# 02 | Create a block ## Exercise 02 **02** | *Create a custom Sawtooth Star block.* ***Objective*** | To create a quilt block from scratch. We call this a [*custom quilt block*](https://glossary.prequilt.com/pq-glossary/cs#custom-quilt-block). We will be creating this Sawtooth Star block: ![](https://2632437258-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FZIxhpDEaPtVb8DXlSENh%2Fuploads%2F1AtLosUb2r7v5i2w4XQk%2Fd%2005%20scaled.png?alt=media\&token=efb2f1fc-1e8e-4c96-a445-580917e85e66) ***Did You Know*** | Custom quilt blocks are designed and created using the [*Block Editor*](https://app.gitbook.com/s/6bPmBgJH7XZ5gcieNGS3/pq-glossary/bs#block-editor), a pop-up window in PreQuilt. ### 01 | Create a New Custom Block 1. Click on the **BLOCKS** tab on the [*left side control panel*](https://app.gitbook.com/s/6bPmBgJH7XZ5gcieNGS3/pq-glossary/cs#left-side-control-panel).

2. Click on the **Make Custom Block** button.

3. The [*Block Editor*](https://app.gitbook.com/s/6bPmBgJH7XZ5gcieNGS3/pq-glossary/bs#block-editor) window will open.

### 02 | Changing the Block Settings The Block Editor has some options in the left side control panel that will help us recreate (or reverse engineer) our desired block - The Sawtooth Star. 1. Click on the **Block Info** tab.

2. Rename the block name to **Sawtooth Star**.

3. Change both the horizontal and vertical gridlines to **4**. * **Note:** The Sawtooth Star can be divided into 16 equal squares (4 columns and 4 rows). This information will help us know how many gridlines to set.

4. Ensure snapping is on - as a default it is turned on. * **Note:** If the circles are outlined, snapping is on. If the circles are not outlined, simply click on the buttons to turn snapping on.

### 03 | Create Quilt Block Pieces Creating a quilt block in PreQuilt is much like piecing a block with fabric. To create our Sawtooth Star, we're going to use the different shapes beneath the [*Block Editor Canvas*](https://app.gitbook.com/s/6bPmBgJH7XZ5gcieNGS3/pq-glossary/bs#block-editor-canvas) to create the different pieces of the block - squares, half square triangles (HSTs), and flying geese triangles. #### a | Create a Square Piece 1. Click on the **Square shape** beneath the empty Block Editor Canvas (

). Once you click on it, it will appear on the [*Block Editor Canvas*](https://app.gitbook.com/s/6bPmBgJH7XZ5gcieNGS3/pq-glossary/bs#block-editor-canvas).

*New square is placed in the center of the Block Editor Canvas*

2. Click on the **Square** on the Block Editor Canvas and while still holding down on the **mouse button**, **move** the square into the top left corner.

3. To resize the square to fill the space between gridlines, click on the **bottom right box** on the outside of your square and **drag** it to make the square bigger. * It should snap to fit the size of the grid unit perfectly.

*Resized bigger square - fills space between gridlines*

#### b | Create a Half Square Triangle (HST) Piece 1. Click on the **Half Square Triangle (HST) shape** found beneath the empty Block Editor Canvas (

). Once you click on it, it will appear on the [*Block Editor Canvas*](https://app.gitbook.com/s/6bPmBgJH7XZ5gcieNGS3/pq-glossary/bs#block-editor-canvas).

2. On the left side control panel, click on the **Link** button next to Color Tag B. * This will change the color of our HST from beige to black.

*To change a piece's color, link a different color tag.*

3. Click on our black **HST** piece and while still holding down on the **mouse button**, **move** the HST to the right of the square.

4. To resize the HST piece to fill the space between gridlines, click on the **bottom right box** on the outside of your HST and **drag** it to make the HST bigger. * It should snap to fit the size of the grid unit perfectly.

*HST piece resized to fit between gridlines*

#### c | Create a Flying Geese Triangle Piece 1. Click on the **Isosceles Triangle shape** found beneath the empty Block Editor Canvas (

). Once you click on it, it will appear on the [*Block Editor Canvas*](https://app.gitbook.com/s/6bPmBgJH7XZ5gcieNGS3/pq-glossary/bs#block-editor-canvas). 2. Click on our **Isosceles Triangle** piece and while still holding down on the **mouse button**, **move** it to the grid box to right of the HST.

3. To resize the isosceles triangle piece to fill the space between gridlines, click on the **top right box** on the outside of your isosceles triangle and **drag** it to make it bigger. * It should snap to fit the size of the grid unit perfectly.

*Isosceles triangle piece resized to fit between gridlines*

4. To change the shape (width) of the isosceles triangle piece to create the flying geese triangle, click on the **middle right box** on the outside of your isosceles triangle and **drag** it to the right to create the new triangle shape. * It should snap to fit the size expanding **2** grid units perfectly.

*Isosceles triangle piece before reshaping*

*Isosceles triangle piece reshaped into a flying geese triangle*

5. Rotate the flying geese triangle by clicking on the **Rotate** button **4** times (

) on the vertical [*Toolbar*](https://app.gitbook.com/s/6bPmBgJH7XZ5gcieNGS3/pq-glossary/ts#toolbar).

6. **Move** the flying geese triangle to the left so that it nests next to the black HST. * **Note:** It should snap seamlessly right up against the HST.

### 04 | Clone Pieces to Create Sawtooth Star Block Now we have the three different shaped pieces that make the Sawtooth Star block. We can now clone (copy) each of these pieces until we have our completed block. 1. Click on the **Square** piece in the Block Editor Canvas. 2. Click the **Clone** button (

)on the vertical Toolbar. * **Note:** A second square will be added to the canvas area.

3. **Move** the second Square piece to the top right corner of the canvas.

4. **Repeat** ***Steps d.1-3*** for the remaining squares, HSTs, and flying geese triangles until you have all the outside pieces of your Sawtooth Star block.

*Outside pieces of the Sawtooth Star Block*

5. To create the last piece, the center square piece: 1. **Clone** one of the square pieces 2. Change the color of the square to black by clicking the **Link** button next to Color Tag B.

*Cloned square piece - now black using Color Tag B*

3. **Move** it to one of the center squares 4. Resize it by clicking on the **bottom right box** on the outside of the square and **dragging** it to make it bigger. * It should snap to fit the size of 4 grid units perfectly.

### 05 | Save Block to Quilt Ta da! We've now created the Sawtooth Star block and need to save it to the quilt we started. 1. Click on the **Save** button (

) in the top right corner of the Block Editor window.

2. Click on **Save To Quilt**.

3. The Block Editor will close and you will now see our new block in the BLOCKS tab.

###