Oh why, oh why, didn't I. . .
 

We were in Lancaster County, PA this weekend and saw some great deals at the various Amish and Mennonite stores. I saw several of what they called "folded stars" and didn't have enough sense to buy one. Later I find it is also called the Amish Star. Where can I find an actual pattern (instructions) for this many-folds block?

I googled Amish folded Star pattern and a lot of tutorials were listed.

There looks like Moda Bakeshop has a free pattern.

http://www.modabakeshop.com/2011/09/...ot-holder.html

Pretty cool looking.

thanks for asking... that's a great star

I tried that one and found it more difficult that it looks. Good luck to you .... looking forward to seeing pictures of your project. They are certainly amazing!

There are several tutorials on Youtube also. I did some of the Christmas balls last year. Very easy to follow the tutorials. Enjoy!!

I am halfway through making this nightmare. Bought some fat quarters to make this for my grandma's birthday in July. It's still not done. Cutting the 64 little squares is not the problem, it's the fact that you have to iron a 1/4" seam allowance on 2 sides of each square. I definitely would not recommend trying this without a mini iron, spray starch & a spray water bottle. Those tiny edges won't hold without steam & starch and I got 4 bad burn blisters on my fingers before I broke down & bought a mini iron. Even with a mini iron, it is maddening beyond anything I've ever made.
After that, comes the pinning. You need to get them lined up just right on the muslin or you will be ripping the thing apart for hours.

It is beautiful, but you will need about 2 hours just for the ironing. If I were to do it over again, I would probably make 2.5" x 4" cereal box templates so I had something to make turning the edges under go faster. I did use my glass head silk pins & would recommend others do the same. It makes the layering process go much smoother. Finally, be sure to use really good, quality fabric. The squares are so tiny & if you don't get a sharply pressed fold, all bets are off. One fat quarter bundle from the LQS is more than enough fabric and you will not regret the extra investment as you start the 2nd hour of pressing all those miserable little squares.

Hoping to get grandma her birthday hot pads by Christmas. Really wish I'd never taken on this project, but it sure does look amazing when it's done. Here's hoping your project goes better than mine has so far. :)

Plum Easy patterns are folded star projects.
sandy

Wow, just looked a the Moda bakeshop tutorial and I'll be sitting this one out! I'm not sure i've ever seen one of their tutorials designated as ambitious, but it looks like the nightmare that Bree123.

Oh golly gee, I really wish I had bought some of these instead of thinking I could make them... I am not sure the ones I saw had quite so many "layers" but this is definitely the sort of thing I was looking for. Thank you for your help!

If I EVER made this beauty I would NEVER use it for a pot holder! I'd place it in a glass enclosure to put it on display!!!!

You got that right! Another thing I noticed in the (usually) Mennonite shops was quilt blocks that were framed. It felt like they had some batt behind them, but otherwise I don't know how they do it. For us, symmetrical frames might be the challenge! They probably build theirs themselves.

I just looked at the tutorial also. I saved it. It is beautiful but I don't know if I will ever attempt it or not. Looks like something that would be best learned hand on hand. Whew!!

I think if I " tried" that it would end my quilting hobby! Just too intense for a "potholder".....but for those who will do it...beautiful!

There is a tutorial for a folded dahlia that looks very much like this. http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...a-t116058.html

You can also google folded dahlia and come up with other patterns.

I just watched a youtube video for this and it looks way easier than the moda tutorial! I might have a go at it, but definitely not the moda way! Not sure if the link will work, but this is the one I watched http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KCGJXmimgKs

Agreed, his is wayyyyyy easier!!

Looking at the skill level and Moda directions, I'm not sure I'm that ambitious! Maybe someday--- maybe. ;)

Thank you for the link, Lee in Richmond. I'm going to have to try this !!! :)

I like how they did the binding. I might have to try that one.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KCGJXmimgKs

I think I'll give this one a try .... looks so much easier! Thanks for sharing!

Folded Dahlia is the same pattern but without so many layers,and bigger squares.I have made several using 4" squares, folded as for prairie points. Folded Dahlia is a good tut here on board. This one measures about 8 inches across.

I guess I'll just continue to make "scrappy" potholders. haha This is a pretty design, just too complicated for me. I don't have a long enough attention span to do something like this.

After watching that video, I don't think I would use it as a potholder - needs to be framed or something. It's beautiful.

Thanks for the link. Only for the brave at heart

I just a pattern for this at a quilt expo yesterday for $11.00. The pattern has only ONE template in it. Additional templates were 6 for $16.00. I'm going to trace copies of the template in my purchased pattern before I start the project. It is so pretty, but wicked expensive!

I have done several like the one sisty88 posted. Except instead of doing all the sewing, I used the glue stick to hold everything in place & just sewed the four lines at the ending to quilt it. Way easier that way & much less time.

I think I'll do & stick with the you tube video for this, so much easier than the Moda way......This is very unusual for Moda to do a tute that's so complicated Whew!
Jeri

Rainbowzebra's pic of that folded dahlia looks like something that was popular about 7/8 yrs ago? You folded prairie points, sewed down edges going is circle or something and ended up with this pretty folded thing... I did ONE.......found no purpose to do any more.....but found a pretty one at a garage sale that was put in a large emb. hoop...so I bought for ?$ and hung on wall of sewing room for several yrs, then resold at my garage sale.......some things are just a passing fancy.....