Watch how to quilt a six-point star block (video & written instructions)

Are you getting tired of making the same old squares for your quilting projects? If so, you can shake things up with a six-point star quilt block! They are fun to sew, and can really make your quilt come alive.
There are dozens of different ways to make a star block, and you can check out a whole list of ideas and patterns at FaveQuilts.com. In the meantime, we’ll show you the simplest and fastest ways to make a six-point star using pieces of diamond shaped fabric, so you can get started on your starry, starry night – I mean, quilt!
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Watch the six-point star quilt block technique video tutorial:
Materials (For a 12-inch block)
Two 3.5 inch wide strips of fabric in your background color
Six 3.5 inch wide strips of fabric in the colors and patterns you want to feature in your star
A ruler that can measure a 60-degree angle
A regular ruler
Pencil
Thread
Sewing machine/sewing needle
Scissors or rotary cutter
Pro tip: As I mentioned in the introduction, there are many different ways to make a six-point star quilt block. Thus, you might notice that the process in the video is slightly different from the process in the written instructions. The only difference is the way that the background color pieces are cut, so you can check out both methods and decide which one works the best for you!
Written Instructions
1. Taking the first strip of your background color fabric, cut the end at a sixty-degree angle.
2. Move down the strip four inches, and cut again, creating your first diamond.
3. Repeat this process with the rest of your first strip, and do the same with the second until you end up with 12 diamonds. Then, do the same with the rest of the fabric that you want to use for your star, so that you have 6 diamonds for the star itself.
4. Lay out your six-point star on the table in the pattern that you want it to be in, and use the background color diamonds to fill in around the outside, as shown.
5. Linz of the Linz Sews Blog recommends sewing your block in two sections: The top half, and the bottom half. Before you do this, though, use a pencil to mark where the ¼ inch seam allowance would land on the back side of each of your star diamonds, so that it will be easier to keep track when you sew them.
6. Linz also suggests breaking your half square up into sections as well. As seen in the photo, take out the middle diamond (which would be the top diamond in your star), and sew all of the straight edges first. Sew the two sets of two diamonds at the top of the half square, then the two sets of two squares at the bottom, then press the seams open.
7. Put the middle diamond back in, and sew it into the topmost row. Then, do the same with the bottom row, until you have a finished half-square.
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 on the bottom half.
9. Stitch the two halves together. This makes a shape that looks a bit more like an hourglass than a square but don’t worry, we’re not done!
10. Lastly, use your ruler to mark twelve inches on the top, bottom, and side edges, making sure that your star is centered. Then, trim off the excess background fabric, making your hourglass shape into a perfect square.
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Once that’s finished, your six-point star block is complete!