Delaware Quilts

Grandma's Star and/or Fifty-four Forty or Fight

This is another block with many names. Most of us would call this Fifty-four Forty or Fight, but it can also be called The Railroad Quilt, Nine Patch Star, Old-Fashioned Pin Wheel, and what I'm calling this BOM, Grandma's Star. (block 1627a in Block Base)

For the Grandma's Star you will need:
From your FLORAL background cut ten 2 1/2 inch squares
From red cut ten 2 1/2 inch squares
OR you can cut a 2 1/2 by 25 inch strip of each, and make your four patches that way.

From your white star fabric cut eight 4 1/2 by 4 inch rectangles
From your black star fabric cut four 4 1/2 inch squares

Sew together five sets of four patches.


Star points:
Using HALF of your rectangles, only four of them, draw a diagonal line 1/8 inch from the top left corner to 1/8 inch to the right of the center on the WRONG side of the fabric. To easily mark the center, gently fold the rectangle in half and pinch the bottom to make a slight crease. Or you can mark your bottom mark 2 1/8 inches from the right edge.

Repeat the same thing with your remaining four rectangles. Draw a diagonal line 1/8 inch from the top right corner to 1/8 inch to the left of the center on the WRONG side of the fabric. Or you can mark your bottom mark 2 1/8 inches from the left edge.

Now take one of your rectangles and place it carefully on a 4 1/2 inch star fabric square. Place the rectangle on the square as shown here and sew on your marked line. Trim leaving a 1/4 inch seam allowance.


Press but don't bother trimming the excess yet.


Repeat with the right hand side, following same steps as above.


Press, and now you can trim off all that excess. Using your 4 1/2 inch square as your guide, trim the excess from the star point fabric. It is easier to trim from the back side.


Assemble following the diagram.

Your finished block should measure exactly 12 1/2 inches.


   

The quilt on the left is all Grandma's Stars. The quilt on the right is set with a simple snowball block, stunning isn't it! (Instructions for the Snowball block can be found here, use the second method for assembly)

       
Shoo Fly plus 54-40 equals a truly beautiful quilt.



Grandma's Star © Delaware Quilts December 2010
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Updated October 27, 2022

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