How to Quilt a Lonestar Quilt
A lonestar quilt is a striking, classic pattern featuring a multifaceted star on a background. It can be an excellent scrap buster, skill builder, and WOW factor. If you’re going to piece such a striking quilt, let’s make sure your quilting emphasizes your gorgeous work. Today, I’m going to show you how to quilt a lonestar quilt.
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I don’t remember the exact first time I saw a lonestar quilt, but I remember being in awe some them as a new quilter. They use funky geometry, and thus hold a bit of mystique about how they are put together (most patterns use y-seams. But don’t be scared! I have an easy tutorial here).
If you’re making your first lonestar quilt top, I highly recommend the one in Patty Murphy’s Zero Waste Quilting. It’s a great size, designed to be a scrap buster, and Patty has great directions. I even wrote a full review of the book here.
Quilting a Lonestar
A classic lonestar quilt has two key elements: the center star and the background. I recommend using a semi-custom quilting plan (2-3 motifs) with one motif for the background and another for the star.
You can be as simple or complex as you want in the background. On this quilt, I did a simple meander. I’ve also done paisleys in the background. I would even consider denser motifs like feathers or riff quilting. I think the two key elements if you really want your star to “pop” are to use thread that matches the background fabric and to use a substantially different motif than what you’re planning for the star.
In the star, I recommend choosing a motif that will accent the gorgeous parallelogram shapes of the piecing. Personally, I love continuous curves. They’re simple, straightforward to quilt, and they add a gorgeous harmony of texture to the melody of the piecing. You can free motion the curves if you like, but I prefer to use the Quilting Rockstar Ampersand Ruler (shown above) to guide my curves and keep them more even.
Choosing Thread
I’ve already referenced using thread that matches the background above. This, as with nearly everything in quilting, is a matter of preference. I like to let the star shine, but if you prefer a bolder background thread, it will add its own jazzy element.
For this scrappy lonestar, I used Tied with a Ribbon’s City Streets Sampler Aurifil Thread collection. It’s my favorite 50 wt thread, and I love the rainbow of colors! I used 7 of the 10, and I really enjoyed matching threads to each of the color stories in my quilt. It’s a subtle detail that adds a little extra depth to my simple continuous curves.
Whether you prefer matching or contrasting thread, visualize your stitches by unspooling your thread across your quilt top. Darker/ higher contrast colors or thicker threads will create more “pop” while colors that match more closely or finer threads will be more subtle. Which threads you choose is entirely up to what you like!
Final Thoughts
A lonestar quilt is an amazing scrap buster, a wonderful way to practice y-seams, and a beautiful way to practice your free motion and ruler quilting skills. Enjoy the adventure!
Resources
WORKBOOK: Quilt Your First Project with Confidence
Quilting Rockstar University: Online free motion quilting and ruler quilting education membership so you can finish your quilts with confidence
