Are you having fun with this quick quilt-along? This week we assemble the blocks and the top. It will go faster than you think, because we’ll do the sashing at the same time. Curious? Read on!

Start by pairing up all your half square triangles, and sewing them togehter in a flying goose formation with the background together. This will form the star points. Chain sew all you have. One thing I did, was to make all the pairs as much alike as possible, using the same two prints in the same positions as far as they would go, then picking up two more and doing the same. This will make sure your stars have the most variety in placement as possible.

Sew all you have. Note that I only have three sets of prints from the six strips. This means each star will have two sides the same. I varied the two that matched on each star, and placed them on opposite sides. See the next photos for this to make sense.

Here is the first block. The points on the left and right are the same, but end up opposite edges, so it isn’t noticeable in the scheme of scrappy. Sew the block in rows, or use the web method.

On the next block, again the star points on the left and right are the same, but they are different prints from the one above. One of the print pairs from the above block is on the bottom of this one. Just keep varying the placement and which ones are in pairs on a single star, and it won’t be noticeable in the final top.

Sew all the star blocks you have. Press the top and bottom row to the outer edges, and the center four patch to the center. Remember to be careful to press, not iron, so you don’t distort those bias edges on the star points. Although this puts a dark fabric under a white corner, it gives the least amount of bulk to the points at the center. Pay attention to the top and bottom center seam, to press opposite to the center four patch center seams so you can nest the seams for assembly.

Sew the block and press carefully again.

Then, get out the long scrappy strips and the rest of your background squares for the next steps. For each block, place a scrappy strip on the right side and the bottom of the star block. I used the same print on both sides.

But if you choose, you can mix up your sashing strips.

Sew one strip to the block, and the other strip to the background square. Press toward the scrappy strip on both units so they will nest.

Now you have the finished block, with its sashing attached.

Assemble all 16 blocks with their sashing on two sides. Because the final assembly is only a couple of steps, I’m going ahead and showing it today, as the quilting I want to show you next week is more involved than usual. I custom quilted mine, and you may want to try that.

So, moving on for today to complete the top assembly, lay the blocks out in a 4 x 4 formation, and play with the placement until you are happy with how the sashing prints are distributed. I found it helpful to take a photo and look at it as sometimes it will reveal certain prints too close together, or an arrangement that pulls the eye to one spot that isn’t what you want.

When you are happy with the arrangement, fold the second column over the first and stack, then stack the 3rd and 4th columns so you can use the Web Method to sew the top quickly and accurately. Click on that link for a more detailed explanation.

Sew the top, beginning with the stacked columns, then adding the third and fourth columns in order.

When you have this part done, you’ll only have two sashing strips to add, on the left side and top. Lay the top out, and place the last sashing strips and background squares in a pleasing arrangement for color. (Ignore that my top is still in stages, I was in a hurry to get photos done for the pattern.) For the top, sew four strips to four background squares, alternating, and press toward the strip. Sew to the top with the background square on the far right over the sashing strip on that end. For the left side, sew four strips and five background squares together alternating in a row with the background squares on each end. Press towards the scrappy strips. Attach to the top.

And there we are! Top assembly complete.

I took a photo of it next to the blooming daffodils for the ‘beauty shot’ for the pattern.

If you are just now finding this free pattern quilt along, see the previous posts.
Oh, My Strippy Stars!! Quilt Along Schedule – March 2023
March 1 – Overview
March 7 – Four patch units
March 14 – Jelly Roll HST units
March 21 – Block assembly, quilt assembly and sashing – today!
March 28 – Quilting and finishing

Next week, we will quilt the top with a custom design and finish binding. Do share your progress in our Facebook group, I love seeing all the ideas on color you are using!

How’s your progress coming along?