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Block Patterns

Ohio Star

A classic 9-patch star block made from quarter square triangles and solid squares.

The Ohio Star is one of the most recognizable and beloved blocks in American quilting. It is a nine-patch block where the center and corner squares are solid and the four side patches are each made from a quarter square triangle unit — producing the distinctive star points. Ohio Star appears in quilts dating to the early 1800s and has hundreds of named variations. It quilts up cleanly, works in any color combination, and shows off a beautiful graphic when set with sashing. The NiftyFifty community has made countless Ohio Star blocks representing states across the country.

Related Terms

Nine PatchThe simplest 3×3 grid block, made from nine squares of alternating fabrics.Quarter Square Triangle (QST)A square unit made from four triangles, each taking up one quarter of the square.Eight-Pointed Star (LeMoyne Star)A star block made from eight diamond shapes meeting at a center point, requiring Y-seams.

Practice makes perfect.

NiftyFifty connects quilters from all 50 states through block swaps, bees, and quilt-alongs. Great place to put new techniques to work.

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