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Resizing Your Scrappy Lone Star

10 Feb

IMG_4138

I’ve had several people ask me how they can make their own Scrappy Lone Star. I’ve put together this chart, so you can make a variety of sizes from 16″ to King-sized.

The top portion of the chart is for the original Scrappy Lone Star with 9 diamonds per panel. (Tutorial is here.)

9star

I have also included measurements for a 36 diamond panel Lone Star, if you prefer the piecing to remain small as the size of the quilt increases.

36star

Scroll down for descriptions of each column in the chart.

size chart

Size: this is the size of the star diagonally from point to point. The star will fill the top of the bed and shouldn’t drop over the side.  You will need to add extra background and/or borders for your quilt to drop over the mattress.

starsize

Strip Width:  How wide to cut your initial strips.  That one is easy!

Strip Length:  I overestimated, so that I was sure you would have enough.

Offset strips:  This is how much you stagger your strips before sewing them.

The 32″ star is offset 2.25″.  Each size varies.

Diagonal cutting width:  The width you cut your strips on the 45 degree angle.

Square Size:  This is the size you cut your background squares. I have listed the minimum size.  If you want the background to extend further, make your squares larger.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments, and I will update the chart for clarification!

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Comments:
43 Comments
Categories:
quilting

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Comments

  1. Dee says

    February 11, 2013 at 5:41 am

    Thanks for doing this! This was one of my next “want to do” projects!

    Reply
  2. Amanda says

    February 11, 2013 at 5:55 am

    You are a genius Janice! Thanks so much doing the hard work and sharing with all of us! I will put this go good use for sure 🙂

    Reply
  3. Jan says

    February 11, 2013 at 7:09 am

    Perfect! I’ve been waiting for this! Thanks!

    Reply
  4. Renee says

    February 11, 2013 at 7:11 am

    Wow thanks so much for doing this for us! I just got a mini jelly roll to make my first scrappy star quilt. Very excited, it is such a pretty quilt!

    Reply
  5. Elizabeth Johnson says

    February 11, 2013 at 10:02 am

    This is great!

    Reply
  6. Laura says

    February 11, 2013 at 2:11 pm

    I’ve loved that off-center lone star ever since I first saw it. The Lone Star is what got me into quilting. You make it sound very simple. So I have a stupid question–do you appliqué the star on background fabric once it’s done?

    Reply
  7. Doreen says

    February 11, 2013 at 2:26 pm

    Thank you so much for the VERY clear explanation/charts!!! Have saved this post to my bookmarks!!! Hugs……..

    Reply
  8. Marit says

    February 12, 2013 at 10:50 am

    Very useful info! One of these stars is on my to-do list for this year.

    Reply
  9. Kristy @ Quiet Play says

    February 12, 2013 at 11:57 pm

    Ooh perfect! Was keeping an eye out for this!! Thanks Janice!

    Reply
  10. Melissa says

    July 16, 2013 at 10:06 am

    Ok, newbie quilter here. In the 3rd column of your chart, what does WOF stand for??? Thanks. 🙂

    Reply
    • Liz says

      August 15, 2013 at 12:48 pm

      Width of Fabric- you may buy a yard and the yard is the length of the fabric. Width is from selvage to selvage edge. Usually 42″-44″.

      Reply
      • Janice says

        August 15, 2013 at 12:54 pm

        Yup, that is correct! Sorry, I emailed Melissa privately, but forgot to post the answer here.

        Reply
  11. michelle peixinho says

    August 28, 2013 at 3:27 pm

    Thanks! There is a way to have many more options for sizes and designs depending on the width and number of diamonds. As long as it is an odd number you can do any size or number to adjust the size of the star itself. I just posted my first tutorial on how I do my stars and I change the sizes all the time depending on the scarps I have available. Check out http://chonahomegrown.blogspot.com/2013/08/my-first-tutorial-strip-pieced-lone-star.html
    Thanks again for the info! M

    Reply
    • Sheila says

      November 14, 2023 at 5:07 am

      How would you resize a star that uses 4 diamonds per point?

      Reply
  12. Christine Sherman says

    December 25, 2013 at 5:30 pm

    Thanks so much for this! Lone stars are one of my very favorites and I’m going to try one thanks so your awesome directions 🙂

    Reply
  13. Gloria says

    January 2, 2014 at 7:12 pm

    I LOVE this quilt!! My mother gave me 3kitsto make for her but they are sewn piece by piece. One is pinks, one browns and one greens, I didn’t have any idea how to finish them. Thank you!!!!

    Reply
  14. Patty M. says

    March 3, 2014 at 2:24 pm

    Would it be possible to include estimated lengths for the strips that are used for the borders?

    Reply
  15. Mary Ellen says

    June 13, 2014 at 1:01 pm

    I want to know how to determine the size of the background squares and triangle. I know there must be a formula or something. Please share information about making the background.

    Reply
    • Rhonda says

      June 15, 2017 at 11:21 am

      I have that same question! Did you ever figure it out? I don’t see an answer here 🙁

      Reply
  16. Linda Hueston says

    July 22, 2014 at 5:10 am

    I would also like to know how to measure the background triangles and squares. Thanks so much for the tutorial

    Reply
    • Carol Van says

      October 11, 2014 at 4:04 pm

      My daughter loves the Scrappy Lone Star quilt and she would like a full size quilt. I am a beginning quilter and printed the size chart, but I do not understand the background. After making the lone star are the 8 16inch squares for the background. When pieced together will they then make up the total quilt?

      Reply
  17. Sarah says

    September 29, 2014 at 5:54 am

    You are a hero for posting this cheat sheet, Thank you!

    Reply
  18. Gail Muskego says

    November 18, 2014 at 6:59 pm

    I made a 25 diamond panel lonestar quilt (2″ size)

    My question is what size are my inset squares and triangles?

    Reply
  19. jessica says

    January 11, 2015 at 4:29 pm

    is there anyway you could tell me how to do it with 2.5 inch strips for a queen size quit. i will be using 7 different colors. i am new at this and i am having a hard time figuring out how to do it. also if i wanted to put the lonestar in the middle and do a design around it would it be better to do the 32″ one. also how many strips would i need of each color if im not doing a scrappy quit. i am doing one for my mom in shades of blue. as long as i hav light and dark blue the number doesnt have to be 7. im trying to figure this out. thank you any information will be helpful

    Reply
  20. karen says

    April 20, 2015 at 12:34 pm

    I would also like to know how to measure the background triangles and squares. Thanks so much for the tutorial..

    Reply
  21. Bren says

    May 14, 2015 at 2:16 pm

    I’m new to quilting and what does WOF stand for?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Nanci says

      July 7, 2017 at 1:04 pm

      Width of fabric

      Reply
  22. Keri Martin says

    May 15, 2015 at 7:26 pm

    How can I make the star with the green off to the side. I need a block 24×24 including binding. I should say it just can’t be bigger than that. I would love to purchase the pattern if you think I can make it that size. Also is the star appliquéd on the green fabric?

    Reply
  23. Aline says

    July 20, 2015 at 9:25 am

    I would like to thank you for such didactical post (tutorial part I and part II are equally amazing!)!
    As soon as I finish my current project, I´m going to try this one! Thank you for the time you spent writing those amazing posts!

    Reply
    • Nicky B says

      October 11, 2016 at 1:46 pm

      I have made a lone star block using 1 1/4″ strips. I have added a 1″ border round each point but am stuck now on how to work out what size to cut the squares for the corner, please can you help.

      NB

      Reply
  24. Mary Green says

    August 2, 2015 at 9:32 am

    Hi,

    Thanks so much for the sizing chart. I’m nervous about starting this quilt, but my daughter is smitten so here I go! I want to be sure I understand your instructions about the size of the squares to cut. Out of the background fabric, I’m going to cut 8 squares measuring 26″ each and for a king size quilt with fabric overhang, I would need nearly 6 yards of background fabric?

    Thanks again, Mary

    Reply
  25. Cheryl says

    January 25, 2016 at 2:40 pm

    What are your seam allowances?

    Reply
    • Ms BeachLizard says

      January 9, 2017 at 10:50 am

      Seam allowances on a quilt are ALWAYS 1/4″ — unless specified.

      Reply
  26. Amy Bishop says

    June 5, 2016 at 12:17 pm

    Thanks so much for providing this chart. I’m one of those wacky people who like the wee pieces. Can you give a mathematical formula for a 12 and 9 inch block? Thanks.

    Reply
  27. Tahlia says

    October 5, 2016 at 12:56 pm

    If you are interested in topic: earn online odeme – you should
    read about Bucksflooder first

    Reply
  28. Betty Amnah says

    June 27, 2018 at 7:07 pm

    I love your Lone Star Quilt that is 74″ by 88″. Am I understanding this correctly? Looking at your Resizing Chart – I need to cut 4.5″ strip widths to get a Queen size quilt out of this Lone Star?
    The tutorials pertain to the 33″ by 33″ partial Lone Star quilt in the bright green background, correct?
    Is there any way I can use the material estimations for this 33″ by 33″ quilt to get my amount of material amounts needed for my 74″ by 88″ desired quilt?
    Thank you so much.

    Reply
  29. Vanessa says

    September 12, 2018 at 9:40 am

    Thank you for sharing. I am interested in making a 19inch star for a mat I am making. How do i adjust measurements?

    Reply
  30. Tresa says

    October 24, 2018 at 8:34 pm

    I’m doing the full size and I’m confused on the “2 WOF” on the length. How long would that be? I really want to get started on this. Thank you in advanced.

    Reply
  31. LisaSwirtz says

    November 8, 2020 at 4:02 am

    I would like a throw size lone star quilt. How do I go about that?

    Reply
  32. Gail Rockeman says

    April 1, 2022 at 3:08 pm

    I’m about to try a lone star for the first time too. May try a 16” star for practice first! But I would like to get the strip size to make a Twin size quilt as a gift for my granddaughter. Would that size be 3” ? Since the baby size was 2.5 and the full size is 3.5, would 3” strips work for a twin size quilt? I’m guessing to figure the size of the squares you’d measure the star points and add seam allowances? Thanks so much for a great chart !!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Lone Star Love | Cluck Cluck Sew says:
    July 25, 2015 at 6:39 pm

    […] I used this tutorial for adding the borders and finishing the block.  She also has a handy chart to figure out different sizes and how bit to make your background […]

    Reply
  2. The Closet Quilter · Even More Prep Work says:
    July 27, 2015 at 5:17 am

    […] together. If I was only doing one quilt, it was have been hella easy. Here’s my secret: Better Off Thread. She has a great tutorial and even does the math for your to resize it or use 18 pieces instead of […]

    Reply
  3. Best service says:
    October 8, 2018 at 2:15 pm

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    Resizing Your Scrappy Lone Star

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