Diamond Nine Patch Quilt - Part 1

Scrappy colorful diamonds make this quilt pop. To make your own you'll need several 1½ inch strips (honey buns), plus background and dark binding of 2¼ inches wide strips.
Diamonds - Choose 9 fabrics in each of 4 color groups. Cut a 1½ inch wide strip that is at least 6½ inches long from all 36 fabrics. For the star background you'll need 8 rectangles 4 inches by 7 inches. Print the set-in template at 100% and cut 4 pairs of mirrored pieces. Mirrored is very important.

Diamond Nine Patches

1. Sew strips sets of 3 fabrics in same color group with a ¼ inch seam staggering the start of each strip about 1 inch.
2. Press seams to one side.
3. Using the 45° angle on a straight ruler cut 2 strips 1½ inches wide. Sew 12 strip sets and cut 24 total diamond strip sets.
4. Choose 3 different diamond strip sets from the same color group and sew them together using a ¼ seam to form a larger diamond. The trick is to either leave equal tails or use a triangle trimming tool to cut tips for better alignment.
5. Press seams to one side.
6. The background will be set-in pieces, which means in every star valley, you'll need to leave it unsewn ¼ from start.
7. Sew pairs of large diamonds together with a ¼ inch seam, then pairs to pairs and finally half of the diamond to the other half of the diamond. It will help to layout pieces so they are sewn in the order you like.
8. Press seams to one side.
9. Layout star with all set-in pieces where they will go with the right sides up and the 90° angle in the valley of the star.
10. Sew side 1 of the set-in piece to each of the corresponding star points and be sure to stop sewing ¼ inch from the edge in the star's valley.
11. Next sew side 2 of the set-in piece to each of the corresponding start points, stopping and starting ¼ inch from both edges.
12. Finally, sew side 3 of adjacent set-in pieces stopping ¼ inch from star point edge.
13. Press seams to one side. 

Tomorrow the borders.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Happy Quilting,
Jeanne