I have always been drawn to the LeMoyne Star and, even with your excellent teaching, pointers, warnings, and demo, it still looks scary!!! Some day, when I have more experience in piecing, I hope to give it a go. Old garment sewer here, so I can already tell the urge to "iron" will be the biggest cause of failure in my quilting endeavors. Thanks for giving us these on-line visits from home.
Hi Alex! I had to watch this video a few times to see how you got the middle of the star to be perfectly flat. Wow, it takes practice! You explain this so beautifully! Love your bracelet -Carol Tucson,AZ
If you know which two fabrics you are going to pair, you can plan ahead and cut them from strips WRONG SIDES TOGETHER and you will always have your bias on the inside seam. Also, your fabric grain will always run in the same direction making your piece very flat. Also, please see Edyta Sitar's video on how to assemble. It's much easier.
I too prefer the LeMoyne/8 Point Star pieced with whole diamonds rather than the quicker method using half square triangles. The diamonds give a more elegant look. I cannot find a cutting chart anywhere for different sizes of LeMoyne stars...is there one in a book somewhere??
After 2 weeks I still can't get TQS registration to go through. Have emailed twice, hope I hear soon I have really enjoyed this time with Alex during quarantine. would like to continue.
Alex have you tried to take local honey to battle your allergies? I know it may not help if your allergies are to grass pollens, as bees do not usually collect grass pollen, but I have a LOT of honey customers who buy the honey I produce just for hayfever control. No science I can find to back that up but lots of anecdotes, worth a try!!
Lemoyne, is that in memory of Charles Lemoyne? If yes, I absolutely want to doit cuz my 50 y.o wedding husband had cancer and was taken care at Charles Lemoyne Hospital in South Shore of Montreal, Quebec, where was his land in the old time. And I will bring it to the Hospital to thank them cuz now, he his cures! Thanks.
Small correction: Deb Tucker's ruler Rapid Fire Lemoyne star DOES uses diamonds. The insets (triangle/squares) are bisected, which eliminates the Y seams. I think that the classically pieced star which has fewer seams (as you are demonstrating) is worth learning how to do. But I have and enjoy using her ruler for this. Now the ugly cheater method of using HST's is fine for a variable star, but I get rankled when it is paraded as a LeMoyne Star. It breaks up the fabric and the angles are not so elegant. There are several ways to make this star. It's worthwhile investing the time to find the method that work well for the individual. I spent about a year trying different methods until I settled on a process where I had consistent results. I say, the only way to make a perfect Lemoyne star is to make lots of imperfect ones! Marti Michelle's Deluxe Corner trimmer is a great marking tool for all interior 1/4" marks. It has the 135 degree for the diamond shoulders (and all other angles). I use it to clip the corners too. You could clip the acute angles of the diamonds/triangles if you like to give "accuquilt" look to your pieces. I adopted as a preference sewing all sewing the diamonds together first (leaving 1/4" gap at shoulder and sewing to tip), then insetting the triangles, then the squares. For the insets, I slightly upsize so that I can trim perfectly. I will note that Deb Tucker's Tucker Trimmer III has perfect markings for trimming down the LeMoyne star. I use Shar Jorgenson's method for insetting by sewing straight off the corner. It takes much of the mystery out of the Y Seam, and it work for all Y seams. (I clip the tip of the triangle and one corner of the square so that it nestles perfectly against the shoulder of the lower diamond. It gives a perfect visual cue on alignment. There is no need to mark these insets with that clip. The 1/4 seam will perfectly intersect in an "x marks the spot" of where your diamond shoulders were pieced. I demonstrated this method if any care to look at my nebbish LeMoyne Star stuff which includes a LeMoyne Star calculator.
YES. YES,YES, her method is so easy to get all points perfect without all the drama. Great ruler too. There are other stars, banded LeMoyne, and much more with this ruler. Deb's method is not scary at all, just all fits and then square up so easy.
DT’s rapid fire LeMoyne star is easier; however it has more seams. It surely is less fuss I appreciate seeing the different ways of crafting this block the traditional way. Mastering this technique is a huge skill builder. I use a mix of Edyta’s way and this way. I think the triangle inset is easier here than ES, and I employ that. I then sew the two halves together and then insert the corner blocks. I spin the seams the same way like ES method. I use Marti Michell's Deluxe Corner Trimmer to mark the dots. It's a great tool (II call it the swiss army knife of corner trimmers/markings). The HST method offends my eye and is truly a second-rate method (like Cool Whip instead of real whipped cream!) as diamond fabrics lack harmony as chopped up (I don't mean for that to sound as snobby as it comes off). As with most quilty things (and anything else in life) there is more than one way to get to an outcome. Finding tools and methods that suit one's preference is part of the journey.
Speaking of teaching! How does someone become a quilt teacher, I've seen some that have been only quilting for 3 years but they are teaching, can you learn enough in 3 years to teach?
Thank you - wonderful, slow explanation of constructing the star. I also like it made with the traditional diamonds.
Excited to see and taste the great Lemonade ya’ll are making for all of us! Many Thanks
I have always been drawn to the LeMoyne Star and, even with your excellent teaching, pointers, warnings, and demo, it still looks scary!!! Some day, when I have more experience in piecing, I hope to give it a go. Old garment sewer here, so I can already tell the urge to "iron" will be the biggest cause of failure in my quilting endeavors. Thanks for giving us these on-line visits from home.
Hi Alex! I had to watch this video a few times to see how you got the middle of the star to be perfectly flat. Wow, it takes practice! You explain this so beautifully! Love your bracelet -Carol Tucson,AZ
Thank you!
So glad to see u u are responsible for me quilting and yes I watched OZARK because my dauhter said watch this mom OMG but I am hooked!
If you know which two fabrics you are going to pair, you can plan ahead and cut them from strips WRONG SIDES TOGETHER and you will always have your bias on the inside seam. Also, your fabric grain will always run in the same direction making your piece very flat. Also, please see Edyta Sitar's video on how to assemble. It's much easier.
I too prefer the LeMoyne/8 Point Star pieced with whole diamonds rather than the quicker method using half square triangles. The diamonds give a more elegant look. I cannot find a cutting chart anywhere for different sizes of LeMoyne stars...is there one in a book somewhere??
After 2 weeks I still can't get TQS registration to go through. Have emailed twice, hope I hear soon I have really enjoyed this time with Alex during quarantine. would like to continue.
Do you have measurements for an 18" finished LeMoyne Star?
I love your fabric! What is it?
the popping sound is everyone hitting the "like" or "love"' buttons.
Alex have you tried to take local honey to battle your allergies? I know it may not help if your allergies are to grass pollens, as bees do not usually collect grass pollen, but I have a LOT of honey customers who buy the honey I produce just for hayfever control. No science I can find to back that up but lots of anecdotes, worth a try!!
Lemoyne, is that in memory of Charles Lemoyne? If yes, I absolutely want to doit cuz my 50 y.o wedding husband had cancer and was taken care at Charles Lemoyne Hospital in South Shore of Montreal, Quebec, where was his land in the old time. And I will bring it to the Hospital to thank them cuz now, he his cures! Thanks.
Alex, reach out to any of the crochet channels eg; crochet grandma, bag-o-day they do live and you never hear the messages (pop) coming through.
Small correction: Deb Tucker's ruler Rapid Fire Lemoyne star DOES uses diamonds. The insets (triangle/squares) are bisected, which eliminates the Y seams. I think that the classically pieced star which has fewer seams (as you are demonstrating) is worth learning how to do. But I have and enjoy using her ruler for this. Now the ugly cheater method of using HST's is fine for a variable star, but I get rankled when it is paraded as a LeMoyne Star. It breaks up the fabric and the angles are not so elegant.
There are several ways to make this star. It's worthwhile investing the time to find the method that work well for the individual. I spent about a year trying different methods until I settled on a process where I had consistent results. I say, the only way to make a perfect Lemoyne star is to make lots of imperfect ones! Marti Michelle's Deluxe Corner trimmer is a great marking tool for all interior 1/4" marks. It has the 135 degree for the diamond shoulders (and all other angles). I use it to clip the corners too. You could clip the acute angles of the diamonds/triangles if you like to give "accuquilt" look to your pieces.
I adopted as a preference sewing all sewing the diamonds together first (leaving 1/4" gap at shoulder and sewing to tip), then insetting the triangles, then the squares. For the insets, I slightly upsize so that I can trim perfectly. I will note that Deb Tucker's Tucker Trimmer III has perfect markings for trimming down the LeMoyne star.
I use Shar Jorgenson's method for insetting by sewing straight off the corner. It takes much of the mystery out of the Y Seam, and it work for all Y seams. (I clip the tip of the triangle and one corner of the square so that it nestles perfectly against the shoulder of the lower diamond. It gives a perfect visual cue on alignment. There is no need to mark these insets with that clip. The 1/4 seam will perfectly intersect in an "x marks the spot" of where your diamond shoulders were pieced. I demonstrated this method if any care to look at my nebbish LeMoyne Star stuff which includes a LeMoyne Star calculator.
Deb Tucker uses diamonds not HSTs for her LeMoyne star (no Y seams) but there are others that use the HSTs. I'm a fan of Studio 180 Design rulers.
YES. YES,YES, her method is so easy to get all points perfect without all the drama. Great ruler too. There are other stars, banded LeMoyne, and much more with this ruler. Deb's method is not scary at all, just all fits and then square up so easy.
DT’s rapid fire LeMoyne star is easier; however it has more seams. It surely is less fuss I appreciate seeing the different ways of crafting this block the traditional way. Mastering this technique is a huge skill builder. I use a mix of Edyta’s way and this way. I think the triangle inset is easier here than ES, and I employ that. I then sew the two halves together and then insert the corner blocks. I spin the seams the same way like ES method. I use Marti Michell's Deluxe Corner Trimmer to mark the dots. It's a great tool (II call it the swiss army knife of corner trimmers/markings).
The HST method offends my eye and is truly a second-rate method (like Cool Whip instead of real whipped cream!) as diamond fabrics lack harmony as chopped up (I don't mean for that to sound as snobby as it comes off).
As with most quilty things (and anything else in life) there is more than one way to get to an outcome. Finding tools and methods that suit one's preference is part of the journey.
HST's are a terribly false equivalent!
Speaking of teaching! How does someone become a quilt teacher, I've seen some that have been only quilting for 3 years but they are teaching, can you learn enough in 3 years to teach?
12 minutes of nonsense talking before she even starts talking about the star UGH