June 2021 NZP Block of the Month: Star of Hope
Introducing the sixth of 12 FREE! Quilt Block Tutorials in our NEW! 2021 Nancy Zieman Productions Free! Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series! The “Star of Hope” Block. 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 June, Star of Hope quilt block.
June Star of Hope 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 June: Star of Hope
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 for two mirror image quilt blocks. Follow along as we demonstrate how to create the June Star of Hope Quilt Blocks!
For the Merry Christmas All Year Round Quilt: June Star of Hope Quilt Block, 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 Main Red, Merry Little Christmas Plaid Green, Merry Little Christmas Writing Cream and Merry Little Christmas Candy Cream.
Prepare your fabrics! Pre-shrink fabrics by steaming and pressing. Then, stabilize fabrics for the sewing process by pressing and starching fabrics with Quilter’s Starch Savvy.
Cut Fabrics June Star of Hope Quilt Block
- Cut Two 5-1/2″ squares from Merry Little Christmas Main Red.
- Cut Four 5-7/8″ squares from Merry Little Christmas Plaid Green.
- Cut Two 6-1/4″ squares from Merry Little Christmas Main Red.
- Cut Two 6-1/4″ squares from Merry Little Christmas Candy Cream.
- Cut Eight 5-1/2″ squares from Merry Little Christmas Writing Cream.
- Using the New! Exclusive No-Hassle Triangles Ruler by Team NZP, cut block squares above.
Construct Block
All seam allowances are scant 1/4″ unless otherwise stated.
Half-Square Triangles (HSTs)
Create four 1/2-square triangle blocks:
- Align 6-1/4″ squares cut from Merry Little Christmas Main Red and Merry Little Christmas Candy Cream, right sides together. Pin.
- Mark blocks using a Clover’s No-Hassle Triangles Gauge, and Clover’s White Marking Pen or a Frixion Marking Pen.
- The left side of the Clover’s 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 5-7/8″ half-square triangle setting.
Half Square Triangles (HSTs)
- With squares right sides together. Place Clover’s 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 6-1/4″ 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 marked lines.
- Clip threads between chain stitched blocks.
- Cut blocks apart along center marked lines with a rotary cutter, ruler, and mat.
- Press seams flat.
- Open blocks and press seams open or press towards darker fabric – using a Tailor’s Clapper to set the seams.
Modified Quarter Square Triangles (MQSTs)
- Meet right sides of fabric 1/2-square triangle blocks, with print opposing sides, as you match centers.
- Create Modified 1/4-square triangle blocks from one 1/2-square triangle block (HST) and one 5-7/8″ fabric square.
- Align HST made from Merry Little Christmas Main Red and Merry Little Christmas Candy Cream, and one 5-7/8″ fabric square of Merry Little Christmas Plaid 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 right side of the No-Hassle Triangles Gauge is designated to create 1/4-square triangle quilt blocks. Depress button on sliding portion of the gauge, and move to 5-1/2″ quarter-square triangle setting.
- Align 1/4″ Quilting Presser Foot along one side of center marked line, 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 marked lines.
- Clip threads between chain stitched blocks.
- Cut blocks apart along center marked lines with a rotary cutter, ruler, and mat.
- Press seams flat.
- Open blocks and press seams open – using a Tailor’s Clapper to set the seams.
This month we’re featuring one block design for two mirror image quilt blocks. Follow along as we demonstrate how to create the June Star of Hope Quilt Blocks!
Construct Block
- Layout modified quarter-square triangle blocks, and solid 5-1/2″ block, 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 block 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.
- Repeat steps above for second Star of Hope Quilt Block
Our Merry Christmas All Year Round Quilt: June Star of Hope Blocks are complete!
Watch Stitch it! Sisters No-Hassle Triangles in Quilts Program 118 with Deanna Springer
Shop Clover’s I Sew For Fun Sewing Tools and More at ShopNZP.com
SHOP our NEW! Patterns and Exclusive Bundle Boxes at ShopNZP.com
Shop NEW! Land of Liberty Fabrics at ShopNZP.com
NEW! Stitch it! Sisters Hearth Ceramic Mugs with Lid at ShopNZP.com
For a chance to be the random winner of a Stitch it! Sisters 5″ Fabric Short Stack with S!S button & sticker, please leave a comment below sharing your thoughts about the NEW! 2021 Nancy Zieman Productions Free! Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series.
Nancy Zieman Productions will give away one Stitch it! Sisters 5″ Fabric Short Stack to one US resident in the 48 contiguous states. Winner must reply within 30 days to the official giveaway announcement email message – sent from Nancy Zieman Productions.
Happy Quilting!
Team Nancy Zieman
Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.
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Michele E Barris
I Love It, enough said!
Mary Silverman
Love seeing your block of the month and getting new ideas!
Carol Benson
The 2021 mystery block of the month is so bright and cheerful as each month’s block is revealed. Can hardly wait for the next month’s block. Love this mystery quilt.
Bonnye
Looking forward to seeing the reminder of the beautiful quilt blocks
Sonia Hanson
Unless I did something wrong, I have already cut 6-6 1/4″ (4 sqs. for March and 2 sqs. for April) squares from the Merry Little Christmas Candy Cream. This square says to cut 2 more 6 1/4″ squares. I don’t have enough Candy Cream fabric.
Leigh
I’ve just started watching the series & am totally hooked! Nancy explains everything in a non intimidating manner with options that allow you to choose which method works better for you. I love that the block of the month is offered in print version for reference. I am so inspired to start creating fiber arts. Thank you!
Dixie
Love the block of the month and can’t wait for the next one,
Susan
Block of the month is a great way to learn how to do different quilting designs. At the end of the learning experience, you have a great quilt. Love the chosen fabrics.
Gail S
I absolutely love this block, especially with the mirror imaging. How Fun!
Diane Hardee
Never having quilted before, I thought the NZP Mystery Quilt would be a great way to learn. Like Sonia, above, I have had to rely on ETSY to have enough fabric for the monthly blocks and I am sure this is because I am a newbie. This month I found I did not have the Merry Little Christmas Writing Cream, even double checked previous blocks thinking I had used it all, but this was to be the first usage. I am very lucky that I have a quilting guru friend to help me understand the instructions as some things, like squaring the blocks before joining, just come naturally to quilters but not newbies. I would like to suggest at the beginning to include instructions that avid quilters take for granted but us newbies have no clue, maybe a page that we can refer to but only printed at the beginning . I love this idea, anxious each month for the next pattern and have been a fan of Nancy’s just too chicken to try. Thanks for this mystery quilt!