Year of Doubles BOM: April 2022
by Emily Keller from the Block of the Month committee
Friendship Star block
For Block 3 we will be starting with Flamingo Toes' tutorial for a 12" friendship star block (pattern here). See the lower right of my pink collage, below.
| The National Historic Park in Homestead, Nebraska provides a bit of history on these classic blocks. Made as going away presents, they were created in secret by the community and given to women when they moved out to homesteads. Names of each maker were embroidered in the center of each block, providing a useful memento for the recipient. Fitting, as the idea came at our monthly sew-in for the March block while surrounded by my quilty community. |
Now that we’ve seen the traditional block, it's time to start playing with fabric to create a second, re-interpreted block. Let your imagination run wild!
Committee blocks
Emily Keller: My traditional block is classic in red and white. For my re-interpreted block, I threw out the ruler for a wonky double friendship star. It was so freeing!
Traditional block (1st block) | Re-interpreted block (2nd block)
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Her traditional block is done in solid fabrics and has a small friendship star inside the middle of the larger one. Her re-interpreted block uses clashing patterns and wonky triangles to put a different spin on it.
Traditional block (1st block)
| Re-interpreted block (2nd block)
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Bonnie Mitchell:
Her traditional 12" block is high contrast, and the friendship star pops in vibrant red. Her second block is lower contrast and much softer, to a very different effect. Bonnie's extra credit third (!) and fourth (!) blocks play with improv rectangles.
Traditional block (1st block)
| Re-interpreted block (2nd block)
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Re-interpreted block (3rd block)
| Re-interpreted block (4th block)
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Friendship Star block inspiration ideas!
- Check out the Seattle MQG's "Year of Doubles BOM" Pinterest board for lots of fun variations!
- Planted Seed Designs has a beautiful set of reversed friendship star blocks on her quilt.
- This double friendship star tutorial from Kimberly Einmo creates a fun spiraling effect.
- Craft for the World mixes a simple four patch with the friendship star block to create a lovely mash-up design.
- A star within a star makes for another fun variation by Allison at Little Bunny Quilts.
Other Sizes:
Want your blocks larger or smaller than 12”? You can find a tutorial on Generations Quilt Patterns for a 3, 4 ½, 6, 7 ½, or 9” block.
Join the BOM Sew-in:
- There is a sew-in specifically for BOM participants on the 3rd Wednesday of the month, from 7-9pm.
- If you're not already registered, you can find the BOM Sew-in on the Calendar of Everything, and register to attend!
- April's BOM Sew-In is April 20th, and you can register here
BOM 2022 schedule:
| Share your progress!Tag on Instagram to share your BOM progress:
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