If you have ever seen me doing a demonstration at a Quilt Show it will most likely be of the Rapid Fire Lemoyne Star. It is my all time favorite Studio 180 Design tool! This tool makes ten different sizes, from a three inch to a twelve inch block; the design possibilities are endless: Liberty, Strip Pieced, Blazing, Banded, Fussy Cut, Banded, and Starburst (shown from left to right below)!
Then, because of how the block is constructed, you can use 1/2 of the block like used in Deep in the Heart or use 3/4 of the block in corners such as is done in the Tradewinds quilt.
When I began quilting I was taught to make stars with templates, cutting out bias shapes that bulged and did not retain their shape. Stars were frustrating to me, and after many attempts I felt they were to be avoided. I noticed patterns using half square triangles to make stars which was an easier method, but it did not make a true star with equal sides.
So what’s the magic of this tool you say? The construction method! You are sewing with strips and no Y-seams; then, like a lot of Deb Tucker’s tools, you start with an oversized block and trim it down to the perfect size, and … perfection!
So let me give a little more detail on constructing these awesome Lemoyne Stars. Remember no templates, and there is a lot of wiggle room. You are sewing strips together not fussing with diamond shapes and Y-seams.
After pressing your seams in opposite directions so your strips will nest, you will cut your shapes on a 45 degree angle. You can use your ruler to find that angle, and another ruler to cut.
You will cut your strips first on that 45 degree angle and then you will cut straight up from your point giving you a triangle shape to sew on the opposite side…
Looks pretty good, but here is the magic: with your ruler you will trim your diamond shape down so all your pieces will snug nicely together. Don’t worry about the outside of your shape; you’ll trim that down later.
Now, after you have trimmed your shape, you can easily stitch them together first in quarters then stitch the four quarters together to get a square. Now use that Tucker Trimmer to trim to a perfect star block.
Have fun with this …The possibilities are endless. Any pattern you have that calls for a Lemoyne Star you can just grab your Rapid Fire Lemoyne Star and end the frustration of other techniques.
Now don’t forget to check out the other awesome tools that will help you Tuckerize other types of blocks. Here are the links to follow my fellow CI bloggers:
Monday 7/15/19: Tammy Silvers, Tamarinis tamarinis.typepad.com
Tina Dillard, Quilting Affections http://quiltingaffection.blogspot.com/
Tuesday 7/16/19: Karen Overton, The Quilt Rambler https://thequiltrambler.com/blog/
Sarah Furrer, Studio 180 Design https://deb-tuckers-studio-180-design.myshopify.com/blogs/news
Wednesday 7/17/19: Gail Renna, Quilt Haven Threads www.quilthaventhreads.wordpress.com
Marie McKay Ribbon, Star Studio ribbonstarstudio.com/blog
Thursday 7/18/19: Deborah Chiarelli, Guest Blogging for Tina Dillard http://quiltingaffection.blogspot.com/
Friday 7/19/19: Michelle Hiatt, Sew On the Go http://sewonthego.blogspot.com
Rosella Hanson, Guest Blogging for Tammy Silvers tamarinis.typepad.com
Saturday 7/20/19: Bonny Peters, Cat Den Mountain Quilts https://www.catdenmountainquilts.com/project-journal
Lydia Zeigler, Guest Blogging for Karen Overton https://thequiltrambler.com/blog/
Gail Renna 
Love you information and the formatting makes the blog so much easier to follow.
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Thank you
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