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Up next ... lone star


The cause of the delay has been a Lone Star block in the middle of my quilt.  I've been practicing pieced diamonds but I'm still not ready to attempt the real one.  So far, I'm a big fan of this tutorial.



At first, I had trouble with the quarter inch seam and getting the points lined up.  After a few really wonky blocks I had to pause to get some starch.  That helped and the blocks are getting better.

So, I started another strip set and another round of diamonds.  The points turned out much better this time.  So did the quarter inch seam.  Each block is 3.5 inches across and the center diamond has perfect 45 degree angles.


But, the blocks are not 45 degree angles on the outside so there is still some stretching going on. I'm going to have to work on my starching technique and/or mix up a stronger batch.

The good news is that I'm getting closer.  At first I thought I wouldn't be able to pull it off but I think I can with some more practice.  

So, I'm off to cut some more fabric strips and try again.  I'm also saving all my diamonds.  Even though they aren't perfect I have ideas on how to use them in another quilt.



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