If you already have Quiltmaker Quilting Designs then you know that you can print any of the Quiltmaker stencils in any size. But what you may not know is that if you had EQ7 as well you can link the Q

The Auto Borders Tool The Set Auto Borders tool allows you to choose predesigned border styles to use in your quilts. There are 13 styles in the Auto Borders palette for you to

If you have ever come across this library in EQ7/EQ8 it doesn't look like much. But, let's try this. Click Libraries > Block Library > EQ7/EQ8 Libraries > 10 Sashing > Star Sashi

This is a special bonus post for the EQ7 Summer Drawing Series Sew Along! If you’d like a little extra practice with the EasyDraw Worktable, here are a few variations to try. I’ll give you some hi

Lesson 1 Periwinkle Wreath Block using EQ7 This tutorial appeared on the Sew We Quilt/Stash Manicure Block on Monday, November 21, 2011. This tut is a little different from the blocks that have been featured so far. I am going to show you how to DRAW a block using EQ7 rather than showing you how to construct a block. If you have never seen EQ7 before, it is a computer drawing program for designing quilts and quilt blocks. I use it all the time in my designs business. Oops, I forgot to introduce myself (blush). I am Reeze Hanson, from Ottawa, Kansas, and I have a pattern business called Morning Glory Designs. I design what I call “Busy Women Quilt Patterns,” that is, patterns that *look* difficult but are really easy. Yea right, you say. I know what you mean, I was afraid of complicated piecing and applique too. But then I started teaching beginning quilt classes and realized that most quilt blocks are not difficult to make. But the patterns are difficult to figure out. So I started writing patterns that are easy to follow and use shortcuts, fast piecing techniques and machine applique all written for beginners. Anyone can make my patterns with a little bit of motivation and patience. I have another reason for designing for busy women. I am one. I am a college professor by day and a quilt designer by night. Trying to work a full time job and run a business on the side is quite a challenge, so finding a computer program that allowed me to cut my design time in half really appealed to me. EQ7 draws blocks and quilts, colors them in with real fabric, adjusts the size to fit your requirements, and then prints out templates, foundation patterns, rotary cutting charts and fabric yardage! WOW. So lets get started with this block. I found a picture of an old vintage quilt that I wanted to reproduce. It was difficult to see all the blocks in the blurry photo, but I thought I could use them as a guide. I started with this picture. I loved this purple flower with its big leaf and smaller bud. And a special salute to Rebecca Stover, who made this old block as part of a vintage 1930’s Friendship Quilt, and lovingly embroidered her name on the block. I imported the picture into EQ7 so I could trace it. By tracing each piece of the block I could create applique templates for the block that I could print out any size. I arranged the partial photograph so that it is centered in the block. This way I can fit the whole flower in the space of the block. I start by drawing the leaf using the drawing tools on the toolbar at the left side of the screen. I trace the basic leaf shape in on the applique layer of the block worktable. I can zoom in after I draw the basic shape and fine tune the leaf until I have it just the way I want it. The “dots” in the picture are called NODES and the little handles that extend from the nodes let me bend and shape the outline of the leaf. Once I have fine tuned the shape of the leaf, I can add extra lines to create the veins. These will be added with embroidery thread after the block is completed. Next I draw the stems using a totally “kewl new tewl” called the BRUSH STROKE tool. It allows you to draw stems or wide brush strokes with one line! Then the line can be adjusted and edited using the same nodes and handles you saw on the leaf drawing. Just like any drawing program, you can select each element and move it forward or backward in the drawing so the overlapping parts are “stacked” in the right order. In applique, extra fabric is added to tuck stems underneath the leaf, flower, or other stems. Next the flower parts for the small flower are traced – first the calyx that overlaps the stem, then the purple flower top. The yellow part of the flower is drawn last and is allowed to overlap the calyx and the purple petals. It will be tucked under those pieces when appliqued. Lines are added to indicate the placement of embroidery. The next part is a bit creative. Since the photo does not show the top of the main flower I have to improvise and decide how I want it to look. I play with lines around the top of the flower and realize I don’t have enough room for the flower. I draw it anyway and will reduce the size of the flower and center it later. Once I get the basic shape, I use the copy/paste tool to make a duplicate of the flower, and reduce the size just enough to form the inner flower. I add the embroidery lines and circles for the french knots and the block is done. Once the drawing is completed, I select all the parts and center it in the block. I can adjust the overall size of the flower to ensure it fits nicely in the block outline and is not too close to the edges. Then I switch to the COLOR tab and start to color the block using the fabric swatches I downloaded from the MODA website. I am using Moda Bella Solids for the actual blocks so I use the same swatches to color the blocks. Next I add the purple to the two flowers and then the yellow and gold to complete the block. I add a vintage white to the background and I am done. Don't forget to SAVE your work often! Now I am ready to print out templates. I will reverse them and print out without any seam allowance so that I can trace the templates onto fusible web. The web then goes on the back of the fabric and gets cut out. Then the shapes are ironed on a square of the background fabric. The last step is to stitch down the edges using a machine blanket stitch and matching thread. BUT WAIT! what I really want to do is use this flower to create a wreath! And EQ7 has a special tool to do this called a WREATHMAKER. I select the flower and click on the Wreathmaker button. The window allows me adjust the number of clusters (I want 6), the spacing between the clusters, and the size of the clusters. Here are my settings: When I click the OK button here is what I get: Because this creates a new block the colors I had selected are missing in this new wreath block and I will need to recolor this new block. I can use the same colors as the original block or I can recolor it in lots of other combinations. I add color to each flower part by clicking in that part of the flower on the block worktable. After adding the green stems and leaves I add the purple and yellow flower parts. Then I zoom in to color those tiny French knots. Here is the completed block drawing. Do you see the star shape that forms in the middle of the block? I love those surprises!! Several of my pattern testers made up this block for me using different fabrics and here are the finished blocks. One is done with fusible web and machine blanket stitch. The other is completed using needle turn applique. Thanks to Jean and Ellen, my intrepid pattern testers for these wonderful blocks! Just for fun, here are some differnt colorings of this block: Here is another block done the same way: The original photo: The traced and colored flower block and Charlene’s test block: The wreath block: Ellen’s test block done with machine applique. Jean's test block done with needle turn applique. Don't you love how she "fussy cut" those brown flower centers to show a flower in the middle of each one? Both of these blocks were featured in my 2012 FREE Block of the Month. The entire pattern for the 30 simple blocks are available on my website as The Vintage Sampler. The wreath blocks are available in a 13 block variation called Flower Dance. Thanks for stopping by! Reeze

If you’ve started working in EQ7 on your block design competition entry, you may have noticed that the AccuQuilt blocks are drawn at the same overall size as the corresponding die—so if you want to use shapes from a 6" × 12" die, say, it looks like your block has to be that size: if you change the dimensions of your block canvas in EQ, the shapes change too, which means they’re no longer cuttable using the the dies. It gets even trickier when you want to work with shapes from multiple dies to make a block, especially when the shapes come from dies that are different sizes. But it can be done! This 12" block is proof of that. It uses shapes from the Go Daisy die (6" × 6") and the Go Feathers die (5" × 10"), and the shapes are all kept at their original, die-cuttable sizes. Here’s how I was able to retain the original sizes and work with shapes from multiple dies in a single block. This is the easiest way I’ve found, but leave a comment if you have any other tricks! After adding the AccuQuilt die blocks you want to work with to your Sketchbook, open one of them on the Block Worktable (this one is the full Daisy block). Make sure your Precision Bar is showing (turn it on or off in the View menu). Select all the shapes shown in the Applique tab with the Pick tool (hit Ctrl+A to select them all automatically), and note the dimensions shown in the Precision Bar: Deselect the shapes by clicking elsewhere on the worktable. The Precision Bar will now show the size of the block itself: Since the Daisy die measures (nominally) 6" × 6", that’s the size this block was drawn at. Change the numbers in the Block Width and Block Height fields to the size you want your actual block to be—for this example, a 12" × 12" block. The shapes will stretch to match the new proportions: As a result, the block looks exactly the same at this point—only the ruler and Precision Bar show that it’s been scaled up to 12". But we want to use shapes we can actually cut with the die, so they have to be changed back to the size they were in the 6" block. Select all the shapes again. The dimensions now shown in the Precision Bar aren’t significant. Replace them with those you noted in Step 1, and you’ll get this: The shapes are now back to the size at which they were originally drawn—that is, the size the die will actually cut. Save this block to the Sketchbook. If you want to design a block using shapes from just this one die, you can go ahead with your design at this point. But if you want to add shapes from other dies… View the Sketchbook and edit the block with the shape you want to add. I only needed the teardrop shape from the Feathers die, so that’s the block I used. Again note the dimensions of the shape(s): Then copy the shape to the clipboard, using the toolbar button or Ctrl+C. View the Sketchbook again and edit the block you saved in Step 3. Then paste the shape from the clipboard (toolbar or Ctrl+V). It will be selected when you paste it, showing that its dimensions have changed to suit the proportions of the new block: But again, this isn’t the shape’s size on the actual die. Change the shape dimensions to those you recorded in Step 4: Now the shape is scaled appropriately, and you can move, rotate, flip, and otherwise rearrange the shapes with confidence that the die cutter will still work—as long as you don’t resize the shapes, of course. By the way, this method will work for any EQ blocks, not just those based on AccuQuilt dies—pull shapes from the Block Library blocks into your own designs, or vice versa.

If you’ve started working in EQ7 on your block design competition entry, you may have noticed that the AccuQuilt blocks are drawn at the same overall size as the corresponding die—so if you want to use shapes from a 6" × 12" die, say, it looks like your block has to be that size: if you change the dimensions of your block canvas in EQ, the shapes change too, which means they’re no longer cuttable using the the dies. It gets even trickier when you want to work with shapes from multiple dies to make a block, especially when the shapes come from dies that are different sizes. But it can be done! This 12" block is proof of that. It uses shapes from the Go Daisy die (6" × 6") and the Go Feathers die (5" × 10"), and the shapes are all kept at their original, die-cuttable sizes. Here’s how I was able to retain the original sizes and work with shapes from multiple dies in a single block. This is the easiest way I’ve found, but leave a comment if you have any other tricks! After adding the AccuQuilt die blocks you want to work with to your Sketchbook, open one of them on the Block Worktable (this one is the full Daisy block). Make sure your Precision Bar is showing (turn it on or off in the View menu). Select all the shapes shown in the Applique tab with the Pick tool (hit Ctrl+A to select them all automatically), and note the dimensions shown in the Precision Bar: Deselect the shapes by clicking elsewhere on the worktable. The Precision Bar will now show the size of the block itself: Since the Daisy die measures (nominally) 6" × 6", that’s the size this block was drawn at. Change the numbers in the Block Width and Block Height fields to the size you want your actual block to be—for this example, a 12" × 12" block. The shapes will stretch to match the new proportions: As a result, the block looks exactly the same at this point—only the ruler and Precision Bar show that it’s been scaled up to 12". But we want to use shapes we can actually cut with the die, so they have to be changed back to the size they were in the 6" block. Select all the shapes again. The dimensions now shown in the Precision Bar aren’t significant. Replace them with those you noted in Step 1, and you’ll get this: The shapes are now back to the size at which they were originally drawn—that is, the size the die will actually cut. Save this block to the Sketchbook. If you want to design a block using shapes from just this one die, you can go ahead with your design at this point. But if you want to add shapes from other dies… View the Sketchbook and edit the block with the shape you want to add. I only needed the teardrop shape from the Feathers die, so that’s the block I used. Again note the dimensions of the shape(s): Then copy the shape to the clipboard, using the toolbar button or Ctrl+C. View the Sketchbook again and edit the block you saved in Step 3. Then paste the shape from the clipboard (toolbar or Ctrl+V). It will be selected when you paste it, showing that its dimensions have changed to suit the proportions of the new block: But again, this isn’t the shape’s size on the actual die. Change the shape dimensions to those you recorded in Step 4: Now the shape is scaled appropriately, and you can move, rotate, flip, and otherwise rearrange the shapes with confidence that the die cutter will still work—as long as you don’t resize the shapes, of course. By the way, this method will work for any EQ blocks, not just those based on AccuQuilt dies—pull shapes from the Block Library blocks into your own designs, or vice versa.

This post is my attempt to answer a question on the EQ7 list. To make this block you start with a 9 Patch block add a couple of lines to make two half square triangles. Color the block in such a way that there looks like there is right side and a wrong side to the ribbon, or a light and dark sides. I tried this with the darker yellow where the light yellow and light yellow where the dark is but I didn’t like it as well. I originally saw this block on Judy Butcher’s Blog. It is in her Series 9 X 9. See what I mean. You are going to have to play with your colors so it is pleasing to your eye. Also when I play in EQ7 I only use two or three colors, just so I am not wasting time coloring blocks and quilts. I play more with color when I have a special quilt in mind. So how do you use this block as a border? I have my quilt here without blocks so you focus on the border. I used a Block Border with an even number of blocks in the border on all sides. I rotated every other block to make them look like they are flowing from one to the other. This border is the same size as the blocks in the quilt but they don’t have to be. Just adjust the number of the blocks in the border to make them look good. Here is the same size quilt with a narrower border but notice it has more blocks to give it the same effect. This one was drawn 2 inch border with 10 blocks each side. I hope tis helps and have fun playing in EQ7!

Look what arrived yesterday... Quilting Designs Volume 8 CDs! The bright green and yellow are welcomed colors for spring. Now we anxiously await the packaging. But until then we thought a little le

Have you ever used the Set Auto Borders tool in EQ7? It's a great way to explore more border options for your designs. The newest issue of Quiltmaker has some great Auto Borders examples for Nancy Mah

Fabric When you import fabric EQ7 repeats the image over and over again. (That's why cropping to the repeat is important.) Fabric not cropped to repeat Fabric cropped to repeat

“How do I make pieced sashes?” is a common EQ question. The super-easy lesson below resulted from a specific tech support query about making sashes forming Ohio Stars. Even if you want a dif

­Don't forget that just one block can create a stunning and complex-looking quilt merely by repeating it. The “Wow” effect doesn't require years of quilting experience. With a one-block

If you own Adobe Illustrator (or another vector program), you can explode a block or quilt from EQ7 to create your own sewing instructions. This lesson works for both EQ7 Windows and EQ7 Mac. Print th

Here's a fast way to create your own New York Beauties. Setting Up the Block and Learning About the PolyArc Tool Open EQ7 and start a new project. Name it whatever you wish. (I named mine "PatchD

Sarah has asked for a tutorial on how to complete this task. I’ve taken quite a few screen shots to make the steps as simple as possible to follow so this will be a long post. If you see any …

This star block is an absolute classic. I think it’s probably one of the first blocks any of us ever makes when we’re learning to quilt. It can be done in many sizes, but typically we u…

There was a recent question on the Info-EQ mailing list about how to create a Delectable Mountains wall hanging. There so many variations on this pattern, it’s hard to choose just one, but so…

Ever want to surround a block with a small border, making the border part of the block? Here are two quick ways. Both use BLOCK > Serendipity. Get a Block to Use Click LIBRARIES > Block L

Hi again everyone, two blog posts in two days! - this has to be my record for all times... ha ha! Oh well, one of these days I will learn how to better plan my blog posts and schedule them, and be con

Here's a fast way to create your own New York Beauties. Setting Up the Block and Learning About the PolyArc Tool Open EQ7 and start a new project. Name it whatever you wish. (I named mine "PatchD

Perfect for big Sampler quilt projects. See your quilt grow as you plan block placement. WHAT IT IS To create a block chart, you set up a quilt layout, scan each sewn block as it’s completed, impo

Below are links to Electric Quilt tutorials, some are picture tutorials, some are video tutorials. EQ7 Tutorials EQ8 Tutorials

Now that you’ve finished your block from the blog hop let’s put it in the quilt. Pig in a Blanket finished size 50 x 50 ©2013 Carol Steely Step 1 – Select a Pre-made Quilt Layout Open the file for the block you want to work with. I’m working with my Summer Piglet block from the blog hop but any block will work. Open LIBRARIES>LAYOUT LIBRARY>BASICS BY STYLE>MEDALLIONS HORIZONTAL>HORIZONTAL-CENTER MEDALLIONS 21. Add this to your Sketchbook. Step 2 – Place Quilt on Worktable Open Sketchbook and place the quilt on the worktable. Step 3 – Add Center Block Click on the Adjust Tool then click on the center of the quilt. You can see at the top of the screen that this center block is 24 x 24. Click Set Block . Grab your block from the pop up menu and drag it to the center of the quilt. The block was drawn 10 x 10 so we have to resize it to fit. Step 4 – Adjust Block Click the Adjust then click on the piglet. At the top of the screen set the block size to 24 x 24. Grab the block and move it in to place (set point should read 12 x 12) Save to Sketchbook. Step 5 – Color Grab your Paintbrushand color the quilt. If you want to match fabrics used in the center block just click them with the Eyedropper. EQ will match and select them for you. Save to Sketchbook How easy peezy was that! How To Print Patterns Step 6 – Print for Hand Applique If you are doing hand applique just click the Pick Tool then click the piglet. Open FILE>PRINT>TEMPLATES. Skip to step 8 to adjust templates before printing. Step 7 – Reverse Templates for Fusible Applique If you are doing fusible applique you need to follow a few more steps since the templates need to be printed in reverse. Click Flip Block and click on the piglet. The block will reverse. You DO NOT need to save this to Sketchbook. It’s just for printing purposes. Select the pick tool and click on the piglet. Now open FILE>PRINT>TEMPLATES. Skip to step 8 to adjust templates before printing. Step 8 – Adjust Templates Before Printing Since the original piglet was drawn in EasyDraw + Patchdraw it will include the background block as a template. I like to rotary cut my pieces so I will delete these from the templates to save paper. Click Preview. Click DELETE at the top of the screen then click the shape you want to delete (both background pieces). They will turn red. Click the DELETE key on your keyboard to remove it permanently. When ready click PRINT. Step 9 – Print the Rest of the Quilt Use the Pick Tool and click on the piglet again. Open PRINT>ROTARY CUTTING. This time you will get the measurements for the background of the block. Use the Pick Tool and click on the other blocks in the quilt. Open PRINT>ROTARY CUTTING to get their measurements. You will find yardage under PRINT>FABRIC YARDAGE. Enjoy Your Quilt!

The Auto Borders Tool The Set Auto Borders tool allows you to choose predesigned border styles to use in your quilts. There are 13 styles in the Auto Borders palette for you to

When is the last time you spent time at a copy machine trying to shrink down or enlarge a pattern? Usually, it's not a very fun time (and sometimes not very productive either). Have you ever tri

As the final block in Leila's Skill Builder Sampler, she asked me if I had an EQ7 drawing of Alice Brook's Butterfly block. Q is for Quilter had posted the pattern. I also went to Jinny Beyer's patchwork album and found one by Laura Wheeler that looked the same. Unfortuantely they were subtly and specifically different enough, so after using the same method as I did on the feathered star, with the grid overlay, etc. I decided that tracing the original image would be better. Using the 'tracing image' feature of EQ7 here is a tutorial on how to do that. Take the posted pattern image and crop to just the block in whatever image editing system you may have. You can also do this directly in EQ7. Worktable...Block. Block...New Block....Easy Draw. Click on the Tracing Image tab at the bottom. Block....Import Image (or the first icon on the left vertical menu), select the image you want to trace. Now click on the EasyDraw tab at the bottom, and you can draw right on top of the image. Notice the 'snapping options' in the Drawing Setup. While drawing the lines, use the 'snap to grid points'. While drawing the arcs, I'd encourage you to use the 3rd option which is to 'Snap to Lines and Arcs of Drawing'. Draw the straight lines first and then the arcs. When drawing the arc, it might not sit exactly how you want it. Click on the 2nd icon on the left vertical menu which is the 'shape' function. Select the arc you want to 'shape' and you'll see some extra lines that you can drag on to shape the arc. Move it until the arc lines up with the tracing image. Be sure to 'Save to Sketchbook' when you like what you've drawn! This particular tracing altered the top of the center F1 pieces and the antenna lines and resulting J4/I4 pieces so that the J4 combo is a perfect square --upon the request of Leila. The templates are included in Leila's tutorial.

I just had a light bulb moment. Maybe (probably) I'm not the first person to think of this, but I'm so pleased with the results that I want to share it anyway. If you're like me, you spend as much

I’ve been busy writing EQ7 tutorials for my class and thought I’d share some information about the Brush Stroke Tool. This is a hidden tool that you have to add to the tool bar. Add the Brush Tool – See Owner Manual page 172-173 1. Click the Customize Toolbar button. Click Add/Remove Buttons. Click the Brush Stroke Tool. This is a fun tool. It allows you to draw two lines at once. You can easily draw stems and vines with this tool. This tool does have a few limitations. It has limited node control for shaping and if you loop a line back over itself it will leave a blank space when coloring your design. I will teach you how to fake a cross over line in this lesson. You can convert a brush stroke in to a patch for additional shaping of the outer edges. For example giving a stem a thorny look. You can also combine it with the Freehand, Bezier and Line Tools to make more detailed drawings easily. Precision Bar Settings There are seven line styles. There are four end cap styles. The Minimum Width number refers to the taper of the end cap. The Boldness refers to the thickness of the line on either side of the spine. Drawing with the Brush Tool 2. Let’s draw a few lines and a curl. Try adjusting them with the Shape Tool. Notice as you adjust the shape the width of the line does not change. It stays consistent. 3. Click CTRL and the A key to select all the shapes as a group. Click Delete. You can see how it would be fast and easy to make stemmed flowers. Jus draw a stem, copy and paste a flower from your Sketchbook, and add a few leaves using the Oval Tool. Combine the Tools For more detailed drawing let’s combine the Brush Stroke Tool with the other Line Tools. You can double click on lines made by the other line tools with the Brush Stroke Tool. It will convert the single lines to brush lines. This is an easy and accurate way to make detailed stems and branches. 1. Draw a center line using the Line Tool . 2. Draw a smaller side branch using the Bezier Tool . Make a second symmetrical branch by cloning, flipping and moving it in to place on the other side. A fast perfectly symmetrical branch design. 3. Now select the Brush Stroke Tool . Set the Precision Bar settings to: Contour: first selection End Caps: first selection Min. Width: 0 Boldness: 2 4. Double click on each line and then convert to a patch .Tada~stems! 5. Add a flower from your Sketchbook. Create some leaves using the Oval tool. 6. Color and save to sketchbook. Fast and easy! Faking an Overlap If you draw a line that loops back over itself with the Brush Stroke Tool it will create a hole when you try to color it. Remember the piglet’s tail from the previous tutorial? To fake a continuous loop you have to draw it in two parts. The end of the first loop should touch the curve but not cross under it. The second line segment should be tucked behind the first. Click SEND TO BACK to order it properly. When it’s colored it will look like one continuous loop. A nifty little trick! Have fun creating stems, branches, and curly things!

Your imported fabric image, on the IMAGE worktable, is an image just like any photo. So you can use the photo tools to adjust the color. Worktable > Work on Image > Color > use any of thes

This is actually a really cool technique. 1) Edit the block to the worktable. Make note of the block size. (Mine is a 5×5.) 2) Click FILE > Export Image. 3) Save the file on your Desktop (you