EQ Designing

A week ago I had foot surgery and today I am finally am thinking about quilting. 

Since I have one more week of laying down (somewhat) with my foot propped up, I decided to use my EQ7 program and design some quilts, or learn some designing techniques. 

An email from On Point Quilter, Kari Schell, came today. 

She told about her short video on creating Improvisational Fabric to use in quilt blocks. 

You can find it HERE.

Kari works with EQ8, but many things can be translated into the earlier EQ7 version. 

EQ8 might be entering my quilting life in a few months!

It was fun to do. This is the block of scrappy fabric I made.

(I know some of the lines disappeared when saving and there are some angles that really can't be sewn, but when it is cut up and used in blocks on the computer screen, no one should know.)

I used Kari's tutorial with the friendship star block and worked a few colors and layouts and got these quilts: 

With a few fun things to do on my laptop while I recuperate, life will be a bit less boring. 

Check out On Point Quilter's videos, patterns and the gallery of quilts she has quilted with the longarm! 

Please, please know that I appreciate all your comments. Until Blogger finishes their changes, I can no longer reply to your comments via email, so I will be responding to each comment left here on the blog. If you want to email a comment to me privately, feel free…patchworkbreeze@gmail.com

Projects from Island Batik Blog Hop

Today's projects from the Island Batik Blog Hop Ambassadors are wonderful. 

Desert Bloom Quilting has a great quilt with a definitely imaginative seaside theme. 

The introduction description on the blog is a must read. 

 
There is a drink recipe given that I am going to make this weekend for the small Labor Day Bar-b-Q we are hosting. And there is a giveaway from Desert Bloom Quilting as well as Island Batik.

Another great project is found at Adventurous Applique and Quilting.
I enjoyed learning a new technique for quilting on my domestic machine.
And what a great idea for embellishing the sealife on this quilt. You must go visit the blog.

 

Be sure to visit all of the blog/websites to see each of the projects created by these designers.

Monday Aug 15 – Rain Forest

Kissed Quilts

Tuesday Aug 16 – Red Tide

Free Motion by the River

Mary Mack Made Mine

Wednesday Aug 17 – Sand Dune

Purrfect Spots

KnitBug 2

Thursday Aug 18 – Seashore

Tammy Silvers

Pamela Quilts

Maria Michael Designs

KISSed Quilts

Friday Aug 19 – Surf Squirt

Quilting Affection

Archipelago Quilting

Monday Aug 22 – Tradewinds

Arkangel Creations

Bejeweled Quilts

Tuesday Aug 23 – Equinox

Kauffman Designs

Adele Mogavero * Del~Lillian’s

Wednesday Aug 24 – Sea Canyon

Lemon Tree Snippets

Bea Quilter

Thursday Aug 25 – Sea Foam

Stone Cottage Quilts

Friday Aug 26 – Spoolin’ Around

Sallys Quilting Corner

Toolontilkkupaja

Monday Aug 29 – Tide Pools

Inchworm Fabrics

MooseStashQuilting

Tuesday Aug 30 – Wind and Sea

For Quilts Sake

Patchwork Breeze (You are here!)

Wednesday Aug 31 – Spring Zing

Desert Bloom Quilting

Adventurous Applique and Quilting

Thursday Sep 1 – Splash

Kissed Quilts

The Patchwork Pearl

Friday Sept 2 – Landscapes

For Quilts Sake 

Upcoming Quilty Happenings at Patchwork Breeze 

include the beginning of The Road Home Row Along

hosted by Seam To Be Sew

and

Be sure to visit my blog on September 7 for the tutorial 

on an easy technique to sew a tablerunner using 5-inch squares.

I'll give you a peek with this photo and tell you then about the inspiration for the technique as well as this quilt.

3 Fabric Baby Quilts

I am linking to Val's Quilting Studio's Tuesday Archives. 

This week the theme is receiving blankets. 

I posted a tutorial HERE. Use 3 cuts of fabric to make 3 small receiving size quilts, for a new baby. 




As an aside, to protect our precious little babies, I want to mention that I use 100% cotton, flannel and batting in any baby quilts I make. It was brought to my attention years ago that if polyesters and other man-made fibers (not natural fibers) get near a heat source, the material melts and sticks to the body. And, unfortunately, I was reminded of a 6-year-old girl I taught in class years ago. Flames started in their camper and a polyester blanket was used to smother the flames, but melted and stuck to her. She suffered severe burns. 

New Resources and New Project Ideas

My order arrived from C & T Publishing this past week. It was very exciting to open it and scope out the books I ordered on their Spring Sale. Many cost only $3 or $5. I can't wait to get started on a project from one of these books. 

I looked through Wonky One-Block Quilts by Marlous Carter and I think I want to work on one of her designs. I don't want to put a lot of thought into the fabrics I choose, I would like to simply take some from the shelves that work into her suggestion. 

I have one quilt top to finish sewing borders and I will choose some fabrics. 

Earth Day Re-Purposing Project
I made this little child's apron a few years ago with some leftover lace, some 2-1/2" fabric strips and one leg from a pair of jeans. 

Here is a tutorial: 

Take 1 pant leg. Fold in half lengthwise. 

Mark a 12" section, curving upward slightly from bottom center to side edges. 

Also, mark waist with a slight upward curve. Angle from side bottom edge to side top edge. 

Cut on lines. 

Make curved corners at bottom. 

               

I used a glue stick to adhere the right side of lace to the front of the apron. Allow to dry, or press with iron. 

Use glue stick on back of apron edge and turn edge hem under so it adheres to glued edge. 
Again, let dry or press with iron. 

No pins to deal with when topstitching!

Use zig-zag or decorative stitch to stitch hem under and allowing lace to protrude from under apron. 

Sew together 2 fabric strips (2-1/2" x WOF) to create a long 2-1/2" strip. Press under 1/4" on each long edge. I used water soluble basting tape on the bottom edge to help with the 1/4" seam. 

Pin center of strip to center of apron, right sides together, and sew one edge of tie to the apron waist. 

Fold seam allowance of tie to back side of apron and pin to cover seam allowance at waist. Pin the tie ends so the 1/4" seam allowances match. Fold ends in. 

Topstitch beginning at one end and along tie seam to secure. 

Add a pocket if you wish. 
One little helper will be very happy with this apron.