EQ8

Yesterday I took an EQ8 class with my friends Stephanie and Mary. Classes are always fun when you do them with friends! Plus then you can ask them questions if you forget something.....

I have had the program for about a year and have made blocks and followed the lessons but there is nothing that beats a hands-on class. I learned so much and think I will be utilizing this tool a lot more in my quilting.

With my new found knowledge I may re-design the center of this block that I don't really love. I am going to make it easier and something I like.

Just being able to change the colors on blocks is so much fun! and so easy. How many times have you made a block and then decide you wish you had used something else? Almost everyone in the class had made blocks using the graph paper method so we all agreed this was a useful fun exercise.

We also "made" quilts and the fun part is you can turn blocks, delete blocks, add different blocks etc. The possibilities are endless. Our teacher, Ann Holte told us to remember this is not a video game......you can see how easy it would be to design many, many quilts in the virtual world but we all want to make them in the real world!
Ann was a wonderful teacher we all highly recommend her. You can find her information here.

I really like this quilt setting, and how easy it is to turn the blocks in a pleasing manner that I like.

For this exercise we were asked to pick a pieced block and an applique block. I love this!! I may just have to make it!

For you English Paper piecers, there is even a way to print out your templates. I thought randomly coloring in the hexies, made for a fun and unexpected quilt.

There are even labels to make for those of us (me) who don't like to make them.

Overall I like the program and will probably use it more and more, now that I have a taste of what it can do. How about you? Do you have it and do you like it? If you haven't taken a class do so. Even if it is just to learn the basics you will be surprised how easy it is.

Kelly

End of Year Post?

The holidays are just about over and as usual I am happy to go back to "normal" whatever that really is! I was excited to hang this quilt again and enjoyed making it and finishing it last year! I Was Motivated! I could use some of that about now.

I received this lovely pillow that my friend Cynthia from Arkansas made for my birthday. I just love those little birds and the colors go perfectly with my living room. Thank you Cynthia! You always make the nicest things for me!

I also got EQ8 for Christmas and so far I love it! I have heard that it was hard to use but the new version is very user friendly. Even I can figure it out!

I have already designed 2 quilts and both of them will become a reality in the near future. I can see how this is one of those things that you can spend a lot of time playing  with and never make the quilt.........I already have some of the basket blocks made so stay tuned.

My husband bought me some new brushes and paper to continue on my watercolor journey. I got my first commission! OK it is a family member but hey she was willing to pay! I will be sending it to her as a gift (-:

Those who know me know that I am a list maker and checker offer. I like to do it on paper with a pen, the phone is too abstract for me. I need to see it in front of me every single day and for the days ahead as well. This was expensive but I am going to give it a try, I will let you know what I think at the end of next year.

Apparently my children want to make sure we are who we say we are! This is going to be fun, I wonder if there will be any surprises that we didn't know about. Have you done it? Do you have any good stories to tell?

This is the state of my sewing room right now. Not bad you say? I am not showing you the other side. If I felt better today I was going to tackle it, for now it will have to wait.
Look closely, see the striped fabric on the left? It is our challenge fabric due in February, wait until you see what I made!

I am going to do a paper piecing demo for both guilds in the next 2 months. I have some examples I am working on. These are so bright and cheerful.

I am also in a Modern Quilt Guild swap. We are to make a mini quilt no larger than 24" x 24". I loved how this turned out but it was a lot of work using up all different colors but still making it look cohesive.

I am pretty sure my swap partner does not follow my blog so I am not worried she will see this. They kind of look like very pretty butterflies! After I sew these together I will do some simple machine quilting.

May the new year bring you many pieces of fabric and lots of fun sewing. Happy New Year!

Kelly