Kari Schell On Point Quilter Blog

Here Comes the Sun

5/28/2022

Here Comes the Sun

This weekend is the unofficial start of summer in the US. With a super cold spring season in Minnesota we are looking forward to some warm weather.

Electric Quilt currently has a sale with 25% off everything on their website. The sale lasts through Monday, May 30. I decided to snag the latest Stash collection. In this collection I found the Century Prints Deco Glo fabrics designed by Giucy Giuce and sold by Andover. These fabrics definitely have a summer vibe to them. So I decided to use them for today's project.

25% off Everything 5/26-6/30

Use code SITEWIDE25 when checking out.

After loading in the new fabric, I pulled in the sunglasses block from the Contemporary Applique>Season - Summer collection in the EQ8 Block Library.

While I like the sunglasses, I didn't want the background. To remove the background you can copy the applique elements to a new Applique motif block. I also decided to change the block size to better match the size of the sunglasses. This will make it easier to work with the motif in the Quilt worktable.

For the quilt, set up a new Horizontal quilt on the Quilt Worktable. Change the number of blocks to 1 x 1 and the size to 16. Then add borders.

After coloring the quilt, set the sunglasses motif on Layer 2. Motifs are always put on Layer 2 -- which is on top of all the elements on Layer 1. With the adjust tool you can copy, paste, change placement and adjust rotation of each of the sunglasses motifs.

I also share how to find a complementary color and recolor the tips of those sunglasses using that color.

To personalize your quilt, consider using a different fabric collection. And rather than a collection of sunglasses, use a collection of different summer motifs. I would love to see pictures of your quilt.

Feel free to share in the post I have set up in the Learning EQ Facebook group.

Tech Know Quilters Virtual Quilt Show

One thing I hear over and over again is -- I didn't know you could do "that" using Electric Quilt 8. I have found that the main thing that holds us back from truly using Electric Quilt 8 is just not understanding that this versatile software can help you create any type of quilt. I think you will be inspired by the quilts created by Tech Know Quilter members using Electric Quilt 8.

Tech Know Quilters is a membership program focused on mastery of EQ8. We have members at all stages of their Electric Quilt journey.

If you would like to join this amazing group of quilters, you can sign up for the wait list here. There just may be an enrollment opportunity at the end of June.

Here are the quilts submitted in the last "apply what you learned" challenge.

Shawn Spjut I find myself using Serendipity more and more. This quilt started out with medallion 29 (from the class), but I didn't care for the oval, so I redid it with a circle instead (the oval tweaked my symmetrical button), then brought it back into Serendipity for some fun renditions.

Patricia Hansen This month we did symmetry. I designed my own block and tried several variations to use in a quilt. Here is one of them.

Lynne Maramieri This month I worked on Quilt Layouts - Pixilated Quilts. This is the original photo.

Lynne Maramieri This is my Pixilated version of the Cherry Blossoms. This series of lessons was very time consuming but very satisfying. There is so much more to learn!

Linda Carlson This is lesson 7 of the Masters Symmetry class I took this month with my own Auto Border. It was a great class!

Lee Wiencki Mix and Match Medallion Borders. Its such a versatile way of building a quilt.

Rhonda Goss This is my adaption of Lesson 7 of the Masters Symmetry class.

Nancy Kiley Fabric Collections class. I especially enjoyed fussy cutting and rotating fabrics. My Color inspiration came from an episode of Bewitched classic TV show. A student in a picket line wore navy and kelly green outfit with white ankle boots.

Nanne Panne I learned how to make colors fabric and more.

Julie Pedersen I took the Masters- Symmetry class this month. It was fun playing with the different aspects of Symmetry. This is my Challenge quilt.

Dotty Smalley I was in the Masters Symmetry class last month, and have been working on this quilt, which is somewhat related. It started out as a way to use up scraps and try a new Quilt-As-You-Go technique. The borders became a challenge to myself to try different paper foundation patterns from the block library and some I designed myself (thanks to Kari's classes). I call it Nautical Dreams.

Dotty Smalley Here is the back of my Nautical Dreams quilt, which uses scraps and some orphan blocks as the center.

Nancy Kiley Fabric collections class. A newer release and I love Red/White and Blue. This collection has cream/tan instead of white. Made good use of the plaids and florals in the collection and all my newly acquired skills! Great classes Kari Schell. I looked forward to each lesson.

Sara Edmonds Byan I have really enjoyed learning about EQ8. I have been doing the lessons and then when time allows, I have played with my new knowledge. I especially liked learning about how to get precise snap to grid lines. The quilt design I might actually make from the Intro to Easy Draw lessons is the Drunkards Path.

Pat Harkins I designed this in EQ, pieced the top and it went to a friend who did the longarm quilting. It is a raffle quilt for a dulcimer festival. I saw it finished for the first time at festival yesterday.

Tina Onat This is the first fabric that I have taken a photo of and uploaded and scaled into EQ8. It is "My Home State" panel by Northcott. I will probably end up using the Arizona block on the left and right of the panel in the top and bottom more and use the simpler blocks to the left and right. We will see...but I have learned a ton! Also, I have been participating in the moda blockheads 4 sew along, and drawing each week's blocks into EQ8 and playing with the color placement to get different outcomes. Super fun!

Donna Harris I drafted these blocks, the whole quilt from a picture of a quilt I saw in a book. I never dreamed I would be able to do this. I'm very pleased and excited about this.

Tech Know Quilters Masters Challenge -- Bloom Where You Are Planted

TKQ Masters members were encouraged to design an original quilt around the topic "bloom where you are planted". Here are some of their quilts.

Rhonda Goss I keep telling myself I will make a quilt with these Rose of Sharon blocks I downloaded from an EQ8 challenge. That is what came to mind when I saw the challenge this month. At least, I can now say I designed a quilt with them. They are so spring and flowery.

Julie Pedersen While doing the first 2 lessons this month, I saw flowers appear in the blocks that I made. So when the challenge came, I knew that I had to adapt the block and make a quilt.

Edith Craig Spring in North Carolina is flowers and butterflies. Attached is an image of my challenge project. The small size would make a good table topper or wall hanging. (Now if all of the pine pollen would disappear, it would be great to be outside.)

Patricia Hansen I have adapted the design I made into a bed quilt years ago as a banner for the "green" season at a local church.

Curryanne Hostetler My idea of Bloom where you are

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.

Quick and Easy Lonestar Quilt

5/21/2022

Start with a Basic Lonestar Quilt

Lonestar quilts are one of my favorites to design in Electric Quilt 8. With the grid tool, you can draw a block in EasyDraw and color with your favorite collection of fabrics.

You can pick the number of horizontal and vertical squares to make it more (or less) complex.

To color the block (and quilt), I selected one of the free fabric downloads from Electric Quilt. You can find their free fabric downloads here. I used the March 2022 collection. Hand Pick: First Light was designed by Nicholas Lapp for Maywood Studio. There were some awesome photorealistic floral collages included in the fabrics, but I decided to stick with the textured solids for my Lonestar quilt.

Electric Quilt makes the quilt layout super simple for us by giving us an eight pointed star layout in the Electric Quilt 8 Layout Library. This one is under Layouts by Style>Stars.

Under Block Tools>Set Block, locate the block you just drew in EasyDraw and click on each of the diamond spaces in the quilt.

You will need to use the Rotate button and click on the each of the blocks to adjust the rotation.

Lonestar Option 1 by Kari Schell

I didn't include this in the video. But once you have the rotations done, try this. Using the Control (PC users) or Command (MAC users), also select Rotate and click on one of the blocks. Make sure Control or Command is still engaged when selecting the block. Notice that it will rotate all of the blocks at once for fun variations.

After each click, make sure to select Add to Sketchbook to save your new variations.

Spicing Up Your Lonestar

Adding Applique

Do those setting triangles call out to you? If you love applique, you are probably thinking about adding applique to your quilt.

Electric Quilt has a huge collection of applique blocks that are available for personalizing our lonestar quilt. One group that works really well for setting spaces is Eight Elements. You can find this collection under 04 Classic Applique in the EQ Block Library.

Crossing Designs is also another category worth taking a look at.

Here is the original Lonestar quilt with the addition of the Tulip Crossing Block from the EQ8 Block Library.

Adding Quilting
If you love quilting, what about putting your own quilting design in the setting spaces.

Once you have create the design set it on layer 3.

This quilt isn't in the video, but was a last minute inspiration.

Just for fun, I decided to play with one of those tulips. Using wreathmaker, I quickly turned it into a set of 8 tulips.

And then set it on Layer 2 (on top of the Lonestar.

Check out the full video tutorial for more information on creating these quilts.

This would be such a fun layout to personalize. Try playing with different fabrics and blocks. I would love to see pictures.

Feel free to post a favorite of your quilts on the Learning EQ Facebook group. I have set up a separate post so we can admire each others creativity.

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.

From EasyDraw to SVG

5/14/2022

If you own an Electric Cutting System (such as Cricut Design Space, Silhouette Cameo or Brother Scan N Cut), you have probably figured out that the easiest way to create perfect shapes to cut on your system is having an svg file that includes all your cut shapes.

And if you own Electric Quilt 8, you may also realize that svg is currently not a format that files can be saved in within the program.

I have converted many Electric Quilt designs to an SVG file using another piece of software called Inkscape. In fact all of my applique pieces for my Critters quilt went through this conversion process and were cut using the Cricut Maker.

Critters Quilt by Kari Schell

What is Inkscape?

The extra piece of software I used for creating the SVGs is Inkscape. Inkscape is a professional vector graphics editor for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. It's free and open source.

Inkscape can seem overwhelming to use when you open it for the first time. However you only need to use a couple of tools within Inkscape -- so this really is a piece of cake. You can download Inkscape here.

Inkscape will allow you to create an SVG file which may be used in any electronic cutting system (Cricut Design Space, Silhouette Studio, or Brother Canvas Workspace).

So what is an SVG file? An SVG file is a graphics file that uses a two-dimensional vector graphic format. Unlike raster formats such as JPG, GIF, and PNG, an SVG image remains crisp and clear at any resolution or size.

Creating an SVG File for an EasyDraw Block

I was working on a greeting card yesterday and wanted some diamond shapes cut out of Gold Metallic Specialty Paper. I knew that I could quickly draft a block in EasyDraw that had my diamonds at exactly the shape and size I wanted.

In the video, I will take you through my process to draft them, convert them to an svg file using Inkscape and then bring them into Cricut Design Space for cutting.

2-1/2 x 2 EasyDraw Block Drawn in Electric Quilt

Best Tips from the Video

Electric Quilt Tips

Color your block with colors (not fabric).
Print to a pdf writer.
Turn off print block and patch outlines.

Inkscape Tips

Ungroup everything (a couple of times).
Select each patch and select Path Union. (This step isn't always necessary -- only if the patches are not complete. This can be tested with Edit Nodes.)
Group everything and note the size.
Save as an svg file.

Cricut Design Space Tips

Once importing the svg file, resize the group to match the size noted in Inkscape. (Depending on the latest update, the size may be correct or may not be correct. So always check.)
Select attach to keep the placement on the mat consistent with the design. if you don't care about the placement on the mat, no need to attach.

Here are a couple of cards I created that incorporates these diamonds. Thanks to Cheri Stojkovich whose You Tube video inspired my card.

Card Instructions:

Cut 5-1/2" x 8-1/2" piece of soft sea foam cardstock. Fold in half.
Cut 1 piece of black cardstock 5-1/4" x 4".
Stamp a variety of images from Nature's Prints stamp set on the black cardstock using white ink. Some of the stamps can be a full strength and others stamp offs. By stamping a second time you are able to create a lighter image for additional contrast in your card.
Emboss the back cardstock for added texture. I used the Fern 3D Embossing Folder.
Cut diamonds from Gold Metallic Specialty Paper. Glue on card front.
Add green ribbon tied with a bow to card.
Stamp sentiment on scrap of soft seafoam cardstock and cut around sentiment with Black Memento ink. Adhere to card with dimensionals.
Add 5 rhinestones to card.

Nature's Prints has been my favorite stamp set in the new annual catalog. Here are a few other cards I created from this set.

If you questions about some of the additional supplies in these cards, feel free to drop me a note.

Excerpt from Annual Catalog highlighting the Sun Prints Suite Collection.

If you would like to order any Stampin Up product through me, I would be happy to provide you a free physical copy of the 2022-2023 annual catalog. This 185 page catalog is pure eye candy for those of us that love color and crafting.

Use Host Code Q46A2R9H when checking out to receive the catalog.

Purchase your Stampin Up Supplies Here

FYI - When you buy something I recommend, I may get an affiliate commission — but it never affects your price or what I pick.

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.

Vintage Bicycle Girl Panel Quilt

5/7/2022

Scroll down for the Vintage Bicycle Girl Panel Quilt EQ8 Tutorial.

Tech Know Quilter March Showcase

One thing I hear over and over again is -- I didn't know you could do "that" using Electric Quilt 8. One thing that holds us back from truly using Electric Quilt 8 is just not understanding that this versatile software can help you create any type of quilt. I think you will be inspired by the quilts created by Tech Know Quilter members using Electric Quilt 8.

Tech Know Quilters is a membership program focused on mastery of Electric Quilt 8. We have members at all stages of their Electric Quilt journey.

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

Kristy Goodin Soard "Mobius Radial" by Audrey Esarey was featured in the Piecing category at Quiltcon 2022, and thought it reminded me of the Master's Class by Kari with the Zebras. So I challenged myself to try to design it in EQ8.

Shawn Spjut I have to say, I'm really loving the Auto Border feature on EQ8. I really like the log cabin challenge, but I think it's the border that makes it pop.

Patrici Hansen I just took the t-shirt/panel class, but am busy working on wall hangings for a nearby church. Here is the beginning of the first one. I ended up putting sun rays behind it radiating out from the base of the cross but not filling all of the background space.

Lynne Maramieri I thoroughly enjoyed the lessons in the Landscape class. I am amazed at how much I have learned and know that I have only touched the surface of what EQ8 can do.

Lorraine McMahon I played around with the panel design and using my Drunkard's Path die. I will make a Project Linus quilt from this design.

Edith Craig My class this month was Landscape Quilts. I especially enjoyed working with photographs to create quilt pictures. Attached is a quilt designed from a picture I took in Washington of Mt. Hood.

Karen Eddie Neal This is a tie quilt I designed in EQ. The actual quilt is on the right.

Julie Pedersen This month I took the Pattern Writing class part 2. I learned a lot about different ways to write a pattern using EQ8 and Inkscape. Here is a logo that I created (using a block from another lesson) for part of the class.

Sara Edmonds Byman I have completed the first set of lessons on Fabric Collections. I enjoyed them all and learned a lot. I especially liked changing the fabrics in the practice quilts. I am in a charity quilting group and we do a lot of baby quilts for the local Pregnancy Center so I added pastel fabrics to the quilt in the last lesson.

Helen Hicks Mixed masters symmetry with new chicks and ta da □ here’s my rendition chick flowers ( power)

Zdenka Nemethová This is my Custom Set Panel Quilt - I took T-shirt & Panel Quilts Lessons in March. I used the same layout as demonstrated in lesson 6 but different (spring) panel. Love this class ❤

Candy Huddleston Here are two variations of the quilt made for Lesson 7 in the Intro to Applique class during March.

Candy Huddleston The second variation.

Nanne Panne I have also completed the first class, I have learned a lot about fabric, and that was good for me...

Nanne Panne I love my garden quilt and i will sew it

Dianna Carter Lesson 13 Pattern Writing Designing a Cover. Not in a million years did I ever think I could do this. This is a quilt that I am working on since I join TKQ with your lessons and help I have made this quilt.

Masters Pattern Writing Challenge

In March, a number of Tech Know Quilter Master's members responded to the challenge to create their own pattern. In the Master's classes for February and March we covered some basics of pattern design. In addition to working in Electric Quilt 8, we also covered using Word (PC users) and Pages (Mac users) along with Inkscape to create illustrations and instructions for our patterns. We spent a lot of time on drafting pattern diagram illustrations.

Numerous members commented that they had a much greater appreciation for all the work that goes into creating a pattern. Kudos to those of you that are writing and publishing patterns.

Here is some of what was shared during the lessons.

Designed Quilts

Dorothee Ilgner is writing instructions for this quilt in German (her mother tongue).

Kathleen Scargle McCormick Working on a pattern for this block, and then a few quilt settings. It is from Block Base +.

Karen Humphrey I am working on a very simple pattern to make a quilt using mandala squares my sister in law painted on fabric for me.

Rhonda Goss Rhonda create a full pattern for this quilt.

Logos and Covers

Julie Pedersen

Dotty Smalley

Kristy Goodin Soard

Dotty Smalley

Vintage Bicycle Girl Panel Quilt

Did you know that you can print your own "panel" and incorporate it into a quilt. The image in today's quilt was obtained from the Graphics Fairy. It was resized to fit on one sheet of paper and printed on fabric.

If you need some help on how to print on fabric, you can check out my video - Secrets to Successfully Printing Words on Fabric.

To use this image in your Electric Quilt project, download the image and save in your My EQ8>Images folder.

Vintage Girl on Bicycle from Graphics Fairy website

In the video tutorial you will learn

how to import and resize a "panel" image
creating a window pane quilt to feature the panel
Adding pieced flying geese to one of the blorders
Printing the panel from EQ8

Here is the quilt from the video.

Vintage Bicycle Girl Quilt designed in EQ8 by Kari Schell

Piecing the Vintage Bicycle Girl Quilt

Cut the Vintage Girl panel to three equal size units (3" x 8-1/2").

Cut 1" wide sashing and piece between the panel prints.
Add 1" inch cut border (border #1).
Create flying geese units. Cut the pink pieces 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" and the taupe 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" per instructions below.

Cut Taupe borders 1-1/2" wide. Add flying gees units and adjust borders to fit your quilt.
Cut outer border 2" wide. Adjust length to fit your quilt.

To quilt I did swirls around the outside of the quilt. I stitched in the ditch around the graphic and I filled the background space with "Fracture Fill" -- a pattern within Art and Stitch's Creative Fill library. With my Intelliquilter, I used both No Sew Zones and Clipping blocks for this part.

Vintage Girl on Bicycle Window View by Kari Schell

Happy Mother's Day.

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.

Here Comes the Sun

Here Comes the Sun

Tech Know Quilters Virtual Quilt Show

Tech Know Quilters Masters Challenge -- Bloom Where You Are Planted

Quick and Easy Lonestar Quilt

Start with a Basic Lonestar Quilt

Spicing Up Your Lonestar

From EasyDraw to SVG

What is Inkscape?

Creating an SVG File for an EasyDraw Block

Best Tips from the Video

Vintage Bicycle Girl Panel Quilt

Tech Know Quilter March Showcase

Masters Pattern Writing Challenge

Designed Quilts

Logos and Covers

Vintage Bicycle Girl Panel Quilt

Piecing the Vintage Bicycle Girl Quilt

Kari Schell

Categories

Archives

Here Comes the Sun

Here Comes the Sun

Tech Know Quilters Virtual Quilt Show

Tech Know Quilters Masters Challenge -- Bloom Where You Are Planted

Quick and Easy Lonestar Quilt

Start with a Basic Lonestar Quilt

Spicing Up Your Lonestar

From EasyDraw to SVG

What is Inkscape?

Creating an SVG File for an EasyDraw Block

Best Tips from the Video

Vintage Bicycle Girl Panel Quilt

Tech Know Quilter March Showcase

Masters Pattern Writing Challenge

Designed Quilts

Logos and Covers

Vintage Bicycle Girl Panel Quilt

Piecing the Vintage Bicycle Girl Quilt

Kari Schell

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