This is a bonus block for the Summer Games quilt. Click here to purchase and download the block pattern for paper piecing. Pattern includes oversized cutting instructions and piecing diagram. Please make sure to verify that you are printing actual size (no scaling). In your printer options you may need to uncheck "print to page". Click here to purchase other block patterns from the Summer Games series. Here is an idea for a mini-quilt using this (or any other of the Summer Games blocks). Drafting Athletics (i.e. Track) Block in Electric QuiltSelect Block>New Block>Easy Draw + Patch Draw Block. Import the above image for tracing in the Tracing Image tab. Drawing board set-up in the Easy Draw tab is:
Using the Line tool, divide block into major sections (see image below). Add to Sketchbook. Use the Line tool and trace the remaining lines of the drawing. Save to Sketchbook after completing each segment. Go to the Applique Tab. Select the Circle from the Oval fly-out. With the Ctrl key depressed. trace the head. The will give you a perfect circle Color. Add to Sketchbook. Save. Just Released - Northwoods Loon Paper Piecing PatternWatching a majestic loon on a serene lake will calm your soul. Carry this scene into your home with easy (and incredibly accurate) paper piecing techniques. The wall quilt finishes 27″ x 25″. Hot off the press -- the Northwoods Loon quilt pattern is now available for purchase! One of the sample quilts was done in batiks and the other using the just released MN Shop Hop fabric -- the Mosquito fabric was too hard to resist. Download the pattern and foundations for $10. Physical copies of the pattern include all foundations necessary to complete the quilt (on easy to use newsprint). Price is $12. Electric Quilt Academy
Congratulations for hanging in there. Today will be the last official block in the Summer Games quilt. Tomorrow I will present the layout and the setting instructions. Then we will go back to a weekly post/newsletter. And I will have some time to work on some other burning projects. I am also toying with moving my normal blog posting date to Fridays. I will play with it for a couple of months and see how it goes. There will be two alternate sports blocks -- one will be presented this Friday and the next will be on the following Friday. You can swap out any of the "sports" blocks you aren't in love with these alternate blocks. Olive Branch BlockToday you will actually be doing 8 blocks, all all applique. I don't expect you to get them all done in 24 hours. Seriously -- if you are not into applique, these blocks could be replaced by fabric pieces or even a quilting design. History: The olive wreath also known as kotinos (Greek: κότινος), was the prize for the winner at the ancient Olympic Games. It was a branch of the wild olive tree that grew at Olympia, intertwined to form a circle or a horse-shoe. The olive branch is usually a symbol of peace or victory. This symbol, deriving from the customs of ancient Greece, is strongest in Western culture. However, it has been found in every culture and religion to thrive in the Mediterranean basin. Block ConstructionThere are numerous applique techniques. You can choose the one you prefer to complete these blocks. Here is how I completed my blocks:
There are a couple of products I used that you may find useful. I do not sell these products -- but am just a fan of them.
![]() Soft Fuse Premium Fusible Web for Applique -- I have had a love/hate (primarily hate) relationship with fusible webbing over the years. I like the fact that it is fast, but have struggled with the stiffness to the quilt when using many of the fusibles and then there are those that frankly don't work. Years ago, I had decided that Steam a Seam II was my fusible of choice. And then they stopped selling it -- which meant I was back to the drawing board. They reintroduced the product, but the reviews weren't good. So, I did some online searching and decided to try Soft Fuse Premium. All I can say is WOW. I am completely sold on this product. Fusible adheres to the fabric and not to the paper. I can run it through my ink jet printer (so no need to trace the design). Patches are soft and flexible (more like hand applique) and and no gumming the needles of my machine. Click here to purchase and download the block pattern. Please make sure to verify that you are printing actual size (no scaling). In your printer options you may need to uncheck "print to page". Click here to purchase other block patterns in the series. Drafting the Olive Branch Block in Electric QuiltSelect Block>New Block>Patch Draw Block. Import the above image for tracing in the Tracing Image tab. Select the Pick tool to engage the Drawing board set-up
Select the Brush tool. Set the Minimum Width and Boldness to 1 x 1. Using your mouse, drag an arc from beginning to end of stem. Don't worry if it looks bad. Select the Shape tool. Clicking on the recently drawn line, which will engage the handles. Move nodes (in the diagram below there is just one and the beginning and one at the end) so they are are on the line. Move the handles to alter the curve between the nodes. Select the arrow next to the Oval tool. In the fly-out box, select the fourth shape. Use your mouse and drag an oval shape from the tip of one of the leaves to the other tip. Select the Shape tool and select one of the arcs on the leaf. This will engage the handles. Move the handles to adjust the arc. Repeat for the other arc. Select the Pick tool and select the Leaf shape. Select Clone. Select the Ctrl key on your keyboard and the center of the shape. Arrows should appear around your shape. Use your mouse to move one of the corner arrows. This will rotate the patch.
To move the entire shape, click and hold on the circle in the center of the shape. Move it to the new location. Clone, rotate and move all the leaves into place. Color. Add to Sketchbook. Save. There are actually four versions of this block -- one for each of the corners in the next border. I decided to go back to the colors of the rings in the center of the quilt. And then added a few reminders for those that are focused on improving in their sport of choice. These are all items my ice skating coaches are reminding me to work on if I want to excel. The embroidery is optional. Alternatively, the words could be completed as applique or I have an idea for quilting the center space -- that I will present in a later post. In the instructions for this block, I include embroidery downloads if you wish to machine embroider and the full size font (regular and mirror image) if you wish to applique the text. I used Harlow Solid Italic font. It had a bit of the flow of the Rio font designed for the Olympics(which I really loved), but none of the copyright restrictions. Click here to purchase and download the block pattern and embroidery files. Instructions include rotary cutting and folded corners to construct each of the blocks. Click here to purchase previous block patterns. Drafting the Inspirational Ring Block in Electric QuiltSelect Block>New Block>Easy Draw Block. Import the above image for tracing in the Tracing Image tab. Drawing board set-up in the Easy Draw tab is:
Using the Line tool, draw your block. Add to Sketchbook. Save. Select Work on Quilt. If latest version of the quilt is not visible, select View Sketchbook. Select the Quilt tab and navigate to most recent version of the quilt. Select Edit. Select Set Block. Navigate to the Ring Block and click each of the four corners of border 3. Use the Spraycan tool and recolor each of the rings a different color (Yellow, Red, Blue and Green). Select Layer 2 Tab (at the bottom of the screen). Select Set Applique Text (the icon with the large T). In the dialogue box, navigate to font of your choice. I used Harlow Solid Italic. The fonts you can choose from are based on fonts loaded on your computer. This is not an EQ thing. Change the approximate size in inches to 1.5. Hold down the Shift key and with your mouse, drag a box over the center of on the the rings. When you release the mouse, the box will get small. Don't worry about this.
Type you text (choose from Stamina, Strength, Spirit, Speed). Select the Adjust tool and move the text into position. If the text is tool large, drag the corners of the box to change the size. Color your text with the Paintbrush tool. Add to Sketchbook. Save. This was going to be the last "sports" block - to coincide with the closing ceremonies of the Olympics. However, I am not done with the quilt. And I decided to add a couple of alternate blocks. Remaining Schedule will be as follows:
Basketball was invented by James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1891. It became an Olympic sport in 1936. The US has historically dominated in this sport. Click here to download the block pattern for paper piecing. Pattern includes over-sized cutting instructions and piecing diagram. Please make sure to verify that you are printing actual size (no scaling). In your printer options you may need to uncheck "print to page". Click here to purchase other block patterns. As a reminder, each day during the Olympics I will provide a free block for the quilt. The instructions for each block will be downloadable for 24 hours. Check in each day to get all the patterns at no charge. If you miss a pattern, you may purchase it in my store. Drafting the Basketball Block in Electric QuiltSelect Block>New Block>Easy Draw + Patch Draw Block. Import the above image for tracing in the Tracing Image tab. Drawing board set-up in the Easy Draw tab is:
Using the Line tool, divide block into major sections (see image below). Add to Sketchbook. Use the Line tool and trace the remaining lines of the drawing. Save to Sketchbook after completing each segment. Go to the Applique Tab. Select the Circle from the Oval fly-out. With the Ctrl key depressed. trace the basketball. The will give you a perfect circle Color. Add to Sketchbook. Save. ![]() Happy quilting. Kari Sign up for my newsletter to stay current on what's happening in my studio and learn more quilting tips. As a thank you, I'll send you a FREE pattern for this small maple leaf quilt. I struggled with whether to include this block in the mystery. It isn't paper pieced -- but it is drafted in the Easy Draw section of Electric Quilt and is a great opportunity to demonstrate drawing Arcs. I thought about using curved piecing -- but didn't like my results. So I resorted to fusible applique -- which worked really well. If you are not interested in applique, there will be a couple of alternate blocks offered at the conclusion of this series. At the Olympics, I have enjoyed watching Kerri Lee Walsh Jennings in Beach Volleyball. Amazing to see some "older" athletes excelling at their sport. Click here to purchase and download the applique pattern. Click here to purchase other block patterns. As a reminder, each day during the Olympics I will provide a free block for the quilt. The instructions for each block will be downloadable for 24 hours. Check in each day to get all the patterns at no charge. Drafting Volleyball Block in Electric QuiltSelect Block>New Block>Easy Draw Block. Import the above image for tracing in the Tracing Image tab. Drawing board set-up in the Easy Draw tab is:
Using the Arc tool, draw four quarter arcs around the ball. If the arc is going the wrong direction, use the space key on your keyboard to change the direction of the arc while drawing the arc. Draw an additional arc from the (6,0) coordinate to the (6, 6) coordinate. Do not save yet! Change the Snap Options to Snap to Nodes and Snap to Lines and Arcs of Drawing. Use the Arc tool and draw two Arcs for the lower segment of the ball. Add to Sketchbook. Use the Arc tool and draw the remaining arcs. If you need to change the direction of an arc, click on the space tool of your keyboard as you are drawing the arc.
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Kari SchellElectric Quilt Expert and Educator and Pattern Designer. Categories
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