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Each month, I provide a challenge to Tech Know Quilter Masters members. In July, their challenge was to use a random color generator to generate three colors. Then to design a quilt using those three fabrics. The only other color that could be added was a background. They were also allowed to use "fabrics" to replace the random color.
I decided to challenge myself to complete the challenge and will be sharing my process and quilt in this blog post as well. Tech Know Quilter Masters Random Color Generator Challenge Showcase
Here are the designs submitted by Masters members in July. Tech Know Quilters Masters members are more advanced and are working on stretching both their design and their Electric Quilt skills.
Mary Groesbeck
I was expecting 3 colors that I would have to force to play together against their (and my) will...and look what I got. A real red, a blue black, and a good green. Anything with red and black will work for me.
My Random Color Generator Project
Some of the TKQ Masters members have suggested that I should participate in these challenges myself. So I thought I would walk you through my project -- along with some of my thought processes as I was creating the quilt.
The modifications to the block resulted in an asymmetrical design. Which gives so many more options on the quilt worktable.Here are the quilts from the video saved after selecting Symmetry.
I hope you enjoyed seeing my thought process as I designed a quilt for the challenge -- as well as how the quilts were created in EQ8.
I would love to see your use of my modified block. With a different set of fabrics or colors. If you would like to try the Random Color Generator, you can locate it here. Post you pictures on the Learning EQ8 Facebook group. Tech Know Quilters Working with Fabric Class
The first Tech Know Quilters class is all above working with fabrics and colors in Electric Quilt 8.
If you would like to join Tech Know Quilters ahead of the next open enrollment period, send me a note and I will send you information on getting started in September -- back to school for you.
When I went to play with rotating and fussy cutting some of the Waters Edge fabric pieces, I quickly realized some of the fabrics had a very large repeat. This first piece in the collection was 25 inches square -- and it isn't even a full repeat of the design.
Waters Edge by Brett Lewis for Northcott (SKU 26719-49)
Trying to rotate and fussy cut a 25" piece of fabric in a 2-1/2" quarter circle, did not work very well for me. So I knew I needed to approach the process a bit differently.
I thought about the time I did a One Block Wonder quilt (a real quilt -- not an EQ design) where I cut the theme fabric into strips that were exactly the same section of the fabric (essentially cutting the repeats). I then aligned each of the strips and sub-cut them for each of the blocks. Then sewed together for a kaleidoscope type of design. The approach I chose for fussy cutting in my quarter circles in the Sashing and Block Combo EQ quilt was similar to that. However I chose to cut my strips larger than needed. Then I could have more options for fussy cutting the design to pick different elements to highlight.
I found that I could cut the 25" fabric swatch into 25 different 5" segments -- more than I need for the Sashing and Block Combo quilt.
In this weeks video tutorial, check out how I created smaller fabric swatches, rotated fabric and fussy cut in the quilt.
Here are my updated blocks. Check out the circle designs in each of them. The first 8 were from the fabric image shown above. Can you find the designs in the full fabric image?
Click on each block for a close-up view.
The last four were from the following piece. This is also from the Waters Edge fabric collection. This one had a full repeat both horizontally and vertically. The single repeat was 16-1/2" by 12-1/2".
Waters Edge by Brett Lewis by Northcott SKU 26711-86
Here is the final quilt.
Sashing and Block Quilt with Rotating and Fussy Cutting of Theme Fabric
I look forward to seeing what you choose to do with fussy-cutting. Feel free to share a block (or two) in the Learning EQ Facebook group.
What to do about Pixelated Fabric?
I reached out to Electric Quilt who shared with me that it was a known issue. I suspect related to these super large fabric swatches. The workaround is:
I was able to fix this project. However I did find that it doesn't work 100% of the time. So we may need to deal with a few "pixelated fabric swatches". FYI -- I didn't find any issues after cropping the large pieces. Tech Know Quilters Working with Fabric Class
The first Tech Know Quilters class is all above working with fabrics in Electric Quilt 8. In addition to learning how to import fabric from multiple sources, you will even learn how to photograph and scan your own fabric. Won't that be a great stash busting option!
If you would like to join Tech Know Quilters ahead of the next open enrollment period, send me a note and I will send you information on getting started in September -- back to school for you.
Last week I mentioned that I was away at a quilt retreat. It was so fun catching up with some quilting friends and even getting a bit of quilting done. Of course not nearly as much as I was planning on. But I did get the binding on two quilts and borders pieced and added on a third quilt. I thought those borders would take me 1/2 day -- boy was I wrong. But I do like how the quilt turned out.
Sashing and Block Combo Design Using EQ8
The Electric Quilt tutorial today has a bit of a surprise in it. The quilt looks like a custom set quilt. But it was done with a horizontal layout.
In the video tutorial, I cover, drafting the blocks, working with the Ellipse applique tool and rotating fabric. The "sashing" can be pieced with 1-1/2" strips, making this a fun stash buster idea. The fabric used in the quilt was a combination of default fabrics and Waters Edge. Waters Edge was designed by Brett Lewis for Northcott. It is a free download from Electric Quilt.
Enjoy the video.
Here are the blocks and quilt from the video. Each of the blocks have a 9" x 9" finished size.
I would love to see what you decide to do with the combo block. Feel free to post in the Learning EQ Facebook group.
Spoiler alert -- I am playing with a different idea for the applique circles. I hope to be able to share that with you next week.
As this posts, I am enjoying an extended weekend with members of my local quilt guild. For me this means some time actually piecing a quilt or two and catching up with some dear friends. It is always inspiring to see what everyone is working on and hear about their latest fabric and tool finds.
I also get super inspired when members of Tech Know Quilters share what they are working on as well. I consider them my "online guild". They provide me inspiration each and every day. I will be sharing a few of their virtual projects in this post. Scroll down for an EQ8 tutorial on designing an optical illusion quilt -- complete with added quilting. Tech Know Quilter Showcase
Optical Illusion with Quilting EQ8 Tutorial
I designed this project for one of my Optical Illusion classes in Tech Know Quilters -- but didn't have enough room to include it in the class. As you saw in the show a number of Tech Know Quilter members just finished their projects from an Optical Illusions class. So I thought it would be fun to share this tutorial with you.
Here is the quilt from the tutorial.
Optical Illusion with Quilting design by Kari Schell using EQ8
I look forward to seeing what you decided to do with this block. Please feel free to post pictures in the Learning EQ Facebook group.
In Tech Know Quilters there are two different Optical Illusions classes. Here are some of the projects from each of the classes.
If you are currently in Tech Know Quilters and would like to take either of these classes as an add-on class, just send us a note. We would be happy to get you a discount coupon for your class.
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Kari SchellElectric Quilt Expert and Educator and Pattern Designer. Categories
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