Drafting for the Creative Quilter

8 DRAFTINGFORTHECREATIVEQUILTER

Important Information on Accuracy

Drafting lines are not drawn randomly or arbitrarily.
Rather, they are drawn exactly and precisely. Based on
your individual design, you will often be connecting cor-
ners, midpoints, or corners to midpoints. Take extreme
care at each step.

„ Use a mechanical pencil for a consistently thin line.

„ Use a light touch—only you need to see your lines,
and light lines will be much easier to erase.

„ Position your light source on the side of the ruler
where your pencil is to avoid shadows.

„ Use either 8- or 10-to-the-inch cross-sectioned graph
paper (darkened blue lines at 1-inch increments).

„ To prevent smudging and to enable yourself to see your
previously drawn line(s), work from right to left when
drawing vertical lines for grids (do the opposite if you
are left handed). When drawing lines horizontally,
work from top to bottom rather than from bottom to
top for the same reason.

„ To accurately draw a line that travels exactly from one
point to another, place the ruler’s edge just next to,
not on, the beginning and ending points to accom-
modate the width of the pencil lead. The pencil line is
what must travel exactly from point to point.

Beginning point

Ending point

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One way to make sure that your line travels accu-

rately from point to point is to use the lead of the

pencil to align the ruler edge. Place the pencil point

exactly where you want the line to begin, then slide

the ruler edge next to the pencil and align the rest of

the ruler edge where the line will end. While holding

the ruler in place, move the pencil to the end point

and make any needed ruler adjustments to be sure

the ruler edge is snug against the pencil lead. Move

the pencil back to the beginning point and draw

the line.

„ When drawing diagonal 45° lines on graph paper

(corner to corner on a square), the drawn line must

travel exactly from corner to corner on all the small

squares on the graph paper.

Yes No

Way to Creative Freedom Seven Simple Steps to Drafting Your

Your Way to Creative Freedom

Refer to pages 14–16 for more detail.

1. Choose a pattern or block design.


2. Determine its drafting category and underlying grid
   formation.


3. Decide the size of the block you want to make.


4. Determine the size of the grid needed to make the
   block the size you want.


5. Draw a square the chosen block size; then add,
   connect, and erase lines to draw your block.


6. Identify the different shapes needed to sew the block
   and determine the logical sewing sequence.


7. Add seam allowances to each shape, cut fabric, and
   assemble the block.
   It’s as easy as that!