Since then, I have received my ruler and realized you could use this tool for miniature hexagons.  So I decided to go back to the drawing board and create a miniature hexagon quilt that was Star 60 friendly.

The quilt was designed using a one patch layout.  It also uses a template designed in the video on May 23rd.

Here is the link to the free Equilateral Triangle calculator used in the video.

Next week I am hoping to share my construction techniques for this quilt.  It will be your chance to see how I use the Star 60 tool to both cut pieces and trim down sections.

I love sharing a few of the awesome quilts designed by Tech Know Quilter members.  Tech Know Quilters is a paid membership program for those serious about mastery of Electric Quilt 8.  You can learn more here and sign up for the wait list for the next open enrollment period.

At the end of their June classes, Tech Know Quilter members were encouraged to apply what they learning during June.  Those in the Modern Quilts class were encouraged to design a Gees Bend inspired quilt and those in Masters were encouraged to design their own Custom Set quilt in Electric Quilt.

Joyce Drenth  ​The second challenge was 'Bucket List'. Since i already created a quilt of that title this year, I decided to try a new technique on my bucket list. Trispective quilt. Here is my rendition after making a block sized to fit my dimensions. I sized 3 photos of my quilts to dimensions fitting the block size, added them as fabric and fussy-cut them into their respective slots. I printed off the blocks onto fabric and constructed the quilt. So happy!

Watch the video to see the quilt(s) change as the camera moves.

Tech Know Quilters members are eligible for the Masters program after completing 12 months of Tech Know Quilter classes.  During June they worked on Advanced Custom Set and learned to create circular quilts in Electric Quilt.

Masters members receive fewer lessons each month, with more time to devote to their own projects and challenges.

​I am in love with their designs.

Congratulations to Joyce Drenth who won the EQ8 design challenge on working with Century Solid fabrics by Andover.  Here was her Electric Quilt Design

Ombre fabrics fade from light to dark over a length of the fabric or alternatively provide a rainbow of colors.  Since we usually work with small fabric swatches in Electric Quilt (which allows for a smaller project size), we need to make some adjustments when working with a piece of fabric which has no "repeat" across the entire width of the fabric.

WARNING:  You will find you need a lot of patience when rotating and fussy cutting the ombre fabric on the quilt worktable.  When working with these large fabric swatches, you may note that the fabric wants to jump when the repeat is close to the edge of a patch.  That is why we include two different rotations of the fabric in the project sketchbook.  When one didn't work, I switched to the other fabric.  You will probably need to do the same.

Since my project looked boring with just the ombre fabric, I added information on creating a posie wreath to overlay on our ombre block.

Here are the blocks created in the video.

Here is my quilt.  

What will you put on your ombre pie quilt?

In the Tech Know Quilter group, a number of members are having fun working on Optical Illusion quilts. 

​Members have been taking my instructions from the More Optical Illusions class and expanding on the concepts to create original optical illusion quilts.

Scroll down to see some of the fantastic optical illusion designs created by Tech Know Quilter members this week.  
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Membership in Tech Know Quilters only opens a few times a year.  But you can sign up for the wait list to be informed of the next open enrollment here.​

Would you like to share in a bit of the fun that is happening in the Tech Know Quilter group?  I designed the following project for my latest Optical Illusion class -- but didn't have enough room to include it in the course.

So you can learn how to create an optical illusion quilt -- with added quilting lines to compliment the quilt.

To date, I have presented four new optical illusion lessons this month in the Tech Know Quitler's group and no one is following the rules. 

​Which makes for a wonderful show.  Each of the designs shared is a variation of one of the lessons, or they just threw the lesson out and did their own thing.  I am so impressed with their designing skills.

Sign up for the wait list to receiving emails on joining Tech Know Quilters during the next open enrollment period..

There is one major Tech Know Quilter's open enrollment each year and it is going on now.  If you are ready to unleash the power of Electric Quilt in your quilting designs, now is the time to invest in yourself.

Masters members were challenged to design a miniature star quilt that was inspired by a historical star quilt.  TKQ members are eligible to join masters after 12 months in the program.  Masters members receive fewer lessons each month, with more time to devote to their own projects and challenges.

Here are some additional projects created by Tech Know Quilter members.  I continue to be amazed by their talent.

We now have over 350 participants in the Summer Flower Garden Challenge -- many of who are sharing their designs in the Learning EQ Facebook group.

I have had a few participants question "why they should draft a block if it has already been drawn and is in an EQ library".   Maybe you have had a similar question.

Although some of the designs in the Summer Flower Garden Challenge are original designs, others are historic blocks.  The reason I included the variety of blocks is to allow us to explore different  techniques for drafting blocks using the EasyDraw tools.  Redrawing these blocks, helps our brain learn how to use the tools.  And it is often faster to redraw a block that find it in a library. 

I have been challenging more advanced participants to draft the block before watching my video, However, I then encourage them to watch the video to see if there is a new technique they can add to their arsenal in drafting their own blocks.

Carol shared that she learned how to add nodes to make more complicated shapes in a matter of minutes.

Holly shared that one of the advantages of the class is learning the options available in EQ8 and trying options you never would have tried to use.

It is not too late.  This is the final weekend to be able to purchase the Summer Flower Garden challenge.   Sign up here.  

Whether drafting blocks for the challenge, class, or even just for fun, the act of drawing the blocks allows our brain to take action.  Sometimes this is through a conscious decision to play the "what if" game and sometimes it is through a mistake that opens up new ideas.

As challenge participants moved to deepen their understanding of the concepts shared in the design challenge, numerous participants decided to take their designs to the next level.

Let me share some of their creative playtime here.  (The blocks they drafted are a variations of one of the blocks shown above.)

Those in Tech Know Quilter's Masters are more advanced Tech Know Quilter's members.  They receive exclusive Master's level classes every other month and are encouraged to work on their own projects and designs.  

This month they are working on Advanced Custom Set Designs.  They were encouraged to create a six pointed table topper quilt and populate it with their own blocks.

I hope you will be as inspired by their designs as I am.

Pat Harkins also created a number of quilting designs that she auditioned on one of her quilts.

Tech Know Quilter's Masters is open to Tech Know Quilter members who have taken a minimum of 12 Tech Know Quilter's classes.  

Tech Know Quilter's opens for enrollment only a few times a year.  Sign up for the wait list to be informed the next time it opens.  (FYI --  the next open enrollment will be really soon.)

Would you like to see a sample of what challenge participants are watching each day?

The Tiger Lily block will show you a way to draft this 9 patch based design as a 12 inch block.  

The Summer Flower Garden Challenge will be retired this week.  So this is your last chance to enroll and receive access to all the past videos.   

​Note:  Enrolled participants will always have access to their purchased material.