Drawing in Electric Quilt …. and a Challenge

I am often asked how I learned to draw new blocks in EQ.

Well, the answer is that I started by altering and modifying and generally playing around with  blocks from the EQ library.

Open any pieced block from the library, delete a few lines, save it, put them back again, add a couple of lines, save it, then delete them again.

Don’t worry, the original blocks will still be there in the library next time you want to use it.

Then I would go to the colouring layer and see how many different ways I could colour the block, concentrating more on where the light, medium and dark fabrics went rather than focusing on the colours.

So, if you haven’t tried drawing pieced blocks in Electric Quilt there is no time like now to start.

Start with a Nine Patch block. In EQ7 it is the Classics section of the Classic Pieced library.

Open the EQ7 manual to page 151. When you get stuck because you want to do something read the manual …. pages 151 to 160.

Try drawing some diagonal lines across the corners.

Nine Patch becomes Shoo Fly!

Now add some straight lines.

Wow, Monkey Wrench!

Go back to the original Nine Patch.

Add some straight lines in the centre square.

Double Nine Patch.

Do the same in the corner blocks.

This one is also Double Nine Patch.

Start with the Nine Patch again …. though by now you can probably delete all the lines you don’t need to get the basic block again, or even delete all the lines and draw the Nine Patch again.

Nine Patch Star, Variable Nine Patch, Ohio Star and quite a few other names!

Now lets put the diagonal lines in the corners again …..

And now you can put the nine small squares into the centre square ……..

and then delete the diagonal lines in the corners ……

………………………………………………………………………………………….

Challenge …. see how many ways you can divide each of the small squares with straight lines, on the diagonal or straight.

I will go make myself a coffee while you keep playing.

I have about 250 blocks …. not counting different colourings, which was achieved over a two-week period.

You don’t have to draw that many to get the hang of drawing straight lines in Electric Quilt, but it could prove exciting if you find a simple to piece block which no-one has ever found before ….. and it looks absolutely stunning.

The first ones you find will be the ones you are probably familiar with, and are probably already in the EQ library, but keep playing!

Chances are, keep trying long enough and you will start creating some original blocks.

I have quite a few unfamiliar blocks on my collection …. wonder if they are new!

I think I might use them in quilts, and ask you to let me know if you are familiar with them and what their name is …. or suggest a name for the newbies!

You can practice over the weekend and next week I will show you some of my Nine Patch blocks.