Fall EQ Blog Hop - Using PrePrinted Panels

Thanks to SewCalGal for asking us to share our EQ7 (Electric Quilt) experiences with other quilters.  If you haven't had a chance I encourage you to check out the other blogs from earlier this week.

Monday, Oct lst

SewCalGal

Beaquilter

Tuesday, Oct 2nd

Marjorie's Quilting Bee

Curious Orange Cat

Wed., Oct 3rd

Love Bug Studios

Thursday, Oct 4th

Kissed Quilts

Bits and Pieces

Friday, Oct 5th

I Quilt Scarlet and Gray (That's Me)

EQ Blog

I purchased EQ7 back in May of 2010. I have another quilt design package, but decided to purchase EQ7 when I saw all the positive feedback. My first quilt that I designed took about 4 hours and I only contacted tech support once! I took 2 blocks from the Eleanor Burns Quilt Blocks on American Barns book and created a quilt based on a picture in the book. Using the block instructions the first time out helped me when designing the blocks, sashing and borders.

Stars and Stripes Allover

I use EQ7 for pattern testing, wall hangings, quilts, totes and labels. The majority of my projects are rotary cut and machine piecing.

I have a tough time visualizing how my quilts will look, so I download or scan fabric to use in EQ7.  This allows me the ability to actually see what my quilt will look like.   When working with fabrics you have downloaded into EQ7 you may have adjust the size to get the fabric to look right in your quilt.  I design the quilt and then play with the fabric placement as much as I want.

To make a quilt using pre-printed panels you have to start by deciding what size you will be trimming the panel to.

Sea of Dreams by South Sea Imports

This is the center of a baby quilt that I worked on this summer.  I was able to find it on the web and then imported it into EQ7 as a photo.  Marlene's post for the Fall EQ blog at Kissed Quilts explains how to manipulate your image within EQ7.

I created a custom quilt with a center layout of 22.5" x 41", then I started adding borders.

 I new I wanted to use 6" finished blocks in my outside border, so I had to add skinny borders of 1" and .75" around the panel to get the center to the proper size of 24.5" x 42.5".

By importing the panel as a photo I could set it onto the layout and then adjust it to the proper size.

Then I added the borders

and then the Twinkling Star and Animal blocks.

What I love about EQ7 is the ability to change colors and fabrics and to move blocks around. 

Here are a couple other panels I recently worked with.

 

Haunted Hallow 2 by Red Rooster

Becky Silbaugh at Ruby Blue Quilts recently posted pictures of the above table runner being quilted.

I have used this same technique to add stiched centers to my designs.  I took a picture of the stiching and then cropped it and imported it.



 I actually enlarged the the stiching pattern and then printed it on to EQ Printable fabric.

I hope I have answered some of your questions on using panel fabric in EQ, contact me if you have any other questions.