Rosemary, I have just been trying to set the squares in by hand and they are still not sitting properly. I think you might be right about the squares being a little too small. The instructions said that they should be 3 5/8" which is what I have got but maybe they need to be 1/8th bigger. I will cut out a square and see how that goes.

Rita, it does look like the squares are a bit too small. That's why the center now puffs up. What measurements are you using? Your seams themselves look excellent!

Remember, the size of the square is the same length as the short sides of the triangle. (which is the same length as the sides of the diamond...)

Rita, how about releasing one side of the square and see how it lies right side up. It almost makes me wonder if the squares are sewing in a tidgy bit small.

Annis, I was just thinking that I would have to resort to paper piecing if I ever want to do this because it does seem beyond me right now. Margo, I was looking at Alex's class on the LeMoyne star when you posted your last comment. But the methods are so different that I think I would need to start again with Alex's method. This is what my star looks like with the triangles in place:

I think it looks pretty good. But once I start to add the corner squares - like this:

this is what I end up with! :shock:
{!-- ia0 -->PC050006.JPG{!-- ia0 -->

Anybody need a hat? I wish 'grandma' was here to show me what I am doing wrong.

Rita, they're definitely easier to draw than they are to sew. I've drawn dozens of them, but for sewing I add extra seams in the corner squares and triangles so I can paper piece, especially since I tend to make smaller block sizes. Some day I will do it the other way if I ever find the time. Don't give up. The more you practice the easier it will get.

Rita, review Alex's 8 classroom tutes for the LeMoyne star and watch how she lines up that corner. Maybe that will help.

[url]learn/classrooms/[/url]

Alex sews in a different order, but she has great tips for making that corner. Pay attention to the DOT!! That is what Edyta is marking with her pin placement.

[url]learn/classrooms/[/url]

Formula or no formula I still can't set in my squares right. I have the triangles done and they are fine and everything is lying flat (okay well almost flat ) but every time I try to set in the squares I end up with a pleat between two star points. What the heck am I doing wrong. I am being so careful with my 1/4" (in fact I have drawn 1/4" lines on the back of my squares to help me.) I stitch to the point where I have carefully placed the pin, flip it over and carefully stitch from the pin point to the outside edge, but I just can't get it right. I have been trying this on and off all day. I am about to throw in the towel. :shock:

Edyta's star is based on a Le Moyne Star using a 24 x 24 grid. Christine's star is based on a Grid Based Star using a 4 x 4 grid. There is a formula for the Le Moyne Star. I will simplify it here. If you want more information check out my website http://www.amc-quilts.com, Graph Paper - Instructions/Tutorials - 8-Pointed Star Tutorial (for the Le Moyne based star). On a 24 x 24 grid the star points cover 5 grids, the long side of the quarter-square triangles cover 10 grids and the corner squares cover 7 grids. Those are the magic numbers. The best sizes for these are multiples of 3". Other sizes will give dimensions that will need to be rounded up or down. For example: 12" finished block. Divide 12 by 24 to get the grid size which is .5 or 1/2". Multiply .5 by 5 to get the finished width of the star points which is 2.5 or 2-1/2". Add 1/2" for seam allowances to get the width of the strip to cut which is 3". For the quarter square triangles multiply .5 by 10 to get the long side which is 5". Add 1-1/4" for seam allowances to get the size square to cut which is 6-1/4". Cut this square diagonally in both directions to get 4 quarter square triangles. For the corner square multiply .5 by 7 to get 3.5 or 3-1/2". Add 1/2" for seam allowances to get the size square to cut which is 4". Thanks to EQ, Jinny Beyer, and Marsha McCloskey for all of this information.

And I just noticed the pictures are reversed for my 8-Pointed Star and Pineapple tutorials. I will get that fixed soon.

If you are looking for a quick way to do the exercises in Christine's color class, I've posted a brief tutorial of how I did mine:

[url]forum/the-classrooms-discussions-and-questions/5943-special-effects-with-color-class[/url]

I'd just thankful I'm not the ONLY one who found this confusing! I figure Edyta explains this thoroughly in her book, but I'm not buying presents for myself at this time of year. I looked at Fons and Porter's explanation (which has a formula) and it looked like a foreign language. I like the Steam-a-Steam solution best Thanks everyone.

Thanks Nancy, that's explains it! Back to the drawing board (the cutting board actually. )

I'm glad I held off on this....wish it had been more clear !

Be careful using Christine Barnes' block with Edyta's method. Edyta uses true diamonds in her block while Christine uses distorted diamonds like you would get if you used half-square triangles to make the blocks. So these are different blocks.

Nancy

Here is a link to the free Inklingo pattern: http://lindafranz.com/shop/inklingo-getting-started/3/product/inklingo-free-shapes/7