February 2021 NZP Block of the Month: Friendship Star

February 2021 NZP Block of the Month: Friendship Star

Introducing the second of 12 FREE! Quilt Block Tutorials in our NEW! 2021 Nancy Zieman Productions Free! Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series! The “Friendship Star” Block is reminiscent of a pinwheel shape and features four half-square triangles. Earlier this year, Team NZP introduced our NEW! 2021 Nancy Zieman Productions Free! Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series. Visit our January 2 Blog Posting to review the Basic Supplies & Tools Listing.

Our NEW! 2021 Nancy Zieman Productions Free! Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series is a great way to finish a quilt in manageable monthly installments. One block at a time is an easy approach to creating a quilt. Whether you’re a beginner quilter or seasoned quilter, Team NZP’s block of the month series is a great opportunity to get stitching in the new year. In 2021, The NZP Team is honored to continue Nancy Zieman’s Block of the Month series with our first Christmas-themed quilt titled, Merry Christmas All Year Round Quilt! We’ll be sharing a quilt block tutorial on the third Saturday of each month, and we’ll be keeping the finished quilt design a mystery until later in December 2021!

All blocks will feature fabrics from the NEW! Merry Little Christmas Fat Quarter Bundle, along with our New! Exclusive No-Hassle Triangles Ruler by Team NZP and Nancy’s No-Hassle Triangles Gauge by Clover. Follow along as we share step-by-step how to create the February Friendship Star Quilt Block!

February Friendship Star Quilt Block

Keep your fabric choices sorted using this handy Fabric Planner diagram. Download the planner, make notes, and/or pin cut block elements to the planner to remind you of the fabric placements.

2021 Block of the Month Merry Christmas All Year Round February: Friendship Star Quilt Block

This block is 15-1/2″ square; 15″ finished square – when sewn into finished quilt. Finished quilt will include the Merry Little Christmas Fabric Panel and will measure approximately 80″ x 97″ (or 70″ x 87″ – your choice).

This month we’re featuring one block design made in two color-ways. Follow along as we demonstrate how to create Block A.

For the Merry Christmas All Year Round Quilt: February Friendship Star Quilt Blocks, select the following four fat quarter fabrics from the NEW! Merry Little Christmas Quarter Bundle along with the New! Exclusive No-Hassle Triangles Ruler by Team NZP.

Merry Little Christmas Red Writing Green, Merry Little Christmas Plaid Green, Merry Little Christmas Main Cream, and Merry Little Christmas Main Red.

Merry Little Christmas Red Writing Red, Merry Little Christmas Plaid Red, Merry Little Christmas Berries Cream, and Merry Little Christmas Main Black.

Prepare your fabrics! Pre-shrink fabrics by steaming and pressing. Then, stabilize fabrics for the sewing process by pressing and starching fabrics with June Tailor’s Starch Savvy.

Cut Fabrics for Block A

• Cut two 5-7/8″ squares from Merry Little Christmas Writing Green.
• Cut two 5-7/8″ background squares from Merry Little Christmas Plaid Green.
• Cut four 5-1/2″ background squares from Merry Little Christmas Main Cream.
• Cut one 5-1/2″ background square from Merry Little Christmas Main Red.

Cut Fabrics for Block B

• Cut two 5-7/8″ background squares from Merry Little Christmas Writing Red.
• Cut two 5-7/8″ squares from Merry Little Christmas Plaid Red.
• Cut four 5-1/2″ background squares from Merry Little Christmas Berries Cream.
• Cut one 5-1/2″ background square from Merry Little Christmas Main Black.

• Using the New! Exclusive No-Hassle Triangles Ruler by Team NZP, cut block squares above.

Construct One Block A

All seam allowances are scant 1/4″ unless otherwise stated.

Half-Square Triangles (HSTs)

Create four 1/2-square triangle blocks:

• Align 5-7/8″ squares cut from Merry Little Christmas Plaid Green and Merry Little Christmas Writing Green, right sides together. Pin.
• Mark blocks using a No-Hassle Triangles Gauge, and Clover’s White Marking Pen or a Frixion Marking Pen.
• The left side of the No-Hassle Triangles Gauge is designated to create 1/2-square triangle quilt blocks. Depress button on sliding portion of the gauge, and move to 5-1/2″ half-square triangle setting.

• With squares right sides together. Place No-Hassle Triangles Gauge on block set, corner to corner. Match corner marks of gauge with corner of block sets. Mark fabric through center die cut openings on gauge, with Clover’s White Marking Pen or a Frixion Marking Pen.
• Repeat steps, marking two 5-7/8″ square block sets.

Stitch Blocks

• Insert a new Size 75 Schmetz Quilting Needle and attach 1/4″ Quilting Presser Foot to sewing machine.
• Align 1/4″ Quilting Presser Foot along one side of center mark, stitch.
• “Kiss” the next block set to the stitched block and chain stitch (stitching continually) from one block to the next.

• Rotate blocks 180 degrees, stitch along the other side of center markings.

• Clip threads between chain stitched blocks.

• Cut blocks apart along center markings with a rotary cutter, ruler, and mat.

• Press seams flat.
• Open blocks and press seams towards darker fabric using a Tailor’s Clapper to set the seams.

Assemble Blocks

• Layout half-square blocks, and solid 5-1/2″ blocks, following diagram. Rotate blocks as necessary.

Join Squares

• Place blocks from left column onto middle column, right sides together, in pairs. Pin.
• Chain stitch from one block set to the next. Clip threads between.
• Press seams flat, then press open or to one side, using a Tailor’s Clapper to set the seams.

• Place half-square triangle sets from right column onto middle column, right sides together, in pairs. Pin.
• Chain stitch from one square set to the next. Clip threads between.
• Press seams flat, then press open or to one side, using a Tailor’s Clapper to set seams.

• Place top row onto middle row, right sides together. Pin.
• Stitch.
• Press seam flat, then press open or to one side, using a Tailor’s Clapper to set seam.

• Place bottom row onto middle row, right sides together. Pin.
• Stitch.
• Press seam flat, then press open or to one side, using a Tailor’s Clapper to set seam.

Construct One Block A

Repeat Steps above and construct One Block B

Our Merry Christmas All Year Round Quilt: February Friendship Star Quilt Blocks are complete!

Note: Depending on the direction of the diagonally center marked lines in the block construction steps above, one or both of your February blocks may form opposite blocks. No worries! Both designs will work well in the finished quilt!

Watch Stitch it! Sisters No-Hassle Triangles in Quilts Program 118 with Deanna Springer