Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design announced the release of a couple of new tools.  If you like using Corner Pop as a replacement for the the folded corner technique, you will love how you can expand on the concept with these new offerings.

These corners don't need to be restricted to simple squares and rectangles.  I wanted to explore what would happen when I added them to a pieced block.

See how to do this in my EQ8 video tutorial. 

In addition to designing the Corner Pop 2 friendly block, learn how to use Shrink and Fit for a new block and Serendipity to play with block rotation in the Quilt Worktable.

Here are some quilt ideas using the block from the video.

 In the last option, you can see how you can carry the block design into the border as well.  Make sure to use Tile Square border for blocks that are square.  Otherwise, they may not be Corner Pop 2 friendly.

Are you just getting started with Electric Quilt 8 and need some help? 

Shoot for the Stars is designed to get you started with Electric Quilt 8 through training delivered straight to your inbox.  This series includes 14 short (i.e.. 5-10 minute) videos delivered over the course of a month allowing you to learn the basics of this complex program in bite size increments.

​The class is currently on sale for $30 (regular $50).  Join now.  (Sale ends January 1, 2020.) 

Step 1:  Simplify the quilt.  Eliminate the star in the center and replace it with a 4-1/2" x 4-1/2" piece.  Eliminate one of the holiday lights blocks and replace it with an 8-1/2" x 8-1/2" piece.  

Step 2:  Trim the 8-1/2" piece 1-1/2" from the upper right and lower left corners.  Discard the smaller corner.

Step 3:  Layer with batting and backing and quilt.

Step 4:  Before binding, cut through all layers from the center of the edge with the plain setting triangle to the center of the quilt.  Cut a circle 4" in diameter for the center.  Depending on the size of your tree trunk you could make this larger or smaller.

Step 5:  Bind the quilt including both sides of the slice line and the center circle.  Note that a bias binding would be easier to use for the center circle.

Step 6:  Add  iron on velcro pieces along the cut edge.  Space them about five inches apart.  The number needed will vary depending on the size of your quilt.  The bottom velcro pieces (on the left side) should be applied to the top of the quilt and the top velcro pieces (on the right side) should be applied to the bottom of the quilt.

I went to the alphabet blocks and found a couple that I thought might work.

After some playing, I realized I couldn't nicely just add the candy cane stripes.  So I decided to just start from scratch and create the blocks in Easy Draw.

My video tutorial this week will share with you how to draw these candy cane blocks for yourself.

Would you like to piece this quilt.  Click on each image to obtain a download of the foundation pattern printed from EQ8 (9 inch finished size)  ​

  My guess is that you will start seeing this color pop up everywhere -- including in quilts. 

If you would like to be on the cutting edge in designing a new quilt for this color, start by adding the color and (related fabrics) to your EQ fabric library.

See how in this video tutorial.

Here are a few of the fabrics that matched my search for Classic Blue in EQ8.

If you have been thinking about joining Tech Know Quilters, please be sure to add yourself to the Tech Know Quilter Wait List.  Prices are scheduled to go up in 2020 -- and there just might be a final opportunity to lock in on 2019 prices later this month.

One question I am frequently asked is -- "How do I make a quilt that I designed in Electric Quilt?" 

There are many ways to approach piecing a block.  
​
​I love working with folded corners as all the pieces are squares and rectangles.  No cut triangles are required when using this technique.

 I will share my suggestions for creating folded corner cutting charts for your Electric Quilt blocks.

Back when I started quilting, I had a book from Mary Ellen Hopkins entitled "It's OK if you Sit on My Quilt Book".  In this book she introduced the quilting world to connector corners.  I think this may have been one of the techniques that revolutionized modern day quilting.  Over the years I have heard a number of names for the technique including "cheater corner" and "folded corner". ​

The technique refers to a method of adding triangles to a quilt block using only square or rectangle pieces of fabric.  It is frequently the suggested method for creating snowball blocks, square within a square units and flying geese units.  

Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of a folded corner piece from corner to corner. 

1. Place on the corner of a base piece with right sides together. 
2. Sew on the drawn diagonal.
3. Press folded corner to corner.
4. (Optional) - Trim back two pieces leaving 1/4" seam.

As you can see, piecing a folded corner block is super simple!

However when we design in Electric Quilt, EQ does not give us rotary cutting measurements that are conducive to using the folded corner technique.

My video tutorial will share with you how to create cutting charts that utilize the folded corner construction technique.  This technique works best for blocks with patches that are square or rectangle and have 45 degree angles.

Here are the rotary cutting charts from the quilt in the video.

Enjoy the virtual quilt show as Tech Know Quilter members shared what they learned during October.  If you would like to join the wait list for the next open enrollment for Tech Know Quilters, you may sign up here.

In my Tech Know Quilter's Masters group this month, I challenged them to draft a Thankful quilt.  It could be related to Thanksgiving, or people or things they are thankful for.

Kristy Goodin Soard designed the Thankful Word quilts above.  I asked her to tell me a bit about her family and her background.  I hope you will be as touched by her story as I was.

As you can see, not only is Kristy a great quilter, but a lovely person.  Here are some of my favorite designs by Kristy.

Kristy's Quilting Bee quilt evolved over a number of months.  The center was inspired by the Laura Heine quilt with the bee and involved starting with a one patch quilt (the hexagon background) and adding motifs and more motifs plus text.  And then carrying one of the motif's on the bee into the border.

Kristy was inspired by a block on Pinterest and used a technique from Advanced EasyDraw to fragment the block.  Edyta Sitar's Sequoia fabrics were used to color the quilt.

Kristy's daughter wanted to paint a quilt on her dining room floor.  So, she designed several options for her to choose from, and then they created a stencil for her to begin painting.

Wicked Witch was inspired by the musical Wicked.  Kristy used this design to create a birthday card for her daughter the year they took her to see Wicked. 

Kristy loves to come up with ways to decorate with her quilt.  Look what she did with a mariners compass block.

I loved the concept of a word quilt using Electric Quilt and Kristy agreed that I could share how to recreate her design with you.

When doing your own word quilt, start by coming up with a group of words that you want to feature in your quilt.  I decided to stick with the thankful theme and included close family members, activities and groups that represented many of the close friends I have in my life. 

​I found I needed many more words that I thought.  You will find that you will want to move the words around as you work on your quilt.  I wanted to have a certain balance to what I was drafting and it took a bit of playing to achieve that.  Fortunately EQ is very accommodating to playing with a design.

Here is my Thankful Words quilt.

As we close this post, I want to say how thankful I am that you allow me to share my love of quilting and Electric Quilt with you every week.  I consider it an honor and a privilege to serve you.