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In the Tech Know Quilter group, a number of members are having fun working on Optical Illusion quilts.
Members have been taking my instructions from the More Optical Illusions class and expanding on the concepts to create original optical illusion quilts. 
More Optical Illusions Partial Set of Projects
Scroll down to see some of the fantastic optical illusion designs created by Tech Know Quilter members this week.
Membership in Tech Know Quilters only opens a few times a year. But you can sign up for the wait list to be informed of the next open enrollment here. Optical Illusion with Quilting EQ8 Tutorial
Would you like to share in a bit of the fun that is happening in the Tech Know Quilter group? I designed the following project for my latest Optical Illusion class -- but didn't have enough room to include it in the course.
So you can learn how to create an optical illusion quilt -- with added quilting lines to compliment the quilt. 
Optical Illusion with Quilting designed by Kari Schell using EQ8
Tech Know Quilters Break the Rules for New Optical Illusion Quilt Designs
To date, I have presented four new optical illusion lessons this month in the Tech Know Quitler's group and no one is following the rules.
Which makes for a wonderful show. Each of the designs shared is a variation of one of the lessons, or they just threw the lesson out and did their own thing. I am so impressed with their designing skills.
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The quilt I will be sharing with you today, is one that would be super easy to piece, and a cute way to decorate for Independence Day. If you aren't into red/white/blue quilts, try a different color combination.
The miniature size (23-1/4" x 6-1/8"), also makes it a fun quilt to hang on a door.  4" variable star block (a default block) in the EQ library)
The star blocks are 4 inch finished. There is something about small blocks that just adds to the cuteness factor.
There are two rail fence blocks -- one done in EasyDraw and one in PolyDraw.
The fabric used in designing this quilt is from the Bandana Ballad collection by Michael Miller. The collection is included in Electric Quilts 2020 Stash Download 1 Collection Although it is fun to download fabrics directly from manufacturing websites, it is much more efficient getting them directly from EQ as the fabric is always sized correctly and usually cropped to eliminate tiling problems.
In the video, I also share with you my trick for adding a binding around this quilt. The binding is added for a visual perspective of my final quilt. I always calculate yardage for my binding separately, using my preferred binding method.
Stars and Stripes Quilt designed using EQ8 by Kari Schell
Here is my pieced version of this quilt. It was done many years ago and was gifted to my mother to use as a door hanger in her assisted living facility.
Stars and Stripes Minature Door Hanger made by Kari Schell
Flash Sale - Shoot for the Stars with EQ8
Are you just getting started with Electric Quilt 8 and need some help?
Shoot for the Stars is designed to get you started with Electric Quilt 8 through training delivered straight to your inbox. This series includes 14 short (i.e.. 5-10 minute) videos delivered over the course of a month allowing you to learn the basics of this complex program in bite size increments. The class is currently on sale for $30 (regular $49). Join now. (Sale ends July 8, 2020.)
Evelyn Schirmbeck is currently taking Shoot for the Stars with EQ8. Here is what she posted after her 5th lesson.
There is one major Tech Know Quilter's open enrollment each year and it is going on now. If you are ready to unleash the power of Electric Quilt in your quilting designs, now is the time to invest in yourself.  Check out what Tech Know Quilter Members Are CreatingTech Know Quilters is a membership of Electric Quilt 8 owners who are mastering Electric Quilt through online training. At the end of their May class, they were encouraged to apply what they learned during the month of May.
Masters Miniature Star ChallengeMasters members were challenged to design a miniature star quilt that was inspired by a historical star quilt. TKQ members are eligible to join masters after 12 months in the program. Masters members receive fewer lessons each month, with more time to devote to their own projects and challenges.
A Few Sewing Projects
Other Fun Projects by TKQ MembersHere are some additional projects created by Tech Know Quilter members. I continue to be amazed by their talent.
Ready to Join?
Blog Highlights:
Why Should I Redraft a Block in EQ8?
We now have over 350 participants in the Summer Flower Garden Challenge -- many of who are sharing their designs in the Learning EQ Facebook group.
I have had a few participants question "why they should draft a block if it has already been drawn and is in an EQ library". Maybe you have had a similar question. Although some of the designs in the Summer Flower Garden Challenge are original designs, others are historic blocks. The reason I included the variety of blocks is to allow us to explore different techniques for drafting blocks using the EasyDraw tools. Redrawing these blocks, helps our brain learn how to use the tools. And it is often faster to redraw a block that find it in a library. I have been challenging more advanced participants to draft the block before watching my video, However, I then encourage them to watch the video to see if there is a new technique they can add to their arsenal in drafting their own blocks. What are EQ8 Users Learning from the Challenge?
Carol shared that she learned how to add nodes to make more complicated shapes in a matter of minutes.
Holly shared that one of the advantages of the class is learning the options available in EQ8 and trying options you never would have tried to use.
It is not too late. This is the final weekend to be able to purchase the Summer Flower Garden challenge. Sign up here.
Exploring New Possibilities from Old Blocks
Whether drafting blocks for the challenge, class, or even just for fun, the act of drawing the blocks allows our brain to take action. Sometimes this is through a conscious decision to play the "what if" game and sometimes it is through a mistake that opens up new ideas.
As challenge participants moved to deepen their understanding of the concepts shared in the design challenge, numerous participants decided to take their designs to the next level. Let me share some of their creative playtime here. (The blocks they drafted are a variations of one of the blocks shown above.) Pinwheel Flower
Prairie Flower
Water Lily
Pansy Block
Cactus Flower Block
Rose Block
Combining Flower Blocks
Holy Urbain designed a table runner which combined the carnation, peony and pansy blocks.
Christel Frischmuth designed her first quilt using the blocks she drafted.
Charmaine Devaney combined her first six blocks in a quilt.
Julie Pedersen combined blocks 1-6.
Marlu Allan combined blocks 1-6.
Possibilities in a Six Pointed Table Topper
Those in Tech Know Quilter's Masters are more advanced Tech Know Quilter's members. They receive exclusive Master's level classes every other month and are encouraged to work on their own projects and designs.
This month they are working on Advanced Custom Set Designs. They were encouraged to create a six pointed table topper quilt and populate it with their own blocks.
I hope you will be as inspired by their designs as I am.
Pat Harkins also created a number of quilting designs that she auditioned on one of her quilts.
Tech Know Quilter's Masters is open to Tech Know Quilter members who have taken a minimum of 12 Tech Know Quilter's classes.
Tech Know Quilter's opens for enrollment only a few times a year. Sign up for the wait list to be informed the next time it opens. (FYI -- the next open enrollment will be really soon.) Summer Flower Garden Challenge - Block 12
Would you like to see a sample of what challenge participants are watching each day?
The Tiger Lily block will show you a way to draft this 9 patch based design as a 12 inch block.
The Summer Flower Garden Challenge will be retired this week. So this is your last chance to enroll and receive access to all the past videos.
Note: Enrolled participants will always have access to their purchased material.
There are over 300 Electric Quilt 8 users signed up for the Summer Flower Garden Challenge.
Challenge participants have been sharing their blocks on the Learning EQ Facebook group. Included in this blog post is a small sampling of what was posted this week. (There were over 60 blocks posted every day.) If you would like to see the complete collection, you are welcome to join the Learning EQ Facebook group.
It's not too late. Although the challenge started on June 8th, you can catch up on all the tutorials within 24 hours. Sign up here.
Summer Flower Garden Inspiration
Check out how different the same block can look depending on the fabric or even just value differences.
Block 1 - Rosebud
If you would like a sneak peak at how to draft block 1, check out this free video.
Block 2 - Daylily
Block 3 - Mystery Flower Garden
Block 4 - Carnation
During this lesson, participants learned how to alter a pattern to accommodate their preferred piecing style.
Block 5 - Peony
Taking the Designs to the Next Level
Some in the challenge, decided to work on creating quilts and some expanded on the concepts to create new blocks.
Barb Gardner decided to combine blocks 1 and 2 to create an original quilt.
Judy Oldenkamp Sawyer created a table runner using the Daylily block
Carmen Sidlaruk decided to play with changing the snap points to add more interest to her Daylily block.
Summer Flower Garden Challenge Block 6
Would you like to see a sample of what challenge participants are watching each day?
The Prairie Flower block is a great opportunity to work on identifying your snap points before drafting the block in Electric Quilt. Before watching the video, take a guess at correct snap points. Then watch the video to compare your approach to mine.
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Kari SchellElectric Quilt Expert and Educator and Pattern Designer. Categories
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