Quartersawing rips the log lengthwise down the middle, then rips each half in half, so you have 4 quarter lengths.
Each of those is laid bark side down on the table with the point (center of the tree) facing up at 90 degrees. Then boards of increasing width are ripped off this quarter log.
This has almost no waste except the sawdust, an the kerf can be kept narrow because you can use a bandsaw. The different angles of grain produce interesting figure in the boards. And the wood is more stable than just ripping straight down the entire log.
