Lemoyne Star Nebbish Pursuits

This is an old draft of a post chronicling my construction of the Lemoyne Star.  I do like the look of this block better than the seamed  corners.  However I have Deb Tucker's Rapid Fire LS ruler, and it makes quick work of the star.  Nevertheless, I'm glad to know how to construct it the old fashioned way.  But having a unit that can be trimmed down to perfect size is also nice.  You invest in a ruler but it is an investment for saving time, and having a fuss-free experience. (And a less steep learning curve.

 

I created this mostly perfect Lemoyne Star.  It is an untrimmed 9.5" drafted block.  (Kona Silver background, Kona Black and Batik print).  I have a real love of Kona Silver....it magically goes with so many things.  As with paint, grays have undertones.  This gray has a violet undertone.

If you are interested in the drafting of a Lemoyne Star block you should read Laura Nownes post. Using her method, I engaged in a nebbish pursuit of using the calculations to produce Lemoyne Star's of all size persuasions in 1/2 increments.

Ugh.  Some, such as this 9.5" drafted block (which would finish at 9"), were perfectly proportioned.  3.5" block perfect.  11"  block perfect.  However, the 7 and 7.5" blocks earned a WTF?  They both shared the same diamond size of 2" (on the calc), with the variance of the corner square and triangle different.

What I thought was conquered in fact just represented and entre into the borders of a hostile land that required greater investigation and experimentation to determine the true topography.

In looking at drafting of the pattern, it is easy to see how hard it is to scale the dimensions in half inch increments.  A half inch increment in size of the block is spread over quite a few seams.   My goal is to make these stars and study the differences and adjust the measurements accordingly.  The 7/7.5" tries yielded a success and a fail. 

Nebbish undertakings to be sure, but by doing so, one really integrates one's construction knowledge of the block.  There are just a handful of videos on construction Lemoyne Star's the 'non-cheater' way--meaning you really are setting in the seams.  I think it worthwhile to practice and really understand the construction of the block so that Y seams are not dreaded, but rather, understood. The insets, once folded back on itself, allows you to smooth the other pieces together.  Once I understood this, I did feel like I had lost my way in sewing any aspect of the block.

I linked 2 videos in this post that were helpful to me.  But I still struggled a bit.  I developed for myself adaptive ways to have better success. First of, I implement a STS method of fabric prep...Starch the Stuffing (well that is the polite way) of all of the fabric that is to be cut.  It does make a difference.  Here are some other adaptions:

• Sew 2 star points and the QST together. Insetting the QST into 4 pairs of star points really makes quick work of this.  Also, if you adapt Dee Christopher's method of sewing through and then unpicking, (which works well with this), you can chain piece.  Yes! Chain piece!  Simply place the QST over the diamond.  Sew from pointy end down to the middle of the diamond without regard to the 1/4".  Then start with the next.
• Attach the second diamond to the other side of the QST.  You can choose to sew with the diamond on top, but I find it easer to sew from the back side. You can see the seam line  By making 4 pairs of the star points, pushing the triangle seams toward the points and the star seams to the left (with pointy end up), the swirling seams are achieved. (Edyta's way).  Others like pressing open the seams.  It is your choice.  I like this method.
• Sew from top end to center and stop 1/4"short and back tack (or sew to end and unpick in the next pass). I'm actually coming around to the unpicking of this seam.
  
• Sew the next star from top of QST to the seamline and backstitch..  (You could sew over and unpick to the intersection, but you really have a good road sign here. )
  
• Fold the back sides of the QST together which tucks it within the diamonds.  Now you have a neat unit where the diamonds are squared up, right sides together and the QST nestled inside.  Sew from pointy end to the previous stitch line on the diamond (or you can sew from the diamond middle stitch line to the pointy end.  Your choice.)
• Finger press diamond seams to one side and press gently the QST inset toward the diamond.  Your unit should lay flat.
  
• Sew 2 pairs of star points together to create the 90 degree angle that you need to set in the corner square.  I saw this tip on the quilting board, and I think it it good one.  If you lay your star down on your ruler mat and there is not a semblance of a 90 degree angle, something is amiss.  The rest of your efforts will be futile as the block will be either constricted (less than 90) or splayed (greater than 90).
• Fold over the corner square to make a diagonal.  Use a pencil and mark the lower right hand corner of the square to give you a visible needle stop if you cannot see the fold line..  
• Inset the corner lining up the top of the square to the QST and Star point.  Move the bottom part gently out to the way.  The diagonal corner should nestle between.  Sew until you hit  your pencil line which should be a perfect 1/4" so long as you seam is so.
• Fold your corner on the diagonal and drop the top to the back so that it is sitting flat against your sewing machine bed.