Oh Holy Night Christmas Quilt – Free Star Quilt Pattern

Bring the sprit of Christmas into your home with a beautiful quilted wall hanging!

Use my free quilt pattern to make a small Christmas quilt with a pieced star and the words ‘Oh holy night…’ in appliqué letters. The finished size of this quilt is 36” x 36”, so it would make a sweet baby quilt too.

This blog post has been converted to an optional PDF that’s optimized for printing. Find it here. The free quilt pattern in the blog post below is totally free to read, print, and sew! Just hit CTRL +P on your computer to print. You will find the free downloadable templates near the cutting instructions. The PDF download is inexpensive and optional.

This Christmas mini quilt is perfect for sewing at the last minute!

There is only one block to piece, so you can have this quilt top sewn together in an afternoon! I’ll share my secret for fast appliqué with no tracing.

I decided to keep my quilting simple with straight lines radiating out from the star (which I marked with a ruler and quilt marking chalk pen). You could easily quilt this on your regular sewing machine using a walking foot.

Since I did not want my machine quilting to go over the words ‘Oh holy night…’ I waited until after my straight line quilting was done to appliqué the letters on. This was my personal preference. I’ll show you how and where to sew on the appliqué before quilting if you wish

If you prefer, you can skip the appliqué to make an elegant Christmas Star Quilt.

My background fabric is Cosmos from Sarah Watt’s Florida Collection. The yellow and red fabrics are from Allison Glass’ Holiday fabric collection, and that shimmery white fabric is from a fat quarter that I picked up at my local quilt shop. I wish I knew the name of it so I could get more!

Since the finished size of this quilt is only 36” x 36”, you won’t need to piece together a backing!

Free pattern for my Christmas Wall Hanging Quilt

You will need:

• 1 1/4 yards of dark background fabric (40-42” wide)
• 1/4 yard of gold fabric for the star (if your fabric is directional, you’ll need a fat quarter or 1/2 yard)
• 1/4 yard of white fabric for the star and appliqué letter (a FQ is fine)
• double sided fusible web for applique (such as HeatnBond lite. Below you’ll see that I used HeatnBond EZ Print Lite)
• fabric marking pen or pencil (I used a Sewline Ceramic Marking Pen in white)

To finish the quilt, you will need:

• 1 1/8 yards of backing fabric
• 3/8 yards for the binding
• a piece of batting at least 41’’ x 41’’

Cutting

All cutting dimensions are height x width. The pattern templates for the star block include a 1/4” seam allowance.

From the background fabric, cut:

• 1 rectangle 8 1/2” x 36”
• 1 rectangle 4 1/2” x 36 1/2”
• 1 rectangle 24 1/2” x 18 1/2”
• 1 rectangle 24 1/2” x 6 1/2”
• 2 rectangles 15 1/2 x 6 1/2” (for use with template A)
• 2 rectangles 3 1/2” x 6 1/2” (for use with template B)
• 4 squares 3 1/2” x 3 1/2” (for use with template C)

From the gold star fabric, cut:

• 1 rectangle 15 1/2” x 3 1/2” (for use with template D)
• 7 squares 3 1/2” x 3 1/2” (for use with template E)

From the white fabric, cut:

• 4 squares 3 1/2” x 3 1/2”

From the binding fabric cut:

• 4 strips 2 1/2’’ x width of fabric (or your desired binding size)

How to Cut the Quilt Block Shapes from the Free Templates

I like to cut squares and rectangles first and then cut my templates from those. This helps me preserve the grain line of fabric in my quilt. If you prefer, you may pin the templates to your fabric and cut with scissors.

1. Place the two 15 1/2” x 6 1/2” rectangles right sides together and lay template A on top. Use a ruler and rotary cutter to trim away the extra fabric.

One piece from template A should be reversed since your fabrics were right sides together. We’ll use this method to the other background pieces from templates.

2. Place the two 3 1/2” x 6 1/2” rectangles right sides together and lay template B on top. Use a ruler and rotary cutter to trim away the extra fabric.

3. Place two 3 1/2” x 3 1/2” background fabric squares right sides together and lay template C on top. Use a ruler and rotary cutter to trim away the extra fabric.

Repeat with the other two 3 1/2” x 3 1/2” background fabric squares so you’ll have four pieces cut from template C, two reversed.

4. Use the ruler and rotary cutter to cut a long triangle using the 15 1/2” x 3” gold fabric piece and template D.

5. Use the same technique and the seven 3 1/2” gold fabric squares to cut 7 from template E. I got carried away and cut out 8!

6. Use template F to cut 4 shapes from the white 3 1/2” squares.

Prepare the Applique Letters

1. A reverse image of the appliqué letters is prepared for you (download the file above).

Trace the shapes onto the paper side of the double sided fusible web (HeatnBond lite).

This is the perfect project to use the printable HeatnBond sheets – EZ Print Lite. I put one sheet in my inkjet printer before printing out the applique letters, no tracing needed! You can see that the corner of the page got some extra ink on it, but I cut that part off so it didn’t affect my letters.

2. Rough cut around the traced or printed appliqué shapes.

Place the adhesive side against the wrong side of your white fabric and gently press.

3. Use small sharp scissors to cut out each letter along the lines. Cut out the negative spaces within the letters, as required too.

OPTIONAL: You may fuse and stitch the appliqué letters now if you wish. I waited until I had finished my straight line quilting.

If you wish to fuse and sew the letters now, mark the 8 1/2” x 36 1/2” background fabric in half lengthwise and in half widthwise.

The horizontal line will be used to align the lower edge of your letters, except for ‘y’ and ‘g,’ which go below the line.

Place the letter ‘h’ from the word ‘night’ over the vertical center line, with the bottom of the letter on the horizontal center line. Then arrange all of the other letters along the horizontal line. The letters in each word should be slightly overlapping to appear to be cursive writing. Each word should be about 1/2” – 3/4” apart.

Note: the older, original version of the song O Holy Night, does not have an ‘h’ after the capital ‘O.’ You may leave off that ‘h’ if you wish.

Remove the paper backing from the letters and press gently to fuse. Sew around each letter to attach it permanently. See my tips for sewing appliqué.

Sew the Star Block

1. Begin with the 4 white pieces cut from template F and 4 of the gold pieces cut from template E.

2. Place a white piece on top of a gold piece as shown above left. Stitch with a 1/4” seam allowance.

Tip: The cut edges are the same length, but they will not line up exactly at the corners because the shapes need to overlap a bit. Notice that the fabrics line up at the stitching line, 1/4” from the edge. This will be the case for all of the star block pieces.

Press the seam open. Repeat to sew the other 3 white and gold pieces together in exactly the same way.

3. Place two adjacent pieces together and stitch with a 1/4” seam allowance.

Repeat for the other two pieces. Press the seams open.

4. Place the two halves together and stitch.

Tip: When I am stitching this part, I like to use a pin (placed vertically) to help me align the points in the center before and while I sew.

5. The top row of the star block uses one triangle from template F and the two pieces cut from template B.

Sew these pieces together with a 1/4” seam allowance. Press the seams open.

6. Sew together two pieces cut from template C and one triangle cut from template F to make a side unit. Press the seams open.

Make two side units.

7. The bottom row of the star requires the two pieces cut from template A and the gold triangle cut from template D.

Since these pieces have such long edges, I like to pin them together before sewing.

Sew the bottom row of the star together with 1/4” seam allowances. Press the seams open.

8. All of your star block pieces can now come together to finish the block!

First sew the side units to the center of the star with a 1/4” seam allowance. Press the seams open or to one side.

Then sew the top and bottom rows to the center of the star and press.

Finish Sewing the Christmas Star Quilt Top

1. Sew the 24 1/2” x 6” background fabric rectangle to the right side of the star block.

2. Sew the 24 1/2” x 18 1/2” background fabric rectangle to the left side of the star block.

3. Sew the 4 1/2” x 36 1/2” background fabric rectangle to the top of the quilt.

4. Sew the 8 1/2” x 36 1/2” background fabric rectangle (with or without appliqué on it yet) to the bottom of the quilt.

Sandwich and Quilt the Christmas Star Quilt

1. Cut a piece of backing fabric in at least 41” x 41”.

2. Sandwich the quilt top, batting, and backing together and baste. My favorite basting methods to hold my quilt sandwich layers together are fusible batting or pin basting.

Tip: I used wool batting for this quilt. Wool batting is nice and fluffy. Plus it is less likely to form creases when folded and put away for a season. 🙂

3. Quilt the quilt top as desired. I used only straight line quilting. I stitched in the ditch around the star and its pieces. Then I echoed around the star. Finally I marked and then quilted radiating lines coming out from the star.

Applique the Words ‘Oh Holy Night…’

If you didn’t add the appliqué letters yet, do that now.

1. Mark two lines to help with letter placement.

Mark a vertical line that extends down from the seam between the star block and the right side of the quilt (this seam is in the center of the quilt).

Mark a horizontal line 4” below the seam that connects the lower panel with the rest of the quilt.

The horizontal line is to align the lower edge of your letters, except for ‘y’ and ‘g,’ which go below the line.

2. Place the letter ‘h’ from the word ‘night’ over the vertical line, with the bottom of the letter on the horizontal line. Then arrange all of the other letters along the horizontal line. The letters in each word should be slightly overlapping to appear to be cursive writing. Each word should be about 1/2” – 3/4” apart.

3. Remove the paper backing from the letters. Press gently to adhere them to the quilt.

It is important to test your appliqué stitches before starting to sew on your quilt top. You can use the very edge of your quilt (within the 1/4” that will be covered with binding) to try out a few different appliqué stitches. Adjust the tension, stitch length, and stitch width until you are happy with the stitch.

The reason why it is helpful to test the stitch on the edge of your quilt is because you can make adjustments that correspond to the thickness of the batting and fabric. If you test your stitches on a single layer of fabric, they may look different on the actual quilt.

4. Sew around each letter with a straight stitch, satin stitch, or other appliqué stitch. This makes the letters permanent and prevents fraying.

Trim and Bind

1. Trim away the extra batting and backing and make your quilt square.

2. Cut 4 strips of binding 2 1/2’’ x width-of-fabric (or as desired) and sew them together using diagonal seams. Bind the quilt using your preferred method. See how I bind my quilts by machine here.

If you use my free Christmas quilt pattern I want to see! Show me by uploading a picture to Instagram and tagging me @sewcanshe.

Happy Quiltmaking!

I’m adding this to my list of Free & Festive Quilt Patterns – check them out: