I've never been able to get an answer to this question and I've asked a number of people at a number of sites. I love Lonestars, but when I try to make one I ALWAYS get this "bunched up mountain" in the very center of the star. My only solution to this problem, so far, is to cut out the center and applique something on top to cover the hole. I had to do this with my latest one and I appliqued a yellow star in the middle. It looks all right but there's got to be a better way. Anyone got any ideas or great tips I could use??
Kip

I don't have a solution but that sure is pretty. Really like the colors.

I can't answer your question but vaugely recall reading something about it in the past. I wonder if it was an Eleanor Burns technique. Hopefully someone can help you.

That's the prettiest lonestar I've ever seen!

That is so pretty but I do not have a solution.

actually it looks great to me. lots of seams meeting in the center do tend to make a bit of a problem.
Eleanor Burns of Quilt in a Day takes that area and clips a thread if necessary to help the seam lay flat and sort of twist it in a circle with her fingers. presses well also.
hope that helps.
http://how-to-quilt.com/articles/220...allowances.php

I just watched a show of Fons and Porter, and the guest clipped seams and pressed them one way and the other so they laid flat. That was for a square with flying geese on all four sides of a square. It seemed to work well. Maybe something like that?

i don't have an answer either ~ but that sure is pretty!!!

It doesn't look that bad. I had one like that and when it was quilted it looked alright. Maybe, kind of stretch it just a tad in the places it is bunched up.

I adjust for things like this when I quilt them. Perhaps someone will have ideas to help you. I know there have been several posts by people who make these quite often. I have only finished one, and I didn't notice any problems.

I know nothing about Lone Star but that is beautiful!

a rubber mallet?!
(with batting on it,to keep from leaving a mark on the fabric!)

i swear i have heard of it being done..

When you are stitching the diamond tips, you should stop 1/4" from
end, take a couple backstitches. Then I sew the center diamonds in groups of
2, then sew the 2 into group of four. Then carefully pin the center and sew
from center to one edge, and again from center to other outer edge.
There is an excellent book on making Lone Star quilts by Blanche Young, I
believe. An older book, but has been most helpful to me.

You are right, there was a topic about using this awhile back.

Just tell folks that it is the way you designed it. It's SUPPOSED to look like this. Lovely and nice placement of colors. If no one likes it, my address is...

Did all your seams go in the same direction? It lays a bit flatter when you do that, still little humps, smack it down with a covered hammer or wood mallet. I've never tried it, but hear it works.

your lone star is beautiful love your color combination sorry cant help with problem I have never made one

"Mountains" are caused by excess fabric in one form or another...determine what there's too much of and fix it...either by cutting down seam allowances or by taking a slightly larger seam allowance...

At a quilt show in Shipshewana this man had a little wooden hammer he made with a rubber tip on it, then he showed us an area where you could see that a seem was sort of standing up......he placed a piece of white cloth over the seam and hit it with the hammer........afterwards that seam was so flat you could no longer see it or feel it........I bet if you took a rubber mallet and did the same thing it might work to flatten all the seams....worth a try....couldn't hurt it as long as you have fabric in between. Hope this helps

I just wanted to add to the compliments -- It sure is beautiful!

When I have that many seams coming together in a center, I press them all open. :D:D:D

I don't know the solution, but that is beautiful.

Your Lonestar is beautiful!! :thumbup:

That is a beautiful Lonestar. I have the same problem with mine. I tried the hammer trick and it helped. After that I have found my quilting took care of the rest.

Make the seam a tiny bit larger as you go inwards toward the middle.

Very pretty.

It is a Beautiful Quilt, and I am quite when you quilt it it will lay flat.

This is how I was taught also and it works really well

This is what I did with mine and it solves the "mountain" problem. Usually you will not notice that you've taken a little more in the middle.

When I made my Lone Star the instructor told us to make all your diamond star points, then sew two together, another two together and so on until you have 4 stacks of 2. Then sew 2+2 together, another 2+2 together, then you have 2 stacks of 4. then press well being careful not to stretch fabrics, then sew the two sections together and you only have one seam to contend with. Mine turned out fine using this method. Hope it works for you. Good luck. By the way I think yours is beautiful. Can't wait til it's done.
Patti

This isn't a lonestar but the same concept of all the pieces meeting in the middle. The seams are sewn as normal and they are all pressed in the same direction, it just swirls around the center. Mine don't all meet exactly but it still lays perfectly flat.

This is beautiful, I have the same problem. So will be watching the solution to your question. :thumbup:

Very pretty doesn't the quilting make it just vanish?

Press the middle seam open, it always works for me.

Thanks for sharing your beautiful quilt as well as the education regarding making seams lie flat!

Nancys Notions has a set of templates to make diffferant sizes ,streight seams no Y seams on sale for $19.99 I love mine,just made the 36 in table topper [CL9513]

Eleanor Burns has a lone star book that I have used and is excellent wonder if it is still out there it is the only way I was ever able to do the lone star quilt

Your quilt is absolutely gorgeous. I have never made a Lonestar quilt, but I had the same problem one time with a stack and whack pattern. Never did figure out how to prevent the mountain. Hopefully someone here will be able to help.

Looks good to me! Very pretty. Love your colors!

Yours is beautiful! Thats one that I've been researching for some time now. Wanting to make one but I know theres alot to know. I've looked at several in the LQS and they too seem to have mountains, some bigger than others. From what I've read you have to stop sewing a quarter inch from the middle. Fons and porter just did a series on that. But I didnt get a chance to watch it all. Good luck. It looks beautiful!

Your colors are pretty! Have never done anything like a Lone Star, do some people use the paper piecing methods?