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Easter Egg Hunt Webinar Recap

3/28/2026

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On Thursday, I hosted two live sessions of my Easter Egg Hunt EQ8 Webinar—and it was such a joy to share this project with so many of you.

During the training, we designed a spring-inspired quilt that combines appliqué and foundation piecing—all inside Electric Quilt 8. I also gave a behind-the-scenes look at my Tech Know Quilters Academy for those ready to go deeper.

And honestly… one of my favorite parts of any live event is hearing from you afterward.
​
Shortly after the webinar, I received this note from Barb:

Messages like this are exactly why I love teaching EQ8. 
“That was a fantastic webinar! I’ve used EQ since the very beginning… and the use of given shapes to form a desired shape is one of the best things I’ve seen. I’ve tried to draw from scratch and it was a struggle and seldom successful. This was more than helpful. It enables me to create the appliqués I want. At 94, it’s a joy to learn and succeed. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.”
— Barb
Messages like this are exactly why I love teaching EQ8. 

​There is nothing better than helping you move past frustration and into confident creating.

I am Sorry -  the Replay No Longer Available

The replay has now become an exclusive resource for members of Tech Know Quilters and Tech Know Quilters Academy in April 2026.

​The Easter Egg Hunt Quilt

Here is the finished quilt from the tutorial.

​This project is a wonderful example of how:
  • Simple appliqué shapes can create a striking design
  • Foundation piecing can simplify complex-looking blocks
  • Fabric choices bring the entire quilt to life

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Kari's Easter Egg Hunt Quilt


Want to Stitch Along?

While the full PDF guidebook is reserved for members, I’ve included the tracing images below so you can still follow along and create your own version of the blocks.
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Easter Bunny Image for Tracing
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Foundation Friendly Easter Egg Image for Tracing

Fabric Details

The fabrics used in this project are from the Color Play collection by Do You EQ.

Ready to Go Further with EQ8?

If you enjoyed this project and want to continue building your skills, I’d love to have you join me inside​ Tech Know Quilters Academy.

This 
program is designed to help you turn EQ8 into a tool you love using—without the frustration.
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Click on the picture to learn more


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​​​Happy quilting.

​Kari

Join the On Point Quilter weekly newsletter and receive regular tips and inspiration on using Electric Quilt 8 along with the  Free 12 Top
Tips for EQ8 video guide.
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Missouri Puzzle Quilt Block Easy EQ8 Tutorial + 3 Quilt Ideas

3/21/2026

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​A Creative Celebration for International Quilting Day

Happy International Quilting Day! I hope you’re able to carve out a little time today to enjoy some quilting fun.

To celebrate, I’m sharing three quilt designs featuring the classic Missouri Puzzle block. This timeless design is perfect for exploring both construction and color—and it’s a great opportunity to build your skills in Electric Quilt 8.

We’ll begin by drafting the block from scratch, giving you hands-on practice with the Grid tool in EQ8. Then we’ll explore a few different coloring options using a limited fabric palette.

For my samples, I used fabrics from Colorblock Party by Maywood Studio—the March 2026 Fabric of the Month collection from Do You EQ. The best part? It’s completely free to download and use in your EQ8 projects. 
​

This collection was inspired by tiny quilt blocks printed on a miniature press. The result is a vibrant range of rainbow-hued prints that invite you to play with color, contrast, and light—perfect for a block like Missouri Puzzle.

Drafting the Missouri Puzzle Block

In Electric Quilt 8, open the Block Worktable and select:
New Block → Pieced → EasyDraw
  • Set the block width and height to 9"
  • Set snaps (horizontal and vertical) to 18 (this allows snapping at every ½")
  • Turn Snap to Grid ON
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EasyDraw Precision Toolbar
Step 1: Create the Base Grid
  • Select the Grid Tool
  • Set columns and rows to 3 and draw a full grid across the block
  • Change to 2 x 2 and draw a grid in the upper-left square (this creates a four-patch)
  • Switch back to 3 x 3 and draw a grid inside the lower-right square of that four-patch
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EasyDraw Grid Tool
Step 2: Add Lines
  • Draw two diagonal lines in the first 3" square to complete the design
  • In the second square, draw a horizontal line from the midpoint of the left edge to the midpoint of the right edge
  • Use the Grid tool again (set to 1 column x 3 rows) and place it in the lower rectangle
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Top two squares for Missouri Puzzle Block
Step 3: Build the Full Block
  • Select all the lines you’ve drawn
  • Clone, rotate 90°, and position in the next corner
  • Repeat until all four corners are filled
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Drafted Missouri Puzzle Block
Step 4: Color the Block
  • Switch to the Color tab
  • Alternate fabrics across patches for a balanced look
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Missouri Puzzle Block Coloring 1

Creating the Cornerstone Block

To complement the main block, we’ll create a simple nine-patch:
  • Block size: 3" x 3"
  • Snaps: 4 x 4
  • Draw a 3 x 3 grid
  • Color as desired
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3" Nine Patch for Cornerstones

Missouri Puzzle Quilt Variations

Quilt 1:  Classic Layout
  •  Quilt Worktable → New Quilt → Horizontal
  • Layout: 4 x 4 blocks
  • Block size: 18" x 18"
  • Sashing: 3", include sashed border
  • Border: 0.5" mitered

Place your blocks on the Design tab.
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Missouri Puzzle Classic Layout

Quilt 2: Reverse Coloring

Use the Alt (Option) key with the Spraycan tool to create a reversed color version of your block.

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Missouri Puzzle Block Coloring 2
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Missouri Puzzle Reverse Coloring Variation

Quilt 3: Bold  Variation

On the Layout tab:
  • Change to 3 blocks across
  • Set sashing to 0" (no sashing)
Then:
  • Use Control (Command) with Fabric Tools
  • Recolor eight corner patches with a third fabric
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Missouri Puzzle Block Coloring 3
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Missouri Puzzle Block Coloring 4
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Missouri Puzzle Bold Variation

Video Tutorial


Piecing Suggestions

Blocks created with the Grid tool are often perfect candidates for strip piecing, even though EQ8 doesn’t generate instructions for it directly. A few simple adjustments can make your piecing much more efficient.​
Example 1: Nine Patch Units
  • Sew three alternating 1½" strips
  • Subcut every 1½"
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Sub-Cut the 3-1/2" Strip Every 1-1/2"
Example 2: Larger Units
  • Combine three 1½" strips with one 3-1/2" strip
  • Subcut every 6½"
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Sub-Cut the 6-1/2" Strip every 6-1/2"

Let’s See Your Version!

Which quilt layout is your favorite? Or do you have your own twist on the Missouri Puzzle block?
​
I’d love to see what you create—share your projects in the Learning EQ Facebook Group!
Missouri Puzzle Post in the Learning EQ Facebook Group

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​​​Happy quilting.

​Kari

Join the On Point Quilter weekly newsletter and receive regular tips and inspiration on using Electric Quilt 8 along with the  Free 12 Top
Tips for EQ8 video guide.
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Spinner Quilt Block - a PolyDraw Tutorial using Electric Quilt 8

3/14/2026

1 Comment

 
When I first drafted this block, I struggled with what to call it.

Depending on how you look at it, the shapes could be flowers. Or maybe umbrellas.

But the more I worked with the design, the more it reminded me of a set of colorful spinning pinwheels—so Spinner felt like the perfect name.

One of my favorite design surprises happens when the blocks come together in the quilt layout. The corners of the blocks meet to form eight-pointed stars, creating a secondary pattern that almost feels like magic.

​Those unexpected stars quickly became my favorite part of the design.

Drafting the Spinner Block

In Electric Quilt 8, open the Block Worktable and select:

New Block → Pieced  → PolyDraw
Start by selecting the Kaleidoscope Grid. Then use the PolyLine tool to create the patches within one wedge of the block.

For this design, set:
  • Dimension 1: 8
  • Dimension 2: 8

​This provides a nice balanced set of wedge sections to build the spinner shape.
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Kaleidoscope Piecing in PolyDraw

Drafting the Corner Units

For the corner sections, switch to the Rectangle Grid and change the grid dimensions to 48 × 48.

From there, draw the star point using two triangles.

One of the advantages of PolyDraw is that you can switch grid properties while drafting the same block, giving you a lot of flexibility when creating more complex shapes.

Once all the patches are drawn, color the block to highlight the spinner effect.
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Corner Piecing Using the Rectangle Grid in PolyDraw
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Drafted Spinner Block

Drafting  the Setting Triangle Blocks

Next, draft the blocks that will be used for the setting triangles.

Creating a half-square triangle unit, filling the triangle with the patches needed to continue the spinner design.

With PolyDraw, you can easily:
  • Delete unnecessary patches
  • Add new patches to complete the design
​
This makes it simple to adapt the block to a half-triangle shape.
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Setting Triangles drafted using PolyDraw

Drafting the Corner Triangle Blocks

For the corner triangles, draft a quarter-square triangle unit and fill it with patches.
​
A quick shortcut: you can modify the half-triangle block you already drafted to create the corner blocks, saving a bit of time.
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Corner Triangles Drafted using PolyDraw

Drafting the Quilt

To assemble the quilt, move to the Quilt Worktable and create a new On Point quilt.

On the Layout tab, set:
  • Blocks: 2 × 2
  • Block Size: 12"

On the Borders tab, add two borders:
  • Border 1: 2½" Long Horizontal
  • Border 2: ½" Mitered

​Then go to the Design tab and place your blocks, rotating them as needed to create the spinner effect and reveal the eight-pointed stars at the intersections.
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Spinner Quilt Created using EQ8

Spinner Video Tutorial

For a full walkthrough of the drafting and quilt design process, watch the video tutorial below.

Construction Tips

If you decide to make this quilt, I recommend foundation piecing the blocks.

In Print & Export, choose Foundation and select Start Over and Resection.

For the cleanest construction:
  • Section each Kaleidoscope wedge as its own unit
  • Create two sections for each corner

​This keeps the units manageable and helps maintain accurate points.
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Proposed Foundation Sectioning for Spinner Blocks

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​​​Happy quilting.

​Kari

Join the On Point Quilter weekly newsletter and receive regular tips and inspiration on using Electric Quilt 8 along with the  Free 12 Top
Tips for EQ8 video guide.
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1 Comment

How to Draft a Five-Point Star in EQ8 for English Paper Piecing

3/7/2026

2 Comments

 
Are you a fan of English Paper Piecing? Or maybe you’ve been curious about trying it with a small project.

​If so, this tutorial is for you.

In this lesson, we’ll draft a five-pointed star in Electric Quilt 8 that works beautifully for English Paper Piecing. The surprising part? The entire star begins with the Ellipse tool in the Appliqué workspace.

Once drafted, we’ll also explore how to use the star to create a wreath block and a simple quilt design.

Drafting the Five Pointed Star

In Electric Quilt 8, open the Block Worktable and select:

New Block → Pieced and Appliqué → Easy Plus Appliqué

​Many EQ users think the Ellipse tool is only useful for drawing circles. But with a few adjustments, it becomes a powerful drafting tool.
Follow these steps:
  1. Draw a basic ellipse.
  2. Use Section by 5 to divide the ellipse.
  3. Choose Convert to Patch.
  4. With the Edit tool, convert the curved edges to straight lines.
  5. Turn on Snap Aligned Segments.
  6. With the Pick tool, select each triangle, then:
    • Clone
    • Rotate 180°
    • Reposition so the triangles snap together in pairs
  7. Convert the added triangles to guidelines.
  8. Add a node to the outside edge of each triangle.
  9. Move the node to the outside point of the guideline.
You now have a perfectly symmetrical five-pointed star, where all four sides of each star point are exactly the same length—ideal for English Paper Piecing.
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Five-Pointed Star Colored with Glaze fabrics from Andover

​Creating a Star Wreath with Wreathmaker

Once the star is drafted, you can easily create additional designs using EQ8’s Wreathmaker tool.

Start by creating a wreath of five stars, then add an additional star in the center for a striking focal point.

This simple transformation shows how quickly a single block can evolve into a more complex design.
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Five Pointed Star Wreath Block

Designing the Five-Pointed Star Quilt

Next, place the block in a quilt layout.

Create a Horizontal Quilt Layout with one block. For my quilt, I set the block size to 20″ × 20″, but you can adjust the size to fit your project.

For the borders:
  • Add 1″ horizontal borders on each side of the center border.
  • Between them, create a diamond border.

To echo the geometry of the star, set the number of border blocks so the diamonds visually align with the five star points. I used:
  • Border width: 2″
  • Blocks: 8 horizontal and 8 vertical

​This creates a border that reinforces the star’s structure and rhythm.
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Five Pointed Star Quilt

Five-Pointed Star Quilt Video Tutorial

For a full walkthrough of the drafting and design process, watch the video tutorial below.

Construction Suggestions

For construction, I recommend English Paper Piecing the star units, then appliquéing them onto the background.

EQ8 makes it easy to generate the templates you need.

​Print:
  • A template without seam allowances for the EPP papers
  • A template with seam allowances for cutting fabric
To simplify printing:
  1. Delete everything except one template piece in the block.
  2. Print both versions from EQ8.
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English Paper Piecing Templates from EQ8
Tip for Users of Electronic Cutting Systems

If you use an electronic cutting system such as a Cricut Maker, you can generate cutting files from EQ8 templates.

Here’s one method:
  1. Print the templates from EQ8 to a PDF writer.
  2. Import the PDF into Inkscape.
  3. Save the file as an SVG.
  4. Import the SVG into your cutting software.

Inkscape is a free, open-source vector graphics editor available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

One important note: always double-check the scale when moving between programs. Some software—particularly Cricut Design Space—can change sizing during import.
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​​​Happy quilting.

​Kari

Join the On Point Quilter weekly newsletter and receive regular tips and inspiration on using Electric Quilt 8 along with the  Free 12 Top
Tips for EQ8 video guide.
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    Kari Schell

    Electric Quilt Expert and Educator and Pattern Designer.

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