Lone Star Variation challenge quilt Tutorial

In my classes and Tech Know Quilter's program, I love to encourage students through challenges.

In this blog post, I will share:

• A month end challenge for Tech Know Quilters members to apply what they learned during the previous month.
• Some recently completed blocks and quilts in the "Design Your Own 9 Patch" stand-alone class.
• A video tutorial on a quilt I designed in response to a challenge I gave to my Tech Know Quilter members

Tech Know Quilters Month End Showcase

Here are some recently completed projects from Tech Know Quilter members. ​

Tech Know Quilters is a membership of Electric Quilt 8 owners who are mastering Electric Quilt through online training.  At the end of each month, they were encouraged to apply what they learned and to share a favorite quilt or picture.

If you are interested in joining Tech Know Quilters, please send me a note.

Jan Perry I merged an easy draw hexagon with the foundation maple leaf, and played with the backgrounds and borders.

Sandy Dingman Wells I resorted to drafting something just for fun. And it probably doesn't even relate to this lesson...but it made me smile.

Julie Pedersen For my Apply What You Learned Challenge quilt, I chose my Eli. It was a Masters Breaking Up Made Easy lesson. Kari used an elephant, but I chose to use this cat origami as it reminded me of our cat, Eli. It is a foundation piece quilt.

Rachel Chandler I thoroughly enjoyed this class. Here is the quilt I created. It would be fun to make.

Edith Craig My class the month was Masters Breaking Up is Easy. This was a very intricate design class and included things that I had never considered. Here is my challenge quilt for this subject. I used a picture that my husband took of the neighborhood heron who has just arrived for the spring/summer.

Edith Craig Inspirational Photo

Michelle Raid Tuller I can finally share my 2025 Mystery Quilt Maria. I offered two sizes. Thank you Kari for all the lessons in Tech Know Quilters. Then I want to share that I had another pattern selected to be published next year. www cornercurvequilts.com

Michelle Raid Tuller - 2nd option

​Design Your Own 9 Patch with EQ8 Spotlight

My new Design Your Own 9 Patch with EQ8 Class continues.  There have been some great designs posted in our private group this week -- including the following:

Annette Skoubye

Annette Skoubye

Jeannie Schultz

Edith Craig

Barkhau Ursula

Edith Craig

Jeannie Schultz

Connie Bradley Bobcik

Edith Craig

Jeannie Schultz Quilt

Jeannie Schultz Block

Connie Bradley Bobcik Quiilt

Connie Bradley Bobcik Blocks

Curryanne Hostetler

Curryanne Hostetler

Dianna Carter

Sherri Edwards Quilt

Sherri Edwards Blocks

Kim Melowsky

Would you like to join us?  

Favorite Quilt Challenge

In February, Tech Know Quilter Master's members were encouraged to share a favorite quilt they actually constructed.  For a twist, I asked them to select someone else's quilt and draft blocks and a quilt inspired by the constructed quilt.

The class for February Masters was a pretty intense one, so not as many participated in the challenge.  But those who did, came up with awesome interpretations of their inspiration quilts.

Connie Bradley Bobcik shared one of her favorite panel quilts inspired from 2 patterns.

Sandy Dingman Wells was inspired by Connie's quilt and drafted this design incorporating Bear Paw, Flying Geese and Quarter Square Triangle blocks.

Kristy Goodin Soard My quilt, Remember Me Always, was number 3 in a series in memory of my mother and sister. I designed it in EQ8. I used fabrics from all three of our stashes, as well as a fabric gifted to me by my brother. This quilt is near and dear to my heart.

Julie Pdersen was inspired by Kristy Goodin Soard's quilt. She called it Good Night and Remember Me Always

Candy Huddleston redrafted three of the blocks from Kristy's quilt.

Pat Harkins Lone Star Variation

As I was putting together this blog post, I decided to take the Master's challenge.  My inspiration quilt was one submitted by Pat Harkins, Tech Know Quilter Masters member.

Pat Harkins loves lone star quilts.  She noted

"This was the 7th lone star quilt I made for the Lone Star State Dulcimer Festival. They all were raffle quilts. The center is Quiltworx Prismatic Star with my colorway based on one from a trunk show at a guild meeting. I did design it in EQ also. The border is my design. I had a hard time letting it go.

I am currently working on another one using batiks and a different border designed in EQ, which was inspired by a quilt on the internet."

"

Pat Harkins Variation of Quiltworx Prismatic Star

For my variation of her quilt, I decided to miniaturize the quilt (and created only 1/4 of the design.)

EQ8 Layout Library - Layouts by Style

When creating star quilts, I typically start with the EQ8  Layout Library.  If my layout is there, it makes life much easier.

Under Layouts by Style, there is a category called Stars.  Stars has 57 quilt layouts. 

​Most of the spaces for quilts in the Layout Library can be filled with your own blocks.  Which makes them a great way to start designing.

The quilt layout, I chose to work with was Stars-20.

This lone star variation has four blocks for each star point.  Pat's quilt is a bit different in that the Prismatic star has only three pieced blocks.  But that issue is easily solve-able.  Instead of placing a block in the fourth diamond, you can replace with the background fabric.

I also knew that I wanted to include Pat's pieced border as well.

Stars-20 Layout from the Layout Library

In EQ, it is not necessary to draft your pieced blocks as diamonds.  The fastest way to create these blocks is to create a square version using EasyDraw.  I used the Grid Tool with Columns and Rows set at 4 x 4,

I colored the block using fabrics already in my Project Sketchbook. 

16-Patch Block Drawn in EasyDraw

To get the sashing around the blocks, I created a frame block using EasyDraw. 

​The frame was drafted 1" larger than the 16 patch block.

1/2 Inch Frame Block

In the Block Worktable, there is an option to merge two blocks together.  So I was able to put the 16 patch block in the frame.  Here are my two final colorations of blocks in the frame.

Merged Block - Coloration 1

Merged Block - Coloration 2

In analyzing Pat's border, I decided to draft as a row of flying geese units.  I drafted at 24" x 4".  Here are the two colorations.

Flying Geese Block - Coloration 1

Flying Geese Block - Coloration 2

Before adding the flying geese block to the quilt, I realized I needed to resize the quilt to 28"".  This will give me the perfect space for two 24" x 4" blocks (one horizontal and one vertical).  

I overlayed this unit on Layer 2 -- which puts it on top of what was designed on Layer 1.

Piecing Tip:  To piece the design, I would piece the background as drafted and then chop off 3-1/2" of background fabric on the top and left edges.  Then add the flying geese blocks.  Everything should fit together beautifully.   

Here is my drafted quilt.

Lone Star Variation Created by Kari Schell using EQ8

Watch the video tutorial for more information on how to draft this quilt using EQ8.

There is so much you could do with this layout  --  replacing the 16 patch with another simple block.  Or add a fourth pieced block to each star point.  (You would need to move the borders if you select the second option.)

I would love to see what you decide to create.

If you would like to share your creation, I've set up a post in the Learning EQ Facebook group.

Learning EQ Facebook Group Post for Lone Star Variation

​​Happy quilting.

​Kari

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