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.
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.
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.
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).
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. 
Block Base Plus Birthday blocks set in an On Point Layout.
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.
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:
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 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
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.
Flower Border Block Cutting Chart
Download the block pattern including construction information here. Here is what the block looks like in a finished quilt.
Day Garden by Kari Schell
If you try this technique, let me know how it goes.
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". 
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.
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.
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? 
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.
I came up with a layout for the block, which you can create in EQ8. In this video you will learn how to
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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