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                                                                                    Making a Hot Pad      

                                                 with the cut down method and "Star Point" blocks 

                    You can make these hotpads --whether you are an experienced  quilter or a beginner you can do this!!

                              They may  look complicated but with the cut down method they are really easy!! 

             The cut down method refers to rough cutting swatches and borders / backing and then trimming it to the size you want after sewing the fabric together. This prevents too short borders or backing fabric and saves time and effort. The "Blocks" are made by sewing fabric together and then cutting out a square from the center of the joined fabrics.

                                   For those quilters who want more blocks         For quilters who want to try the easier version (fewer blocks)

                                      Star Point Block Layout                                     Star Point Block Layout

                    Please don't let this pattern scare you. I promise it is easy to make!  Even a beginner can make this. You need  to be willing to take a little time to make certain steps the best you can make them for the best results but it is not hard! 

         Check out the Quilt Block page for the Star Point Blocks. There are other quilt block designs you can make with these blocks.

                                                    You can see the steps in illustrations below   

                                  Make sure you read these  Tips and Tricks   before you start. 

                                                                    You will need:   

       Basic sewing supplies  / 2 layers of traditional batting /  a ruler about 2" x 9"  / a ruler at least 9" x9"

       a mini cutting mat and a medium cutting mat / a rotary cutter /  and an acrylic template ( I use a 1 1/2")

                           You can find templates and rulers on my other site www.patchworkbyrhonda.com

                                                                          Tips: 

                       Don't use a fluffy or thin batting. Traditional batting works best with 2 layers.  

        Also don't try to use a really large ruler or cutting mat. It will be very awkward to work with them.                                                          

                                                                Fabric needed:  

  A fat quarter of each fabric. I recommend using a small print because a large print will get  lost in the small pieces that result from the piecing. Make sure you have good color contrast in the fabrics you choose. If you have scraps you are going to use instead of buying fabric you just need to make sure you have enough  swatches  for each color of fabric for the design you chose to make.

         Step 1    Make the star point blocks for the quilt block you choose to make.

                               Click here   Star Point Blocks  to go to the "block" directions

                                Look at the pictures above for the colors of fabric you will need                                       Make sure to note the placement of the colors in the blocks               

        Step 2    Lay the blocks in rows according to the picture above

        Step 3    Sew the blocks together in rows then sew the rows together  Did you read the tips? There are important tip about how to make your star points meet correctly!

        Step 4     Place your pieced top on a cutting mat and with a ruler -  trim it even - being careful to keep a 1/4" seam allowance.     

        Step 5    Rough cut  2 shorter strips rough cut about 8" X 3"   --and   2 long strips rough cut about 10" X 3”

       Rough cut means cut off a piece of fabric without measuring. You do need to have  reasonably straight  edges but don't go to the trouble of cutting a perfect border because you are going to cut it down later. 

        Step 6   Place the strips on a cutting mat - with a ruler and a rotary cutter cut a straight edge on one side. Using the 8" x 3" strips sew one on the left side and one onto the right side matching a straight edge to  the edge of the pieced top. Open the  seams and iron. I like to iron the seam open but that's up to you.  

       Step 7  Sew the other 2 strips to the other two sides. 

       Step 8  Trimming the borders--find the middle of the pieced top - lay your ruler over the pieced top

                                      Measure from the center out to the edge of the border.

          I  use 8 1/2" for the size of my hotpad. If you use the same 8 1/2" size  you will need to trim the border so it  measures 4 1/4" from the  center of the pieced top out to the border.  4 1/4" is half of the 8 1/2" that we  chose  for the size of the hopad. Probably you will see that the border (after it is trimmed) will measure about 1 1/4" from the seam where the border is added. This will vary a little depending on your seam allowance.

          You can use a differant size if you choose. If you want a bigger border then cut your borders wider.  Or your pieced top may end up a differant size than mine due to differant seam allowances. My tops usually end up at 6 1/2" or so before borders are added but yours might be slightly differant. Whatever size you decide to trim your borders- you need to trim all four borders  the same size. If you trim  the first one 1 1/4" then use that same measurement for the other three. If you make a mistake in trimming your  border smaller than you  intended (as I have done at times!) you can just trim the other three the same size.  Just make sure your hotpad  is square and the borders are all evenly trimmed.               

       Step 9:  To add the loop --  Find the center of one side of the hotpad. Fold the shoestring loop in half. Tack the two  ends together and wrap the thread around the ends a couple of times and then tack it again once more.  Now sew the loop to the center of the pieced top (on the front side)so it hangs down into the hotpad. You want the loop to be inside the two layers of fabric( between the pieced top and the backing).    

       Step 10  Lay the pieced top face down onto the backing fabric. Pin it in place and with  a ruler use the edge of the top as a guide to trim the back to the same size as the top.    

                                                                            Tip: 

                        Everyone uses a slightly differant seam allowance so to get the right fit you need to use your                              pieced top as a guide to the size needed for the backing  instead of a preset measurement.                                                                                   

                                                                           Tip: 

                                 Don't use pins with a head on them for this step. Pins with heads will make                                        it difficult to get the ruler to lay flat on the fabric while you trim.