Don’t you just love stars? We do. These stars are fast and easy when you print the shapes with Inklingo, and there is a brand new downloadable collection with 60-degree diamonds and triangles (60 DIA 1.0).
Sixty-degree diamonds are used in classic traditional designs like six-pointed stars and tumbling blocks. Inklingo makes them more precise, simpler, and faster than techniques like English Paper Piecing or acrylic templates, so now everyone can make them.
There are Inklingo sixty-degree diamonds with 0.5 inch sides, 0.75 inch sides, 1.0 inch sides, 1.5 inch sides, 2.0 inch sides, and 3.0 inch sides. Now that the Shape Collection # 1 CDs are almost all gone, there is a new Inklingo download for one-inch diamonds and related shapes.
With Inklingo, you can print 12 perfect diamonds on a fabric scrap 6 x 6 inches (enough for 2 stars), or 12 half diamonds on a fabric scrap 4.75 x 6.5 inches (enough for one star).
1. Sew from crosshair to crosshair (not edge to edge) with one thread for two seams to make half stars. Continuous stitching (two or more seams without breaking the thread) is like eating popcorn (without the calories), so you might decide to pop in a DVD or an audio book for a relaxing evening at home. It is ideal portable project too.2. Join the two halves. “Circle the intersection” in the middle for a perfect center to your star. This is illustrated in The Inklingo Handbook on page 55: Pass the needle around through the seam allowances, one pair at a time, in the crosshairs, before backstitching and sewing the last half of the seam. The thread goes around the intersection one and a half times. You will love the results!
The DVD lesson (60 minutes) with Jane Austen Writing Table Quilts illustrates continuous stitching, circling the intersection, and pressing techniques with a pre-Inklingo pattern. The sale price makes it a fantastic value, for yourself or for a friend, especially if you are new to hand piecing.
If you are looking for a small project or hostess gifts for the holidays, coasters are great. (We can’t stop making them!) Monkey Exercise # 001 is a downloadable pattern with all of our best tips for finishing coasters for your friends. It was written using shapes on the Inklingo # 1 CD. The long half diamonds in the new download add even more design options and new info for custom page sizes.
Tiny quilts are great for coasters, pincushions, needle case covers—and relaxation! There are worksheets in the shape collections and many ideas online for using stars made with diamonds, half diamonds, and triangles.
As you can see, we cannot stop making them. It is perfect therapy while recovering from a very sore throat. (I have one. Monkey is fine.) Thank you for visiting!
Linda & Monkey
Feel better Linda – hot tea, lemon and honey should help you out. Also gargle with salt water!
Shelly
those coasters are so beautiful.