Crossed Canoes Star Block

A few days ago our daughter spent time with a few of her old high schools friends.  They went canoeing on the Potomac,  so I chose the crossed canoe block to remember the summer.

Today we took that same daughter to the airport and she boarded a plane to go spend a semester abroad. It seems they grow up right in front of our eyes. We only get to have them for a fleeting time, and then like the weeks of summer, they are gone.

The Crossed Canoes Star Block should be a fun and simple block to make. For complete directions   Click here or click on Free Block Patterns 2010 Block of the Week  – Freedom Star Blocks Part 2.

Happy Quilting!

Betty Dietz

Birthday Star Block - Freedom Star Colors

Happy Birthday! This week both my husband and I celebrate our birthdays.

It’s tough getting older but it beats the alternative.

I have posted the directions and paper piecing patterns for one of my favorite block “Tangled Stars”  I re-worked some of the lines and made the star easier to paper-piece.   I have presented three different color versions.  Choose your own colors – Have fun!

For complete directions   Click here or click on Free Block Patterns – 2010 Block of the Week  – Freedom Star Blocks – Part 2.

Happy Quilting!

Betty Dietz

August Star Block

The month of August was named for the roman emperor Augustus Caesar.  There is a really good article which explains how we got July and August and also the number of days per month from the Romans.  Check it out at  Infoplease.com.

The block for this week, is an older block originally named ” Augusta” and published by  Vickery and Hill Company in Augusta, Maine from 1885 to the 1930s in the Hearth and Home Periodical.  (Barbara Brackman – Block Base for EQ).  So, was Augusta, Maine also named after Augustus Caesar?  Hmmm? I wonder.

Have fun with this block, make it up in your favorite colors!

For complete directions   Click here or click on Free Block Patterns – 2010 Block of the Week  – Freedom Star Blocks – Part 2.

Happy Quilting!

Betty Dietz

Family Circle Star Block

This weekend we spent time with our oldest living relative and we enjoyed hearing his stories about our family.   With his help, we filled in our family tree all the way back to 1830.  If you are interested in your family history get help from ancestry.com.

Remembering that our family is but a never ending circle, I have given you directions for an older  block  that I renamed – “Family Circle Star”.

For complete directions   Click here or click on Free Block Patterns – 2010 Block of the Week  – Freedom Star Blocks – Part 2.

Happy Quilting!    Betty Dietz

Philadelphia Star Block - Freedom Star Colors

We walked all around the beautiful city of Philadelphia this weekend, taking in the sites from the Reading Market to Independence Hall, Penn’s Landing,  Rittenhouse Square and South street.  We stopped along the way to enjoyed our Philly Cheese Steaks and soft pretzels. MMM!

To honor this city where the Liberty Bell first rang for Freedom, I have created a variation of an old block call Philadelphia Pavement.  This block was first published by Ruth Finley in “Old Patchwork Quilts and the Women Who made Them” 1929.  for full details see Barbara Brackman’s Block Base for EQ.

For complete directions   Click here or click on Free Block Patterns – 2010 Block of the Week  – Freedom Star Blocks – Part 2.

Happy Quilting!    Betty Dietz

Click here or click on Free Block Patterns – 2010 Block of the Week  – Freedom Star Blocks – Part 2.

TO make the block you will need to print and make FOUR of each paper-pieced section A and B.

Happy Quilting!

Betty Dietz

Double Star Block - Freedom Star Colors

Double STar Block - Tropical Colors

This week my husband and I will celebrate our 33rd wedding anniversary, and I chose the traditional block, Double Star, to honor this event.  When colored with greens and salmons for the stars it makes a cute tropical fish block!

For complete directions   Click here or click on Free Block Patterns – 2010 Block of the Week  – Freedom Star Blocks – Part 2.

Happy Quilting!

Betty Dietz

The Dog Star Block - Freedom Star Colors

Sirius, the “Dog Star” is the brightest star in the night sky.  It is located in the constellation Canis Major (big dog).  The Ancient Greeks noted that the appearance of Sirius heralded the start of the long, hot and dry summer, and this is where we get the term “the dog days of summer”.  This summer has certainly been one of the hottest in recent history, with much of the USA suffering.  Here in Washington DC, we have had a record number of over 90 degree days and our plants and lawns are certainly feeling the heat.

So, to beat the heat, this week’s star block is named “The Dog Star Block” It is a variation of the traditional “New Star Block”.

For complete directions   Click here or click on Free Block Patterns – 2010 Block of the Week  – Freedom Star Blocks – Part 2.

Happy Quilting!

Betty Dietz

World Cup Soccer Star Block #27 - Freedom Star Colors

Like a lot of others, I followed the FIFA World Cup Soccer Tournament from South Africa this month.  I really wanted the USA to win, but it was not to be. I watched many of the matches throughout the month, culminating in yesterday’s final match between Spain and The Netherlands, and I have gained a lot of respect for those fabulous athletes.  Some of the hits that they took were quite hard, and yet they continued to play.  I also learned a lot about the sport of soccer, I now feel like I know more about the rules, two yellow cards and you’re out!  I hope all the young kids playing soccer, will aspire to be good enough for the USA Team in the future.

I chose this block titled “World Without End” and I re-designed it as an easy paper-pieced block.  It reminds me of the drawing in the opening credits for the FIFA Cup this year, I see the Soccer player going after the ball with both feet high off the ground.

For complete directions   Click here or click on Free Block Patterns – 2010 Block of the Week  – Freedom Star Blocks – Part 2.

Happy Quilting!     Betty Dietz

World Cup Soccer Star Block #27 - Spanish Team Colors

Fourth Of July Star Block

Happy Fourth of July!

I hope everyone is renewed after the long holiday weekend and ready to start on the  next 25 Freedom Star Blocks.   For this week’s block, I chose  an older block that was named July Fourth, originally published in a syndicated column under the name Nancy Page.  The column was written by Florence LaGanke Harris between 1920 -1940 (Barbara Brackman – Block Base for EQ)

I have re-designed this block making is easier to piece and sew with rotary cutting techniques.  And I have re-colored and re-named the block “The Fourth of July Star Block”.

For complete directions   Click here or click on Free Block Patterns – 2010 Block of the Week  – Freedom Star Blocks – Part 2.

Happy Quilting!

Betty Dietz