Free Eight Point Star Quilt Pattern

Learn how to start a quilt block and turn it into a stunning quilt top—perfect for beginners and a great way to use your fabric stash!

In this tutorial, you’ll sew a simple block that comes together quickly with strips and squares.

But here’s where it gets even better: once you sew 16 of these blocks and add the sashing, a surprise secondary design appears—stars!

This free quilt pattern finishes around 60″ square, making it the perfect size for a throw, baby quilt, or wall display.

So grab your rotary cutter and fabric strips, and let’s get sewing—one block at a time!

Block Details:

This block uses a few fabric strips, squares, and rectangles to build a framed square-within-a-square design. It’s super beginner-friendly and easy to chain piece.

You’ll need to sew 16 blocks total to make the full quilt top.

Quilt Size & Layout:

Finished size: approximately 60” x 60”

The quilt includes sashing strips between the blocks, which are not just functional—they also create a star pattern when everything is sewn together.

You’ll also need cornerstones (small squares at the intersections of sashing) to complete the star points.

Fabric Suggestions:

Choose two high-contrast fabrics for the block centers and outer frames so the star shapes in the sashing really shine.

This project is perfect for scrappy sewing—you can build up the block pieces from leftover strips and still get a cohesive quilt with the right sashing color.

Fat quarters or 2½” strips work great for this pattern.

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Sashing Tips:

Make sure your sashing strips and cornerstone squares are cut accurately—this helps those secondary star blocks line up perfectly.

Press seams toward the sashing so the block seams nest when assembling the quilt rows.

Beginner Notes:

This is a fantastic quilt for building confidence with cutting, consistent seam allowances, and layout planning.

The block construction is repetitive, which is great for practicing accuracy.

If you’re new to quilting, you’ll also get to learn about setting blocks with sashing—something that shows up often in quilt patterns!

For the Start Here Quilt Block you will need 3 different fabrics. They will need to contrast so the block works.

Key:
Color #1- dark {red} Color #2- medium Color #3- light/ background

Cut:
Background 4 – 8 ½ X 2 ½ 4 – 4 ½ X 2 ½ 4 – 2 ½ X 2 ½

Dark-4 – 2 ½ X 2 ½ 8- 2 ½ X 2 ½ L ight-2- 2 ½ X 2 ½

Medium – 10- 2 ½ X 2 ½

flying geese: background 5 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ and the points are 3 1/8″ x 3 1/8″

Start Here Quilt Block Instructions:

1) Sew together one medium and one light 2 ½ X 2 ½ .

Sew another set of medium and light.

Make a 4 patch with the medium so they are opposite each other. This is the center square for the quilt block.

Flying Geese Units

1- Place two 3 1/8″ x 3 1/8″ squares in opposite corners of the 5 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ square, right sides facing

2- Draw a line from corner to corner

3- Stitch with 1/4” seam allowance on BOTH sides of the drawn line

4- Cut on the drawn line and press

*It will look a little like a heart. You’ll have 2 of these

5- Place another G square in the corner- right sides facing

6- Draw a line from corner to corner on the wrong side

7- Stitch with 1/4” seam allowance on BOTH sides of the drawn line

8- Cut on the drawn line and press

Trim the flying geese units to 2 1/2” x 4 1/2”

3) Lay out the block , adding the dark 2 ½ X 2 ½ squares in each corner. Sew together.

4 ) Lay one dark 2 ½ X 2 ½ square on the edge of the background 8 ½ X 2 ½ rectangle.

Draw a line from corner to corner.

Sew on drawn line.

Trim off 1/4 ” and iron back. Repeat for other side. Then repeat step 4 with all 4 background pieces.

5) Lay out the block adding the background 2 ½ X 2 ½ squares in each corner.

Sew together.

Now, if you’re not into having the 4 patch in the center, you can fussy cut a 4 1/2″ X 4 1/2″ square.

Then continue on with the instructions for the block.

Sashing Instructions:

1. Draw a line on the wrong side from corner to corner of the sashing points fabric

2. Lay square on top of one side of the sashing rectangle

3. Sew on the drawn line, cut 1/4″ past and press

4. Repeat this for a total of 12 sashing strips like this

5- Repeat this for another set of 12 that have the triangle at each end – NOTICE the direction of the second triangle placement

Quilt Top Layout:

Lay the blocks and sashing out into rows – sew the rows together, then sew the complete quilt top together.

*notice the outer sashing strips are the ones with only 1 triangle on the end, the inner sashing strips have the 2 triangles at each end

Sew the outside border strips to the quilt

Finishing the Quilt

1. Cut or piece together your batting and a piece of quilt backing fabric.

2. Make a quilt sandwich with the backing, batting, and top.

3. Baste together with fusible batting, pins or basting spray.

3. Quilt as desired. A few of my favorite ways to quilt are Straight line quilting or cross hatch quilting. Use a walking foot on your sewing machine. Trim away the extra batting and backing.

4. Cut strips of fabric for the binding. Cut 2 1/2” tall (sometimes I use 2 1/4″) binding strips. Sew the binding strips together and bind using your favorite technique. 

More Quilting Resources

• Tucking your binding to sew the binding ends together
• If you want a fun trick – this is a machine binding trick that looks handmade.

This block might seem simple at first—but when you make 16 of them and add the starry sashing, it transforms into something really special.

It’s one of those “Oh wow!” quilts that looks more complicated than it really is. Whether you keep your fabric choices calm and coordinated or go bold and scrappy, this quilt is all about playing with layout and color.

Best of all, it’s beginner-friendly and super satisfying to make.

Follow the free pattern, gather your favorite fabrics, and enjoy watching those hidden stars come together block by block.

More Free Quilt Patterns:

Eye spy baby quilt – perfect for using that charm pack of fun prints

Heart Quilt – great pattern for a charm pack!

Cabin Under the Stars – great for using your random scrappy strips of fabric

Charm Blossom baby quilt – super simple and cute quilt pattern!

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