Starflower - a free throw size quilt pattern

March 12, 2026

This quilt happened by accident...as many of my projects do. (Cait is not without her fair share of surprises either, mind you!) I bought a 3 yard cut of fabric from the clearance bin over the summer and let it sit...simmering...until the holidays.

Then all at once I decided to make a quilt for a dear friend with that 3 yard cut of fabric...with full intentions to make it a simple whole cloth quilt. Well. If I just added a few simple stars with a coordinating color then I had a whole new thing! So...I did.

And now we're sharing it with you with not one, but two layout options!

Starflower is a super simple, lovely throw size quilt that utilizes only three yards of background fabric. Even better, with the large un-cut strips of fabric it's great for those directional, large scale, or scenic fabrics!

So check the clearance bin at YOUR local store and join us!

Prefer a printer-friendly version? We have a downloadable PDF in the Pattern Shop for $2.

Starflower Quilt

Size: 54" x 72"
Skill Level: Beginner
Two versions: offset (left) and vertical (right)

Fabric Requirements

Star Fabric: 3/4 yard
Background: 3 yards
Binding: 1/2 yard
Backing: 3 1/2 yards

Cutting Instructions

Star Print:

Cut 4 strips 3 1/2” x WOF. Sub-cut into 3 1/2” squares, 12 per strip, for a total of 48 squares
Cut 1 strip 6 1/2” x WOF. Sub-cut into 6 1/2” squares, 6 per strip, for a total of 6 squares

Background

Cut 6 strips 12 1/2” x WOF. Next, fold them in half, and cut the folded fabric to 21” long. The unfolded strip should now measure exactly 42” long, without selvedges.
Cut 2 strips 3 1/2” x WOF. Sub-cut into 3 1/2” squares, 12 per strip, for a total of 24 squares
Cut 4 strips 3 1/2” x WOF. Sub-cut into 3 1/2” x 6 1/2” rectangles, 6 per strip, for a total of 24 rectangles

Binding

Cut 7 strips 2 1/2” (or desired width) x WOF. Set aside.

Block Assembly

Place a 3 1/2” STAR square on one corner of each 6 1/2” x 3 1/2” BACKGROUND rectangle, RST. Sew corner to corner, as shown. Trim 1/4” from the seam, open, and press. Repeat with the adjacent corner.

Using the 6 1/2” STAR square in the middle and the 3 1/2” BACKGROUND squares, assemble six star blocks as shown below. Press in the direction of the arrows.

Quilt Assembly - Offset Version

Unfold each 42” x 12 1/2” strip of BACKGROUND fabric, iron out the crease, and cut each one into two rectangles, according to the diagram below:

Using the cut out rectangles of BACKGROUND, assemble the rows with the stars together as depicted in diagram on the left, pressing towards the BACKGROUND. Label each row 1-6 to stay organized.

Sew the rows together as indicated in the diagram on the right. Press in any direction - consider open to reduce bulk.

Quilt Assembly - Vertical Version

Unfold each 42” x 12 1/2” strip of BACKGROUND fabric, iron out the crease, and cut each one into two rectangles, according to the diagram below.

Using the cut out rectangles of BACKGROUND, assemble all six rows together as depicted in diagram on the below, pressing towards the BACKGROUND.

Sew all the rows together, pressing as you prefer. Consider pressing open to reduce bulk.

Finishing and Binding

Cut and piece your backing so you have an extra 2-4” on each side. Layer and baste your backing, batting, and pieced top. Quilt as desired.

Bind as you prefer—below are instructions for our recommended beginner-friendly method.

Cut the number of 2 1/2” binding strips specified and cut off selvedges. Sew end to end with a 1/4” seam, pressing seams open. Fold lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press well.
Leaving a 5-6 inch tail at the beginning, sew the raw edge of the binding strip to the raw edge of the quilt with a 1/4” seam. Stop a quarter inch from the corner and backstitch. Cut thread and release the quilt.
Fold the binding up, making a 45 degree fold in the corner. (See diagram) Keeping this fold in place, fold the binding back down again. Starting with a backstitch, continue attaching binding as before with a 1/4” seam. Repeat at each corner.
Backstitch 5-6 inches from the starting point. Lay the tails on top of one another and trim with 1/2” overlap. 5. Open the binding tails, sew ends together with a 1/4” seam, finger press the seam open, and re-fold. Lay the binding flat to the quilt and finish stitching down.
Fold the binding over the raw quilt edge and stitch down as desired.