Drafting Foundation Friendly Figure Skating Blocks

Ice Dance Foundation Block using EQ8

My all-time favorite Olympic sport is Ice Dancing.  I love the intricacies of the step sequences and how in sync the partners must be at all times.  I was mesmerized to see Zachary Donohue and Madison Hubbell perform in the rhythm dance portion of the team event.  And then Madison Chock and Evan Bates in the free dance.

​I took up figure skating in my mid-40s and am a member of a social ice dance club -- so I can appreciate how hard this sport is.  Even the patterned dances I am working on are a challenge to stay on time and in sync with a partner.  Full disclosure -- there are no twizzles, lifts or throws in social ice dance.  But there are a lot of three turns and mohawks.

​I drafted two figure skating blocks using Electric Quilt 8.  The first is an ice dance couple.  And then, I found that by eliminating the guy, I was able to create a female figure skater block as well.

​Feel free to trace my blocks to create your own figure skating foundation patterns.

Ice Dance Foundation Block by Kari Schell created in EQ8

Figure Skater Foundation Block created by Kari Schell in EQ8

My video tutorial will share with you how to draft the ice dance block.  You will note that the biggest challenge in creating your own foundations is figuring out efficient sectioning.  My blocks frequently go through a fair number of iterations, until I find something I am satisfied with.

Feel free to share your blocks in the Learning EQ Facebook post.

Tech Know Quilters Showcase

Each month I challenge those in Tech Know Quilters to apply what they learned during the last month.  They can share a project from a lesson or an original design applying the concepts they have been learning in Tech Know 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.

Here are some favorite projects created from classes taken in December.

Zdenka Nemethova I found a nice winter block in EQ8 block library, colored with Hoffmann fabrics that I bought for X-mas projects.

Zdenka Nemethova Another option.

Zdenka Nemethova I took Hexagon Blocks & Settings Class in December. I learned a lot as hexies are something new to me.

Edith Craig In December I took the T shirt and Panel. This quilt was designed from a panel, the borders and lettering were added. This was a great class to learn how to use both panels and T shirts in a project and then add additional borders and sashing to complete the project.

Carol Kendra I really got a lot out of my class using Poly Draw. I learned so much about drafting parts of blocks and then using copy and paste. I think I used the magnifying glass more than ever before to be sure my nodes were joined up perfectly. I learned about making things fit too!! I no longer need to settle on a size, but I can figure out spacer borders to get the size I want. I especially enjoyed making the Compass using the arc tool. A very tricky block, but so beautiful when done!

Julie Pedersen  This month I applied what I have learned in Kari's classes for since she started TKQ. I took a photo that a co-worker had posted on Facebook of her son who passed away last March. I used techniques from previous classes as well as this month. For the quilt, I used various mediums/fabrics to create it....faux leather, fleece, gold lame, buttons, cording and even rhinestones. People at school were amazed at it.

Check out the photo, EQ drawing and final quilt.

Candy Huddleston November & December were a most informative two months in learning Medallion Centers & Borders. Quilt #1 is a combination of Lesson 11 (Medallion 29 - Rectangular Medallions) of the Mix & Match Medallion Centers & Lesson 12 of the Compass Quilt Interlocking Spikey Border classes. I used your flying geese Bonus border exercise for the outer border with a 4-wedge variation of the spikey border that I drew for this one.

Candy Huddleston Quilt #2 goes back to Lesson 8 of the M&M Medallion Centers using Medallion 17 for the center setting (Rotating Blocks with Your Own Corners). I used a variation of Block 19 (Compass Point) designed by Brigitte Heitland for 2020's Moda Blockheads 3 to put in that center. These Moda blocks were ones that I played with in Lesson 4 of the Serendipity Kaleidoscope/Merge lesson back in November. I really like how all these blocks & borders can REALLY be mixed & matched! Thank you for a wonder set of lessons.

Renae Frank Butler Design for a friend.

Renae Frank Butler Design for a Friend

Renae Frank Butler This is an orphan block quilt that I am working on for Quilts of Valor. I used multiple techniques from the last classes. The striped connector blocks are scrappy. (Notice that the design includes photos of the completed blocks.)

Betty Kotoriy Dr. Seuss book panels.

Rhonda Goss Reproductions class. Took a quilt from the quilt index and reproduced with some modifications.

Dotty Smalley I designed the borders for three panels in EQ8 thanks to Kari. Here is one that was gifted at Christmas. The panel is by Riley Blake.

Julie Pedersen Masters Challenge for December. The challenge was to design a weather themed quilt.

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Happy quilting.

​Kari

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