Rather than recreate the original tree blocks, I challenged myself to see if I could achieve the same visual effect using a completely different block from the Electric Quilt library.​
​The result became my new Sewing Baskets quilt. Even better? The entire center was created without using Custom Set. Sewing Basket Using Electric Quilt 8 (Without Custom Set!) TutorialThe Design Challenge and Creating the Quilt Center
​Designing Coordinating Borders
Rather than using a standard pieced border, I wanted something that looked like it had been stitched from leftover fabric strips (or cut from leftover charm squares).
Using an EasyDraw border block, I created random-width vertical strips that resemble a collection of quilting scraps. Since the strips were drawn using quarter-inch snaps, they're easy to cut with standard rotary cutting measurements. The corner blocks received a little extra attention as well. After creating simple border corners, I used Serendipity > Merge Blocks to combine them with a Friendship Star block, adding another layer of interest to the quilt. ​ It's a great reminder that Serendipity tools aren't just for creating entirely new blocks—they're also perfect for customizing borders and adding unique design details. 
17" x x 2-1/2" Border Block
​Fabric Choices
For the sample quilt, I revisited one of Electric Quilt's older Fabric of the Month collections, Icicle by Kathy Engle for Island Batik.
Although this collection is no longer current, it demonstrates how beautifully cool blues and soft neutrals complement the basket design. ​ If you own the collection, you can still download it free from Electric Quilt's website. Of course, any fabric collection—or even your own stash—would work just as well for this project. 
Sewing Basket Quilt Designed by Kari Schell using EQ8
​Watch the Tutorial
In this week's video, you'll learn how to:
​Whether you're looking for new ways to use the EQ block library or simply enjoy stretching your EQ8 design skills, I think you'll have fun trying this technique.
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Have you ever looked at a quilt and wondered, "How did they make that look three-dimensional?"
Optical illusion quilts have an amazing ability to fool the eye. With carefully placed lines, contrasting values, and thoughtful color choices, a flat quilt suddenly appears to twist, fold, or rise off the surface. While these designs often look incredibly complex, the secret is that many of them begin with surprisingly simple shapes. ​In this week's EQ8 tutorial, I'll show you how to create an eye-catching optical illusion block using nothing more than EasyDraw, Serendipity, and a little strategic coloring. ​A Simple Block with Dramatic Results
​Color Creates the Illusion
​Add Quilting Before You Ever Sew
​Watch the Complete Tutorial
In this week's video you'll learn how to:
​Whether you're fairly new to optical illusion quilts or already enjoy designing geometric quilts, I think you'll have fun exploring this technique. 
Optical Illusion Final Quilt
​Ready to Take Optical Illusions Even Further?
This tutorial introduces just one of the many techniques you can create with Electric Quilt 8.
​ If you've ever wanted to design quilts that appear to weave, spin, twist, or leap off the surface, you'll love my upcoming class: ​Optical Illusions with EQ8
Over twelve step-by-step lessons, you'll discover how to design a wide variety of optical illusion quilts while learning the design principles behind them.
During the class we'll explore:
Each lesson builds on the previous one, giving you confidence to create your own original designs instead of simply reproducing someone else's quilt. You'll also receive:
​If you've ever admired optical illusion quilts but assumed they were too difficult to design, I'd love to show you just how approachable they can be when you let EQ8 do the hard work. ​Enrollment is currently open, with the class beginning August 3. Sale Price: $53 (Regular Price: $73) ​ I hope you'll join me! 
Sometimes the most dramatic quilts begin with the simplest blocks.
When people think of optical illusion quilts, they often imagine intricate piecing and dozens of fabrics. The truth is, you can create amazing depth and movement with just a handful of lines and carefully chosen values. This week's tutorial proves exactly that. The block contains only four lines, and the quilt uses only four fabrics—yet the finished design creates a striking three-dimensional illusion. ​Let's see how it's done. Drafting the Triangle Block
Open EasyDraw and create a new block using these settings:
Using the Line Tool, draw four simple lines:
Now color the block. ​For this project I selected fabrics from Quilter's Linen by Robert Kaufman, found in the Manufacturer Basics section of the EQ8 Fabric Library. The subtle texture of these fabrics helps emphasize the illusion without overwhelming the design. 
Triangle Block Drawn using EasyDraw tools in EQ8
Creating the Quilt
The real magic isn't in the block—it's in the layout.
Create a new quilt using: New Quilt > Variable Point Unlike standard layouts, Variable Point layouts use the corner-to-corner measurement of the blocks, making them perfect for working with triangles and diamonds. ​I enjoy designing with equilateral triangles, so before setting up my quilt I visited my favorite online equilateral triangle calculator. 
Omni Calculator Equilateral Triangle Screenshot
I entered a triangle side length of 6 inches, which produced a height of approximately 5.2 inches.
Since each diamond consists of two equilateral triangles, I doubled that value and rounded to 10.5 inches, which became the height setting for my EQ8 layout. ​Those simple calculations make the diamonds fit together perfectly. Adding Borders
Once the quilt center was complete, I added borders to frame the design.
​The borders help reinforce the geometric illusion while giving the eye a place to rest before returning to the center design. 
Quilt Layout and Borders in EQ8
Creating an Unpieced Bottom Border
Rather than piecing additional diamonds and half-diamonds across the bottom of the quilt, I chose a cleaner solution.
Since Variable Point is a standard layout, you can't simply remove part of the layout. Instead, I created the appearance of an unpieced lower border by adding a block on Layer 2. The block measures 24" × 5¼", matching the finished dimensions of the first border. ​One important tip: color the hidden patches on Layer 1 with a fabric that isn't used anywhere else in the quilt. Doing so keeps your yardage calculations accurate. 
Optical Illusions Triangle Quilt created using EQ8
Watch the Complete Tutorial
The video walks through every step of drafting the block, setting up the layout, and creating the finished quilt inside EQ8.
Try These Variations
Once you've created the original quilt, experiment with a few small changes to see how dramatically the illusion can change.
Variation 1
​Variation 2 — Try a Different Layout
Ready to Design Even More Optical Illusion Quilts using EQ8?
Have you ever admired quilts that appear to weave, twist, spin, or pop right off the surface?
Those eye-catching effects aren't magic. They're carefully planned combinations of geometry, color value, and block placement—and EQ8 makes experimenting with those ideas faster and far more enjoyable. ​In Optical Illusions with EQ8, you'll learn how to:
Imagine confidently designing quilts that look three-dimensional.
Imagine testing endless color combinations in EQ8 until the illusion is exactly right. Imagine creating quilts that look incredibly complex—even though they're surprisingly straightforward to piece. ​Each lesson builds on the previous one, giving you practical techniques you can use in countless future quilt designs.
Enrollment Details
If you've ever wanted to design quilts that amaze everyone who sees them, this class will give you the skills and confidence to make it happen. Click below to learn more and reserve your spot. 
One of my favorite parts of the Tech Know Quilters Masters program is seeing the creativity our members bring to each monthly design challenge.
For our June 2026 Challenge, members were invited to create a quilt that captured the carefree spirit of summer. Their designs celebrated everything we love about the season—sunshine, picnics, colorful flowers, butterflies, fireflies, pinwheels, popsicles, and all the little moments that make summer special. To make the challenge even more fun, I offered bonus points to anyone who could incorporate the word "SUMMER" into their design process. ​The results were amazing! TKQ Masters Summer Challenge Quilts
Here are four of the wonderful quilts created by Tech Know Quilters Masters members.
Every quilt has its own personality, proving once again that the same theme can inspire completely different—and equally beautiful—designs.
My Challenge Quilt: Summer Refreshment
Of course, I couldn't resist joining the challenge myself.
Since nothing says summer quite like an ice-cold popsicle, I decided to design a simple popsicle block that would be easy to piece using either traditional rotary cutting or foundation piecing. ​The block finishes at 4" × 6" and was drafted in EasyDraw with the snaps set to:
​Adding the Word "SUMMER"
Next, I combined each letter with the popsicle block using Serendipity > Merge Block.
Occasionally the merged block may appear in the wrong patch. When that happens, simply click the patch where you'd like the letter to appear. If the letter needs to change orientation, click the merged section to rotate it 90 degrees until it fits correctly.
After repeating the process for each letter, I had six unique popsicle blocks—each colored in a different summer-inspired palette.
Designing the Quilt
To assemble the quilt, I selected a Horizontal Layout using:
​Keeping the blocks the same size as the originals allowed the word SUMMER to stretch across the quilt while each popsicle retained its proportions. ​ Here is the completed quilt. 
Summer Refreshment Quilts Designed in EQ8 by Kari Schell
Fixing a Foundation Piecing Issue
While preparing the foundation patterns, I noticed something unusual.
The third section of the U block wasn't displaying correctly. Instead of a properly colored section, the Print Preview showed some very strange dotted lines.
If you discover the same issue in any of the other merged blocks, simply repeat the process. Once corrected, you can print the foundations directly from the Block Worktable or replace the blocks in your quilt and print from the Quilt Worktable.
Watch the Complete Tutorial
The video walks through the entire process—from drawing the popsicle block and merging the letters to assembling the quilt and fixing the foundation piecing issue.
​ If you've never experimented with Serendipity > Merge Block, this is a fun project that demonstrates just how versatile this EQ8 feature can be.
Every once in a while I like to share projects that make quilting easier—not just designing quilts. This week I'm taking a short break from my usual Electric Quilt 8 tutorials to share a project I've been working on in my quilting studio. As I've been settling into my new quilting space, I've been looking for ways to make it more efficient. My latest improvement was building a large, movable ironing station with plenty of storage underneath. After researching lots of options (and experimenting with a few ideas that didn't work!), I finally came up with a solution I'm really happy with. If you've been thinking about adding a Big Board to your sewing room, I hope my experience helps make your project a little easier. I'll even share the EQ layout I created to position the Velcro strips perfectly. Building the Base
Adding CastersAdding wheels turned out to be the most challenging part of the project. Because I wasn't comfortable drilling into the shelving unit, I spent quite a bit of time researching alternatives—including several conversations with Google's AI—to find a no-drill solution. After a number of failed ideas, I found one that works beautifully. I purchased a set of 2-inch side-mounted L-shaped swivel casters with brakes. Their mounting plate fits nicely against the metal legs of the Kallax underframe. To attach them without drilling, I used large stainless steel hose clamps. Each caster is secured with two hose clamps—one wasn't enough, as the caster shifted slightly when rolling the unit. Tightening both clamps firmly allows the metal to grip both the frame and the caster plate securely. If you decide to build one yourself, I definitely recommend using two clamps per caster.
 Completed Kallax Base with Casters Other Base OptionsIf you're comfortable using a drill, another option would be to purchase the Kallax without the underframe. You could attach a sheet of plywood to the bottom of the shelving unit and mount traditional plate casters directly to the plywood. Or, if your ironing station won't need to move often, simply skip the wheels altogether and use furniture sliders whenever you need to reposition it. Building the Big BoardChoosing the Size I found a 22" x 60" wool pressing mat on Amazon and decided to make my Big Board the same size. One of the advantages of a wool pressing mat is that it reflects heat back into the fabric, effectively pressing both sides at once. The dense surface also grips fabric to reduce stretching while helping produce beautifully crisp seams. Unfortunately, I'm allergic to lanolin. Simply touching wool gives me a significant rash. My solution was to completely cover the wool mat with a heavy canvas layer. I still receive all the benefits of pressing on wool without ever touching the wool itself. Cutting the Plywood Home Depot will cut plywood to your requested dimensions when you purchase it. I bought a standard 4' x 8' sheet and had it cut to 22" x 60". Although I had to purchase the entire sheet, I now have enough leftover plywood to make additional travel pressing boards—or perhaps share with a quilting friend who wants to build one too. I actually purchased a slightly nicer grade of plywood, but after completing the project I think the least expensive option would have worked just as well. On the back of the plywood, draw guide lines showing where the Kallax unit will sit.  These guide lines make positioning the Velcro much easier later.  Back of Plywood with Layout Lines Adding the Heat-Resistant LayerCut the scorch-resistant fabric approximately 25" x 66". Center it over the plywood and clamp it into position. Working one side at a time:
This layer protects the plywood from heat while creating a smooth base.  Scorch Resistant Fabric Stapled to Plywood Adding the Wool Mat and Canvas CoverTurn the board right side up and place the wool pressing mat on top. Cut a piece of canvas approximately 36" x 66" and center it over the mat. Clamp everything together before flipping the board over. Working one side at a time:
The canvas gives the board a clean, durable surface while completely covering the wool mat.
Attaching the Board to the BaseTo keep the Big Board secure—but still removable—I used heavy-duty adhesive Velcro. Before attaching anything, I used EQ to create a spacing diagram so all of the Velcro strips lined up perfectly with the shelving unit below. Attach the matching Velcro strips to both the underside of the board and the top of the Kallax unit. When assembling everything, line up one edge first and then lower the board into place. The Velcro holds extremely well, yet the top can still be removed whenever I want to transport it to a quilting retreat.  EQ Velcro Placement Diagram
The Finished Ironing StationI'm thrilled with how this project turned out. As a bonus, I had enough leftover canvas to recover my portable pressing pad, which was definitely showing its age. Now I have:
 Finished Ironing Station Project CostHere's what I spent:  Since the total includes both the wool pressing mat and the purchase of an electric staple gun, your cost could easily be lower if you already own those items. For comparison, commercial Big Boards without a base can cost around $160, and a wool pressing mat of this size is often another $130. My DIY version came in at a comparable price while giving me storage, mobility, and the flexibility to remove the top whenever I need it. Product LinksBelow are links to the products I used while building my ironing station. If you purchase through my Amazon affiliate links, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting On Point Quilter! Have you built your own ironing station? I'd love to hear what worked for you—or any improvements you've made to your sewing space. Share your ideas in the comments below!
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Kari SchellElectric Quilt Expert and Educator and Pattern Designer. Categories
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