Free 3 Yard Quilt Pattern: The Chunky Star Quilt

Sew a bold star quilt featuring your favorite fabric! The Chunky Star Quilt Pattern from SewCanShe requires just 3 different 1-yard pieces of fabric. This free quilt pattern is super easy to sew and you will love how it will make just one yard of your favorite fabric really shine next to a lighter fabric and a darker fabric!

This blog post has been converted to an optional PDF that’s optimized for printing. Find it here. The free Chunky Star 3 Yard Quilt Pattern is included in the blog post below and is totally free to read, print, and sew! Just hit CTRL +P on your computer to print. The Optimized for Printing PDF download for $3 is totally optional. Did you know you can get ALL the Optimized for Printing PDF files organized in a library for you to access anytime you want? Check it out.

What size quilt does this free pattern make?

Most 3 yard quilts are not very large because they don’t require a lot of fabric. This chunky star quilt pattern makes a beautiful lap quilt, throw quilt, or wall hanging that is 51” x 51”. With careful cutting (see my diagrams below), three yards will be enough fabric for the quilt top and double fold binding. You’ll need more fabric for the quilt backing.

Your couch or wall is going to look gorgeous with this quilt on it!

My ‘Chunky Star’ Block is a variation of the Ohio Star Quilt Block. There are 5 Chunky Star quilt blocks and 4 single chain quilt blocks to add movement and frame up the stars. See my free Ohio Star Quilt Pattern from 7 Fat Quarters.

If you love to use your AccuQuilt fabric cutter like I do, I’ll share the optional cutting die numbers to make this pattern Accuquilt-friendly. Using an Accuquilt is optional, but I love it! See all my Accuquilt-friendly quilts. Look under the cutting dimensions below for a list of fabric-cutting dies you may use instead.

Except for the strips, all of the dies I used for this quilt were in the GO! Qube Mix & Match 10″ Block set.

How to Choose the Right 3 Yards of Fabric for this Star Quilt

This easy to sew quilt pattern makes it really easy to pick your fabric too. First find a beautiful ‘focus fabric’ in your stash or at your local quilt shop. This should be a fabric that really sings to you – or that makes you think of the intended recipient of the quilt.

In the example above, I wanted a bold floral quilt, so my focus fabric is from the Rifle Paper Company Garden Party Collection. It’s out of print already, but you might find some on Etsy or Ebay.

After you have chosen your focus fabric, choose one coordinating fabric that is lighter and one coordinating fabric that is darker. My darker coordinating fabric is a beautiful black Speckled fabric from Ruby Star Society. The lighter fabric is from Moda Grunge Basics.

Your quilt doesn’t have to be SO bold. Look how lovely the pattern is with lighter fabrics. Here I used EQ8 Quilt Design Software to see what it would look like with one of the prints in Tilda’s Chic Escape collection and Pin Drop in Denim from Riley Blake. I have these fabrics in my stash. Should I use them soon in a quilt like this?

Chunky Star Three Yard Quilt Pattern

This free quilt pattern includes instructions for a 15” (finished) Chunky Star (Ohio Star Variation) Block and a simple 15” (finished) chain block. There are only 9 quilt blocks in this quilt, which is another reason why it is so quick to sew!

The finished throw or lap quilt is 51” x 51”. It’s perfect for hanging on your wall, snuggling on the couch, or donating to Project Linus or another worthy organization.

Important note: This pattern squeezes as much as possible out of each yard of fabric. The width of each piece must have 42” of usable fabric. Most fabric printed in the last 5-10 years will work great because it’s 44” wide, including the selvages so it is 42-43” wide after you cut off the selvage. Please measure the width of your fabric pieces before getting started to make sure and follow the cutting charts below carefully.

You will need:

• 3 one yard pieces of fabric (a main focus fabric, one darker fabric, and one lighter fabric)
• a rotary cutter acrylic ruler, and mat
• sewing machine
• thread (I suggest thread matching the background fabric or the focus fabric)
• ironing board and iron
• pencil or fabric marking pen

To sew the quilt top into a finished quilt, you will also need:

• 3 1/4 yards of backing fabric (or enough to piece together a 56” x 56” quilt back)
• a piece of quilt batting at least 56” x 56”

Cutting:

Fabric A is your focus fabric. From this fabric, cut:

• 20 rectangles 3” x 5 1/2”
• 2 strips 3” x 9 1/2”
• 2 strips 3” x 42”
• 20 squares 3 1/2” x 3 1/2”
• 5 strips 2 1/2” x 42” (or your preferred width of binding)

Optional Accuquilt cutting instructions:

Some extra fabric will be required.

• The 3” x 5 1/2” rectangles may be cut with die 55810 (available separately or in the 10” Qube set)
• Instead of cutting 3 1/2” squares, cut 40 2 1/2” finished HST triangles with die 55804 (available separately or in the 10” Qube set)
• The 3” strips may be cut with the 3” strip cutter die 55084
• The binding strips may be cut with the 2 1/2” strip cutter die 55017

Fabric B is the darker fabric. From this fabric, cut:

• 29 squares 5 1/2” x 5 1/2”
• 2 strips 2” x 36”
• 4 strips 2” x 42”

Optional Accuquilt cutting instructions:

Some extra fabric will be required.

• The 5 1/2” squares may be cut with die 55803 (available separately or in the 10” Qube set)
• The 2” strips may be cut with the 2” strip cutter die 55025

Fabric C is the lighter fabric. From this fabric, cut:

• 5 squares 6 1/2” x 6 1/2”
• 2 strips 3” x 9 1/2”
• 2 strips 3” x 42”
• 16 squares 5 1/2” x 5 1/2”*
• 3 strips 2” x 30”*
• 3 strips 2” x 42”

* Special instructions for cutting the items marked in red on the diagram:

First cut a strip of fabric that is 6” tall x the width of the fabric. From one end, cut 2 squares 5 1/2” x 5 1/2”. From the remaining part of the strip, cut 3 smaller strips 2” x 30”

Optional Accuquilt cutting instructions:

Some extra fabric will be required.

• Instead of cutting 6 1/2” squares, cut 20 5” finished QST triangles with die 55806 (in the 10” Qube set)
• The 3” strips may be cut with the 3” strip cutter die 55084
• The 5 1/2” squares may be cut with die 55803 (available separately or in the 10” Qube set)
• The 2” strips may be cut with the 2” strip cutter die 55025

Quilt Piecing

Use a 1/4’’ seam allowance and a regular stitch length such as 2 – 2.5.

How to Sew the Chunky Star (Ohio Star Variation) Quilt Block

Make 20 Flying Geese Units

1. Use the pencil or fabric marking pen to draw a diagonal line across the wrong side of all of the 3 1/2” Fabric A squares. This is a cutting line.

2. Place two of the 3 1/2” Fabric A squares right sides together on a 6 1/2’’ Fabric C square,  aligned with opposite corners. The squares will overlap and the drawn lines (from Step 1 above) should make a single diagonal line across the larger square.

3. Sew 1/4’’ away from the drawn line on either side. Cut the piece apart along the line. Fold the small triangles up and press.

4. Fold back the smaller triangles and press. Place another 3 1/2” square right side down on each piece, aligned with the remaining corner as shown. Stitch 1/4’’ away from the drawn line on either side.

5. Cut apart the pieces along the line. Fold back the triangles and press to make 4 flying geese units. Press. Trim the flying geese units to 3’’ x 5 1/2’’.

Repeat to make 20 pieces.

If you are using AccuQuilt-cut fabric pieces, sew 2 Fabric A 2 1/2” HST pieces together with a Fabric C 5” QST piece to make a 3” x 5 1/2” flying geese unit. Repeat to make 20 flying geese units. Press.

Assemble the Chunky Star Quilt Blocks

1. Sew a flying geese unit together with a Fabric A 3” x 5 1/2” rectangle as shown. Make 20 pieces.

2. Arrange 4 flying geese pieces together with 5 Fabric B 5 1/2” squares as shown. Sew the pieces into 3 rows. Sew the rows together to make a Chunky Star Quilt Block.

Make 5 Chunky Star Blocks.

How to Sew the Simple Chain Quilt Block

Make 16 4-Patch Units

1. Sew a 3” x 42” Fabric A strip right sides together with a 3” x 42” Fabric C strip along one edge. Open and press towards the darker fabric.

2. From this strip set, sub-cut 13 pieces that are 3” wide. They should be 5 1/2” tall. Discard the leftover fabric pieces.

Repeat one more time with the remaining Fabric A and Fabric C 3” x 42” strips.

3. Sew a 3” x 9 1/2” Fabric A strip right sides together with a 3” x 9 1/2” Fabric C strip along one edge. Open and press towards the darker fabric.

4. From this strip set, sub-cut 3 pieces that are 3” wide. Discard the leftover fabric pieces.

Repeat one more time with the remaining Fabric A and Fabric C 3” x 9 1/2” strips.

You should have a total of 32 pieces that are 5 1/2” tall x 3” wide.

5. Sew two of the sub-cut pieces together as shown to make a 5 1/2” square 4-patch unit. Repeat to make 16 4-patches.

Assemble the Simple Chain Quilt Blocks

1. Arrange 4 4-patch units together with 1 Fabric B 5 1/2” square and 4 Fabric C 5 1/2” squares as shown. Sew the pieces into 3 rows. Sew the rows together to make a chain block.

Make 4 Simple Chain Blocks.

Assemble the Chunky Star 3 Yard Quilt

1. Arrange the 9 quilt blocks in 3 rows with alternating Chunky Star Blocks and Chain Blocks.

2. Sew them together in 3 rows. Sew the rows together.

3. Piece together the six 2” Fabric C strips (3 strips are 30” long and 3 strips are 42” long) to make an inner border.

The expected length of the side inner border pieces is 45 1/2”. I highly recommend measuring the quilt top and cutting all border pieces the correct size. See how to cut the correct size quilt borders. Cut and attach the side borders.

4. The expected length of the top and bottom border pieces is 48 1/2”. Measure your quilt and cut 2 strips for the top and bottom border. Attach the top and bottom border pieces.

5. Piece together the six 2” Fabric B strips (2 strips are 36” long and 4 strips are 42” long) to make an outer border.

The expected length of the outer side border pieces is 48 1/2”. Measure your quilt top with the inner border first and cut the strips the required length. Attach the side border pieces.

6. The expected length of the top and bottom outer border pieces is 51 1/2”. Measure your quilt and cut 2 strips for the top and bottom border. Attach the top and bottom outer border pieces.

Finishing the Chunky Star Three Yard Quilt Pattern

1. Cut or piece together a 56” x 56” piece of quilt backing fabric and make a quilt sandwich with the backing, batting, and top.

2. Baste together with fusible batting, pins or basting spray.

3. Quilt as desired. Straight line quilting or cross hatch quilting with your walking foot would be fast and easy.

4. Sew together the 5 binding strips from Fabric A and bind using your favorite method. This is my favorite quilt binding method.

xoxo,