A star quilt is the perfect addition to any sewing room when the holidays near. Designed by legendary quilter Alex Anderson for Quilters Select, this Holiday Stars Quilt is a beautiful combination of classic quilting with modern precision.
As always, this pattern is both beautifully executed and easy to follow—and Alex Anderson has been a great resource to the quilting community for years. This project is about playing with the geometry of star blocks without all the aforementioned alignment frustrations!
What do you like about this pattern?
The Holiday Stars Quilt is all about the lines and the visual contrast. Star patterns may be intimidating to makers because of the matching points and problematic bias edges (the stretchy diagonal lines of woven fabrics), but this design is set up for success.
- Precision Piecing: The layout is based on precise cutting parameters which guarantee that your points will remain sharp and not be cut off in the 1/4″ seam allowances.
- True to the Quilters Select spirit, the pattern is written to be used with specific notions. For example, applying a temporary fabric glue stick to delicate seams, versus pins, helps to keep seams flat and stops fabric from shifting.
- Flexible Fabric choices: Design is enhanced by high contrast fabric. The color of the star blocks will pop off the pages when they are coupled with a neutral color background that has rich holiday tones, such as deep forest greens, crisp crimsons or modern metallic prints.
The construction method is designed to reduce bulk at the center intersections, which can be beneficial for intermediate quilters who want to hone their technique or for the more advanced quilters who simply want a relaxing and satisfying holiday project. The end result is an extremely flat quilt top that is a dream come true to quilt, domestic or long arm machine.
Final Thought
What makes the Holiday Stars Quilt is a beautiful reminder of what we love about quilting – using simple pieces of fabric to create something amazing! Prior to beginning cutting into your preferred fabric combination, spend some time getting your fabric stitched and checking the seam accuracy. Follow Alex Anderson’s excellent design and you will have a design that you will be able to enjoy for many years to come. Happy stitching!