Easygoing Hexagons EQ8 Block Drawing Challenge

Fall is in the air and kids are getting back to school.  It is also time to get back to working on developing your own skills.  Join me for a brand new two week challenge to grow your Electric Quilt skills -- or rebuild your skills if you have fallen away from using the software. 

The Challenge starts September 9 and is only available for two weeks.

Scroll down for some short videos to set yourself up for success during the challenge.

Enroll Now

If one of you plans for this fall is to finally get comfortable using Electric Quilt 8, then this upcoming challenge is for you.  Or maybe you have lost some of your motivation during the quarantine and are looking to get back into using EQ.  If so this challenge is for you as well.  

​The challenge starts Wednesday, September 9, 2020.  

For two weeks I will be providing you over 10 videos on creating a series of pieced hexagon blocks in EasyDraw.

If you are new to drawing your own blocks, this will get you started in using EasyDraw, PolyDraw and Applique tools in Electric Quilt. These are the three main drawing block worktables in the software.  You will also be introduced to Custom Set, the layout option in Electric Quilt that gives you total freedom to place blocks that are not squares and rectangles on your quilt. 

For those who have been using Electric Quilt for a while, you will have an opportunity to learn a super easy technique that I have discovered to create a pieced applique hexagon motif from an EasyDraw block. 

There is a small fee ($12) that I am charging to handle the extra administrative expenses associated with the challenge.  I also have found that enrollees are much more engaged when they pay to participate.  And when they are engaged, their skills grow at a much higher rate.  

If you haven't signed up for the challenge, please make sure to do that today.

Easygoing Hexagon Challenge Enrollment

Videos to Set Yourself Up for Success during the Upcoming Challenge

I've put together three short videos to give you a head start for the challenge:

1. Video 1 discussing setting up your EQ file and importing a fabric collection to use in your project.
2. Video 2 shows you how to use directional fabric to color your blocks.
3. Video 3 shows you how to export an EQ Image to Facebook..I love to see pictures of your progress.

Video 1:  Setting Up Your Project File and Adding Fabrics

​Do you enjoy the fabric and quilt inspiration on the Do You EQ website? Each month Electric Quilt gifts us with a free fabric download that contains a perfectly cropped and sized fabric library with one of the latest fabric collections.

In this tutorial, I will share with you how to set up your project for the ​Easygoing Hexagon EQ8 Challenge.   You will also learn how to select a new fabric collection from a library in Electric Quilt plus how download one of those free fabric collections from Electric Quilt  and bring it into your EQ project,

Video 2:  Coloring with Directional Fabric

I know that many of you like working with directional fabrics and with large scale prints.  You may have even noticed that there is no rotate fabric feature available in the block worktable. 

​In this tutorial I will share how you can both fussy cut and rotate your fabric for a realistic block.

Video 3:  Exporting an EQ Image to Facebook

When exporting a block for a post you wish to share on Social Media, the process can be different than sharing a quilt.   In this tutorial, learn how to export an image of a block and then add it to a Facebook post.

Here is the link the the Learning EQ Facebook post that is referenced in the video.  For those already signed up for the challenge, you are scheduled to receive your getting started email (referenced in this video) on Monday.

If you haven't enrolled in the challenge, now is the time.  I look forward to working with you to  become more comfortable in drafting your own blocks.

Easygoing Hexagon Challenge Enrollment

I've received a number of inquiries from those that have been waiting to join Tech Know Quilters.  My plans are to open the doors to Tech Know Quilter at the end of the challenge.  The invite to new subscribers will be limited to those in the Easygoing Hexagon Challenge along with those who have signed up for the TKQ Wait List.

I've been asked by those that are in one of my classes or receive my weekly newsletter if they are automatically enrolled in the challenge.  The answer is NO.  So please sign up using the link above if you would like to participate in the challenge.

For those currently in the Tech Know Quilter group, check your emails for your special option for the challenge.

Apply What You Learned Challenge Quilts

Tech Know Quilters is a membership of Electric Quilt 8 owners who are mastering Electric Quilt through online training.  At the end of their July class, they were encouraged to apply what they learned during the month of July. 

Tech Know Quilters is open to new members only a few times a year.  You can sign up for the wait list here and we will notify you of the next open enrollment period..   ​

I love having people at different stages of the EQ journey submitting designs.  I am so proud of this group of quilt designers.

Debby Awtry Just finished T-Shirt and Panel quilts lessons. I had a request for a neutral baby quilt which was a challenge in it self for a girl that loves color! But even though this is not a panel quilt what I learned in those lessons about using custom set helped to create this layout. Previous lessons on Foundation Piecing helped with the Monogram block. That one block took longer than the rest of the quilt. I've learned so much! Thanks Kari.

Marlu Allan I love to foundation piece flying geese. they are so accurate when done that way.

Laura Francione I designed this runner is called 'The runner of memories' because I designed it taking inspiration from the dining table that my father had built that is no longer there, he was a carpenter. These are teachings that I learned in the lessons I follow with Kari.

Christel Frischmuth My first month challenge. Was using fabric and color settings.

Linda Carlson This quilt is a result of combining several lessons from the Advanced Optical Illusions class.

Carmen Sidlaruk A quilt from the EasyDraw Kaleidoscope class.

Carmen Sidlaruk Another kaleidoscope quilt.

Robin Hancox I have never used electric quilt. After taking the first class Working with Fabric Images, I was able to scan my own fabric and then I used it in a quilt design for my daughter. She likes pink and gray.

Deborah Doucett I've been working on the Hexagon Blocks and Settings unit this month. This is my hexistar block. I had to move the pieces around over and over but finally got them to fit correctly. I feel accomplished, and am happy with my block.

Joy Hegglund I was in More Optical Illusions this month.

Holly Wilson This month I was filled with optical llusion. I found out that I like them. A great month with lots of new techniques. Thank you Kari for the tips.

Camille Lechliter I took the Landscapes classes and here is my Accidental-Like landscape after Karen Eckmeier's technique. I drafted the heron because there wasn't a good bird available in EQ. This is really an improv technique and will definitely be trying this soon.

Camille Lechliter And the last technique - way simplified from where I started! Kari suggested the ombre fabrics - in the top two pieces. Thanks for that Kari Schell!

Evelyn Schirmbeck Finished Shoot for the Stars and am trying to finish this quilt before diving into Tech Know. I wanted a quick QAYG project using In the Beginning Urban Jungle fabrics. I was able to design the border for my strip sets using a 60 degree ruler. All center blocks are done and the border is being pieced. Will use my embroidery machine to quilt Sachiko designs in the center and echo the rest. I also used EQ8 to get the yardage for the backing since I had a certain amount left to use. So much fun. Ready to dive in shortly.

Karen Eddie Neal Truly enjoyed this class. learned so much about sizing t shirts, using custom set and adjusting panels. here is my t shirt quilt. hope to make it this year. time will tell. Just started lesson 12. Wow! Just what needed.

Judy Oldenkamp Sawyer I took the T-Shirt and Panel class a few months ago and finally applied these lessons to my own quilt for a friend. I have blocked out my friends name. I put all pictures into collages and then added into EQ8 and arrange into a quilt. Kari Schell thank you for all the great lessons! I'm going to print all collages on fabric sheets and then use them as my blocks.

Anita Barton Lesson One -- Working with Fabric. i was able to import the Fabric of the Month. Used rotating and fussy cutting. I submitted this quilt to the Fabric of the Month challenge:) so much fun

Cheryl Johnston I took the Optical Illusions 1 course. I couldn't stop playing with the blocks! Here is Anemones.

Cheryl Johnston This quilt is the attic windows block put in the Hexagon 3 layout from the EQ layout library.

Cheryl Johnston This last one is called Hearts Afire and is also done in the Hexagon 3 layout. Hope you enjoy all.□

Nancy Messuri I used several techniques from the Optical Illusions class to design this quilt. Such a fun and challenging month of lessons!

Julie Pedersen I learned a lot of techniques this month in the More Optical Illusions class. I have a couple of quilts that I designed thinking that I will use them for this. Here is one from our lesson on the Impossible Triangle. I used one of the optional designs from another lesson to fill in.

Julie Pedersen Here is my other quilt from Lesson 11 that has the stars from my Lesson 13 quilt.

Alice Hertel Oh my. In July, I learned to scan, import, resize, fussy cut, layouts, border options, sashing, drawing and adding quilting stitching. That is just the tip the iceberg. Loving this class. AND this is just the beginning.

Barbara O'Brien I love optical illusions.

Kristy Goodin Soard My More Optical Illusions quilt application.

Eva Jones In July, TKQ Fabric download, rotate, fussy-cut on a quilt I design I created.

Pat Harkins played with the colors in my version of Zebras. I have been playing around to see if I could foundation piece it.

Pat Harkins One more version looking at my post inspired

Rhonda Goss Inspired by foundation blocks class.

Collien Kasseberg Foundation, Serendipity, Merge was my challenge for July.

Helen Hicks Applied what I learned from importing fabrics to yardage to then printout just amazing and so rewarding to put it all together TY Kari Schell

Helen Hicks Progress □ finishing the wall quilt art holder Debbie Mumm design from book More Quick Country Quilting. I just added the appliqué names seems I am on target □ TY to EQ8 software and with Kari Schell guidance to reach our EQ8 potentials

Janelle Burd 1st month

Janelle Burd 1st month - Fussy cutting & Rotating!

Janelle Burd 1st month - Randomizing!

Lisa Ward July I learned about Foundation friendly blocks in EQ. Even though I have pieced quilts for many years, none of them have been foundation. To start out easy, I recently bought a Honey Bun on clearance (like a Jelly Roll except the strips are only 1.5" wide). I will get 48 blocks from the Honey Bun.

Sharon Osborne A mystery quilt. Once you put together your blocks, you design your own layout. Here is my EQ8 layout as well as progress . I quilted it yesterday. I’m down to binding.

Sharon Osborne Mystery Quilt

Dorothy Ilgner I made this design shortly after the 'T-shirt and panel' class. I am in the quilting stage now. My goal for this month is to work more with the stencil patterns in EQ and adapt some for my quilt.

Dorothy Ilgner -- In the quilting stage.

Rosemarie Hanus I tried using EQ8 to audition some fabric for a top. This is a pattern from Love Notions. I drafted it in EQ8 using EasyDraw

Sign up for the Wait List to Join this Amazing Group of Designers

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Happy quilting.

​Kari

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