This is inspired by a quilting pattern by Evelyn Sloppy, but I wanted a more square star, so I re-drafted it on 16″ square graph paper to get the resulting (approx) 12″ square. The trick is, while drafting, to be sure the points cross 1/4 inch BEFORE the unfinished block edge, so that when stitched together, all the points will be there.
After drafting the star, you copy it on freezer paper and iron it to the top of a stack of 13 darks and 12 lights, and slash. After slashing, you shift pieces, so that the background of every star is composed of five different fabrics, and the star itself is composed of 6 different fabrics.
Since I was going to so much trouble anyway, I used double the lights and double the darks, and made a Dancing Star quilt first for my sister, with light background and dark stars. A couple years later I got around to making up the one for myself, but it won a judges commendation in a local quilt show, so I am happy.
World in Stitches 
What should I print the star pages out as, in what percentage? The pattern says 16.15 inches, if it is paper pieced, and I need to print it out, what is the percentage to print it out at?
Thanks,
Linda
Don’t print it out, Linda, I used a 16″ sq graph sheet, but you could make a big square of freezer paper, and draw the lines – more or less – as shown in the diagram. I re-drafted the stars to make them come out a little more square – the originals are way lop-sided, fine if you like them that way.
If you go to Sloppy Stars, you will see the same quilt and also a diagram – it doesn’t have to be exact, just copy the diagram, be sure to add 1/4 inch all the way around the edges. Also, I make sure star points are about half an inch inside the 16″ square, so that I don’t lose star points when it comes time to trim the blocks down.