• Blog
  • About
  • EQ Training
    • Tech Know Quilters Electric Quilt 8 Membership Training
    • Shoot for the Stars with EQ8
    • Electric Quilt 8 Sneak Peek
    • Scheduling a Workshop or Lecture
  • Store
  • Card Making
  • Contact
  • Free Stuff
    • Other Video Tutorials
Picture

Birthday Two Block Quilts

6/26/2021

 

Tech Know Quilter Members Share Their Designs and Learnings

In the private Tech Know Quilter's Facebook group, I ask members to share their favorite designs for the month along with sharing what they learned.

​Tech Know Quilters is a membership of Electric Quilt 8 owners who are mastering Electric Quilt through online training.

There is currently a 3 day flash sale if you are interested in joining Tech Know Quilters.  Enrollment is open through Monday, Jun 27.  

​I hope you enjoy the designs by current Tech Know Quilter members.
Picture
Rhonda Goss Quilt designed to be used with 6" and 12" Accuquilt die sets
Picture
Lynne Maramieri I took the Bargello class this month (May 2021) and this is my Bargello Quilt Design. I am amazed at how much I have learned in 5 months! Thank you Kari Schell!
Picture
Linda Carlson I took the Masters Design Your Own 9 Patch class. The first photo is a quilt I created after lesson 1. It reminds me of a weather station in outer space.
Picture
Linda Carlson The second quilt I created after the 7th lesson, the last using a combination of blocks created throughout the class.
Picture
Irene Floyd This month I took the Advanced EasyDraw class and learned so much! This quilt began with a Mariner's Compass block I created in Lesson 7. I added borders after completing Lesson 13, Fractured Borders.
Picture
Julie Pedersen Here is my quilt for this challenge. I used blocks from other lessons and merged them with blocks from Lesson 7. I enjoyed playing to see what they looked like when you merged them together.
Picture
Candy Phipps Pfeifer This is my quilt from the EasyDraw Kaleidoscope class.
Picture
Linda Carlson Here's the quilt I created using the Geo-2, Jot Dot and the black print is from Tula's Linework collection. The last border is an actual border print.
Picture
Moira Hewitt I took the Introduction to Applique. I am somewhat amazed that I really enjoyed it. I thought it would be very twee and not for me, but learned how to make it more my style.
Picture
Zdenka Nemethova I learned a lot in May: I took both Easy Draw Introduction and Kaleidoscopes classes. I love playing with the blocks.
Picture
Dotty Smalley I was in the design your own nine patch class. Although we had used the Clone, Rotate, and Merge block techniques in other classes, this class reinforced how easy and fast blocks can be designed using these. Here is a simple Sampler that I designed and am making as a lap quilt. I love red, white, and blue and star blocks.
Picture
Kristy Goodin Soard My quilt for the Master's May 2021 apply what you learned. I used the BB+ Unequal nine patch with small center, blocks with curves blocks.
Picture
Kristy Goodin Soard ... ...then I saw the Art Gallery Fabric line called Legendary and downloaded it to try.

Design a Two Block Quilt Challenge

Tech Know Quilter members who have completed twelve months of Tech Know Quilter's class are eligible for the Masters program.  They are given an opportunity to participate in a Masters challenge each month.

In May 2021,their added challenge was to design a quilt with only two blocks in it.
Picture
Linda Carlson I used and unequal 9 patch large center and an equal 9 patch to create this quilt. I have the BioGeo-2 and Spectastic fabrics and thought these two blocks would show them off.
Picture
Curryanne Hostetler I use two 9 patch blocks and then modified them
Picture
Kristy Goodin Soard I used two blocks from like an hour glass nine patch blocks in BB+. I modified them both and used them both in Kari's On Point Layout 2 Pre-made quilt layout from class. I created a merge block with just the flower for the Blocks border.
Picture
Kristy Goodin Soard ...and then I can't stop myself from playing a little more with the border.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Dotty Smalley Using the blocks on the left, here is the on-point quilt I designed.
Picture
Julie Pedersen This month is flying by. Here is what I came up with for my challenge quilt. I just realized that they would make great quilts to showcase that special fabrics that you prefer not to cut into small pieces.
Picture
Julie Pedersen ...and then I decided to alter it and made this one. They have more of a modern quilt vibe than I am used to designing.
Tech Know Quilters is a membership of Electric Quilt 8 owners who are mastering Electric Quilt through online training.

There is currently a 3 day flash sale if you are interested in joining Tech Know Quilters.  Flash sale ends Monday, Jun 27 at midnight.  

Birthday Two Block Quilts

After admiring the quilts submitted in the Masters two block challenge, I pondered what a quilt would look like if we selected two blocks from the same subcategory in BlockBase Plus and auditioned them in both a horizontal and on-point layout.
Here are the guidelines to create your own Birthday Two Block Quilt. 
  • Under the Four Patch category in BlockBase Plus, select the subcategory to match the month of your birthday.
  • For the blocks--select the number that matches the date of your birthday for your first block.  If the date is larger than the number of blocks in the category, use the first digit of the date for block #1 and the 2nd digit of the date for block #2.  If that doesn't work, use the month of your birthday to select the 2nd block.  Or randomly select a 2nd block from the same sub-category.
  • Create both a horizontal and an on point layout quilt using the two blocks.  Feel free to recolor your blocks.
When I tried this, I really wasn't super excited about the 36 square category -- but I decided to persevere (rather than making up new rules), just to see what the concept produced.  Let me know what you think.
The blocks from the video came from BlockBase Plus.  The category was 08 Four Patch.  The subcategory was 03 Thirty-Six Squares. 

The first selected blocks was Brackman ID 1155 (Spinning Arrows by Nancy Cabot).

The second selected block was Brackman ID 1158.  It was published (without a name) by Woman's Circle in 1963 and with the name Flower Garden Path by Quilter's Newsletter Magazine (using flower garden prints).
Picture
Brackman ID 1155
Picture
Brackman ID 1158
If you don't have Block Base Plus, consider selecting two blocks from one of the categories in the Electric Quilt library.  This will work best if the grids are consistent for the selected blocks.

Set your Birthday blocks in a horizontal layout and an on point layout.  You can see that the huge difference that comes from just swapping out the layouts.
Picture
Block Base Plus Birthday blocks set in an On Point Layout.
Picture
Block Base Plus Birthday blocks set in a Horizontal Layout.
I would love to see your two block quilt.  Share you pictures in the Learning EQ Facebook Group.

Picture
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.
Picture

Pattern Decomposition

6/19/2021

 
Do you remember the first time you found a critical error in a pattern?  For some of us it ranks up there to remembering where we were when 9/11 struck.

For me it happened during my second year of quilting.  I don't remember the pattern name, but I remember the quilt.  it had browns, reds and tans.  It was going to be big -- queen size.  I had reached the stage where I had gained some confidence in my piecing abilities and to be efficient I cut out the entire quilt top before I began piecing it.  Yes -- all nine yards of fabric beautifully cut up, stacked and ready for a day at my sewing machine.

I then proceeded to work through each of the steps -- before doing step two, I finished step 1 for all 20 blocks of the quilt.  I reached the point where I needed to add a large half square triangle to a previously pieced unit. I found I had to really stretch the triangle to make it fit.  Hmmm. I began checking the normal suspects:
  • Did I mis-cut any pieces
  • Too large of seam allowances
  • Did I use the correct pieces

Everything seemed to be ok on my end.  I finally pulled out a sheet of graph paper (this was pre-Electric Quilt) and redrafted the block and checked the math using the Pythagorean theorem from high school albegra.
The Pythagorean theorem, states that the square of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides.
Picture
Picture
The issue was not me but the cut size of those half square triangles.  I couldn't find more of the fabric so the entire quilt was delegated to the UFO (unfinished objects) bin where it languished for many years until I eventually decided to throw it and the pattern away.

Now I wish I could say this was the only time I found an error in a pattern.

I've now learned the importance of decomposing a pattern and checking the math.  This technique can be done with graph paper -- but I find I am much more efficient with Electric Quilt.

Pattern Decomposition Using EQ8

When working with Electric Quilt there are often discussions about how to take a design created in Electric Quilt and turn in into instructions (or a pattern). In Tech Know Quilters  (a membership focused on mastery of EQ8), there are a number of lessons around this very concept.

Today, let's talk about the reverse.  Have you ever purchased a pattern and then wanted to put it in EQ?  

Learn how to play detective and work from a pattern to draft the block in EQ8.  It is a great way to double check there are no math errors in your cutting instructions!
Basic Math Rules when Analyzing a Pattern for Decomposition
Rule #1 - Subtract 1/2" (.5) from length and height cutting measurements for square and rectangle units.  This also applies to folded corner units.



Rule #2 - Subtract 7/8" (.875) from length and height measurements for squares cut once on the diagonal for two half square triangles.

​


Rule #3 - Subtract 1-1/4" (1.25) from length and height measurements for squares that are X-cut or cut twice on the diagonal for four triangle units.
Rule #1 Squares, Rectangles and Folded Corner Pieces
Picture
Rule #2 Half Square Triangles
Picture
Picture
Rule #3 X-Cut Triangles
Picture
Picture
The video tutorial will take you through this process using a block pattern I created back in 2005 for a BOM for a local quilt shop.
Here is the cutting chart referenced in the video.
Picture
Flower Border Block Cutting Chart
Download the block pattern including construction information here.  Here is what the block looks like in a finished quilt.
Picture
Day Garden by Kari Schell
If you try this technique, let me know how it goes.
Picture
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.
Picture

Border Crossing

6/12/2021

 
One of our typical family vacations when I was growing up was a quick trip to Canada. (We lived about 100 miles from the border.)  Although there was a border crossing (an exciting part of the journey) there was no need for passports and we enjoyed being able to visit a "foreign" country.  

To celebrate Flag Day (June 14th in the United States), I created a quilt with two flags.  One for the US and one for Canada.  I also decided to make the flags "wave".
Picture
Border Crossing by Kari Schell using EQ8
Would you like to learn how to draft a "wavy" flag block?  Check out the following video tutorial.  You will learn some great tips for getting those stripes to nest.
Here is the block from the video.  This would be a fun project to cut out on an electronic cutting system.
Picture
Border Crossing Block by Kari Schell
I am curious what flag you would like to make "wave".  Please post any or your drafted flag blocks or your quilt with flags in the Learning EQ Facebook group. 
Picture
​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.
Picture

Sunny Days

6/5/2021

 
With temperatures reaching over 100 this last week (and high temps projected for next week), Minnesota has moved into summer mode even if the calendar still officially says spring.

When looking through the blocks in Block Base Plus, I came across the block "Pride of the Prairie".  The pattern was sold by Old Chelsea Station (a mail-order company that started in 1933).  The Brackman ID is 1489.

Doesn't this look like a sun?
Picture
Pride of the Prairie from BlockBase+
I did some research to see if I could find any finished quilts made with this block.  The only quilt I was able to locate was documented on the Quilt Index.  
Picture
Pride of the Prairie photograph by Quilts of Tennessee
Quilt by by Sarah L. Henderson McSwain of Puryear, Tennessee.  It was made in 1937 and was hand pieced.​
Citation:  McSwain, Sarah L. Henderson. Pride of the Prairie. 1930-1949. From Tennessee State Library and Archives, Quilts of Tennessee. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=22-18-969. Accessed: 06/04/21
I came up with a layout for the block, which you can create in EQ8.  In this video you will learn how to
  • use a block from BlockBase+ in Electric Quilt 8,
  • use Random Recolor to assign projects, and
  • how to export an SVG from BlockBase+ with the templates needed to create this quilt.
Here is the quilt from the video.  I would love to see pictures of your quilts.  Feel free to post in the Learning EQ Facebook group.  I've set up a separate post for your shared designs.
Picture

Cutting the fabric using Cricut Design Space

Curved piecing -- yes or no?

While I love the look of curved piecing, it is not my go to piecing method.  Using templates to cut all of those pieces by hand is not my idea of fun.  So I decided to use my Cricut Maker to do the cutting for me.  The rotary cutting blade is fantastic for cutting through fabric and no sizing or backing is required on the fabric.

In the bonus video, you will learn how to work with the design in Cricut Design Space.  Warning -- Cricut Design Space did an update last week (v6.9.163) and as a result the templates are no longer being imported at the correct size.  There is a workaround that I will share with you.  Electric Quilt was really thinking ahead when they added that 1" square in the export.

Tech Know Quilter Members Share Their Designs and Learnings

In the private Tech Know Quilter's Facebook group, I ask members to share their favorite designs for the month along with sharing what they learned.

​Tech Know Quilters is a membership of Electric Quilt 8 owners who are mastering Electric Quilt through online training.
I wanted to share Melonee Noll's story as I am sure many of us can relate to her struggle.  I enjoyed the problem solving skills she employed to create a better quilt.
Picture
Melonee had "picked" this quilt top apart twice.  This is the third version that had been sitting on a spare bed for almost a year because she didn't like the way it looks.

​(I will admit that I thought it looked pretty awesome.)

In April, she took the EasyDraw Kaleidoscope lessons and learned how to rotate fabric and use Serendipity.  In her EQ quilt design she incorporated new concepts including using a photo of a previously made block in quilt as a block along with incorporating newly designed kaleidoscope blocks.  She also played with different sashing and border ideas.
Picture
Picture
Using her new EQ design, she is now set for one last "picking" session to create her newly designed quilt.   Well done Melonee!  We look forward to seeing your final quilt.
Here are some other fantastic designs submitted by TKQ members.
Picture
Rhonda Goss- Mariner Compass Variation
Picture
Edith Craig Last year I participated in a Block of the Week class. As a result I had numerous extra blocks. I used what I learned in Easy Draw to draft the blocks that I had sewn. Then used the information from the Mix and Match Medallion and Borders to draft the quilt. Using the tools beyond the class assignments helps to reinforce the class information.
Picture
Mari Stenger I had some fun combining the borders from the lessons on medallion borders and also used some blocks I drafted in an earlier class. I was fun being able to check to see if the sizes were workable. i am anticipating making a rainbow quilt for my great niece - this could be a contender
Picture
Linda Carlson I took the Masters Pieces of Eight class using Octagons. I found an octagon block in Block Base +, #3584 Rising Sun/Category 20 Wheels which was the inspiration for my redesigned block and related quilt.
Picture
Diane Brown I had fun with Randomize and the converted back to Seaside fabrics. One random combination gave me a different perspective on the block and so I changed the fabric placement to give more of a windmill effect.
Picture
Zdenka Nemethova Just finished Fabric Collections Part and love the way how I can play with fabrics and colors. Looking forward for next Part. Thanks for the lessons, Kari.
Picture
Zdenka Nemethova One more :)
Picture
Moira Hewitt I took modern quilts this month, I love this quilt, it is fresh and somewhat quirky. It was designed in custom set after creating the geese units in easy draw.
Picture
Beth Raker I saw an antique quilt that I thought was pretty and figured out how to recreate it. I am having fun!!
Picture
Kristy Goodin Soard I completed the Pieces of 8 class in April and was inspired to create this multi layers of pieces of 8 quilt, in low volume colors. I think it would be great done in wovens and wools!
Picture
Linda Carlson Here's a second quilt I cobbled together from all the quilt blocks created in the Masters Pieces of Eight class.
Picture
Karen Wilcox I have learnt how to use fabric and to bring it and at the right scale.
Tech Know Quilters is open to new members only a few times a year.  You can learn more and sign up for the wait list for the next open enrollment period here.  ​

Masters Kaleidoscope Challenge

Tech Know Quilter members who have completed twelve months of Tech Know Quilter's class are eligible for the Masters program.  They are given an opportunity to participate in a Masters challenge each month.

Their challenge for April was to design an original kaleidoscope quilt.

Picture
Nancy Haddad Lacey From the Master's challenge, here is one of my kaleidoscope quilts. This one uses two different blocks.
Picture
Nancy Haddad Lacey Another quilt from the Master's challenge.
Picture
Nancy Dugger Weeks Quilt along with her first pieced blocks.
Picture
Picture
Maureen Feron Pinwill First pieced kaleidoscope quilt with fussy cutting.
Picture
Barbara O'Brien
Picture
Dotty Smalley Kaleidoscope Block
Picture
Maureen Feron Pinwill -- The block is a combined PolyDraw/Applique block.
Picture
Karen Eddie Neal Well, my first thoughts was I couldn't do that; then I did the block in Kari's book Drawing Blocks.
Picture
Curryanne Hostetler This is a one using Create Serendipity and Wreathmaker
Picture
Dorothee Ilgner Kaleidoscope 1
Picture
Dorothee Ilgner Kaleidoscope 2
Picture
Dorothee Ilgner Kaleidoscope 3
Picture
Dorothee Ilgner Kaleidoscope 4
Picture
Helen Hicks
Picture
Joyce Drenth The challenge quilt wwas created with an on-point setting and utilized 5 different blocks. Two are in the body of the quilt and 3 Easy-draw blocks are in the border.
Picture
Joy Hegglund This has been fun. I designed the block and quilt first, then did another using serendipity.
Picture
Joy Hegglund -- Next one.
Picture
Kristy Goodin Soard My Pieces of Eight Challenge Quilt! I wanted to try something in a totally different soft colorway for spring.
Learn More About Tech Know Quilters Here

Picture
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.
Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Free guide available for newsletter subscribers
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Kari Schell

    Electric Quilt Expert and Educator and Pattern Designer.

    Categories

    All
    Art And Stitch
    Cricut Maker
    Dear Jane
    Electric Quilt 7
    Electric Quilt 8
    Goose Goose Duck Challenge
    Inkscape
    Longarm Quilting
    Patterns
    Silhouette Cameo
    Stampin Up
    Summer Games
    Tips And Techniques
    Tools And Rulers

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013

    RSS Feed

Contact:
On Point Quilter
e-mail:  onpointquilter@comcast.net
phone:  763-566-6536

GET MY NEWSLETTER FOR REGULAR EQ AWESOMENESS!

* indicates required
  • Blog
  • About
  • EQ Training
    • Tech Know Quilters Electric Quilt 8 Membership Training
    • Shoot for the Stars with EQ8
    • Electric Quilt 8 Sneak Peek
    • Scheduling a Workshop or Lecture
  • Store
  • Card Making
  • Contact
  • Free Stuff
    • Other Video Tutorials