Sawtooth Star quilt block
A large centre square framed by eight triangle points made from four flying-geese units — the most recognisable pieced star in American quilting, and the one that scales best.
Also known as Variable Star, Evening Star, Eight-Pointed Star (loosely).
The Sawtooth Star is the default American pieced star. Its geometry — a four-by-four grid with a two-by-two centre — means it can be built at any size and its centre can hold anything: a fussy-cut motif, a signature, a smaller pieced block, an appliqué. That flexibility is why it appears in medallion centres, sampler quilts and block-of-the-month programmes more than almost any other design.
Sawtooth Star cutting chart
Cut sizes include a ¼″ seam allowance: ½″ on squares and rectangles, ⅞″ on half-square triangles, and 1¼″ on quarter-square triangles. Pick a finished block size:
| Fabric | Shape | Cut size | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | HST square | 2⅜" × 2⅜" | 4 | cut once on the diagonal → 8 triangles |
| Background | Square | 2" × 2" | 4 | finishes 1½" × 1½" |
| Dark | HST square | 2⅜" × 2⅜" | 4 | cut once on the diagonal → 8 triangles |
| Dark | Square | 3½" × 3½" | 1 | finishes 3" × 3" |
| Fabric | Shape | Cut size | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | HST square | 3⅛" × 3⅛" | 4 | cut once on the diagonal → 8 triangles |
| Background | Square | 2¾" × 2¾" | 4 | finishes 2¼" × 2¼" |
| Dark | HST square | 3⅛" × 3⅛" | 4 | cut once on the diagonal → 8 triangles |
| Dark | Square | 5" × 5" | 1 | finishes 4½" × 4½" |
| Fabric | Shape | Cut size | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | HST square | 3⅜" × 3⅜" | 4 | cut once on the diagonal → 8 triangles |
| Background | Square | 3" × 3" | 4 | finishes 2½" × 2½" |
| Dark | HST square | 3⅜" × 3⅜" | 4 | cut once on the diagonal → 8 triangles |
| Dark | Square | 5½" × 5½" | 1 | finishes 5" × 5" |
| Fabric | Shape | Cut size | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | HST square | 3⅞" × 3⅞" | 4 | cut once on the diagonal → 8 triangles |
| Background | Square | 3½" × 3½" | 4 | finishes 3" × 3" |
| Dark | HST square | 3⅞" × 3⅞" | 4 | cut once on the diagonal → 8 triangles |
| Dark | Square | 6½" × 6½" | 1 | finishes 6" × 6" |
| Fabric | Shape | Cut size | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | HST square | 4⅝" × 4⅝" | 4 | cut once on the diagonal → 8 triangles |
| Background | Square | 4¼" × 4¼" | 4 | finishes 3¾" × 3¾" |
| Dark | HST square | 4⅝" × 4⅝" | 4 | cut once on the diagonal → 8 triangles |
| Dark | Square | 8" × 8" | 1 | finishes 7½" × 7½" |
How it goes together
Four corner squares, one large centre square, and four flying-geese units. Each goose is one background-and-point pair; the no-waste four-at-a-time method makes all four from one large square and four small ones.
Tips
- The point of each goose should sit a quarter inch below the raw edge before assembly. If it touches the edge, the tip will be cut off in the seam.
- Fussy-cut the centre square. The block exists to frame something, so give it something worth framing.
- The four-at-a-time flying geese method wastes no fabric and keeps all outer edges on the straight grain.
How much fabric for a Sawtooth Star quilt?
Yardage for a whole quilt of Sawtooth Star blocks, computed the way the studio does it — every piece packed across a 40″ usable width with 10% added for waste.
| Quilt size | Blocks | Finished | Top fabric | Backing | Binding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baby 36×48 | 12 | 36" × 48" | Background 1¼ yd · Dark 1 yd | 2½ yd | ⅜ yd |
| Throw 60×72 | 30 | 60" × 72" | Background 2⅝ yd · Dark 2½ yd | 3⅞ yd | ½ yd |
| Queen 90×108 | 72 | 96" × 108" | Background 6⅜ yd · Dark 5⅞ yd | 8¾ yd | ⅞ yd |
What it looks like in a quilt
A single block only tells you half the story. Set sixteen of them together and the secondary pattern appears where the blocks touch:
Sawtooth Star questions
What size is the centre square in a 12 inch Sawtooth Star?
The centre finishes at 6 inches, so cut it 6½ inches. The corner squares finish at 3 inches and cut at 3½; the point triangles come from 3⅞ inch squares cut once on the diagonal.
Why do my star points get cut off?
The tip needs a quarter inch of clearance above it before the seam. If the goose unit is trimmed too small, or the seam allowance creeps wide, the point disappears into the seam.
Can I put another block in the centre?
Yes, and that is the block's main use in samplers and medallions. Any block that finishes at half the star's width drops straight into the centre.