If you want a really simple way of making the Lone Star quilt, you might want to try using Quiltsmart interfacing.
No bias, no diamonds, no blocking.
It goes together very easily.

Only con is that you're limited to the sizes offered, and the additional cost.

Watch the video to see how easy it is. You can have all the large diamonds pieced in a day, and then spend time on a really interesting setting.

Here's the 58"
http://www.quiltsmart.com/khxc/index...58inchlonestar

the 38"
http://www.quiltsmart.com/khxc/index...38inchlonestar

And there's a miniature LS as well.

If you want to do it the traditional pieced way, the best book out there is by Jan Krentz, Lone Star and Beyond.
http://www.amazon.com/Lone-Quilts-Be...9613027&sr=8-1

And there's a trick to avoid the volcano.

When sewing the 2 large diamonds together (to make 1/4 of the LS), I mark a 1/4 from the edge that will go in the center, and I don't sew past that mark (similar to a Y seam). That avoids ALL the seams and thread in the center, and it doesn't feel like you've got a steel slab stashed in there.

Not to mention that your fabric should be starched to oblivion before cutting to avoid any unnecessary stretching.

Here's another similar method, but the end result is the same.
http://michiganloonyloomer.blogspot....ether-and.html

Awesome

Beautiful!!!

Eleanor Burns just came out with a book for the Lone Star.

Lovely! I haven't made one yet.

MTS always has good tips for us.

But, here's another one:
If, like me, you are not a fan of starch, (a story for another time), you might try (temporarily) fusing freezer paper to the back of your strip sets before cutting the segments of your star. Leave the paper on, use a smaller stitch length, re-press to re-fuse as needed, as you sew the strip segments together for the star points. Leave freezer paper on until you've set in your background pieces and this will help prevent the stretching that creates that volcano, or pregnancy, in the middle of the star.

If you are planning to machine quilt your quilt, you might even try the very sheerest/lightest weight, permanent, one-sided fusible instead, and not worry about removing the paper afterwards.

Jan in VA

I've made two using the Quiltsmart interfacing... and I'm definitely a beginner quilter. The center does not bulge... I added borders and two rows of additional stars (at top and bottom) to get the size I wanted. I love the Quiltsmart stuff. I've seen a new Quiltsmart for the New York Beauty... can't wait to try it.

(I don't own stock or anything... just a satisfied customer!)

Have fun... the quilt will be beautiful no matter what method you use...

I used quilt smart for my star...It was the 2nd quilt I made...that should tell you how easy it was...considering I am no way a Master at this...lol

Awsome quilt. I have the book also but haven't gotten the nerve to tackle this one!

There are patterns for stars made entirely of HSTs, meant to avoid the diamond/bias problems. I haven't used them