Current Tech Know Quilter members have been sharing their class projects along with their original designs in the membership's private Facebook group.  Enjoy this show of some of their recent creations.

After 12 months in Tech Know Quilters, members have the options of switching to Masters.  In Masters there are fewer lessons each month, but more time (and opportunities to work on your own projects. 

In June their challenge was to design a new quilt from a collection of personal unused blocks (or a quilt that you never finished because you no longer "love it". 

Here are the posted blocks and quilts (along with their stories) from the challenge.

Kristy Goodin Soard --- My Stay at Home Pandemic quilt that was a sew along with Alex Andersen of The Quilt Show. We started them in the spring of 2020. I used all my "vintage" fabrics from the 80s and 90s thus the blues and pinks. I enjoyed memories from those years as I worked. Hidden meanings can be found throughout the quilt. The back is one huge log cabin block representing where we were spending all of our time during the pandemic. I used EQ8 for the design process as Alex encouraged us to create our own layout or use hers with alterations.

Debbi Treusch  --- Debbie used use a Care Bears baby quilt my great great grandmother made for my daughter in 1986. I don't remember how it got stained, but I assure you it isn't blood!!

This quilt and a similar one for son are the reason I started quilting. My kids had a quilt from my great-great grandmother, my great grandmother, my grandmother and my mother. I wanted to also have a quilt from me for each of them to have 5 generations of quilts. The intention was to just make an simple quilt for each of them. But I was quickly hooked on quilting and haven't stopped since.

​The quilt on the right was designed using pieces from the quilt on the left.  The quilt is very faded and damaged. I chose to use the alphabet blocks in the quilt as a background fabric and then went shopping for some new care bear fabric. All of his kids names were added in a crossword style with bolder colors and finished the quilt with a picture of my 3 favorite grands overlooking their names. Fun to do!!!

Kristy Goodin Soard -- I did use actual vintage blocks from my maternal grandma to make the birth quilt for my namesake several years ago. I had 11 Dresden circles never set into blocks. I used 9 to create the birth quilt, 8 on front and one for the label. I created it in EQ8.  For you math people, you are asking yourselves, "What did she do with the other 2 circles?" I made each granddaughter a semi-circle shaped pillow, as a keepsake from their great-great grandma and me. 

Dorothee Ilgner started with some small blocks made from Civil War fabric.  They were intended for Jennifer Chiaverinis'"Loyal Union Sampler" which was never made.  The quilt on the right was her remade quilt.  For the applique she altered a block from the library to fit into the triangular space.

As I write this post, I just finished watching the opening ceremonies for the Summer Olympics.  I am at a quilt retreat this weekend with my guild and have been having a blast catching up with friends -- and watching with friends was super special. 

My favorite part was the segment where performers acted out the pictograms.  Can I share a secret?  The pictograms would make great backdrop for blocks for the summer games.

On Monday evening we will be finishing up the Summer Games challenge with a live Zoom meeting. 

For those enrolled in the challenge, the videos will be available through the end of the month.  (VIP members will get lifetime access and will receive information on their lifetime access in early August.)  

Even if you were unable to join the challenge, you are still welcome to participate in the reveal where I share my layout along with my pieced quilt using the challenge blocks. I will also be sharing some highlights from the Challenge and information about Tech Know Quilters.    Tech Know Quilters is a membership for those desiring to master Electric Quilt 8.    I will also be announcing open enrollment along with a special bonuses,

Check out some of the drafted blocks and quilts (and even a few pieced blocks) below.

Those in the Summer Games EQ8 Challenge have been receiving instructions for drafting a series of six inch blocks in EQ8.

This bonus block is not technically part of the challenge, but could be used as a replacement block, if you chose not to include one of the other blocks.

Jabs, crosses, uppercuts... a single punch can make all the difference in boxing. The sport made its Olympic debut at St Louis 1904 and women entered the fray at London 2012. 

Here is the image for tracing.

For those in the Summer Games challenge, you will want to piece the block with a finished size of 6" x 6" (without seam allowances).

Post any pictures of your blocks or quilts in the Learning EQ Facebook group.  To keep the Facebook group from getting cluttered, share your pictures in the Boxing post.

I am so impressed by the blocks those in the challenge have been drafting.  it is amazing seeing their skills develop as they spend a little bit of time for a two week periods using Electric Quilt.

​Here are a few of the the posted photos from the week.

Summer Games Free EQ8 Challenge 

Would you like to join the fun?  We would love for you to join this group of creative quilters in drafting piecing friendly quilt blocks and grow your Electric Quilt 8 skill set.

We can get you caught up in 24 hours.

When you enter a competition, the winners often receive a medal to honor their achievements.  At the Olympics---Gold, Bronze and Silver medals are awarded to the top competitors in each of the events.

The next block in the Summers Game quilt will be a medal.  This block is not a square or rectangle, but we can still draw it as a foundation friendly pattern using EasyDraw. 

Here is the image for tracing.

If you choose to make the Summer Games quilt, there are actually four medal blocks to piece.  The rings may be colored in gold, silver and bronze and are connected to a ribbon.  

​They will surround the friendship ring medallion.

If you are new to foundation piecing, I thought I would share one of the methods I prefer for foundation piecing.  This tutorial shows how to piece the Medals blocks.

For those in the Summer Games challenge, you will want to piece the block with a finished size of 14" x 7" (without seam allowances).

Post any pictures of your blocks or quilts in the Learning EQ Facebook group.  To keep the Facebook group from getting cluttered, share your pictures in the Medals post.

It has been so much fun seeing all the challenge blocks posted in the Learning EQ Facebook group.  Here are just a few of the posted photos from this week.

Summer Games Free EQ8 Challenge 

Would you like to join the fun?  We would love for you to join this group of creative quilters in drafting piecing friendly quilt blocks and grow your Electric Quilt 8 skill set.

We can get you caught up in 24 hours.

Ready! Set! Design!

Summer Games Electric Quilt free challenge is here.

As the excitement grows for the upcoming Tokyo Olympic games, let’s have our own EQ Summer Games challenge right here.

As we watch athletes up their games as they compete at a worldwide level, let’s up our EQ8 skills as well.

Take your EQ8 skills to the next level with the Summer Games two-week challenge that will have you drafting fun new blocks for a sports themed quilt.

Free for both beginners and those with EQ8 experience.

What’s included:

• Six separate video lessons.
• Three getting started tutorials.
• Bonus live finishing session.
• Support via the Learning EQ Facebook group.

Join this fun free Electric Quilt 8 challenge starting July 9th.

With just 15 minutes a day you too can create your own amazing sports themed quilt.

Don’t miss out.
​
Join the Summer Games challenge today.

Here are some of the drafted blocks that participants have already been sharing in the Learning EQ Facebook group.

Create a block with five interlocking rings.

Here is the video on drafting the Friendship Rings block using Electric Quilt 8.

For those in the Summer Games challenge, you will want to piece the block with a finished size of 14" x 14".

For those not in the challenge (along with those in the challenge inspired to draft a new quilt) -- consider drafting  a quilt staring the Friendship Rings block.

Post any pictures of your blocks or quilts in the Learning EQ Facebook group.  To keep the Facebook group from getting cluttered, share your pictures in the Rings post.

After a years delay, the Summer Olympics is about to happen with opening ceremonies scheduled for July 23 in Japan. (Fingers crossed it will all come together.)  Even if you are not a huge sports fan -- there is something about watching the Olympics that encourages patriotism along with healthy competitiveness. It shows us that anyone, anywhere can achieve greatness and truly be a hero worth aspiring too. 

Just as we will watch athletes up their game as they compete at a world-wide level, you will also have an opportunity to up your quilting game through honing your Electric Quilt 8 skills.  Just think -- you will become a hero to those in your quilting guild after you show them the blocks that you were able to create.

In this free Challenge project you will learn how to draft a series of sports themed blocks.  Most of the blocks will be paper piecing friendly with some very simple applique.  Image the confidence you will gain after a little bit of work in both the EasyDraw and Applique worktables.

This free challenge is designed for both beginners to Electric Quilt 8 and those that would like to expand their bock drawing skills to a whole new level. My goal is to encourage you to spend a small amount of time using Electric Quilt each day to allow you to become much more comfortable with the software.

Although the challenge is FREE, you must sign up to receive the video tutorials.

What’s Included?

• 6+ separate video lessons emailed Monday, Wednesday and Friday for two weeks starting on Friday, July 9, 2021.
• 3 Getting Started Videos delivered before July 9th.  These will also be available on the On Point Quilter blog. 
• The video lessons will focus on drafting a series of pieced blocks and applique blocks using Electric Quilt 8.
• Bonus Live Session that includes a final applique block and a proposed layout for your blocks.
• Post pictures of your work or ask questions in the Learning Electric Quilt Facebook group.  ​

The getting started videos are available to all -- regardless of whether you choose to join the challenge.
​I've put together three short videos to give you a head start for the mystery:

1. Video 1 discussing setting up your EQ file and adding and organizing a fabric collection to use in your project.
2. Video 2 shows you how to import a picture for tracing and draft a practice rising sun block.
3. Video 3 shows you how to export an EQ Image to Facebook.  I love to see pictures of your progress.

Video 1:  Setting Up Your Project File and Adding Fabrics
In this tutorial, I will share with you how to set up your project for the ​Summer Games Mystery.   You will also learn how to add fabrics from the library and to organize a large fabric collection in your project to speed up the coloring process.
​
The fabric collection in the video series will be Bella Solids by Moda.  I recommend sticking with with fabrics that are either solids or are fairly monochromatic as most of the blocks will be small pictorials which could get lost with busier prints.  Many of the collections under the Manufacturer Basics section in the EQ8 fabric library would work very well.  You can always chose to add a more interesting print when the block calls for it -- which I did when piecing my blocks. 

I found it useful to have a number of backgrounds when creating my quilt.

Video 2:  Import a Picture for Tracing Plus Practice Rising Sun Block 

Video 3:  Exporting an EQ Block Image to Facebook

​When exporting a block you wish to share on Social Media, the process can be different than sharing a quilt.   In this tutorial, learn how to export an image of a block and then add it to a Facebook post.

In your emails, you will receive a link to a specific post for each block from the challenge.  Please post your images as a comment to the referenced post.

Here is the link the the Learning EQ Facebook post that is referenced in the videos.  

If you haven't enrolled in the challenge, now is the time.  I look forward to working with you to  become more comfortable in drafting your own foundation friendly blocks.  The first block will be sent out Friday, July 9th (that is this coming Friday) at 8 am. 

I've been asked by those that are in one of my classes or receive my weekly newsletter if they are automatically enrolled in the challenge.  The answer is NO.  So please sign up using the link if you would like to participate in the challenge.

For those currently in the Tech Know Quilter group, check your emails for your special bonus option for the challenge.