If you're looking for a LARGE block to showcase some beautiful prints, then the Woven Ribbon Star could be the answer. I first designed this 20 years ago and later it appeared on the cover of Quilt Magazine when I was an editor there. Here's a closeup of my most recent block before borders. Just squares and "normal" triangles. Woven Ribbon Star  block: 24" x 24" This was the center of my Galaxy of Stars quilt from 2006. This was a Block of the Month in years past. Woven Star at the center of my Galaxy of Stars quilt  Yes, it's a VERY BIG quilt! (the surrounding stars are a mere 12") Galaxy of Stars quilt: 80" x 80" Woven Ribbon Star  using some solid reading prints and a polka dot border. I gave this one to a new baby. Woven Ribbon Star . 24" block, 35" x 35" quilt And it's so easy to piece (with NO bias edges, either). Here are two more quilts made with those big stars. Again, black polka dots for the setting squares an...

It's hard to believe that it's been 20+ years since I made this quilt. I'm sure she's enjoying living wherever she lives now (I have no idea who I gave this to!) It was published in Quilt Magazine Fall 2002 (we worked as much as a year ahead, so this was made in 2001). I called it "Autumn Scrap Bag Star". Yes, I know - we are entering Spring here in the Northern Hemisphere. But, get a head start on your Autumn sewing! Or make it in Summer colors - your choice. Autumn Scrap Bag Star : 81" x 81" Let me show you some of the steps and then you can get the FREE pattern. First, the large 24" block. It's a traditional star composed of squares and triangles and NO y-seams. This info is in the pattern. Let's see the steps to making those triangle units using small and big squares which are then cut in half. And the final assembly (all this is contained in the 6 page pattern) - how to cut those 3-strip sashings and the corner stones. Note: those s...

Today is Winter Solstice and I'm thinking about the sun and stars and light. I haven't made any new Winter Solstice quilts this year, so I thought I'd share a quilt that was 10 years in the making! I call this Star Spinners and it's a variation on a pattern by Pat Speth. I used two colors and cut my half-square triangle units only in half (and not into 3rds). It would make a fun class (and I've been thinking about that for about 10 years!) The browns and pinks and creams are lovely together. Star Spinners. 9" blocks. 38" x 47" quilt I decided to test my rudimentary pattern which had incomplete notes. I couldn't remember some of the little tricks, so I pulled out some fabrics and came up with 6 blocks in my "test" fabric. But I also rearranged the colors. Which one do you like? The first set mixes up the colors in each block instead of using one color for the star. Star Spinners Blocks, Arrangement #1 Or, this second version, which is lik...

Here we are on Day Five of the Magazine Cover Quilts and I have two that feature stars. The first is Blast Off! that let the fabric of planets do a lot of the heavy lifting. I just needed to stitch some blocks that looked like rockets (ok. maybe only a little). This is an updated version of Job's Tears that I converted to paper piecing. Blast Off! is the featured quilt on the cover of Quilt Magazine, Spring 2006 And here is the stylized shot as seen inside. I gave this quilt to a young boy almost 15 years ago. He's on his way to college now! Blast Off! 33" x 33". Block Size: 8" You may remember this next quilt as I featured it in a Block of the Month in 2015. It's my Galaxy of Star s. Quilt Magazine #73 (January 2007) Stay tuned for more on this issue. The senior editors joked that this was the "Debby Kratovil Issue" as it contained SEVEN of my quilts and a pattern feature for 4 FREE blocks. Never before and never since have I had so many in one iss...

This was in the giveaway pile at my local quilt guild's outside Bee last Fall. I recognized the Jinny Beyer fabrics from LONG ago. But the seams were pretty wonky! I knew who had put that in the pile (Donna) and I took it without her seeing me. She had announced that her mother (long gone to quilter's heaven) - had left it for someone to finish. But who? I had a plan! Pieced 8-Pointed Star with 9 Patch setting units I figured I could take it apart and put it back together and make it lie FLAT! Take a look at the back. Yes, this was hand stitched and the seam allowances are very willy-nilly! I pulled off the 9-Patch gold setting units. It still didn't lie flat. Then I removed the four red 9-Patches. I gave these back to Donna. Leftover 9 Patches Then I knew the hard work was ahead of me. I had to remove all the 9 Patch diamond units, press them, trim them and cajole them to fit together. I was at the point of no return! Four green and four red 9 Patch diamonds I trimmed. I p...

OK. I know that it's not Winter yet, but it is beginning to feel like it! I live on the East Coast (of the USA) and we have just turned our clocks back to Standard Time. To me, all that darkness means WINTER! The only way I can survive the next few months of darkness is to sew. I don't like turning on the lights inside my house at 5pm. I have been going through my winter-themed quilts and the first one I came across is my Woven Ribbon Star . Woven Ribbon Star . 24" block, 35" x 35" quilt This was the center of my Galaxy of Stars quilt from 2006. It was on the cover of Quilt Magazine, too! Galaxy of Stars quilt: 80" x 80" This was a Block of the Month here on my blog a few years ago (and those patterns are no longer available). That center block is a huge 24" square! And it's so easy to piece (with NO bias edges, either). Here are two more quilts made with those big stars. Woven Ribbon Star #2 Here is one I made using some Kaffe Fassett fabrics...