Yes I do. I took a class from Jackie Robinson. After ironing our strips, she told us to put away the iron and not touch it until the top was put together. She was very adamant about not ironing. Of course it has to do with the stretch of the bias.

She also said the bottom to top and top to bottom alternating seams was the way to go.

Hello from Western Mountain Maryland !! ;-)
I am of no help, but want to welcome you to the bosrd. ;-)

I have made a lot of log cabins, after the 1st one, have that problem, I now press my center seams open.

Hi,
I have made many lone stars and when I sew the star sections together, I sew it slightly wider going in towards the center. I have never added the squares and triangle at the same time.
If you put it together 2 by 2 and have two half done stars then sew it straight across to join the two halves (as someone else mentioned) I start scant...then widen as I get to the center then slowly work out to scant.
It is true also it can be quilted flat if it isn't too bad. I ask my quilters to do a scribbley design in the center middle blaze and outside diamond (makes it look like it was done on purpose) so the not all the lines end up meeting in the center and puff it up.
Also and all over design flattens the bump if it isn't major.
Yours is kind of major. If it were mine, I would separate (rip)the 8 points in the center about halfway out and resew them with a bigger seam. Sometimes you can applique something in the center and cut out what is underneath (like the bump!)....I have put things in the center of my lonestars.

In such cases I will cut a template the finished size and mark the stitching lines for the center diamond. I don't trust the 1/4" foot or my eyeballing it.

I did this; this only works if your piece is off by less then .75 inches. While it *helped* to adjust the block ala Schambers, it was insufficient on its own to solve the "outy belly button" problem.

-- jillaine

I used Eeanor Burns book too and have made 2 lone stars. Spray Starch and that good old 1/4 inch seam, a must. When cutting your strips, make sure you double check the 45 degree every couple strips. So easy to get off the mark, I did that and then had strips for plain pillows and almost ran out of fabric. Pin and pin and pin the seams, careful not to stretch even if they are spray starched and that center will turn out great. Most of all have fun!!

Related to this: make sure the width of your diagonal strips is accurate; this is where I messed up.

And also make sure that the "outer arms" of your pieced diamonds are directly across from each other.

The first photo below is what it should look like; the second is how off mine initially were.

STARCH, STARCH, STARCH!!!

The most important thing is the seam allowance, but I would also make sure that each 1/4 section is at a true right angle. I would trim at this point to a right angle and check again once the two quarters are sewn, to be sure they are straight. This should make it lay flat...