Magic Star PolyDraw Foundation Friendly EQ8 Tutorial

2/28/2026

Did you know you can draft foundation-friendly blocks directly in PolyDraw in Electric Quilt 8?

For this tutorial, I reworked a star block I originally shared with my Tech Know Quilter Masters members and redesigned it specifically with paper piecing in mind. The result? A bold, dramatic star that looks complex — but is surprisingly manageable when broken into foundations.

And if you’ve been wanting to strengthen your foundation drafting skills, this is your final opportunity.

Last Chance: Foundation Friendly Designs with EQ8 – $49

Enrollment for Foundation Friendly Designs with EQ8 is open through February 28, 2026 at the special price of $49. Class begins March 4th.

This class isn’t just about clicking through steps. We focus on understanding the process behind foundation drafting so you can confidently create your own designs — not just replicate mine.

If you’ve ever struggled with:

Deciding where to section a block
Numbering patches correctly
Creating foundations that actually piece smoothly
Drafting designs that work for paper piecing

This class was designed for you.

The Magic Star Block

When creating foundations in EasyDraw, I typically recommend:

Sectioning the block first
Drafting from the last patch to the first patch
(the reverse of how we actually sew foundations)

PolyDraw works differently — and more intuitively for many quilters.

In PolyDraw:

The first patch drawn is piece #1
The second patch is piece #2
And so on

You are drawing in the same order you sew.

Magic Star Foundation Friendly Block

One important tip:
When drawing new patches in PolyDraw, be sure that at least one line of the new patch matches an existing edge in the section. This keeps the units connected and prevents drafting issues.

It becomes much clearer when you see the process in action in the video tutorial.

Quilt Layout

For the quilt layout:

Choose an On Point Layout
Set blocks to 3 horizontal x 3 vertical

I set the block size to 24", which creates a dramatic quilt measuring approximately 103" without borders.

Prefer something smaller?

Change the block size to 12" and the quilt finishes at approximately 52" — perfect for a lap quilt.

Magic Star Quilt Layout

Video Tutorial

Watch the full video to see:

The complete PolyDraw drafting process
How the block is sectioned
How numbering works automatically
The full quilt layout setup

Foundation Piecing the Blocks

Each foundation section is shaped like a half-square triangle.

For the quilt, you’ll need both orientations of that triangle.

Each block requires:

8 foundations
One for each star point

Foundation Section - Orientation 1

Orientation 1 Foundation with Numbers (produced from EQ8

Print Foundation Sections

Using Rotary Cutting Charts for Oversized Pieces

Here’s a helpful tip many quilters overlook:

You can use the Rotary Cutting Charts in EQ8 to determine oversized pieces for foundation piecing — as long as the patches are:

No curves
Three- or four-sided shapes (triangles or trapezoids)

How to Create Oversized Pieces

The key is adjusting the seam allowance.

I changed mine to .35", but you can go up to .5" if you prefer more trimming room.

After adjusting the seam allowance:

Print the rotary cutting chart
Use the width and height measurements
Cut rectangles instead of angled shapes (except for the very center star pieces, if desired)

Print Rotary Cutting Chart

Make sure to change the seam allowances back to .25 after print out your rotary cutting chart. EQ will remember the changed seam allowance on your next project.

Working with Parallelograms

For parallelograms, EQ provides the size of one angled edge rather than the full rectangle width.

To calculate the rectangle:

Add the edge length to the strip height
Round up to the nearest ¼" if you dislike ⅛" increments
Bigger is always safe in foundation piecing

If you pre-cut the angles for the center star pieces, positioning the first two patches becomes much easier.

Page 1 of Rotary Cutting Chart

New to Foundation Piecing?

If you haven’t tried paper piecing before, I’ve included the step-by-step method I prefer.

Foundation piecing allows you to achieve crisp points, sharp angles, and complex-looking designs with precision. Once you understand how to draft foundations correctly in EQ8, the creative possibilities expand dramatically.

Final Reminder

This is the last opportunity to enroll in Foundation Friendly Designs with EQ8 for $49.

Enrollment closes February 28, 2026.

Class begins March 4th.

If you’re ready to move beyond following patterns and start confidently drafting your own foundation-friendly designs, I would love to see you inside the class.

Happy quilting.

Kari

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