Double Flying Geese

While checking out one of the blogs I follow, Civil War Quilts, I follow this blog so I can draw the blocks in EQ 7.  While there I saw a quilt with this wonderful Double Flying Geese border. Scroll to the bottom of that post.  The quilter is Lois O and this is her link.

Of course this border intrigued me.  When I saw her drawing I thought I can draw this in EQ 7.  I did but to be honest I had to draw it first on graph paper, and then it was easy! 

Shape Tool

So here is a little tutorial to draw it in EQ 7. I made the block lay out, twice as long as it is wide.  There are 6 geese, so I divided the length into 6 even segments.  To make drawing easier I made my block 6" x 12".  Each line I drew across the block I divided into thirds.  To do this you need to use the shape tool, the second tool from the top on left is the tool you use to divide lines in half or thirds.  This is on an Easy Draw block. This is a very handy tool for drawing complex blocks.  Be sure to click on the little red square to open the menu. 

Menu and lines divided into thirds

These dots for the thirds helped me line up the points for each goose.  On the right is the menu for the shape tool, which allows lines to be divided.

Here is a close up of the triangles for the geese.  There are some extra lines that need to be removed to make the sky larger around the geese.

The same area with the extra lines removed.  To delete the lines, use the Pick tool, the top left hand side tool, click on the line, it will be bold, and use the delete key on your key board to remove the lines.





Here is the completed and colored block, be sure to add your dimensions to the Notecard so you remember the correct size of your block.  Remember EQ 7 default size for all blocks is 6'' x 6".  You can draw this block in easy round numbers like I did and then change the size to print your paper piecing paper to fit your quilt.

And here is the paper piecing pattern.  Now wasn't that fun! 

I think I even know the quilt I might use this one.  If it isn't too busy. 







Happy Stitching and Happy EQing!

EQ7 Special Effects

I just realized I was behind in posting my EQ7 Quilt for this week.  I think I am being a little ambitious with this idea.  Mainly because I have been working on catching up on topics for my genealogy blog. Check it out you will read some fun stories about my own life, like high school, elementary school, worst & best subjects.  Enjoy!

Now on to this weeks EQ7 idea.  This is one of my dazzle tricks I teach in my Beginner's class. 

Cross block

First you draw a block any block.  Color it. This cross block is a nice example.

Special Effect Quilt Layout

Next pick one of the Special Effect quilt layout.  This is one of the simple layouts but you could use any of the special effects layouts.

Pathways

Then add the blocks to the quilt layout.  Remember to use the control key to add the blocks to all the block spaces at one time.  I really like the effect of this quilt, it looks like paths or a game board. 

I hope you try this with different blocks and see how different they can look. 

Would I ever make this quilt, no way but that is the fun of EQ you can design things and not make them. 

Happy EQ Designing!

EQ7 Twisted Ribbon Block to Border

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!