Wish Upon a Star Quilt

Hi there! I’m Lindsey and I am really excited to be here on the Moda Bake Shop today! I blog over at Inspiring Creations where I share tutorials, patterns, recipes, and everything in between.  Today I am going to share with you how to bake up this fun quilt using Sweetwater’s newest line-Wishes. I had a completely different design in mind before I got the fabric, but when I got this fabric and saw it in person I was so excited that I had to change up my design.  There are a few prints in this line with flags on it–which soon became one of my favorite prints in the collection.  I took that idea and made a quilt with some fun flags! 
You can make this your own by changing the saying in the flags, or if the flag design isn’t your cup of tea, you can make the entire quilt using just the stars. 
So let’s get started!
2 Charm Packs- Wishes by Sweetwater
 2.5 yards background color (5538 16)
3/4 yard binding fabric 5535 -24
3 yards backing fabric Essential Dots Aqua 8654 22
3 yards of batting
Cutting:
Out of your background fabric cut the following:
4 strips of 3 1/2″ x 45″ 
3 strips 23 1/2″ x 11 1/2″ (for flag rows)
1- 11 1/2″ x 11 /12″ square (for flag row)
10- 5″ x 5″ squares (for stars)
24- 3 1/4″ x 3 1/4″ squares (for stars)
Out of the binding fabric you will cut:
3 strips 11/2″ x 23 1/2″ (for flag rows)
1 strip 1 1/2″ x 11 1/2″ (for flag row)
7 strips – 2 1/2″ x Width of fabric – (for the binding)
Separate your charm packs into different colors:
For each star you will choose two coordinating colors.  For this one I chose a yellow and green combination.  You will also  need two 5″ x 5″ squares our of your background fabric.  
You will need to make three sets of two that comprise of the following squares.
1. one background square and one green square
2. one yellow square and one green square
3. one background square and one yellow square
Place one set right sides together:
Sew a 1/4″ seam all the way around the squares.
You will do this to each set.
Now you will take a ruler and place it diagonally from corner to corner on the block and cut:
You will then place the ruler in the opposite corners diagonally and cut again:
You will now have four half square triangles (HST):
You will cut each of your sets the same way so you will have the following:
4-yellow/cream HST’s
4-green/cream HST’s
4-yellow/green HST’s
Now press them all open.  I like to press mine to the dark side.  You can also trim them up and make sure they are all 3 1/4″ square.  (since these are all cut on the bias they will have a bit of a stretch to them)
Now you will need four 3 1/4″ x 3 1/4″ squares:
Layout your HST’s and squares like this:
You will sew the blocks in rows of four first by placing the first two right sides together and sewing a 1/4″ seam:
Now you will take the second two and do the same:
I like to chain piece mine at two at a time and then join the sets of two together.  This helps the process go much quicker.
Sew the two sets together to form one row of four squares.  Will will do this to each row:
To get your points to match up nicely, nest your seams! This will really help!
Now you will sew your rows together. Start with the first two and place right sides together and sew a 1/4″ seam across:
Now do this to the next two:
You will now join the two sets and then give it a good pressing.
You need to make 5 stars using the same method shown above. Trim your blocks 11 1/2″ x 11 1/2″ 
We are now going to work on the flags for the quilt.First you need to print off your favorite block font with the following letters:
You will need a strip of background fabric that has heat and bond ironed on to it.  You will iron the wrong side of the fabric to the rough side of the heat and bond:
Now place one of your letters onto the heat and bond and trace.  **You will want to place your letters facing down so that when you cut them out they are facing the right way.
Cut out your letter:
Do the same process to each of the letters that you need:
Now to create your flags you will need 13 charm squares in different colors
Find the half way point of the charm which is 2.5″ inches and place your ruler on that point and then place it diagonally to the top left corner and cut:
Now do the same to the opposite side:
You now have your little flag:
Iron your letters onto the flags:
You will now add heat and bond onto the back of your flags.  Making sure you iron the wrong side of the flags to the rough side of the heat and bond.  You will do this to each flag.
Now to create the banners.  
3 – 23 1/2″ x 11 1/2″ rectangles
1 – 11 1/2″ x 11 1/2″ square
You will cut on a diagonal all the way across.  Try not to do it from point to point, rather offset the diagonal so that you have room for your flags later. You will cut the diagonal different for each row–so be sure to look a the quilt diagram to know which way to cut your diagonal. 
You will need a strip of red fabric that measures 1 1/2″  x 23 1/2″ you will place it right sides together and sew it to one side of the rectangle and then press, and sew the other half of the rectangle on so that you have a piece that looks like this:
 You will trim your rectangle to be 23 1/2″ x 11 1/2″.  Make sure you trim it up.  When you add in the strip, it makes it a tad bit bigger so you will need to trim it down a little. 
You will do this to all of your background pieces, but changing the diagonal.  Here is a diagram to help you see which ways you need to make your diagonals for the different words:
 You will now iron your words onto your strips–making sure you iron the right word on the right strip.  Just look at the diagram above to help you with that.   You can now sew around your letters and  flags if you’d like to make sure they are secured to your fabric.  Or you can do this later when you are ready to quilt the entire quilt.
Now it’s time to piece everything together.  You are going to piece it in rows and then sew the rows together.  
You will need four strips of 3 1/2″ x 45″ as well as all of your stars and banners.
You are going to start with piecing your banners and stars together:
Place the star and banner right sides together and sew a 1/4″ seam and then place your other star on the opposite side of the banner right sides together and sew a 1/4″ seam.  Press your row.  You will do this with all three rows:
Now you are going to add the rows of background fabric between the rows and on the top and bottom.  Start by placing the first row and the first strip right sides together and sew a 1/4″ seam. You will continue to add your rows in the same way so that it looks like this:
Your top is almost done!! You now have to add your charm borders.  You will sew the following sets
 2 sets of ten charms
2 sets of twelve charms
 You will sew your side borders on first.  Place the border right sides together with your quilt top and sew a 1/4″ seam and press.  **To make them line up evenly, pin your borders to your quilt top to ensure they lay flat and also line up nicely. Do this to the left and right side.
Now you will add your top and bottom borders.  Place border right sides together with quilt and sew a 1/4″ seam across. 
You are done with your quilt top! Now you can baste, quilt, and bind your quilt using your preferred methods.  
One Wish Upon a Star Quilt Measuring 53″ x 53″
For other fun quilts and tutorials you can visit my blog Inspiring Creations

Lindsay Weight
{www.inspiringcreationsblog.com}