The Ohio Star Quilt Pattern – The Shining Modern Classic

Learn all about the Ohio star quilt pattern! Follow this simple step-by-step tutorial on how to make an Ohio star block and piece the pattern.

Researching the Ohio star block and the patterns using it made me feel like Iโ€™ve just discovered another dimension of the quilting Universe.

This traditional quilt block is so simple, yet so versatile. Itโ€™s no wonder why itโ€™s become one of the classic star quilt patterns you’ll see over and over again. And why there are so many incredible Ohio Star quilt patterns out there.

Let me introduce you to the Ohio star quilt pattern!

What is an Ohio Star Quilt Pattern?

Ohio Star quilt pattern is one of the traditional quilt patterns which have been sewn for centuries. The main building block of the pattern is a classic Ohio star quilt block, which is easily recognizable by its eight-pointed cross-shaped star. 

The Ohio star quilts have been around since the early 1800s (yes, more than 200 years!). So itโ€™s not surprising that many block variations and alternations can be found.  You might have heard of blocks like the Variable Star, Eight Point Star, Eastern Star, and Western Star. All of these are part of the old Ohio star quilt block family.

The Ohio Star quilt block

This gorgeous star block is probably one of the most popular traditional quilt blocks. It has been sewn for centuries and is still an inspiring block for all modern quilters. Youโ€™ll also often see it as one of the blocks in different sampler quilts as itโ€™s so versatile.

The Ohio star block is a square block, constructed of five squares and four-quarter square triangles, as you can see in the illustration above.  Itโ€™s fairly easy to make and offers an opportunity for many design variations.

How To Make The Ohio Star Quilt Block?

To make one Ohio star quilt block we will need five squares and four quarter square triangles. See the cutting instructions and follow the step-by-step tutorial below.

STEP 1 : Cut the fabric and make quarter square triangles to get the final nine units:

4x 4 ยฝ โ€œ unfinished quarter square triangles ( for a step-by-step guide and cutting instructions follow our tutorial on how to make a perfect quarter square triangle)
4x 4 ยฝ โ€œ squares in color A
1x 4 ยฝ โ€œ square in color B

STEP 2: Sew the units into rows as shown in the diagram.

STEP 3: Sew the rows together vertically.

STEP 4: This is it, the Ohio star is shining. 

The unfinished size of the block should be 12 ยฝ x 12 ยฝ โ€œ, so check if you need to square the block to get the required dimensions.

How to make an Ohio Star Quilt Pattern? 

Now that youโ€™ve learned how to make an Ohio star block, making the Ohio star quilt pattern wonโ€™t be difficult at all. This pattern is a simple one, pieced with the same-sized block, so it will come together really fast, trust me.

So, as I said, this Ohio star quilt pattern has 12 same-sized blocks, sewn together in 4 rows. In the following tutorial, I will lead you step by step how to piece the Ohio star quilt. 

The finished size of this pattern is 36 x 48โ€. This colorway uses one color per row, with each row using two tints of the chosen color.

DTQ TIP: To get the fabric requirements for your chosen size and WOF you are using, use the Fabric Yardage Calculator!

Simple Ohio Star quilt pattern tutorial (36โ€ x 48โ€ finished quilt)

Follow the next few steps to piece this colorful pattern.

Required Tools:

– rotary cutter
– cutting mat
– ruler
– marking pencil
– sewing machine

Materials:

– chosen fabrics
– thread

The step by step tutorial:

Step 1

To make this pattern you will need twelve 12 ยฝโ€ x 12 ยฝโ€ blocks (3 blocks in each color). Sew the 1 block as explained in the Ohio Star block tutorial above.

Step 2

Once you have sewn the 12 blocks, start sewing them in rows of the same color.

Step 3

Now sew the rows together vertically.

Step 4

Yes, this is it, your Ohio star quilt top is done!ย 
To finish the quilt, see our tips and tutorials on how to finish your quilt linked below.

Further Reading

Finish a Quilt in 3 steps

If you’re new to quilting and you’re overwhelmed with how to make a quilt from start to finish, here are the 3 basic steps to finish your quilt with links to useful tutorials:

STEP 1: BASTE

Comprehensive beginner-friendly tutorial: How to Baste a Quilt >

You might also like:
How to choose backing for a quilt >
How to plan and calculate quilt backing >
The magic diagonal quilt backing >
20+ modern pieced quilt backing ideas >
How to choose quilt batting >

STEP 2: QUILT

Comprehensive beginner-friendly machine quilting tutorial: Machine Quilting for Beginners >

You might also like:
Inspiring Straight Line Quilting Designs >
The Ultimate Stitch in the Ditch Tutorial >

STEP 3: BIND

Comprehensive beginner-friendly machine binding tutorial: The Ultimate Machine Binding Tutorial >

You might also like:
How to get perfect quilt binding corners >
Stitch in the Ditch Quilt Binding (Looks Hand-Sewn) >
How to fix wavy binding >


Ohio Star Quilt Pattern Variations

If you do a quick Google search of Ohio Star quilt patterns, youโ€™ll see there are literally countless variations.

Sometimes itโ€™s even hard to figure out that the quilt is pieced with the Ohio star block. Thanks to this versatile block, the visual impact of the finished quilt changes completely just by changing a color of one unit in the block. 

You can get even more variation by adding sashing or adding a third or fourth color to the mix. Itโ€™s quite inspiring. But thatโ€™s what we all love about quilting- tons of possibilities, right?

Letโ€™s take a look at what this means in practice. In the illustration below, there are three patterns. Theyโ€™re all made using the same block with the inner square changing color in each of the examples.

The first block is the traditional Ohio star block, the same one we used in the tutorial above. 

In the second and third example, the inner square changes color. In the middle block, the central square becomes violet creating a violet diamond shape. And in the third block, the whole inner part becomes white. 

If we compare all three patterns, we can see that the color change of the inner square changes our perception of the pattern scale. The color combination of the first block forms the smallest scale of pieces with emphasized triangular shapes. It makes the pattern look more intricate and more traditional.

In the second pattern, the triangular shapes are still noticeable, but the scale of the pattern is larger  – the violet diamonds are emphasized and the white triangles can be perceived as a background. 

On the contrary, the change of the inner pieces in the third pattern to white balances both colors. Bigger one-color shapes are created that make the pattern look simpler and more modern.

To show you just how versatile the Ohio star quilt pattern is, weโ€™ve gathered different patterns featuring the Ohio star quilt block.

Modern Ohio Star Quilt Patterns

GO! Vibrant Ohio Star Quilt Pattern by Accuquiltย 

This beautiful vibrant colorway makes the quilt become the absolute star of the room. This lively pattern is pieced by same-sized blocks with a sashing that forms a frame around each Ohio star. The additional playfulness of this colorful pattern is brought by the diagonal composition of the colored blocks.ย 

Block Star by Missouri Star ย 

Yes, my friend, this pattern is made of the traditional Ohio star block! ๐Ÿ™‚ Itโ€™s a great example of how the choice of fabric can completely change the final effect. In this case, the outer pieces of all the blocks are white while the inner parts are made in 4 different fabrics. This is also a great scrap quilt pattern!

Charming Ohio Star Throw by Annieโ€™s Digital

Charming Ohio Star Throw has a simple design with same-size blocks, separated with sashing. The light color of the background blends out the borders of the blocks and makes the Ohio stars pop out. The cornerstones in the dark fabric form an invisible grid and add another layer to the quilt pattern.

Bright Stars Quilt Pattern by Quilting Daily

These Ohio stars really shine bright and show how versatile and playful the Ohio star block is. I love how the designer of this pattern plays with shades, tints, and tones of red.

Random Ohio Stars by Quiltville Custom Quiltingย 

As the name suggests, ย  this pattern plays with different sizes, colors, and types of the Ohio star block. The clever block composition results in a super modern quilt that would work in a monochromatic version as much as it does in this scrappy look.

I hope this article was a shooting star and has given you an idea for your next quilt project. If you decide to make your own version of the Ohio star quilt block, I would love to hear how it turns out, so donโ€™t forget to let me know in the comments below.

Ohio Star Quilt Pattern FAQ

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