Save Your Scraps- Asterisk Block Scrap Quilt Tutorial

Do you love scrappy quilts? Me too! A scrap quilt tutorial is the perfect method to learn new ways of using up scraps.

Save your scraps!

Yes, I’ve stated I am going to make 2019 all about using up my scraps. You should too. It’s so satisfying to clean out the scrap box, and lots of fun to remember the original project that used the fabric that left behind the scrap. You should use up your scraps and scrappy quilt tutorials are the best way to do that.

But first, you have to save your scraps. I’ve seen lots and lots of quilters offering “destashes.” They sell their scraps (sometimes huge pieces) at a discounted price to other quilters. That’s all well and good, it’s nice to get fabric at a discounted price.

But these quilters are missing out on one of the great joys of quilting. If you are only working with fat quarters or larger, you are missing out on scraps!

Moral of the story- save your scraps! I’ll have patterns and quilt tutorials for you throughout the year to use up all of those scraps you save.

First up,

Long, skinny scraps

When you are cutting your fabric, save those pieces that are 40 inches long by an inch or so wide.

For this tutorial you need one 7-inch square, and one scrap that is 1 inch wide by 40 inches long. Asterisk blocks can be made smaller or larger- this particular tutorial uses a 7 inch starting square, but this tutorial could be done with 4, 5, 5, 7 or probably even an 8 inch block. You could do larger as well, you just might need two long, skinny scraps instead of one. All directions will be the same regardless of your starting size.

This whole scrap quilt tutorial is made of asterisk blocks. Some of the fabric is not scraps, some was picked out specifically for this project. Many, many of the asterisks however, are made from long skinny scraps. In fact, this quilt is for an awesome Little Dude that’s set to arrive in a few months. And, by saving scraps from previous quilts, this Little Dude’s quilt has fabric from his big brother (Slightly Bigger Little Dude)’s quilt made a few years ago! Now, I didn’t save those particular scraps because I can see the future and knew this family would have a second baby boy, or even a second baby of any kind. It’s just a happy surprise that they will get to have a connection in their quilts.

Now, how to make an asterisk block. I actually think asterisk is a funny name for this block, even though that’s exactly what they are. I see a type of star. But, asterisk it is.

Asterisk Block – Scrap Quilt Tutorial

So, one 7-inch square, and one 40-inch by 1-inch scrap. Cut the scrap into 4 pieces, each 10 inches long. In my example, the square is blue the scrap is black (with stars!) and I’ll often refer to them as such, rather than by their measurements.

Accurate cutting and accurate sewing (you want to use a scant ¼ inch seam) are essential for this quilt. When it comes to putting the blocks together, you will have lots of seams to match, taking the time for perfection in each block will help the quilt top go together easily and beautifully.

Cut the square on the diagonal, from corner to corner, to create two blue triangles.

Sew one of the black scrap pieces to one of the blue triangles, using a scant ¼ inch seam.

Iron towards the black scrap. Actually, for this pattern, always iron towards the one-inch strip, it will make the whole block lay flatter as each new part is added.

Line up the second blue triangle with the raw edge of the black scrap.

Take care to have the triangle points line up, this is essential, so that the resulting block is still a square.

Again, sew with a ¼ inch seam.

Iron towards the black scrap.

Consistently ironing towards the black scrap, as I said, will make everything lie nice and flat. So far there is only one black strip through the middle of the blue square, but by the time you are done with block there will be four, and keeping the ironing nice and smooth is going to make everything easier.

Cut along the other diagonal, to set up the next black strip.

As you can see in this close up, you should not only line up your ruler corner to corner, but also take care that the horizontal lines on the ruler follow the first black strip. This helps to keep everything square and to have seams line up in the finished quilt.

Follow the same steps as before, sew a black scrap to one of the blue triangles that results from your cut in the previous step. Sew a ¼ inch seam and iron towards the black scrap.

Lining up the second triangle is only a little trickier this time around.

Half of the first black scrap is in one of the triangles and half is in the second. You want to make sure they match up exactly before sewing. Fold back the second (top) blue triangle to make sure the seams of the first black scrap line up perfectly, across the second black scrap.

Pin into place, sew and press. As before, press towards the black scrap.

Your blue square now looks like this, and still measures 7 inches on all sides.

Cut the square in half. The cut should go right through the middle of what is now a black X. Cutting the block in half means each side is now a 3½ inch by 7-inch rectangle. Even though you can see right where the middle of the X is, use your ruler, and make sure that the cut is 3½ inches from the edge, and completely straight.

Sew the third black scrap to one of the blue rectangles. (It really doesn’t matter if you pick up the left half or the right half.} Sew, press and then line up the second rectangle. Before sewing the second rectangle, double check that the center points of the X match up across the most recent black scrap.

This is what your blue square currently looks like.

Again, when cutting through the middle of the square, line up your ruler to be 3 ½ inches from the edge, and right through the middle of the X.

As before, sew one blue rectangle and then the other to the fourth and final black scrap. Also, as before, double check that the seams of the most recent black scrap line up before sewing the final seam.

And final seam it is! You now have an Asterisk block that looks like this!

This is what the back looks like, with all 4 black scraps sewn in, and always ironing the seams towards the black scrap.

Trim your block down to 6½ inches square.

I find it’s easiest to make sure my asterisk is exactly centered, by lining up the ruler to the black scraps, rather than lining up to the far edge. Getting the black scrap centered between the 3 inch and 3½ inch lines on the ruler makes the finished block the right size, and the asterisk nicely centered on all sides.

Trim all four sides.

A completed Asterisk block!

Here are close ups of five other color combos for this quilt.

And here is the finished Asterisk quilt! I am sure Little Dude will love his new quilt, and hopefully someday he and Slightly Bigger Little Dude will discover the connection between their quilts.

Save those scraps! There will be more Scrap Quilt tutorials and patterns throughout the year, so check back soon.

If you are looking for another scrappy quilt option (without long, skinny strips) the Scrappy Blitz Quilt might be just what you are looking for!

And, on a side note, I got carried away cutting long skinny scraps. But I’m certainly not going to throw them away. I’ll just keep saving until I have enough to make another Asterisk Quilt.