Crazy Simple Halloween

Electric Quilt 8 has a lot of blocks in the EQ library -- over 6,700.  For this tutorial, I thought I would share a new idea that would be super simple to design.

All the blocks come from the EQ library.  However the applique blocks will be converted to motif blocks -- with just a few strokes on the keyboard.  

It could easily be adapted to any time of the year -- or holiday.  Since Halloween is just around the corner, I thought I would create a couple of Halloween variations.

Crazy Simple Halloween EQ8 Tutorial

Fabric Collection

Collect fabrics for your quilt -- my suggested are to have at least 20 fabrics for a background and one or more with high contract for the applique motifs.

For the background I decided to go with the fabrics under EQ8 Libraries>Themes>Holiday's-Fall.  Although I put all of them in my sketchbook, I ended up using primarily oranges and rusts in  a variety of shades.

Block Collection

For the background blocks, I decided to go with Crazy Blocks Simple. 

These are under EQ Libraries>03 Foundation Pieced.

Most of these can be pieced with a single foundation.  If desired you could even draft your own. 

​But since I am all about "crazy simple" this week, I decided to use the ones in the library.

To accent the background blocks, I went with 05 Contemporary Applique> Holidays-Halloween. 

The downside on selecting Applique Blocks -- is that Blocks have a background.   

​In Electric Quilt, Motifs are applique with the background removed.

Which is what we want for this quilt. 

Since we will need Applique patches that float over the background blocks, the background for the applique blocks needs to be removed.

​No worries  --  I cover how to do removed the background for an applique block in the video.

I decided I only want the pumpkin face from the applique block --  which means additional applique patches will need to be eliminated as well.

Tip:  If an applique block looks too complex -- consider simplification.  Using simplified blocks will definitely increase the probability of actually making your quilt.  :)

​Here are the adjusted Motifs with the Background removed.

Pumpkin Face Motif

Haunted House Motif

Quilt

The quilt was set up as a horizontal quilt with a 3 x 4 layout.

Set a different Crazy Block Simple in each block.  If desired use Symmetry to rotate the blocks.

Color the blocks with the Holidays Fall fabrics from the library

Crazy Simple Background Colored with Fall Fabrics

Add the Motifs (with the background removed) to Layer 2.

For the pumpkin faces, consider flipping and rotating the motifs. 

​I chose to keep them all the same size, but you could vary that up as well.

Crazy Simple with Pumpkin Faces

Consider replacing one of the pumpkins with the haunted house motif.

Crazy Simple Haunted House

Just for fun, I did a third version.  This one is not part of the video.  But the blocks are in the same collection in the EQ library and the same process was used to remove the background and add them to the quilt.

Crazy Simple Spider and Spiderweb

Check out the video for more details on creating your on Crazy Simple quilt.

​I look forward to seeing what you choose to do with the Crazy Simple concept.  Did you decide to go with Halloween -- or pick a different holiday?

I would love to see pictures.

Please feel free to post in the Learning EQ Facebook group.

Crazy Simple Halloween EQ8 Facebook Group Post

Happy quilting.

​Kari

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