How To Draw A Mariners Compass

Mariner'southward Compass blocks are elaborate, circular designs with multiple rays or spikes than can exist bundled in space variations. Drafting them tin can be a challenge. Here is what I learned while making my very commencement Mariner'southward Compass cake.

I started my design in EQ7 quilt blueprint software from The Electric Quilt Company. While there were a number of compass blocks available in the EQ7 Block Library, they all featured 4 prominent rays at 90-degree angles. I was hoping to place a Star of David in the center of my compass, so I needed six prominent rays at 60-degree angles.

Using the Arc tool on the EasyDraw block worktable, I drew four arcs to make a small-scale circle and four to make a large circle. In the Edit Arc carte du jour, I partitioned each arc in the pocket-size circle into thirds and each arc in the large circle into twelfths. This would requite me equally-spaced nodes for cartoon a Star of David and spikes at 60-caste angles.

I connected to draw and partitioning arcs in concentric circles, calculation more spikes until I was pleased with the design.

I decided to color my Mariner'due south Compass so that each fasten would be diamond-shaped. This meant that none of the concentric circles would be apparent in the completed cake.

Now how was I going to turn this digital pattern into a 24-inch block? I ended I would have to draft it again – full-size – past manus.

Last autumn, I told you about a volume chosen Amazing Means to use Circles and Rays by Renae Haddadin. Here was my opportunity to test out some of the great tips for drafting circular designs. The start tip suggested drafting the design onto Sulky Totally Stable Iron-On Tear-Away Stabilizer. This fashion, the stabilizer could exist used for foundation piecing where possible or equally templates for traditional piecing.

I used a compass to draw the total-size circles and a protractor to partition the arcs. The 2nd excellent tip from Renae was to piece of work on a pin-able surface. She suggests Quilter's Rule pinnable cutting mats, only I used 2 pieces of cream core taped onto my table. Not only did this agree the tip of the compass while I drafted the circles, it offered another unexpected do good. By placing a straight pin at each intersection indicate, it was quick and piece of cake to describe accurate direct lines. How ingenious, Renae!