Marciacp,
I don't know where Crowley TX is but next time you teach a class on this I think it would be worth the drive from Austin to attend!!! I have never attempted the Lone Star but your advice sounds perfect.

Three hours, ten minutes.

Crowley is only about 2 hrs north of Austin, straight up
I-35 North. We are right off the freeway, about 5 miles
South of Ft. Worth. You are so kind to say you would
come up here to take a class from me. It seems like
the quilt shops in our area are pretty much saturated
with teachers and most of the quilters in the area have
already taken about every class they want to. So, not
much need for classes, it seems (at least not the shops
closest to me). I have also taught classes in my home,
so if there were enough interest, I could do that.

To tell the truth, I could easily teach the technique in one day, because it is all in the cutting and pressing. However,
I have found that most students that are learning a new method like to have several classes so they can have someone to guide them through the whole process.

I do like what one teacher I have just learned about does - she teaches an all day class on the technique of cutting and making a block (Judy Neimeyer's techniques), then she makes herself available at the shop for three days the next week for anyone that wants to come and continue making the quilt, with her there to answer questions, etc. She charges $10.00 for each day someone comes for additional help. I think that is a great idea, and one I might use if I teach another class like the Lone Star that is more challenging. If I do teach another class, I'll let you know.
Have a Blessed Day!
Marcia

Thanks to you all helping with my Texas geography! Now I know!! Keep me posted on Lone Star quilting. Once I retire from full time job I hope to make it to more classes. Did one two weeks ago in Fredericksburg, at Pocketful of Poseys. We did "Circle A Round" where you cut out circles and sew them into another circle you cut in your base fabric. Pretty awesome. With that I have a UFO to get back to plus one more Circle quilt in my brain, another future project. I will get to a Lone Star though, one of these days!

Place the corners (not the points) together, then when folded diamond over diamond cut the center points to match the smallest diamond.

Both good ideas. I would try the starch first, and if that doesn't do it, then use these over a background as suggested, and start with new ones for your quilt.

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Don't dispair. I did a Lone Star and pieced it twice on the machine and once by hand before I was satisfied. Turned out to be a very nice quilt but I shudder when I look at diamond shapes to this day!

Update. I'm halfway through blocking my eight lone-star diamond arms. Some are going worse than others. I am following closely S. Shambers (?) video instructions.

One of the things she does not cover is how much of a difference can you have before you cannot use the blocking/starching method to "shrink" a piece.

I have tried very hard to get the shrinking results she demonstrated, but it's not going well. many puckers (although they ARE starched to hell and back.)

-- Jillaine

Please take another look. I really think you can save yourself a lot of trouble if you re-sew just a few seams for those diamonds that are much too large. You can pick them out just by eyeballing. You could also use a ruler to quickly check their width, but some look much to large in the pic.