http://www.quiltingboard.com/posts/list/13642.page
Mary Quite Contrary did this one and posted. Maybe she can answer some of your questions. I also bought the pattern, but haven't gotten around to doing it.
When I was checking out patterns at Quiltville, they had similar patterns but with solid panels that were the same pattern, but called different names. There were a couple of them. I pointed them out to my daughter because she also wanted to make the Star Spin one.
Barb