Sawtooth Star Quilt - FREE Block Pattern

Written by Brittany Lloyd

I'm excited to share that I finally finished my scrappy Sawtooth Star quilt! I started this quilt last spring, which is crazy to think about! Over the last several months, I've been slowly chipping away at these blocks and finishing the quilt. It's been a really fun process!

I used our FREE Sawtooth Star quilt block pattern, found here, which finishes at 8" square. I designed it to be this size because I think it's the perfect scale for both large and small scale prints. Plus, they're not too small and not too big...really they're the perfect size!

I've had many of these scraps for years. These blocks are a mix of true scraps and also fabrics that I've been holding onto for a while. Each block is unique and I tried not to use the same fabric more than once. There might be a few exceptions here or there, but for the most part, they're all one of a kind!

It was really fun and and kind of freeing to slowly make these blocks over time. I knew that I wanted lavender and pink to be the star of the show. I added in tones of gold and pecan along with a few bright yellow/green prints to give some variety and depth. It's one of those quilts that just feels happy; especially since I used many of my favorite fabrics.

I created 7 rows of 7 blocks, which is 49 blocks total. It also means that my quilt is 56" square. If you're looking to create a specific size quilt, you can either start with how many blocks you want to make. Or you can start with an approximate measurement, then round up to the nearest 8". For example, if you want you quilt top be 80" x 96", divide both by eight, and you'll create 10 blocks across and 12 blocks down. 10 x 12 is 120, so you'll be making 120 blocks.

When it came time for quilting, I knew that I wanted simple lines to really let the fabrics shine. I decided to use Quilter's Dream 100% Wool batting so that it is extra fluffy and I'm so glad I did! I've used wool a few times before this...one quilt in particular is Peter's quilt that I made for him back in 2018. It's one of our favorite quilts that we own because of the weight and feel of it. Since this quilt feels special, going with wool was definitely the right choice!

I quilted straight diagonal lines going in one direction first. Then I rotated the quilt and quilted straight diagonal lines going in the other direction. I used my Janome M7, which quilts like an absolute dream. The walking foot combined with the super wide throat space is definitely my favorite thing about the machine! I also love to quilt on my Janome 6700p which is also a great machine to quilt on!

For the backing, I went with this black and white Starry Print by Alexia Abegg for Ruby Star Society. Since there was so many different kinds of prints in the quilt, I felt like I needed to do something simple. Based on the poll that I did on Instagram, ~60% of you agree!

Then for the binding, I used Add it Up Citron for a fun kick (more than a pop) of color around the perimeter. I don't use this color a ton, but it feels so perfect for this quilt. I'm glad that I tried it. :)