Today the quilt top I’m pulling from the quilt top cupboard is a Lone Star pattern.
The top is pieced by machine with a variety of scraps from the 1930′s-1940′s.
This top is fairly small, measuring 58″ square.
Lone Star tops, or at least the star portion are plentiful and easy to find especially on ebay. Many of them have “issues” though. If an accurate seam allowance isn’t used the center of the star won’t lie flat. If you’re considering buying a Lone Star pay close attention to the center especially. If the piecing isn’t accurate the center of the star will bulge. In most cases, the star can’t be quilted to lay flat. To fix them you have to take them apart and resew, which can be quite chore.
This quilt top has very nice piecing, but it needs a good pressing.
The quilter that pieced this star used some large scale prints. I think they give a bit of energy and playfulness to the star?
It’s more common to see Lone Stars done in a more organized manner with the same fabric used in the same placement in the diamonds that make up the star.
It looks like this quilter started out piecing her star the traditional way…but then she decided to “do her own thing” with it? I like the way she placed the orange diamond at each tip to reign in the wildness? 
Here’s a pic of one I made in the traditional style several years ago. Much more formal.
I like the more informal version just as much as the more traditional. It’s fun!
Tags: Lone Star quilt, machine pieced, scrappy quilt, vintage fabric
I LOVE this scrappy star!!! one of my favorite patterns! Thanks for sharing!
I LOVE this scrappy Lone Star, Ann!!! The vivid and bold color/fabric choices remind me of today’s Kaffe prints and the style of the Material Obsessions gals. Seeing the quilter’s use of aqua and orange made me smile because I just finished a quilt using those same colors!
I like the solid aqua color as the background for the Lone Star.
This is a very interesting lone star! I love the bits of orange throughout the star as well as on the tips. Your lone star quilt looks lovely.
I think I love the informal star the best, it has so much character.
Fun, fun, fun…..makes the formal star look boring. Really like the aqua background with all of those colors. Always enjoy your site….thanks for sharing.
I love that minty green solid – what a nice play on the busy prints -
thanks for sharing another treasure from the cupboard!
What a fun quilt! The orange points really bring it all together.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a scrappy lone star before! I love it, and the orange tips! Really fun!
the scrappy-ness sure make this Lone Star a different ‘flavor’ than the organized ones. The orange tips aren’t quite as impressive to me as is the wreath of print in the center. I like it A LOT. So much that I’m gonna have to give myself a good talking to. There are too many UFO’s and PhD’s already lurking in my sewing closet!!
Oh, this is gorgeous! The orange bits in the quilt just make everything pop and look so good against the aqua background! Thank you for another treat, Ann. You did such a beautiful job with the purple lone star. I kind of dread sewing diamonds
Weren’t you lucky (once again!) to have found such a nice Lone Star — and one that will lie flat as well. I really like this random scrappy top with its pretty colors, and it creates an interesting contrast next to your beautiful, traditional Lone Star.
What a fun Lone Star! I too love the scrappiness of the star and the orange tips! Just gives it so much life!
I’ve never seen a lone star done so scrappy, and I really like this effect, as you said, just as much as the more planned out version. Thanks for sharing