We have attempted our first Lone Star Quilt top and have ran into a problem, PLEASE HELP. WE were using a pattern that you piece eight strips together, cut them at 45 degree angle into eight strips, then piece those eight strips together to form a diamond and repeat until you have eight diamonds and sew them together with blocks and triangles to complete the top. After piecing it all together, the center of the top is bulky and baggy? What may have caused this problem? The rest of the top is straight and even, but the center is just bulky and baggy. Any advise on preventing this on future quilt tops we make would be GREATLY appreciated. Thank You

with all those pieces, you need to be really accurate. Accurate cutting, the infamous scant 1/4 inch seams. The other issue is that you wind up with the edges of the diamonds on the bias. You have to be very careful not to stretch them. Starching your fabrics before beginning would be a good idea. I'm sure other folks will chime in with addional advice.

Welcome to the board from Southern California!!!!
I have never made a lone star, but there are others on here who have!!!

You must be EXTREMELY careful to get exact 1/4" seams on these stars, and with all these pieces being cut on the diagonal, do not stretch the fabric. You will now have to re-sew some of the seams until the piece lies flat, and then sew 4 pieces together, and then the other 4 pieces together, and then sew the 2 half-stars together, matching up the center seams. Press all of the seams OPEN on this, as it helps reduce the bulk.

I recently did a Queen sized lone star, and I had good luck. You MUST be extremely careful with your seams and handling the fabric.

PM me if you need more help. :-)

Here's the quilt I did:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-79225-1.htm

It is the bias edges that cause this to happen. When you put the eight triangles together did you do so that you ended up with two halves that had to be sewn with one long seam? If you did then you can fudge a little in the center by making the seam a little deeper towards the center of the seam where all the ends come together. Next time when you piece the diamonds together start sewing at the end where they all come together and work towards the outsides of the diamonds. That will leave most of the fullness from stretching of the bias to the outside instead of in the center. With the fullness to the outside you can then gently work the fullness in as you apply the outer squares and Y seam triangles. We'd love to see a picture. Lone stars are my favorite pattern!

Now I see what you were saying on chat. It's very pretty but I don't know what to tell you to do to help.

Well, speaking from a lot of experience in a center that looks like a mountain or a mole hill.

I have taken the 8 diamonds apart and then cut them to size. This takes a bit of time, but you won't have a bump then.

When I have quilted them I can sometimes take some of that out of there.

Sorry not much for good news.

I'll try to post one of my latest ones.

I took a class and made one. We drew out the shape of the big diamonds on muslin and then pinned the muslin to the ironing board. Then pinned the diamonds onto the muslin, stretching and easing where needed and then starched and ironed the diamond shapes into the perfect sized diamonds. the diamonds sewed together perfectly with no bumps or baggy center!

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-87433-1.htm
hmmm, if all else fails, you may have to turn it over and see what seams need to be stitched again. you will probably need to take up some in order to get it to lay flatter. good luck.

I think if I had sewed the star together before I added the blocks and triangles it would have done alot better. I used instructions off the internet and they were not clear at all. They had it to where you sew the star when you are sewing the blocks and triangles on together. Will probably make another one and just hand quilt this one for myself.