Drafting for the Creative Quilter

54 DRAFTINGFORTHECREATIVEQUILTER

North Carolina Star Variation Block

To draft a North Carolina Star
Variation block, you will keep
the eight points of the initial
8-pointed star you drafted when
connecting the A’s and B’s.

TO DRAFT A 6 ̋ (FINISHED) BLOCK:

1. Draft a 6 ̋ North Carolina Star (page 53); do not
   erase any lines.

B A

B

1 B

1

1 1

B

2

3 3

3 3

A

A

A

2

2

2

2

2 2

2

Draft a North Carolina Star.

2. The shaded red point is erased for the North
   Carolina Star; it remains for this variation.

B A

B

1 B

1

1 1

B

2

3 3

3 3

A

A

A

2

2

2

2

2 2

2

The variation includes the shaded red points.

3. Erase all unnecessary lines, leaving only seamlines.

LeMoyne Star Block

This is the most recognized and

basic 8-pointed star design. From

this simple structure of a square,

triangle, and diamond, many other

designs can be developed. By simply

fracturing the square, diamond, and triangle, new

designs emerge. Up until now, the stars we drafted stood

on one point. Going forward, stars will stand on two or

four points.

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Two same-sized stars, one standing on one point

and one standing on two points, have different-sized

diamonds.

It is important to notice the relationship among the

square, triangle, and diamond: They all share a side.

The side of the square, the side of the diamond (a true

diamond has four equal sides), and the short sides of the

triangle all measure the same, while the long side of the

triangle is the diagonal of the square. You will see this

relationship over and over in the following block designs.

You will be connecting points, corners, and intersec-

tions or creating new intersections to draft further. I

will show you how to draft the entire block, even though

you only need to go far enough to identify the needed

shapes. As the block designs progress from simple and

few pieces to more complex and many pieces, the process

remains the same—one step at a time, done carefully

and accurately. I just love sharing this information with

you; let’s get started.

TO DRAFT A 6 ̋ (FINISHED) BLOCK:

1. Draft a 6 ̋ Basic Underlying Structure (page 45).


2. Working from the top and going clockwise, use a red
   pencil to connect each A to the opposite B and to the
   second B.