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RWB Extras

Extra Patterns, Class Outlines, and Optional Methods for Use with Red, White & Blue Star Quilts

On this page you will find links to all kinds of useful content to make your copy of Red, White & Blue Star Quilts an even greater value than it already is. This page is divided into four sections: Special Shapes; Point Trimming Aids; Extra Patterns; and Class Outlines.

Special Shapes

Extra Options for Rotary Cutting Prisms, Half Prisms, and Trapezoids
Three of the patterns in Red, White & Blue Star Quilts feature prisms, half prisms, and/or trapezoids. These shapes are found in July Fireworks, Star-Spangled Quilt, and O Beautiful!. I offer 3 methods for cutting these shapes: 1) my ShapeMaker 45; 2) paper guides to print, cut out, and tape to a rotary ruler; or 3) pattern-specific acrylic templates. (Though not a template, the ABC Point Trimmer is included here because it comes from the same manufacturer.) The first and third options are the easiest; the second option is somewhat fiddly, but it doesn’t cost anything.

1) Using my Shapemaker 45 tool. See page 15 of the book if you have this tool. (This tool is now out of print.)

2) Using downloadable paper guides to print, cut out, and tape to any acrylic ruler for rotary cutting. Click on these links for printable paper guides with illustrated instructions:

Note: When you print any of these guide files, change Page Scaling to “None.” The pages MUST print at 100% to be accurate. Also, on the Page Setup menu you may have to adjust to “No Margins.” If the Print Window is too small to show the options, hit the down arrow to show all the options. 


This procedure may vary depending on the printer, the browser, or the operating system, but the important thing to remember is you must print at 100%. It cannot be “shrunk to fit the page.”

3) Using pattern-specific acrylic rotary-cutting templates. On the Acrylic Templates page, I offer links to templates that you can purchase directly from the manufacturer. Important! Be sure to read the “How to Order Tools and Templates” section before placing an order. Available templates include:

  • Star-Spangled Quilt 4.5″ E half prism
  • July Fireworks 3.5” G half prism (also used to cut 3.5″ x 12.5″ E prism for July Fireworks)
  • O Beautiful! 6.5” x 27.5” L prism & M half prism (tool is 6.5” but works for all 6.5”-wide prisms & half prisms)
  • O Beautiful! 2.625” x 4.75″ H & Hr half trapezoid
  • ABC Point Trimmer

Extra Instructions for Using the Acrylic Templates 

Below are links to illustrated instructions for using the acrylic templates listed above.


On the Acrylic Templates page, I also offer templates for the special shapes in these popular patterns from Stellar Quilts:

  • Maritime A + Ar, B + Br, C + Cr, D + Dr, F + Fr, G + Gr, and H + Hr
  • Apron Strings B + Br, C + Cr, E, F + Fr, and G
  • Capistrano G and H
  • Kyoto Gardens A and C
  • Card Shuffle A + Ar, B + Br, and C + Cr
  • The French Quarter and Stars Over Bear Lake F and I
  • Savannah F and I

Instructions for Using the Stellar Quilts Acrylic Templates

Illustrated instructions for using the paper guides taped to a ruler are in Stellar Quilts. You can use these same instructions, ignoring the rulers, to see how to orient the template on the fabric strip.

Point Trimming Aids

Extra Options for Trimming Points of 45-Degree Angles on Half-Square Triangles,Quarter-Square Triangles & More
These shapes are found throughout Red, White & Blue Star Quilts. I strongly recommend trimming points to help you align patches for piecing and to eliminate dogears that extend beyond your seam allowances. I offer 4 ways of trimming points here: 1) my original Point Trimmer; 2) my new ABC Point Trimmer; 3) paper guides that you print, cut out, and tape to a rotary ruler; and 4) charts for using a regular ruler to trim points. The first 2 are the easiest, and they include A, B, and C trims; the last 2 are a bit fiddly, and they don’t include C trims, but they don’t cost anything.

Everything you want to know about point trimming, you can read in this lavishly illustrated pdf file.

1) Using my Original Point Trimmer tool’s A, B, or C trims.

For instructions on using the Point Trimmer, click on the link below.
Point Trimmer Use Old.pdf

2) Using my new ABC Point Trimmer tool’s A, B, or C trims. To purchase, go to the Acrylic Templates page on judymartin.com. Read the ordering instructions there and use the ABC Point Trimmer link on that page.

For directions on how to use the ABC Point Trimmer tool, click on the link below.
Trimming Points ABC Tool.pdf

3) Using downloadable paper guides to print, cut out, and tape to any acrylic ruler for rotary cutting. Click on the link below for guides with instructions.
Guides AB Point Trims.pdf

Guide C Point Trims.pdf

4) Using a regular rotary cutting ruler and charts for A and B trims. Click on the link below for charts with instructions. 

Point Trims Regular Ruler.pdf


Extra Patterns

The links below take you to 5 additional patterns for variations of quilts in the book. The first 4 are color variations of Starlight Medallion and Shakespeare in the Park in red, white and blue and of Stars ’n’ Stripes Forever and Military Band in 2 colors. These are shown on page 21 of the book. The 5th extra pattern is a 1-block wall version of Stars Over the States that, because of its smaller size, eliminates 75% of the work.

These patterns are meant to complement the book. They spell out changes to the yardage and cutting lists; star, block, and unit quantities; and block and quilt diagrams. They do not repeat unchanged parts of the patterns in the book, so you will need the book to use these extra patterns. Here are the links:

Class Outlines

Click on the link for the detailed class outline for the pattern you wish to teach. Feel free to adjust the number of sessions and their content according to your own needs. Each student is required to have her own copy of Red, White & Blue Star Quilts.


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