Paper piecing

Add a star, sun or polygon to paper piecing

The Shape tool drops a polygon, a star or a sun anywhere on the panel. Its sides Spiral out like a log cabin, run Straight through to the edges, or it stays Floating until you draw seams to it, and it can always be sewn.

Where to find it

Paper piecing panel → tool bar → Shape (D)

Open paper piecing
On the paper piecing tool bar, Shape offers a polygon, a star or a sun; the Join menu plays a little film of each way to join it, and Straight through runs every side of a six-point star out to the edges

How to do it

  1. With a panel open, choose Shape in the tool bar, or press D. Its own row opens above the tools.
  2. Pick Polygon, Star or Sun, and use the arrows to set how many sides, points or spikes. A sun's spikes can be Short, Medium or Long.
  3. Open Join and choose how it meets the drawing: Spiral out, Straight through or Floating. Each one plays a short film of what it does.
  4. Click to place the shape, or press where its middle goes and drag out its size and turn. Shift turns it in 15° steps.

Good to know

  • A Floating shape waits until you draw a seam from the drawing to it; the bar under the tools reminds you.
  • Use Move to drag a floating shape somewhere else, and Erase to take it away.
Who can use it
Free, no account needed
Where it works
Web studio

This guide answers

  • How do I put a star in my paper piecing block?
  • How do I draw a sun or a hexagon in paper piecing?
  • How do I start from the center and work out?
  • Can I add a shape in the middle of a paper piecing panel?
  • How do I make a log cabin around a shape?