Crazy Star step by step instructions document only

Crazy Star or Stormy Path Instructions
1. Draw a 12 inch square on the non-shiny side of freezer paper.
2. Draw a large X from corner to corner.
3. On the top line mark at 5 ¼ inches from the left corner, rotate paper and repeat on all four sides.
4. Draw a line from the 5 ¼ inch mark to the bottom right corner, rotate paper and repeat on all four sides.
5. Draw a line from the 5 ¼ inch mark down to where the two lines intersect, bellow and slightly to the left of the mark.
6. Erase the short lines that cut the long star points in half.
7. Label each piece as shown on the bottom example on this handout. The Reverse for Freezer Paper Piecing example.
8. Add a mark on all the pieces on the outside edge on the 12 inch square. This will help you as you lay everything out later.
9. Trim the freezer paper on the 12 inch square and cut all the pieces apart.
10. Pick your 5 fabrics. One background and 4 for each point on the star.
A. Background fabric: 1A, 3A, 1B, 3B, 1C, 3C, 1D, 3D.
B. Fabric 1: 4A, 2D C. Fabric 2: 2A, 4B
D. Fabric 3: 2B, 4C E. Fabric 4: 2C, 4D
11. Iron the freezer paper onto the wrong side of the fabrics. Leave ¼ to ½ inch seam allowances. The freezer paper will stick to the fabric.
12. Cut out the fabric leaving ¼ to ½ inch seam allowance outside the edges of the freezer paper.
13. Following the picture on the top of your handout lay out all the pieces of the block next to your machine. Fabric right side up.
Pinning: Pin as in Point-to-Point using your freezer paper as your guide. Pin at each end lining up the freezer paper on each fabric piece. Then line up the center with pins checking to make sure the freezer paper is lined up together on each piece being sewn together. Do the Fold over and/or pinning method demonstrated in class to check this.
Sewing: Sew from the start of the freezer paper to the end of it just as in Point-to-Point. Keep your stitching just on the outside of the freezer paper…don’t sew on it or too far away from it. Right along the edge.

14. Assemble by sections…A,B,C,D. Piece #1 sewn to piece #2, then add piece #3, and finally piece #4. Press open with your finger as you adding each piece. When the section is done press open with the iron. Place each section back in place as you finish it. You will have four large triangles when each section is complete.
15. Sew the A section to the B section. Sew the D section to the C section. Now you have two large triangles.
16. Sew the AB section to the DC section. Pin the center first where the four seams meet. The work your way to the edges pinning as you go. Sew together, press open.
17. Remove the freezer paper from the back of the Crazy Star block. If any sewing was on top of the freezer paper hold the seam as you pull the freezer paper away. Get off as much as you can without messing up the block.
18. Press from the top and trim the block to 12 ½ inches.

Crazy Star Assembly part 3

Sew the AB section to the CD section. The most important part on this is to line up the center seams. Pin the center first.
Once again use the freezer paper as your guide as you pin and sew these two sections together.
This top left corner above the red is wavy. I can see that I need to re-sew this side from almost to the green out to the edge.
The finished Crazy Star block. It will need trimmed for sure. Now that I am completely done I can remove the freezer paper from the back of my fabric. Remember to hold onto the fabric at the seams if any of the freezer paper has been sewn over before you pull it off.

Crazy Star Assembly part 2

Piece 1, 2, and 3 joined together. Ready to add piece 4.
Piece 4 pinned down. I made sure the freezer paper was even on this long edge by checking in four different places. Pin it down to keep the edges even. Use the freezer paper as your sewing guide. Don't sew over it and don't sew away from it...just right on the edge.
Sections A, B, C, and D all assembled.
Pin section A to B and D to C. Make sure to pin in about 5 spots to keep things lined up well.
Press open after sewing these sections together with your iron.

Crazy Star Assembly part 1

When you are done drawing your reversed pattern onto the freezer paper and labeling each piece the trim the outside edges off and the square into the pieces.
Press the freezer paper onto the wrong side of your fabric. The freezer paper will stick to the fabric.
Trim the fabric away leaving a 1/4 to 1/2 seam allowance. You do not need to be exact on the cutting.
Lay out your pieces. Use the handout from class and keep the A's all together, the B's together, the C's together, and the D's together. Each alphabet grouping will be assembled together to form one triangle of the block.
Sew piece 1 to piece 2 in each section. Then add piece 3. Finger press open and add piece 4.

To do this, pin and sew according to the freezer paper. It is your guide. Start and stop your pinning where the freezer paper starts and stops. When you have the two ends pinned then check the center to make sure the freezer paper edges are at the same point on both fabrics you are sewing together. Fold over and/or use a pin to check this. This was demonstrated in class. Finger press them open and replace them in the lay out.