Block 9: Happy Hour Stitches Block of the Month (2025)
- Happy Hour Stitches
- Sep 1
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 1
It's time to reveal Block 9 in the 2025 Happy Hour Stitches Block of the Month! This block is a classic eight-pointed star made easy -- no set-in seams or English paper piecing techniques!
If you're participating in this Block of the Month, you have received this block in your email. Not signed up yet? No problem! Just click the link below to read the details of this yearlong project and sign up!
Video How-To
I'm sharing all my best tips for making this block in the video below! If you're struggling with the block or you're a beginner sewist, I hope this video is helpful.
Products I Love
Although none of these products are required to make this block, they are ones that I find make the process easier and more enjoyable! (You'll see these products in action for the video how-to of Block 8!)
Sue Daley Rotating Cutting Mat
A hera marker makes it easy to mark diagonal lines on the wrong side of your fabric for stitch and flip units. I use my hera marker to mark quilting lines on my quilts, too!
Buy at Fat Quarter Shop or Amazon.
Clearly Perfect Slotted Trimmers
These rulers from New Leaf Stitches are my must-have tool for trimming half-square triangles in a variety of sizes. You simply line up the line on the ruler with the stitching line, trim along the two sides of the ruler, and trim inside the notches to eliminate the dog ears. It gets me perfect half-square triangles every time!
Buy at Fat Quarter Shop or Amazon.
BladeSaver Thread Cutter
When I'm chain-piecing units while sewing, I like to sit this thread cutter by my machine so that I can quickly cut thread between the sewn pieces before heading to my ironing board. As a bonus, I love that this product uses my old rotary cutter blades!
Buy at Fat Quarter Shop or Amazon.
Diagonal Seam Tape
Add this removable and repositionable tape along the bed of your machine to help you sew accurate 1/4" seams. It also has a guide line down the center that you can use for sewing diagonal seams without needing to mark your pieces (like in Flying Geese units)! So handy!
Buy at Fat Quarter Shop or Amazon.
Mini Oliso Iron (M3PRO)
Sometimes when pressing smaller pieces or units, I can find larger irons hard to work with. I like scaling down my iron to a mini one, so I can control the iron better and get more accuracy when pressing. Plus, I love that this one has a light to help see my pieces better!
Buy at Fat Quarter Shop or Amazon.
Hera Marker
A hera marker makes it easy to mark diagonal lines on the wrong side of your fabric for stitch and flip units. I use my hera marker to mark quilting lines on my quilts, too!
Buy at Fat Quarter Shop or Amazon.
Wool Pressing Mat
I put a wool pressing mat on top of my ironing board when pressing units for my block. Wool pressing mats absorb heat from your iron, so it's like you're pressing your pieces from both the front and back, and it helps you get really flat seams!
Buy at Fat Quarter Shop or Amazon.
Tailor's Clapper
For especially bulky seams, I like to lay a tailor's clapper on the seam after pressing. The weight of the clapper helps to flatten the seam for a beautifully finished block.
Buy at Fat Quarter Shop or Amazon.
Fine Mist Spray Bottle
I don't like to use the steam function on my iron (I've had one too many leaks onto fabric). Instead, if I need water to help smooth my fabrics or help press, I spray my fabric with water using a fine mist spray bottle, which applies water evenly.
Buy at Fat Quarter Shop or Amazon.
Soak Flatter Spray
Before cutting my fabrics, I like to spray them with this starch-alternative spray and iron them smooth. This spray not only helps remove any stubborn wrinkles from my fabric, but also stiffens them ever-so-slightly to make cutting and sewing easier.
Buy at Fat Quarter Shop or Amazon.
Let's Connect on Social Media
Sewing is more fun with friends! If you're on social media, I hope you follow me, so we can connect! I'll be posting monthly about the block of the month.
Post pictures of your project on Instagram and Facebook using the hashtags #HappyHourStitches and #HHSBOM2025!
I can't wait to see your blocks in 2025!
Lindsay
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