Rising Star Quilt Block Pattern

By Janet Wickell

Quilting Expert

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How to Make Rising Star Quilt Blocks

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Christmas Quilt Block Patterns - Janet Wickell

Christmas Themed Rising Star Quilt Block. Photo Credit: Janet Wickell

Updated November 07, 2015.

About the Rising Star Quilt Block

Rising Star is an easy star-in-a-star quilt block pattern that's suitable for beginning to experienced quilters.

The Rising Star quilt block finishes at 12" x 12". Use four fabrics to make a quilt block like the illustration, but don't hesitate to create a scrap quilt block by mixing up the fabrics in any way you wish.

Rising star quilt blocks look good with sashing and cornerstones sewn between them, or alternated with a simple quilt block, such as a four-patch Snowball (corner triangles would stretch down to meet the edges of the block's corner squares).

Take a look at the pattern for A Joyous Celebration for an example of Snowballs sewn next to typical Evening Star quilt blocks.

Fabrics for the Rising Star Quilt Block

My quilt block is Christmas-themed. Alter fabrics to suit any decor.

Medium to larger scale poinsettia print for small star block center:

(1) 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" square

Dark green Tone on Tone print for small star tips:

(8) 2" x 2" squares

Red and gold print for large star tips:

(8) 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" squares

Background fabric for large star:

(4) 3-1/2" x 6-1/2" rectangles
(4) 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" squares

Background fabric for small star:

(4) 2" x 3-1/2" rectangles
(4) 2" x 2" squares

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Assemble the Rising Star Quilt Block

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Christmas Rising Star Quilt Block - © Janet Wickell

Sew Patchwork and Assemble the Rising Star Block

Star tips are created with quick pieced Flying Geese units.

A member of our quilting community made a wonderful frugal suggestion: before you trim the tips from your geese units, sew another seam 1/2" outwards from the first. When you trim off the tips, the outer corners fall away and are small half square triangle units that can be used in another project.

Gather a 3-1/2" x 6-1/2" background rectangle and two 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" red squares.
Use the quick flying geese technique to sew a red square to each end of the rectangle.
Make three more identical geese units.
Repeat, making four more geese units from the smaller background rectangles and small green squares.
Assemble the small center star by arranging the green/background geese units, the four 2" x 2" squares and the 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" center square into three rows as shown (middle illustration).
Sew components of each row together. Press seam allowances towards the squares. Join the rows, butting seam intersections for a snug fit.
Assemble the quilt block by arranging the red/background geese units, the four 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" background squares and the small star center into three rows as shown.
Sew components of each row together. Press seam allowances towards corner squares and center star. Join the rows, butting seam intersections for a snug fit.
Press the quilt block. It should measure 12-1/2" x 12-1/2".

Try the No Waste Flying Geese Method Instead

When you use the no waste flying geese method you'll sew four small squares to a larger square and then cut apart. It's a very simple technique that results in four very accurate flying geese and eliminates the waste when the little corner triangles are chopped off.