Five Point Star Tutorial

Five point stars are made by stitching five 72 degree diamonds together.

72 degree diamonds are measured by there edge length and all sides equal the same.

They have four internal angles, two that measure 72 degrees and two that measure 108 degrees.

72 degree diamonds can be paired with 36 degree diamonds.

When cutting your fabric always make sure you cut adding no less than a quarter inch seam allowance. I tend to cut a slightly bigger seam allowance of 3/8″ as I find it a bit easier when it comes to basting.

Be mindful of the fabric pattern direction and how you want it to show on your diamond.

When basting any diamond shape it’s important to baste each diamond the same way, that is basting each seam down in the same order. By doing this you ensure all the seams lie the same way and the little fabric ‘ears’ that stick out will nest neatly together.

To baste I do opposite sides first, then the last two sides.

Lay you diamonds out how you would like them to show in your star. Image A.

I star by missing the two bottom diamond together first (shown here in teal and yellow fabric). Image B & C.

Begin with a knot in the bottom of your thread, place your two diamonds right sides together and begin by stitching from the bottom towards the center point of the star.

I always do a locking knot at the start and end of each pieced edge and use a whip stitch to sew the shapes together.

Once the first two diamonds are connected pick up your next diamond and stitch on in the same manner, this time working from the center of the diamond to the outer edge. Image D

Continue piecing on the fourth diamond and the fifth diamond using the same whip stitch method. Image E, F & G.

When it comes to stitching the last seam you will need to manipulate the piecing a bit so that you can get right in to the very tips of the diamond. Be sure to do a tight locking knot here and first stitch to pull the points closed at the center. Image H.

Your finished star should have the center points all meeting with no hole.

You see the seam ‘ear’s are all nestled neatly together at the center on the back.

Make a Star Coaster

With you finished five point star you can turn it into a sweet coaster by adding 36 degree diamonds and top stitching on to felt.

Baste five 36 degree diamonds using the same method before.

Piece the diamonds between the points of the star using the same whip stitch method, remembering to do a locking knot at the start and end of each edge stitched. Image I & J.

Make sure you line up the inner out outer points when stitching on the diamonds.

As you attach the outer diamonds, you can remove the papers from the stars as you go once they have been connected on all sides. Image K.

Once all five 36 degree diamonds are pieced on, carefully remove the papers.

Using a glue pen, fix down the seams from the outer diamonds to the back and fold the ‘ears’ back on themselves with some glue to fix them to the back so they don’t stick out.

Pin your pieced star to some felt. For top stitching I like to use Perle 8 thread to get a defined look. You can also use stranded cotton floss, sew all thread or even metallic thread, it just depends on the look you want to achieve.

You will top stitch around each star diamond, just in from the edge. Image O. When starting be sure to bury the thread knot between the piecing and the felt.

Try to make you top stitching even. Image M & N. If you need to finish your thread, take it to the back, do a close knot at the base of the thread and run the needle between the felt and piecing, coming up and snipping the thread close to the felt, this buries the thread end. Image P.

Once the center star has been top stitched, you will top stitch around the outside of the coaster.

Start by bury your knot between the piecing and the felt and come up in the outer center point of a 36 degree diamond. Image Q. It’s easier to start here as there are lots of fabric layers where the star points are.

Top stitch along each outer edge of the 36 degree diamonds, just in from the edge. Image R & S. Top stitch as far in to the point where the outer diamonds meet the star points. Image T.

You may find you need to tuck the seam allowance ‘ears’ back behind the piecing as you go.

Once you have top stitched all the way around, tie of the thread at the back.

Carefully cut around the piecing, leaving approximately an 1/8th of an inch of felt showing.

Your coaster is now complete!

Make this fun star kaleidoscope block using 72 degree and 36 degree diamonds. Download the block pattern bellow.