There is lots to talk about this week:

• Part 2 of String Pieced Applique Quilt
• Beginning Construction of the Quilt - Piecing the String Piece Segments
• New pattern release:  Irish Eyes
• New Online Electric Quilt classes (starting in March) on Settings and Borders and Pieced Patch Draw

New pattern release -- just in time for St. Patrick's day.

Three quilts to celebrate your Irish roots -- or maybe just your favorite March holiday.

Irish Eyes includes instructions for a lap quilt with 12 inch blocks and two miniature quilts with 6 inch blocks.  (FYI - The miniature quilts were previously released as a separate pattern.)  

Pair this pattern with Studio 180 Design's Tucker Trimmer (or your favorite half square triangle square up ruler) for a perfect bundle.

Irish Eyes retails for $10. Find it at your local quilt shop -- or purchase directly from me.

• Irish Eyes physical pattern (mailed to you) ($10)
• Irish Eyes digital download ($10)
• Tucker Trimmer 1 by Studio 180 Design (used in Lap Quilt) ($17.50)
• Tucker Trimmer 2 by Studio 180 Design (used in 2 Miniature Quilts) ($17.50)
• Bundle all four of these for an introductory price of $45 

Special Bonus:  Register for both classes Settings and Border 1 and Pieced Patch Draw and take an extra $20 off your total. Enter coupon code MarchMadness when checking out.

Learn the intricacies of working with the various layouts in Electric Quilt.  Practice working on all 3 layers and become familiar with the tools for each layer.   In this class you will obtain hands on experience in working with many of the styles in the program through creating over a dozen quilts.   Note that Custom Set is not included in this class.   
 
Class size will be limited to 8 participants.  This class will be exactly like taking at "in person" class at a show or shop.   We will use screen sharing technology -- so you will be able to see my screen and if you have specific questions, I will also be able to view yours as well.
 
Level:  Advanced Beginner (You should be familiar with basic navigation of Electric Quilt 7, the basic coloring tools, and obtaining blocks and fabrics from the libraries.  You should also be familiar with your computer) 

Dates:  March 20, 27 and  April 3, 10   7 - 8:30 pm (Central time) (four sessions)

Early Sign-Up Bonus:  As a special bonus, if you sign up March 11, 2017 you will be entitled to  a private 20 minute coaching call (value of $60) with Kari that may be used any time during the course of the class.  Use it for extra help on a topic or to pick Kari's brain on something you wish to do in Electric Quilt.

Class Cost:  $100

Enroll Now. 

Have you ever found the “perfect” block online.  But then realized you wanted to piece it a different way.  Maybe you want rotary cutting instructions or a foundation pattern.  Or maybe you want a different size to incorporate into a different quilt.  With Electric Quilt you can redraft these blocks.  This class will focus on how to “read a block” and then come up with the most efficient way to draft it with Electric Quilt.  The blocks in this class will be those based on special grids – including those based on circles, octagons, Kaleidoscopes, eight pointed stars and hexagons.  Layout options will also be provided for many of these blocks.

Level:  Intermediate (You should be familiar with basic navigation of Electric Quilt 7, obtaining blocks and fabrics from the libraries, using the coloring tools, drafting basic blocks using Easy Draw and creating simple quilt layouts.  You should also be familiar with your computer.)   
 
Dates:  March 21, 28 and April 4, 11    7 - 8:30 pm (Central time) (four sessions)

Class size will be limited to 8 participants.  This class will be exactly like taking at "in person" class at a show or shop.   We will use screen sharing technology -- so you will be able to see my screen and if you have specific questions, I will also be able to view yours as well.

Early Sign-Up Bonus:  As a special bonus, if you sign up March 11, 2017 you will be entitled to  a private 20 minute coaching call (value of $60) with Kari that may be used any time during the course of the class.  Use it for extra help on a topic or to pick Kari's brain on something you wish to do in Electric Quilt.

Class Cost:  100

Enroll Now. ​

I came up with a design for my string applique circles that I will share with you in this weeks video tutorial.  Learn the tricks for working with Layer 2 motifs and create a complementary string pieced border. 

Now that the design is done, it was time to get started on my quilt.  This week was dedicated to piecing strip sets.  My rules were:

1. Only use the pre-cut strips in the overflowing storage bins.
2. No rejecting ugly fabrics.  

Trust me - that second rule was really hard to keep.  It is hard to believe I actually purchased and used some of these fabrics at some point in time.  My strips in my bins varied from 1" to 2-1/2" wide.  Seams were all pressed in one direction.

I started with the strips for the applique circles before knowing final design.  At least that is my excuse for making some of these sets a lot larger then required.  If you would like to make the circle quilt you will need the following:

• 1 strip set at least 12" x 12"
• 5 strip sets at least 8" x 8"
• 2 strip sets at least 6" x 6" 

For the border, I split my strips into four piles.  

• 20"+ strips
• 15"+ strips
• 10"+ strips
• 5"+ strips

​I then strip pieced each pile of similar length strips.  I will be cutting these into 4-1/2" segments and will need a total of 138 inches to go around the quilt.  This appears to be closer to 180 inches -- so I will have a little extra to play.

I cut a lot of strips when piecing my quilts.  Trust me -- a lot!  And somehow at the end of the project I always seem to have leftover pieces.  Now I know that some of you may throw those pieces away -- but I have a special cabinet (and a few storage containers) that stores those strips for future projects.  They are even somewhat stored by width.  With the key word being somewhat.

My storage drawers are full and I really need to do something with those strips.  I have been toying with a string quilt -- but I wanted something a little different.

So I decided to try string pieced circles.  In part 1 of the Electric Quilt video tutorial I will share how I created a string pieced motif.

Electric Quilt Academy - Ohio

Three day in person, instructor-led workshop allowing participants to deep dive into the Electric Quilt subject of their choice.  I will be teaching the drawing tools and participants will become proficient in:

• Easy Draw blocks
• Paper Piecing blocks
• Applique
• Pieced PatchDraw tools (including hexagons, pentagons, LeMoyne stars plus variations, Dresdan plates)

I will also include layouts to complement each of the blocks! 

You will be amazed at how much you can learn in this concentrated setting away from life's distractions.

Cost:  $300  

​Learn more here.

MN Quilt Show - Duluth

I am very excited to be teaching at the MN Quilt Show in Duluth. Duluth in June is absolutely gorgeous and a great place with lots of things to do (for the non-quilter in the family).  And MN Quilters always has a fabulous show.  

To learn more about any of my classes (detailed below) or the show in general, check out the Minnesota Quilt Show website.

Art and Stitch - Thread Art  Wednesday, June 7

Never be limited to purchased designs again. Art and Stitch will allow you to finally translate your creativity to beautiful designs. Learn how to use this powerful digitizing software by creating a series of string art designs that are suitable for both computerized long arm and embroidery machines. Not sure if digitizing is for you? You can download a trial version of Art and Stitch that can be used in class. You will be able to do all the exercises with the trial version (but will be unable to save them). Level: Beginner

Mystery Quilt - Thursday , June 8

Have you always wanted to solve a good mystery?  Or maybe you enjoy  the suspense of a book or movie where you don't know the outcome until the end. 

This mystery event will have you working through clues throughout the day as you guess the pattern that I have designed just for MN Quilters.  There will be lots of clues throughout the event -- that will hopefully keep you guessing unti the end.

Introduction to Easy Draw (an Electric Quilt Class) - Thursday Evening, June 8

Have you ever found the “perfect” block online.  But then realized you wanted to piece it a different way.  Maybe you want rotary cutting instructions or a foundation pattern.  Or maybe you want a different size to incorporate into a different quilt. 

With Electric Quilt you can redraft these blocks.  This class will focus on how to “read a block” and then come up with the most efficient way to draft it with Electric Quilt. 

​The blocks in this class are those that can be done in a “grid” format – basically just like drawing with a pencil and graph paper.  Within Electric Quilt these blocks are drafted within Easy Draw. 

​Level:  Advanced Beginner.

Electric Quilt T Shirt Quilts - Friday morning, June 9

Are you afraid to cut into a bundle of T Shirts? Take away that fear by designing your quilt before you make your first cut.

Three different layouts will be covered along with tips on auditioning your T Shirts in Electric Quilt. One of those layouts will incorporate using pieces and different size T Shirts (think Custom Set).  
​Level:  Intermediate

Working Through Quilting Design Paralysis – How I Choose to Quilt My Tops Lecture - Friday 2:00, June 9

Introduction to Electric Quilt 7 - Saturday, June 10

This class will cover basic navigation of the software, creating a new project, using the libraries, using Quick Quilts for fast projects, adding borders, coloring tools/fabrics, creating quilt labels and printing quilts, blocks, fabric yardage estimates, rotary cutting and foundation patterns.  By the end of class you will be comfortable working with the program and be able to explore additional features on your own.    Users of all levels are welcome, with special emphasis on beginners.  

Last Chance to Sign Up for February Electric Quilt Online Classes.  They start next Monday.  My early Valentine's gift to you --- when checking out use coupon code Valentine for $20 discount on either of these classes.

Introduction to Electric Quilt 7
​Instructor Led Online Class

​Learn the basics of Electric Quilt in the comfort of your own home.  Note that this is a daytime class.

This online class will cover basic navigation of the software, creating a new project, using the libraries, using Quick Quilts for fast projects, adding borders, coloring tools/fabrics, creating quilt labels and printing quilts, blocks, fabric yardage estimates, rotary cutting and foundation patterns.  By the end of class you will be comfortable working with the program and be able to explore additional features on your own.    Users of all levels are welcome, with special emphasis on beginners.

Dates:  February 13, 20, 27, March 6, 1 - 2:30 pm (Central time) (four sessions)

Class size will be limited to 8 participants.  Seats are available on a first come first serve basis.  This class will be exactly like taking at "in person" class at a show or shop.   We will use screen sharing technology -- so you will be able to see my screen and if you have specific questions, I will also be able to view yours as well. 
 
Register now.

Easy Draw ​
​Instructor Led Online Class

Are you ready to learn the secrets of Easy Draw.  Join the instructor led Easy Draw online class on February 13, 20 and 27, 2017 6:30 - 8:00 pm (Central time) (three sessions).
 
Register now.

Remember to use the coupon code Valentine for $20 discount.

Importing Purchased Embroidery Designs Electric Quilt Tutorial

Last fall I released my Miniature Thread Art pattern, plus a series of Thread Art Embroidery Designs that could be used in the pattern.

​I decided that the heart embroidery designs needed to be featured with the pattern in celebration of Valentine's Day.  

In this weeks Electric Quilt video tutorial, I share how to import purchased embroidery designs for auditioning in Electric Quilt.  I've included suggestions for both EQ7 and EQ Stitch.

Combine three different thread art machine embroidered hearts with the miniature thread art piecing pattern to create your own Valentine (or heart) quilt.  The 3 machine embroidery designs are included!

This miniature quilt finishes 18" x 24".  (Four other sizes are included in the pattern as well.)

Price:  $17.50

​Purchase here.