To use the PatchDraw Pieced Grids

1. Click Block > New Block > PatchDraw Block
2. Choose your grid from the drop down menu

While you can access the grids through the Drawing Board Setup, it’s much easier if you have your Precision Bar turned on. To display the Precision Bar, click on the View menu at the top of the screen, and choose Precision Bar.

The PatchDraw Pieced Grids are only available on the Pieced layer  of the PatchDraw Block worktable. A Rectangle grid style is turned on by default, however EQ7 has 5 other grids for you to use to create pieced blocks. Keep in mind, the Pieced layer of PatchDraw is to design pieced blocks, therefore do not overlap patches.

The Pieced layer of PatchDraw has automatic snapping based on the grid you are working on. The PolyDraw tools are your only sources for drawing blocks on this layer. With the PolyDraw tools, you’ll notice that with each click, your line will snap to the closest grid point or arc.

With these grids, use the “Clone and Rotate” method to make quick, effortless block designs.

1. Draw the first patch using the PolyDraw tools.

2. Click the Clone button  on the Precision Bar.

3. Click the Rotate  selected segments button  on the Precision Bar. The patch will rotate to the angle of the adjacent spoke of the grid.

4. Grab the 4-arrow crosshair in the center of the newly rotated patch to move it into place. (If the patch is no longer selected, get the Pick  tool to select it again before you try to move it.)

Repeat Steps 2-4 to complete the block.

Rectangle Grid

Tool to use: PolyLine

Minimum Snap Point: 4
Maximum Snap Point: 200

Rotate: When using a Rectangle grid, each click of the rotate button  will rotate the selected patch by 45 degrees.

Circle Grid

Tool to use: PolyArc

Minimum Number of Rings and Spokes: 4
Maximum Number of Rings and Spokes: 60

Clicking on the same arc creates an arc. Clicking on a different arc creates a straight line segment.

Rotate: When using the Circle grid, each click of the rotate button will rotate the selected patch clockwise by a spoke.

Arc Grid

Tool to use: PolyArc

Minimum Number of Rings and Spokes: 4
Maximum Number of Rings and Spokes: 60

Clicking on the same arc creates an arc. Clicking on a different arc creates a straight line segment.

Rotate: Each click of the rotate button will rotate the selected patch clockwise by a spoke. For the rotate button to be useful with this grid style, you want your first patch to be drawn on the left side of the grid (since the patches will rotate clockwise).

Eight Point Star Grid

Tool to use: PolyLine

Minimum Snap Point: 2
Maximum Snap Point: 20

When setting the snap points, it is recommended that you keep the values in both dimensions the same or close to the same.

Rotate: When using the Eight Point Star grid, each click of the rotate button  will rotate the selected patch by 45 degrees.

Kaleidoscope Grid

Tool to use: PolyLine

Minimum Snap Point: 2
Maximum Snap Point: 20

When setting the snap points, it is recommended that you keep the values in both dimensions the same or close to the same.

Rotate: When using the Kaleidoscope grid, each click of the rotate button will rotate the selected patch by 45 degrees.

Draw one of the corner triangles, clone and rotate multiple times until they are in the correct rotation. Repeat until all triangle patches are completed.

Octagon Grid


Tool to use: PolyLine

Minimum Snap Point: 2
Maximum Snap Point: 20

When setting the snap points, it is recommended that you keep the values in both dimensions the same or close to the same.
Rotate:  When using the Octagon grid, each click of the rotate button  will rotate the selected patch by 45 degrees.

Draw one of the corner triangles, clone and rotate multiple times until they are in the correct rotation. Repeat until all triangle patches are completed.