Stitchtale

Sawtooth Star quilt block

Four flying geese around a big square, and suddenly you have a star.

5 steps, start to finishWatch the Sawtooth Star sew up, cut to press.

Try it in your colours

Tap a colourway, or pick each fabric. The film at the top changes too.

Colourways

Or pick each fabric

Love it? Find real fabric in these colours at the fabric shop.

Cut sizes for one Sawtooth Star block

Pick the finished size. Every cut includes the ¼″ seam allowance.

Cutting for one 6″ finished Sawtooth Star block
PieceCutQty
Center squareaccent fabric3½″ × 3½″1
Background squarebackground fabric2″ × 2″4
Flying-geese pointbackground fabric3½″ × 2″4
Flying-geese sky squaremain fabric2″ × 2″8
Cutting for one 9″ finished Sawtooth Star block
PieceCutQty
Center squareaccent fabric5″ × 5″1
Background squarebackground fabric2¾″ × 2¾″4
Flying-geese pointbackground fabric5″ × 2¾″4
Flying-geese sky squaremain fabric2¾″ × 2¾″8
Cutting for one 12″ finished Sawtooth Star block
PieceCutQty
Center squareaccent fabric6½″ × 6½″1
Background squarebackground fabric3½″ × 3½″4
Flying-geese pointbackground fabric6½″ × 3½″4
Flying-geese sky squaremain fabric3½″ × 3½″8

Good to know

What size should I make a Sawtooth Star block?

Any size that suits your quilt. 12″ is the easiest to sew, and 9″ or 6″ look lovely in a busy, scrappy quilt. It sits on a 4 by 4 grid, so a finished size that divides by 4 gives you friendly cutting numbers. The cut sizes for all three are on this page.

How many Sawtooth Star blocks do I need for a quilt?

At 12″ you need 9 blocks for a wall quilt, 12 for a baby quilt, 30 for a throw, 48 for a twin quilt and 72 for a queen quilt. Sashing or a border between them means fewer blocks for the same size.

Is the Sawtooth Star good for a beginner?

Yes, if you take it slowly. The one new skill is the flying geese, and the film at the top shows every cut, seam and press.

What's the trick to a neat Sawtooth Star?

Sew a thread's width to the corner side of your pencil line on the geese. The fold takes up that thread, and your star points land right on the edge.