How to Machine Piece a Lemoyne Star: Part 2

In the previous post, I left off before the diamond pieces were sewn to the background pieces.


At the machine, put the needle down through the dot.  I don't mark it on both sides because I can see where the pin was -- if you can't see the hole, it's not a bad idea to mark it before taking it to the machine.

With the needle down in the hole, put down the presser foot and remove the two pins.  Stitch forward one or two stitches, then backstitch  one or two stitches.  Stitch to the end of the piece, removing the remaining pin before you sew over it.

Make sure to leave that little bit at the beginning unstitched.


Stitch together all the diamond pieces to the background pieces.

 Cut the pieces apart and press the seam toward the diamond.

Arrange the diamond/background units into two piles.

Pick up one unit from each pile.  Poke a pin through the mark on the diamond attached to the background square, then poke the pin through the corresponding mark on the  diamond/triangle unit.











Match up the diamond points and pin.

 Turn the unit over and hold the first pin in between your index and middle fingers.  Twist the background  triangle around until it lines up with the edge of the diamond.

I usually make sure the triangle point lines up with the diamond point, then pin on each side of the first pin.

Add another pin at the other end of the seam.

Turn the unit back over and it should look like this.

Pin the other six units together so that there are four sets.

Stitch the diamond to the background triangle seam, then stitch the diamond to diamond seam.

 Press the diamond seam open and the background seams toward the diamonds.

Snip off that little point so it doesn't shadow through.









Arrange the four pieces into two piles.

As before, drop a pin through the marks and pin the points of the diamonds together, making sure to match the seams.


Twist the background square around so it lines up with the edge of the diamond and, as before, holding the pin straight between your fingers, slide a pin in on either side of the up and down pin.


Take it to the machine and sew the diamond/square seam first, starting at the mark and backstitching.

Then turn it around and sew the diamonds together.


Press the center seam between the diamonds open and press the background seams either toward the diamonds or not, depending on which way they want to go.  Sometimes the background/diamond seams are happier pressed toward the diamond.  Whichever makes it flatter is fine with me.


Now it's almost finished!  Take the two halves and line up the center seam.  I put a pin through the spot where the seams meet and pin that first.


Then, put a pin through the marks, as before, and twist the background square around to meet the edge of the diamond.

I sew the background/diamond seams first, starting at the mark and backstitching.

Then I start at one end of the center of the star and, backstitching at both ends, sew that seam together, making sure I sew right along where the seams meet.

Sometimes, I put a few stitches in right where the center is and check to make sure it's perfect -- then I don't have to undo that whole seam.

After it's sewn, press the center star seam open and the background whichever way it wants to go.

And viola!  A perfect Lemoyne star.  This process can be applied to any of the Lemoyne-based stars that I talked about in the previous post.