Deck the Halls - A New Christmas Quilt using EQ8

Thanksgiving is over.  So it is now time to decorate for Christmas.  For me that means pulling out my Christmas quilts along with a few winter quilts. 

For gift giving, I particularly enjoy creating table runners and smaller wall quilts.  I find recipients appreciate items that focused on a particular season and it is less important to "match" their "current colors" or "decorating style".  It is a great opportunity to experiment with a new fabric collection or even a new "style" of quilt.

The project today will be a fabulous gift option -- in either traditional or non-traditional Christmas fabrics?  I look forward to seeing what you do with the design.

Deck the Hall Table Runner using EQ8

New Fabrics

It is always fun working with a new fabric collection.  When I am working on Christmas projects, I will often go to my favorite manufacturer websites and search for their latest fabric collections.  

After Google searching I located the Christmas fabrics on the Northcott site.   Click on the photo to access this page. 

  

Northcott Christmas Fabrics

If you click on any of the photos on the page you will be able to see the fabrics in the collection.

I picked the Angels on High by Cathy Squire,  The fabrics are vibrant and shimmery.

On the Northcott page, click on the link to Download Fabric Files.  This will give you a zip (compressed) file.

On your computer, you will need to unzip the images.  This process will differ depending on the type of computer (PC versus MAC) and even the operating system your are on within the PC or MAC environment.  If you haven't done this before, do a google search for un-compress or unzip and note your current operating system to see how it is done.

Although the location is not required, I typically suggest putting the fabrics in a folder under My EQ8>Images.  The key is being able to locate it once your have EQ8 open.

Northcott Angels on High Fabric Collection

For my block, I also needed some "silver" neutrals. 

You could use some greys in the EQ8 Fabric library. 

​I did find an older collection that included a few  greys on Northcott.  So I downloaded a few of those fabric as well.

Northcott Silver Moon Fabric Collection

Note that the video does not include information on downloading and importing the fabric into your EQ project.  Feel free to use the default fabrics for the project or a collection from the EQ8 Fabric Library.

Draw the Ornament Block

On a Christmas tree, those shiny ball type of ornaments offer a degree to glitz along with sophistication. 

Notice that lines on this block are all horizontal, vertical, or diagonal lines (45 degree angles).  That makes the patches conducive to either rotary cutting or foundation piecing.

Ornament Block Drawn using EasyDraw

Create the Quilt Layout

Horizontal Layout

Layout Tab
Number of Blocks 1 x 4
Size 6 x 6
Sashing 1"

Borders Tab
#1 - 1" Long Horizontal (background)
#2 - 1" Long Horizontal (blue/teal)
#3 - 3" Long Horizontal
#4 - 1" Long Horizontal (blue/teal)
#5 - .5" Mitered (binding)

Design Tab
Set the ornament block.  Rotate individual blocks for a random look.

Print and Export
Click on the plain blocks in the 3" border and note the finished sizes.

Deck the Halls - Initial Quilt Layout

Applique Border Blocks

Create a new block with the style EasyDraw Plus Applique. 

The block should be sized at 31" x 3" -- the finished size of the left and right borders.

Set the snaps at 12 by 6 to provide guidelines to place both the leaves and the circles.

Under Shapes, you can find both the leaf and the circle.  Drag them on the block worktable with the Ctrl or Command key.

One you've drawn one of each, you can clone, flip and reposition for the remaining patches.  In the video I include some tips for getting everything centered in the block. 

Left and Right EasyDraw & Applique Border Block

The second block, can be created, using the first six leaves and two circles from the first applique block.

Make sure to note the size of your patches (under selected segment properties) before changing the size of the block to match the finished size the top and bottom borders.

The top and bottom applique block will measure 16" x 3".

Top and Bottom EasyDraw & Applique Border Block

Finish the Quilt

Place the applique blocks in the quilt and rotate each block so the circles face in.

Add to sketchbook to save your quilt and all the block colorings.

Deck the Halls Final Quilt Drafted using EQ8

Check out the full video tutorial.

As I look at my finished quilt, I am already thinking about possible modifications including:

• Swap the ornament block for a different block (it doesn't have to be Christmas).
• Try a different fabric collection.
• Change out the number of blocks or the size of the blocks.
• Try a different layout.

What changes would you make to personalize the project?

Feel free to share your design in the Learning EQ Facebook group.

Deck the Halls Learning EQ Facebook Post

Deck the Halls Construction Tips

I suggest using either foundation pattern or rotary cutting for the ornament block.

You will notice that piece E is missing from the rotary cutting instructions.  That is because there are 8 sides to the piece -- which EQ considers not to be rotary cutting friendly.  I would cut a 5-1/2" x 5-1/2" piece.  Then add 1-3/4" x 1-3/4" folded corners to all three sides.

Alternatively you could use the template for Piece E to trace and cut the fabric.

Ornament Block Rotary Cutting with Suggested Modifications

For the applique blocks, I suggest using templates.  The templates could also be used with an electronic cutting system, if that is your preferred method to cut applique shapes.  You can include or exclude seam allowances on your templates.

Tech Know Quilters Showcase

One thing I hear over and over again is -- I didn't know you could do "that" using Electric Quilt 8.  One thing that holds us back from truly using Electric Quilt 8 is just not understanding that this versatile software can help you create any type of quilt.  In this showcase, be inspired by the quilts created by Tech Know Quilter members using Electric Quilt 8.

Jane Perri While playing around with putting quilting designs on various blocks in my Art Nouveau add on library, I like them so much that I put this quilt together. The quilting designs are excluded because they blurred the image of the blocks. This one may just be made.

Rhonda Goss Lemoyne Stars

Sandy Dingman Wells Just a beginner with EQ8... In this month's lesson we learned about fabrics and colors, as well as bringing in blocks and editing quilts. For some reason, this particular color combination "speaks to me".

Lee Wiencki The inspiration quilt is one found at the International Quilt Museum. The quilt made by Dora M. Oehrke Redeker was created around 1910. It is part of the Linda Giesler Carlson and Dr. John V. Carlson collection.

Curryanne Hostetler

Terry McCaskey This was my favorite sampler quilt from my October class. Thank you Kari for helping me figure out the math to "simplify" the design elements in my Spider Web Sampler.

Kristy Goodin Soard Lone and Lemoyne Star Class

Kathleen Lemon Pawlik My quilt from the Modern Quilt lessons. I like the simplicity - and I think I could actually make it!

Loronda Schuler I reworked my quilt pattern that goes with my embroidery BOM for 2023. It was good to review techniques such as setting in photos and taking a picture of my fabric and using it in the quilt. Overall a refresher.

Margo Reppert I enjoyed doing this design.

Julie Pedersen I did the Masters Lone Star/LeMoyne Star class this month. It was a bit challenging at times, but with Kari's great directions, I finished it. Here are my quilts that are a combination of several blocks from the lessons. The ones on the bottomare the quilts we created using the videos and the ones on the top are my creations using pieces from the lessons.

Edith Craig

Dorothee Ilgner In October I was in the Lone Star and LeMoyne Class where I learned how to draw an extended border around an on-point middle block. This came handy in designing this medallion quilt. The quilt is based on a foto I found in an old Australian magazine made by a group of quilters.

Tech Know Quilters is a membership program focused on mastery of Electric Quilt 8.  We have members at all stages of their Electric Quilt journey.

If you would like to join this amazing group of quilters, you can sign up for the wait list here.

Happy quilting.

​Kari

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