I DID it!! My first EQ Paper Pieced Pattern!!

I'm just too excited!!  I FINALLY figured out how to create a paper-pieced pattern in my EQ7 program!!  I've been struggling with this program for about a year, as I got it last Christmas, or birthday (which is in January).  I'm not too computer savvy, but have been making myself use it each time I try to design anything quilt-related.  Slowly but surely, I'm learning this program.  I've been wanting to figure out how to make a paper-pieced pattern for several months, and have even used quite a few of the foundation block patterns in the EQ library.  It finally all clicked (sort of) and while my pattern is a bit clumsy, I did it!

It's part of this week's round of Project Quilting.  With my current round of quilt alongs, swaps, and finish alongs, I almost decided NOT to participate in this round.  I generally don't do these unless it truly inspires me, or I want to try or learn a new technique.  It's a perfect way to do this.  So, I decided to try to make a paper pieced ear of corn block.  And it worked!!!  I used this tutorial on Joanna of Shape Moth's site to step me through it.  THANK YOU Joanna!!

I plan to create a "seed packet" mini quilt with it, based on my "page 28" inspiration in my seed catalog :-).  Our printer is out of service, but luckily I got this printed in the nick of time.

WIP Wed: Project Quilting

Here's where I am so far in the first round of 2013 Project Quilting!  The challenge this week is: Square within a Square. 

I found this quilt block pattern on my much-neglected EQ7 program.  I enlarged it to 15" by 15", before I printed it, then taped the pieces together.  Gosh was it a bear to work with such a large paper piecing "template", but I love the way it turned out.

I'm hoping to get it quilted today, with a different pattern in each color.  Any quilting suggestions?

I spent Saturday in Baker City, OR, watching my son's high school swim meet.  It's about an hour and a half East of us, and is situated along the old Oregon Trail, between the Elkhorn Mountains Range and the Eagle Cap Mountain Range.  Forgive the smudge on my camera that I didn't notice until I got home, but here's a few pics I thought I'd share:

I also have to share a conversation between my husband and I.  When I told him that I wanted to head over there an hour or so early, he said "There's a quilt store over there, isn't there?!"  Totally busted LOL!

 Elkhorn Mountains above, Baker City street below.

 

Waiting for the meet to start

 Always looking for patterns... pool deck detail. Eagle Caps Mountains below.

Snowflakes and Dragonflies

Things have begun to slow down in my non-sewing life lately, and I was able to finally get some sewing done, including the snowflake ornament I made as part of the pre-season Project Quilting challenge.  I did this last year, and it was a blast!  The mini challenge was to make something quilty that used 2 techniques, and was holiday relate.  I've been collecting snowflake ornaments for years now, so decided to make one to add to the bunch.  I pieced the background together, and fuse-appliqued the snowflake onto the background, adding some bling with some iron on rhinestones that I had in my stash.  Kim's Crafty Apple has re-branded herself as Persimmon Dreams.  Click on the link to find out more about the upcoming season of Project Quilting!  I had such a fun time with it last year!!

I also finished sewing up all of the dragonflies.  I hope to get them sewn together into a finished top today!  As I played around more with EQ7 I found that this design is really quite versatile.  Here are a few more layouts, and I think the last one is now my favorite!

This post has a few other layouts.  So.  Much.  Fun!

WIP Wed: Dragonfly and EQ7

It's been a very busy past week here, so I haven't been able to sew or blog that much, but thought I'd share a new quilt that I'm starting to work on.  I've been so driven to finish up my UFO's that new projects have taken the back burner.

I was asked to make this special quilt last week, and was told the recipient's favorite colors, and that they like dragon flies.  They also are more "traditional" in their quilting tastes.  After looking on the web and in local stores for dragon fly fabric with very little success, I found this dragon fly quilt block among some image searches on line, but no instructions or patterns, so I made up a test block using graph paper and fabric scraps.

It's been a goal of mine to learn the EQ7 program that my husband bought me almost a year ago.  I've been trying it out with each project, with only limited success, but for some reason, it all seemed to click this time!!  I was able to draw the quilt block, then put it into a quilt!!  I can not tell you how excited I am about this!!  I think EQ 7 is best suited for these traditional styles, or at least it's best to start out with these designs to learn the program.

It's even pretty easy to export to a blog (whew hew!!) 

I quickly realized that the block makes a beautiful pattern when they are rotated in a certain way!!!  I'm so in love with this design!!

I think I like it best above, but also did a mock up with sashing to separate the blocks a bit more.

Which version do you like the best?  I hope to get it done by Christmas, and thankfully, my "schedule" will be slowing down a bit next week (hopefully).

Finally, I sent these "use your selvages" postcards off into the world for my last postcard swap.

I'm linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced WIP Wed.  Come see what others are working on!