EQ Jump Start Sew Along #3

I have finally got to the sewing machine. We are up to the third block in our sew along and for this lesson we are changing a block from the library. I have tried this a few times in previous version with mixed results. So following the lesson I got it done, but getting the new lines straight was still a bit of a problem. Care really needs to be taken to get your lines straight. It was good to have a lesson on printing foundation pieces as I have never done any. I may have to do something with foundation piecing so I can have more practise using this function. Here is my block.

Here is the link to start what others have done with this block.
http://doyoueq.com/blog/2014/06/eq7-jump-start-block-3-link-up/

Until next time

Keep stitching

Cynthia

EQ Jump Start Sew Along # 2

This week's lesson sees us playing with the fabric library. I have added some of my own fabrics to the fabric library over the years but I have never downloaded from EQ though I have known they were there. Why I don't know? I suppose I have the fabric picked out when I start designing so I just use my scanned fabrics or just use fabric similar to what I have in mind. Also I wonder if the delay of those fabric being available in Australia factor in to that. When I design a quilt I want to start it as soon as possible so waiting for the fabrics to be available in quilt shops here, is too long a wait.

 The other thing in this lesson I haven't used and I can't believe I haven't played with it, is the spray can option. This one blew me away, why was I colouring patches in individually when I could colour them in with 2 clicks of the mouse. I know I like to change some of the patches to different colours but from now on if I am to change all the patches I will do it the easy way.

Also in this lesson we looked at printing templates and this is something I haven't done before either I always use the rotary cutting option. So now understanding what I can do with the template options I can see a new hand piecing project being created to satisfy my need for a portable project but for this block I still used the rotating cutting option.

Here is the link to EQ7 Blog to see what other have done with block 2.

http://doyoueq.com/blog/2014/05/eq7-jump-start-block-2-link-up/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=eq7-jump-start-block-2-link-up

Until next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia 

New Project

As I have caught up momentarily I took the opportunity to play around with a block design I have been playing with in EQ7. At www.cynthiasark.com.au  we sell Batik Mystery Sampler Packs.  We make these packs from the batik fabrics in stock and the packs contain 30 x 4 inch squares all different and no two packs are exactly the same. I have been playing around in EQ7 with some patterns using  these 4 inch square to give quilters some ideas on what they can do with them. At this stage the fabric requirements for this project stands at a light neutral batik fabric, a dark batik fabric and a Batik Mystery Sampler Pack.  This is an easy block to piece and I will put together a tutorial for the quilt once I have finished it.

                                    Here is the block I am playing with.

Until next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

EQ Jump Start Sew Along #1

On the EQ blog www.doyoueq.com/blog last week the Jump Start Sew Along started. As a fan of this software since EQ5 was released. I thought this was the perfect opportunity to learn EQ7 as I received it as a birthday present from my LSH in February and I haven't used it very much yet. 

The first lesson was released and we had our first lesson on EQ7 to set up a basic quilt and print our first block pattern which will be our first block to sew- the Greek Cross block. I am going to make these blocks from my batik fabric scrap stash, there is a box full to work with. I think this is a good way to use up some of my fabric stash so I can make room for some new fabric.

I have some questions running through my head about EQ7 so I am hoping for some answers as we work through this project. I want to know 

What is new from earlier versions?

What features have I not used?

What little tricks can I learn?

How can I utilize EQ7 better?

How do I use some of the custom features better?

How to create my own blocks better? (As I have only created simple blocks so far.)

 I am sure there are a few more questions that I haven't thought of yet. 

The first lesson was straight forward to me as an ongoing user. It is a good place to start, at the beginning, creating a quilt layout and selecting some blocks and printing our first block instructions.   Here is my first block completed.

Until next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia