Nine Patch Fancy Star EQ8 Tutorial

Nine Patch Fancy Star

8/23/2025

Have you wanted to know how to turn any block into a star? For my fancy star I decided to start with a basic nine patch block.

Check out this tutorial on using Fancy Star -- a really fun feature in EQ8.

Also learn how to create a piecing friendly background for your Fancy Star.

Feature the design in a new quilt layout that uses even more of your diamond shaped 9 patches.

Nine Patch Fancy Star EQ8 Tutorial

If you have the default blocks in your Project Sketchbook, you are set to get started. If not, draft a basic nine patch using EasyDraw and Add to Sketchbook.

On the Block Worktable, select New Block>Create Serendipity>Fancy Star.
Select the nine patch block.
Change the number of star points to eight.
Drag the slider bar to select the largest size.
Add to Sketchbook.

Using Create Serendipity>Fancy Star

View the Project Sketchbook and select the Fancy Star block. Hint: It will be under Motifs.)

Resize the star to fill the worktable.

For snapping options turn on:

Snap to Node
Snap Aligned Segments
Auto Join Segments when Joining
Show Auto-fill on Closed Patches

Use the Line tool under Draw to draw a triangle between two star points.

Turn on Snap to Grid and draw another triangle to fill the space to the corner.

Create Setting Pieces on the Applique Worktable.

Use the Pick tool to select patches.

Clone.

Rotate.

Position between other star points. (They should snap into position if the shapes were drawn correctly and snap aligned segment is turned on.)

Clone, rotate and reposition to fill the applique worktable.

The block was colored with fabrics from the Hoffman 24-7 Tweed Collection.

Nine Patch Fancy Star Block

Nine Patch Star Quilt

Layout Tab

On the Quilt Worktable, set up a New Quilt>Horizontal.

On the Layout tab, set the number of blocks at 2 x 2.

Set the size of blocks at 32 x 32. This size will allow you to cut the diamonds from 2-1/2" strips. A great use for a collection of Jelly Rolls.

Set the size of sashing at 4 inches horizontal and vertical.

Nine Patch Fancy Star Quilt Layout

Borders Tab

On the Borders tab, turn off Lock Size Adjustment All and Turn on Top and Bottom and Left and Right.

Change the size of the Top and Bottom to 6.

Change the size of the Left and Right to 0.

Select Add.

Make Border #2 a Long Horizontal. Change the size to Mitered. Change the size to 1/2 inch.

Nine Patch Fancy Star Border Layout

Design Tab

On the Design tab, under Block Tools>Set Block locate the Fancy Star block and place in the quilt.

Use Fabric tools and color one of the sashing pieces and one of the Border #1 blocks.

Select Print and Export and select and note the size of the sashing and border blocks. This will be used to design new blocks.

Place Fancy Star Blocks in the Quilt

Sashing Block

On the Block Worktable, Select New Block>Pieced>EasyDraw.

Set the block Width at 4 and Height at 32.

Set the snaps at 4 x 32.

Snapping options just Snap to Grid.

Using the Line tool, draw diagonal lines and vertical lines for the bottom of the block.

With the Pick tool, Clone and drag the cross-hairs to position immediately above the previous lines.
Fill the block with the sets of mirrored diamonds.

Color the block.

On the Quilt Worktable, place on the quilt and rotate as necessary.

Drafting the Sashing Block

Diamond Sashing Block

Border Block

On the Block Worktable, Select New Block>Pieced>EasyDraw.
Set the block Width at 68 and Height at 6.
Set the Snaps at 68 x 6.
Snapping options are just Snap to Grid.
Using the Line tool, draw a diagonal line starting a the lower left corner.
Clone. Rotate 45 degrees. Snap to node on the top edge.
Clone. Snap to node on the bottom edge.
Switch snapping options to just Snap to Grid.
Draw lines connecting nodes at the top and bottom edges.
Go to Color and Add to Sketchbook.

Clone, rotate and position the first diagonal line. Use the edit tool to partition the top and bottom lines.

Clone the diagonal lines and fill the entire block. Overlap the ending lines so the new lines can snap to the previous lines nodes.
Some of the lines will extend over the left and right edges of the block.
With the Edit tool, select an edge and select At Intersections.
With the Pick tool select and delete any line segments outside the block. (This step is critical.)
Select Color and Add to Sketchbook.

After Cloning, delete extra lines outside the block to avoid corrupting your project file.

Under Drawing tools, select the Grid.
Change the columns to 1 and rows to 3.
Drag a grid from the upper left to lower right corners.
Select the Color tab. Color the block. Color adjoining 9 patches to mimic the Nine Point Fancy Star colorations.
Add to Sketchbook to save.

Add a 1 x 3 Grid to turn the diagonal lines into diamonds.

Diamond Nine Patch Border Block 68 x 6

Finishing the Quilt

Add the Border block to the quilt.

Rotate the bottom border block two times.

Use Symmetry and click on a main block to play with different rotations of the Nine Patch Fancy Star block.

Select Add to Sketchbook to save.

Use Symmetry to Play with Block Rotations

Check out the full video tutorial.

Here is the final quilt.

I also decided to try to experiment with coloring some of the setting pieces in the Nine Patch Fancy Star block. Just for fun.

Nine Patch Fancy Star Quilt from Video

Nine Patch Fancy Star - Alternate Coloration Idea

How would you alter the design?

Use a different block to create your fancy star?
Color the 9 patches differently?
Chose a different layout?
Modify the border blocks?

Let me know what you decide to do. I've set up a separate post in the Learning EQ Facebook group where you can share you ideas.

Learning EQ Facebook Group for Nine Patch Fancy Star

Happy quilting.

Kari

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