many stars as this symbol was always a favorite.
The French Star is a Canadian pattern varying the eight-pointed star of diamond-shaped blocks by introducing small melon-shaped pieces of the background color or of contrasting hue. These melon-shaped pieces in turn form a wreath and may divide the star into two colors, as rose and pink, two shades of green or orange and yellow as suggested.
In making the French Star, sew two of the cone-shaped pieces to each white triangle, and then sew the corner squares to two of these blocks. The small melon-shaped blocks piece onto the center blocks; these in turn sew into a circle to which are added the oblong blocks and strips which were made first. This takes precise piecing but it makes an unusually attractive design when complete, either for patchwork pillows or for a quilt top. For the quilt, piece the star blocks together, using alternate squares of white of exactly the same size as the pieced blocks and finish with a border of white and color set in strips.
Material Estimate: 11-inch blocks which measure 15½ inches diagonally, may be effectively set together on the diagonal with alternate plain white blocks. 25 pieced blocks with 16 plain blocks, 16 half blocks and 4 quarters, plus a 3-inch border of white at top and bottom only, finishes 78 inches by 84 inches, requiring 6½ yards of white, 1½ yards orange, and 2 yards of yellow.
Other great patterns from 101 Patchwork Patterns:
101 Patchwork Patterns by Ruby Kim. Original copyright 1931 McKim Studios.