Drafting for the Creative Quilter

44 DRAFTINGFORTHECREATIVEQUILTER

8-Pointed Star Blocks

Most quilters love stars. Designs in the 8-pointed star category are some of the most beautiful and graceful

designs; I have been focused on, fascinated with, and challenged by them since the early 1980s when I made my

third quilt. It was a Lone Star design with a pieced border (remember, ignorance is bliss sometimes) made to fit

on our queen-size water bed! Designs in this category often have the potential to carry an entire quilt.

The 8-pointed star drafting category is based on eight
45° divisions of a circle (360° ÷ 8 = 45°). Although the
circle is not always apparent in the underlying structure,
a circle may be added to any block to create additional
design lines.

45°

8 divisions of a circle

The three divisions along the edge of an 8-pointed star
are not equal, though the distance between the star
points is equal. The distance between the star points is
also the same as the middle division of the block and the
diagonal distance across the corner square.

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6 ̋ LeMoyne Star block

Recognizing designs based on the 8-pointed star

drafting category takes some practice. The following is a

list of characteristics to look for. However, not all char-

acteristics are always in every block.

CHARACTERISTICS OF

8-POINTED STAR DESIGNS

„ The divisions along the edge are not equal.

„ There are 45° diamonds in the design.

„ Eight 45° seams radiate from the center outward.

„ The distance between the star points is equal to

the middle divisions on the block’s edge.

„ You can recognize an octagon (8 equal sides)

in the design.

„ Angles in the design are either 90° or 45°.