EQ7 Tutorial Tuesday

EQ7 Tutorial Thursday

ahhh design

(linked up with Bequilter's EQ7 Tutorial Tuesday)

I have done a tutorial for the first time in EQ7.  To make sure I was doing everything right I had Bea's website opened.  I did mine a little different and since this was my first time I will give you almost every step that I took to get there.

 1. Open EQ7 and select new project. Name your project I named my Hillbilly May.  Because we are working with Hillbilly's Ahhhh’s and this is my May project.

2.  Then I went to the Libraries tab.  Selected Layout Library.  Because I don't wanted the smallest project for my first one I went to the cribs and found the pattern that said Thousand Pyramids.  Added it to my sketchbook.

3.  You need to click on the sketchbook and select the pyramid quilt.  Now go the layout screen to make the changes needed.

                    a.  each side 1.5" Because Hillybilly's are 3" on each side (Bea did her's 1.375 because they "look" right.  I also did them that way.)

                    b.  You also need to change the size an Ahhhh design is only 10 wide.  She did hers 30 X 24.

I did mine 36 X 28.  Here's a picture of what the layout should look like.

Now comes the fun part.  The coloring.  I colored mine blue, turquoise and white.  I couldn't resist adding a small patch of red in the middle of one flower.

I had never tried the random recoloring tool before.  In fact I had to try and find it.  You may not know where is is either.  If you left click on the right tool bar there is a window that comes up and says  add/remove buttons.  This is what you need to click on to find it.

This is what I got when I click on my pattern a few times.

I had a lot of fun.  Give it a try.  See what fun pattern Hillbilly has that you can make.  They are not very expensive either!

Portable Ironing Board

I need a small ironing board to use while I was sitting at the couch.  So I needed to find a piece of wood.  I was walking out of my food storage room and looked down and there was this nice piece of pine.  The perfect size.  You don't want to use pressed board because when it gets hot it releases toxins from the glue that is used to seal all the wood together.  You don't have to use pine, you just need a hard wood.

I used some old scraps big enough to cover around to the back.  Then I found some old batting that I wasn't going to use in a quilt that was laying around.  You don't want it to be to thick so you can have the hardness of the wood to help press.

I cut away the excess batting from the sides so that it would be easier to wrap around the sides.  Then I used tacks to attach it in the back.  I made sure the corners were secure.  it was really easy and has come in handy for a table also.  I'm so glad I made it!

1 1/2" Block Exchange

I have been participating in a Postage Stamp Exchange for 1 1/2" blocks and 2 1/2" blocks.  It is a Facebook group.  There are 3 different exchanges a year.  You can sign up for 1 to 25 sets.  Each set contains 100 blocks and cannot contain any repeat fabrics.  I signed up for 10 sets of the first exchange of the 1 1/2" blocks and have just received my blocks.  I am now over the 1 1/2" blocks exchanges.  I would love to have more people get involved in the exchange.

These are all the blocks that I received for the March Exchange.

 This is what I do with my block when I receive them.  I sort them by colors.  Not every batch is the same, because I don't always get turquoise or black.

I have designed a few blocks to help people see some fun ways to use these blocks.  I will give a few tutorials in a week are two.  But for now enjoy these pictures.  The biggest thing that I have learned with scrap quilts is use opposites.  Like a dark than a light next to each other.  This really helps the patterns form if that is what you are trying to get.

Cross

X Marks The Spot

Twisted 16 (I know my triangles are not the right size.  I just did this to show you.)

 Super Sized X (follow the dark colors)

April Block Count

April was a slow month for putting blocks together.

I spent a lot of time on the computer getting the business put together.  There were some blocks that I did get put together.  So here is the count.

I started doing some blocks that were posted on Patchwork Posse's blog.  They host 12 bloggers that design blocks for a quilt.  They have a new block each week.  I really liked the  blocks, so I joined in.  I have some catch-up to do.  I will get these finished this summer.  But I got 6 blocks finished.  That's one 6 that I need to do to get the quilt finished.

I did 5 blocks for my guild's mystery quilt.  Then I finished 5 for the Kaffe class that I'm taking.  I started a wool applique BOM.  I finished 1 block there.  Then I have my wonderful leader enders, where I finished 96.

So my total for April is 113.  This is for the block count report over at Prairie Moon Quilts.

WIPS - Works In Progress list

My WIP’s

I worked on my list of things I need to finish this year or work on this year.  I tried to put the BOM's together.  The things that need to be bond together and everything else in priority.  Now things can change if I get a customer quilt in to quilt.  I'm mostly designing quilts and trying to publish them.

I have needed to write these down for awhile.  I have told myself I cannot add anything else to the list.  I have taken on some big projects also.  I am quilting for a friend that gathers quilts for cancer patients.  I am also quilting one quilt a month for Quilts of Valor.

I might put this is order later.  But I CAN'T ADD TO THIS LIST!  Here we go!  Ready set go!  Get moving Shar!

BOM

1 - Wool applique - BOM block

2 - Kaffe Class blocks

3 - Patchwork Posse Blocks - cut, piece, quilt and bind by May 20th.

4 - My Heritage BOM - blocks, quilt and bind. Plus parallel quilt.

5 - Guild's Mystery Quilt

6 - Table-runners – One for each month

7 - Pincushions - One a month

8 - Skill Builder – cut, piece, quilt and bind

Piece or Quilt-a-longs

1 - Batik Quilt - Design, cut, piece, quilt and bind by May 20th.  Ready to publish.

2 - Aviatrix – a quilt along May

3 - Denise’s Quilt – Design, cut, piece, quilt all before July 1st

4 - Kaffe- Design quilt, make blocks, quilt, and bind.  done by March 1st, 2015.  Make a pattern.

5 - Hemstitch receiving blankets – For my 1^st grand baby.  I need to have finished by July for the the baby showers

6 - Elysa's baby quilt – For my 1^st grand baby.  I need to have finished by July for the the baby showers

7 - Baby receiving 2 girl blanket – For my 1^st grand baby.  I need to have finished by July for the the baby showers

8 - Baby receiving 2 boy blanket – For my 1^st grand baby.  I need to have finished by July for the the baby showers

9 - 16 Patch – Design, cut, piece, quilt and bind by May 20th.  Ready to publish.

10 - Halloween - Design, cut, piece, quilt and bind by June 30th.  Ready to publish.

11 - Spool - Design, cut, piece, quilt and bind by June 20th.  Ready to publish.

12 - Erika's Quilt – this is my niece’s quilt.  I need to finish before she gets home from her mission in Feb of 2015.

13 - Derek's T-shirt quilt – this is my son’s quilt.  I need to have it finished before he gets home from his mission in Aug of 2015.

14 - Valentine Quilt – finish it.  In a state of mess.  And missing blocks, quilt, bind, wash.

13 - Harmonic Conversion – cut, piece, quilt and bind by July 31st.

15 - Cody's baby's - Design, cut, piece, quilt and bind by June 30th.  Ready to publish.

16 - Alisha's baby's - Design, cut, piece, quilt and bind by July 31st.  Ready to publish.

17 - Stephanie's 1^st - Design, cut, piece, quilt and bind by July 31st. Ready to publish.

18 - Color Wheel – Just want to make one this year

19 - String - Design, cut, piece, quilt

20 - English paper piecing - class starts in Sept.

21 - X-block – Design, cut, piece, quilt and bind by Aug 31st.

22 - Snowflake – Design, cut, piece, quilt and bind by Sept 30th.  Ready to publish.

Quilt

1 - Mom's quilt – quilted, binding on, washed before June 1^st.
2 - Green Top quilt - quilt, binding on, wash.  Design. Ready to publish.

Bindings

1 - Waterfall - Design and bind by May 20th.  Ready to publish.

2 - Easy Street – binding on, washed before June 1^st.

3 - Stephanie's pink – Design, cut, piece, quilt and bind by May 20th.  Ready to publish.

Patchwork Posse Six Stars are Better than One Block #10

UPDATE!  This block won the week contest!

 

So I worked hard on this block.  I really learned how to get my points right.  It wasn't easy.  Lots of half square triangles.  Which I have a lot of.  So this will be great to use for.

I started with the red fabric and pulled the others together.  I only went with 4 fabrics.  I just couldn't find another pink and orange that would work with this.  I decided to put a red square in the center to help balance the whole square.  I really like this square.  I don't know if I l would like a whole quilt with these colors.  But I think a quilt using this block several time in different colors could really be fun.

I love half square triangles so I think I will use the star block a lot.

The setup of the small stars

 

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Pincushion Exchange

I am taking part in a pincushion exchange hosted by Bea over at Beaquilter.  We make a pincushion for the month of April and May and send it out to two different people.  So today I made my pincushion.  I have the lovely lady named Karyn to give to.  She loves large pincushions.  I had the perfect one in mind.




Flower Layout

The Final Layout



I have always wanted to try wool, so I thought this would be a great chance to try it out.  I drew pieces for a flower on freezer paper.  Then put it on the color of wool I wanted to use.  I cut out the shapes.  I places these pieces on a Lite Heat and Bond.  Just enough to hold it on the wool so I could sew it on.  Then I ironed it onto the yellow in the pattern I wanted it.  Anything that would be laying on top of something I waited to put that on until I had sewn the bottom pieces on.

I picked out colors of thread that matched the wool.  Then I just straight stitched everything on.  Then stitched the yellow piece a blue piece of wool.  I put that with right sides together and sewed a 1/2" seam.  Turned it right side out.

 

Crushed Walnuts

I filled it with crushed walnuts.  I have done a lot of reading on how to sharpen pins and you need to have pincushions filled with crushed walnuts to sharpen them.  So I purchased this at Petco for $8.00. I only used about a cup.  This will go a long way.  But with my long arming pinning and all the sewing I need to keep my pins sharp.

So here is the finished pincushion for Karyn.  I am also sending her so fun pins that I have made.  I hope that she likes them.  I enjoy making them.  I think I have found a new relaxing thing to do in the evenings.  I will make some pincushions and pins that I can give away to others.  Plus have for this exchange.

The Final Pincushion



Block and Project Catch Ups

I have had so much on my mind that I have had a difficult time sleeping the last week.  So I have spent my nights sewing and reading blogs.  Friday was my Kaffe and Friend class.  In class we got 5 more block to do for the month of April.  So that will keep me busy this month.  I am working on the Patchwork Posse Around Robin Blocks.  I get a new one each week.  I have a BOM for my guild.  I hadn't gone to January's or February meeting so I had to get those blocks done also.  I also had a block for the Guild quilt to get done.  Plus I'm trying to get a quilt ready for the quilt show.  The deadline was April 11th, but the just extended it to the 20th.  That really helped.  So that is what I have been doing ever since Wednesday last week.  So let look at the projects.

Patchwork Posse Around Robin Block #9 and The Hash Tag Block

Block #9

Hash Tag Block

Guild Mystery Blocks & Block For Guild Quilt

Jan Wheels



Practice Block





Guild Block

 Commission Quilt Top Before The Border Put On

I have to get the borders on this quilt today and start quilting it this weekend.  Then make the sleeve and label.  Bind it.  Take pictures and enter it into the HMQS show.  I can't wait.

Now it's on to cutting 2 1/2" blocks to make 10 sets of 100 different fabrics.  I have to mail them off by the 15th of April.  Then I get 10 sets sent back to me.  I am waiting for my 1 1/2" sets to come.  I am starting to plan my quilt to use those block.  Now I get to work on a quilt to use these blocks.