An opportunity to join me on Zoom either Monday, October 25 or Tuesday October 26.  Three times to choose from.

 Select your preferred time below and click on the link to reserve your spot.

During the past year, I have taken up card making.  I really don't want to think about the amount of time I am spending reading blog posts, Pinterest and watching You Tube videos as I learn a whole new set of crafting skills.

I have been very intrigued with the large variety of layouts available for cards.  Most card designs are 4-1/4" x 5-1/2".  (Essentially 1/4 of a piece of letter paper).  If the card is folded it takes 1/2 a sheet of letter paper for each card.

On that base you add layers and decorate with stamps and embellishments.

I have found that most information on sizes for the layering pieces are buried in You Tube videos (or sometimes not even available).  As a result, I needed a way to track information for my favorite card designs.

I have found that EQ8 can easily be adapted for card-making designs.

I recently joined Stampin Up's Paper Pumpkin membership program.  For $22 each month (including shipping), I receive a box with a set of stamps and card making material.  There are instructions for cards or alternative crafting projects in each box.  But what is more intriguing is seeing what Paper Pumpkin demonstrators and members are doing with the supplies.  Bloggers will do tutorials on alternate designs they develop and others just post pictures of their cards on Pinterest or on Facebook.

I've become a bit obsessed with collecting these pictures and watching the videos.

One basic layout that has intrigued me is a book binding card.  Take a look at how a book binding card differs from a regular card.

Here are three book binding cards I created using two of my Paper Pumpkin kits.

The inspiration for the Christmas card was a 3" mini gift card designed by Rachel Tessman from StampYourArtOut.com.  Since square cards cost more to mail in the US, I modified the design to turn it into a book binding card.  This used the leaf vine and ground stamp from the Haunts and Harvest Paper Pumpkin kit by Stampin Up. 

This next one was a slight variation of a design I found in a video by Rachel Tessman that used the Hope Box Paper Pumpkin kit.

The wreath of leaves in the next one was inspired by a card by Gourdy VanGogh that was shared in the Paper Pumpkin Fan Club Facebook group. This used the stamps from the Haunts and Harvest Paper pumpkin kit.  Can you tell that I used cork for the frames?

This basic book binding card design is so versatile.  I decided to set it up in Electric Quilt, so I could keep track of the measurements and audition stamps.

See how to create the card template as an applique block using Electric Quilt 8 in this video tutorial.

Using the print-outs from EQ8, I added cutting instructions and auditioned stamps as shown below.

I look forward to seeing your card making templates.  Feel free to post in the Learning EQ Facebook group.

​In the month of July the primarily focus for Tech Know Quilter Masters members was labels.

Tech Know Quilters Masters members have received at least 12 months of Tech Know Quilter classes.  In the Masters lessons, participants not only work on EQ skills, but have lots of opportunities for enhancing their design skills as well. 

Here are some of the projects submitted in the private Facebook group for the various label making lessons. 

​Enjoy the virtual show!

One of the great part of making labels is you don't need to actually piece what is included in the label.   Members demonstrated that this was a great opportunity to play with the auto borders.

Did you know you can add text with any True-Type font on your computer? Using different fonts is a great way to personalize your next label.

Sometimes the text tools in EQ can seem a bit limiting (no spell check and no options to curve text).  We explored some work-arounds.

One of my least favorite parts of quilting is sewing down labels -- and that has often kept me from putting labels on many of my quilts.  I have no excuse after this lesson -- as the label can be folded on the diagonal and tucked into the binding.

A picture is worth 1,000 words -- even in a label.  And shapes don't need to be square to incorporate a photo into an EQ design.

Would you like to join this talented group of EQ designers?  You can sign up for the wait list for the next Open Enrollment period for Tech Know Quilter's here.

There were so many ideas to explore when creating the labels class, that I didn't have room to include them all. 

One additional option is creating a wool label.  They could go on the back of a quilt.  Or with some sizing changes, it could be turned into a penny rug.

​Learn how to draft a wool label/quilt using Electric Quilt 8.

 If the plan is to use the design as a label, I suggesting reducing the size to 5 inches before printing out templates.

I would love to see your wool label or (if you prefer) your favorite label designed in EQ.  Please feel free to share in the Learning EQ Facebook group. 

Scroll down for the video tutorial on creating and printing quilt labels in EQ8.

Current Tech Know Quilter members have been sharing their class projects along with their original designs in the membership's private Facebook group.  Enjoy this show of some of their recent creations.

​If you would like to join this amazing group of quilters, you can sign up for the wait list here.

In the virtual show you may have noticed a few quilt labels.  The latest class in Tech Know Quilters was all about creating your own labels in EQ8.

The tutorial this week will show you how easy it is to start with your quilt design in EQ8 and add text to create a label.  And you can even resize and print your label from directly in EQ8.

​Learn how!

Would you be willing to share pictures of your own quilt label designed using EQ8?  I've set up a post in the Learning EQ Facebook group to share your creations.

I was recently made aware of sublimation.  Sublimation is a process that  mixes specialized ink within the fabric fibers.  Think of it as a variation of printing and/or using vinyl on fabric.  However both of these other examples put the material on top of the product.  With the sublimation the product is infused into the material.

I am doing a deeper dive into the process in  the TKQ Masters class this month.  However I though I would share a simplified process in this post.

• Select a "blank" that will serve as the canvas for the design.   Polyester is the preferred product for sublimation.

• Determine the size of the "bank". 
• With EQ8, create a quilt with a few colors.  The size should be compatible with the blank.

In the video, I decided to decorate  a 9 x 7 cosmetic bag.  I had purchased some cosmetic bag blanks from Cricut that I used for this project.
​
Since I own a Cricut Maker and am most familiar with Cricut Design Space, I will include information at the end of the tutorial on my process for transferring the design from EQ to Design Space along with the process for cutting out the design and using an EasyPress 2 heat press from Cricut for the actual sublimation.  

The one area that did not work super well for me was the actual transfer of ink from the transfer sheet to the the bag.  In hindsight, I should not have included the zipper the pressing area.  That caused heat to escape and I ended up needing multiple transfers to finally get the ink infused on the bag.

Here is my infused cosmetic bag.

Do you have experience working with infusible ink or infusible transfer sheets?  I would love to hear your thoughts and recommendations on the process. 

If you chose to create a sublimation friendly design in EQ8, please fee free to share in the dedicated post in the Learning EQ Facebook Group.