Moravian Star Sew Along with AQS

Are you familiar with Moravian Stars? I found them in 2015, made a few, and wrote a tutorial. The American Quilter’s Society picked it up and promoted it on their blog, and to this day, it is still one of my top performers.

Betsey with AQS reached out a few weeks ago to ask if they could use it to run a sew along this month, and of course I said yes. They are hosting it in their AQS Countdown to Christmas Facebook Group.

The Sew Along starts this week, with gathering fabric and basting your diamonds. You can download a sheet of diamonds to cut yourself on the AQS blog, linked above, or you can order a set from Paper Pieces. You will need 60 diamonds for one star. For an ornament, I like 1″ diamonds. For toys, I use the 2″ diamonds. Anything larger just gets to be enormous, smaller is too fiddly for me.

Do be aware, that because of geometry, every little bit you add to the initial diamond has a rather large impact on the size of your finished star. I can’t explain it further, but I know it to be true. (My brain does not understand math in 3-D).

I’ll be making my next version with 1.5″ diamonds, because for some reason, I ordered a package of 900. That is what I have, and that is what I’m using. I’m on a temporary purchasing hiatus while we move, so everything I’m using is currently in my studio. (AQS does have a template you can print out and cut out your own diamonds – there is no need to purchase anything for this project.)

If you have a Facebook account, go and join the group. I’ll be posting videos, photos, and answering questions as much as possible over the next three weeks.

I’m using this gorgeous batik stripe from Robert Kaufman. It is a few years old. I may have gone overboard and bought an entire bolt. I do prefer using stripes in this project – they make the stars so dynamic.

Gather your supplies, and get ready to have some fun making my very favorite Christmas ornament ever.

For one Moravian Star you will need:

• [60] – 60 degree paper diamonds, sized between 1″ and 1.5″
• Fabric – a fat quarter will be more than plenty, or just use scraps!
• Glue Stick – either a Sewline Glue Pen or any other kind of glue stick
• Needle
• Thread
• Scissors
• Wonder Clips

I will be on the Facebook group this afternoon with my first video chat. I’ll be talking about my favorite supplies, and demonstrating how I baste my diamonds.

Next week I’ll demonstrate attaching the pieces, both by hand and by machine.

In week 3 I will be assembling my stars.

Want to check out my past Moravian Star posts?

• My Original Moravian Star
• Piecing by Machine
• Soft Sculpture/Toy
• Larger Star using designer fabrics
• And for the truly adventurous 3-D maker, check out my Triskele

I hope to see you in the AQS facebook group!

And a huge thank you to AQS for partnering with me on this project! What a privilege it is to have my work recognized by such a prestigious organization.