How to Sew The Variable Star Quilt Block (12" x 12") – December Block of the Month 2025
Join the Exshaw Quilts Block of the Month series where we make a sampler quilt together!
Last month we made the Sawtooth. If you haven’t yet made it, click here.
Alright, let’s learn how to make the 12" x 12" Variable Star quilt block in this beginner-friendly tutorial. This is the December 2025 installment of our Block of the Month series—start from here.
Let’s dive into December’s block, shall we?
Want to join in? Subscribe to the newsletter below to get each block free as it’s released. As a thank-you, you’ll also receive my Crescent Moon Quilted Potholder pattern—a little gift to get your needle warmed up.
Let’s quilt something meaningful, together.
December’s Block: Variable Star (Peppermint Swirl Edition)
The Variable Star is usually a sweet-and-simple nine-patch star. I’ve given ours a festive twist inspired by my Peppermint Swirl placemat: a pinwheel center that “spins,” framed by classic star points. It’s still beginner-friendly—just half-square triangles and squares—but the motion makes it feel extra special on a holiday table runner or in our sampler.
Quilt Along Details
Project Timeline: July 1 – March 1
What We’re Making: A baby-sized sampler quilt (9 blocks) measuring 36" × 36" finished
Block Release: One block per month, right here on the blog (project updates go out via the newsletter—make sure you subscribe!)
Block Size: 12" × 12" finished (12½" × 12½" unfinished)
Skill Level: Beginner-friendly with a few gentle challenges
Style: Traditional patchwork with room to play
Fabric Requirements and Cutting Instructions (one 12″ block)
Assumes ¼″ seams and 42″ usable WOF. Trim all HSTs to 3½″ × 3½″ (they finish at 3″ in the block).
Red Fabric – cut:
(4) 3½″ × 3½″ squares (corners)
(1) 8″ × 8″ (for 8-at-a-time HSTs)
(1) 5½″ × 5½″ (for 4-at-a-time HSTs)
White Fabric – cut:
(1) 8″ × 8″ (for 8-at-a-time HSTs)
(1) 5½″ × 5½″ (for 4-at-a-time HSTs)
You’ll make 12 HSTs total (8 from the 8″ set + 4 from the 5½″ set) plus the four red corner squares—perfect for a star with a spinning pinwheel center.
HST Methods Used
4 at a time
Layer: Place two contrasting 5½″ squares RST.
Stitch: Sew ¼″ all the way around the perimeter.
Cut: Cut diagonally corner-to-corner in both directions (an “X”) to make four units.
Trim: Trim each HST to 3½″ × 3½″.
8 at a time
Layer: Place two contrasting 8″ squares RST.
Mark: Draw both diagonals to form an “X.”
Stitch: Sew ¼″ on both sides of each drawn line (four seams total).
Cut: First cut vertically through the center, then horizontally through the center to make four smaller squares. Now cut on both diagonals (the drawn lines) to make eight units.
Trim: Trim each HST to 3½″ × 3½″.
Press seams open for ultra-flat joins, or to the red if you like nesting—your choice.
Why Join This Quilt Along?
There’s something special about having a gentle project on the go—one that doesn’t demand perfection or rush, but simply waits for you whenever you’re ready to stitch. This Block of the Month is meant to be that: a low-pressure, creative thread running through your seasons. Scraps, stash pulls, naturally dyed bits—the charm comes from variety; the heart comes from you.
Share your blocks with #exshawquilts to peek at layouts and say hello. Free tutorials, bonus tips, and a few surprises will pop into your inbox—just little extras to make the journey sweeter. Join here!
Let’s sew something soft, slow, and story-filled—together.
How to Sign Up + Get the Free Potholder Pattern
Subscribe to the Exshaw Quilts email list and I’ll send a gentle nudge before the 1st of each month with that month’s block and helpful notes. As a thank-you, you’ll get instant access to my Crescent Moon Quilted Potholder pattern.
You’ll also see occasional blog updates like:
Tips for natural dyeing your own quilt fabric
Hand-quilting tutorials
Little stories from my cabin in the woods
If you share as you go, tag @exshaw or use #exshawquilts so we can cheer you on.
A Quilt Made in Moments
This isn’t a race. It’s a rhythm—one block at a time. Whether you’re new to quilting or years in, this sampler is meant to feel like a friendly nudge back to your sewing table. By March, you’ll have a cozy little quilt top—and a handful of sweet memories stitched into the seams.
Pour something warm, pull your reds and creams, and let that peppermint center spin. I’ll be here with my kettle on and a thimble nearby.
P.S. Know a friend who’d love this? Share this post and invite them to join us—more makers, more merriment.
Welcome to the blog—I'm so glad you're here.
I'm Kim, quilting and dyeing from an old cabin in the woods. This is where I share beginner-friendly tutorials, slow craft tips, and stories from a life stitched by hand. I hope you find something here that feels like home.
