Summer is the time to travel, right?
Here is a fun project using the United States of America as inspiration.
You can download the project here. (Alaska and Hawaii are also included.)
But, to make it more personal, you could print photos on EQ Printable Fabric and integrate them into the quilt.
It’s easy with EQ7.
Of course, you can make the quilt any size you’d like, but mine is set to (without borders) 20 x 12.5.
I started with Texas. I used the Tape Measurer to measure Texas. It’s about 5.3 inches wide. So, I re-sized my photo to be 5.3 inches wide as well.
Then, I clicked Libraries > Fabric Library > Import > from image file > locate your Texas photo > Open > Add to Sketchbook.
Your Texas photo can now be used like any other fabric. Since some of the states are oddly shaped it will probably take a little trial and error to find photos that fit exactly right. One issue you might run into is the photo fitting width-wise but not lengthwise (or the opposite). It will depend on the photo but sometimes this is easy to fix. Let’s say your Maine photo looks something like this:
When the photo is too short EQ7 will start tiling it. One way to fix this is when you are actually sewing, just add extra fabric that matches the photo. At the top you could add some sky blue and at the bottom some dark blue. (And for more information about techniques like that you can check out Blending Photos with Fabric by Mary Ellen Kranz.)
If this inspires you to make something, let us know! Email photos to Heidi@electricquilt.com.
07-23-2013
1:59 pm
Perfect timing!! We just completed visiting all 48 states. Just Alaska and Hawaii to go. I have to make this for the RV.
07-29-2013
10:09 am
What a fun trip! I’d love to see a photo of the quilt when it’s finished!
07-24-2013
3:24 am
Thanks Heidi for sharing this little information. There is a lot of excitement with this project when I had a view.
07-29-2013
10:17 am
Thanks! I’m glad you like it!
07-24-2013
5:27 pm
Neat quilt, thanks Heidi! What is the state of Ohio a photo of?
07-29-2013
10:17 am
Thanks, Cathy. It’s people riding a roller coaster. From the smaller image it maybe looks like they are doing the YMCA equivalent of O-H-I-O…(Do you know what I mean?!?)Is that what you were thinking? Either way, that’s a great idea
08-04-2013
9:19 pm
Thanks Heidi, I’m an Ohioan, so just wondered what item you picked to represent my state. It was too small to tell what it was in the quilt and I couldn’t enlarge it. I could see it was something vertical and I was pretty certain you didn’t pick an electrical pole to put in your quilt. ; )
08-12-2013
9:16 am
We are are in Bowling Green Ohio so when I chose the roller coaster photo I was thinking of Cedar Point
08-07-2013
4:34 am
I do love these USA maps, this one especially cute…thanks for sharing
08-10-2013
11:03 am
So each state is not a “Block” I’m having a real blonde moment, how do you print out each state? Looks interesting.
08-12-2013
9:21 am
Hi Susan,
It’s not really designed to print out each state individually but if you want to you definitely can. You can click File > Print > Templates > Preview > Delete all the states you do not want to print. EQ7 will then only print the states you want. Hope that helps!
08-14-2013
10:57 am
Also make sure you are on Layer 2 since the block is a motif
08-10-2013
2:05 pm
I don’t have EQ7 only Quilt Design Wizard. Is there another way to get this pattern?
08-12-2013
9:22 am
Sorry Patty, QDW doesn’t do curved blocks. This project is only available for EQ7.
08-11-2013
10:51 am
Are there blocks for the states? All that downloaded was the quilt as a whole. Love it. Love the idea of picture blocks for states you have been too.
08-12-2013
9:24 am
Debi,
All the states are one block (minus Hawaii and Alaska). If you are having trouble doing something particular with the quilt let me know. You can email me directly at Heidi@electricquilt.com, if you want. Thanks!
08-14-2013
8:01 am
Love Love Love this.. thank you
08-14-2013
10:59 am
Thank YOU!
08-14-2013
10:47 am
You can click File > Print > Templates > Preview > Delete all the states you do not want to print. I am using EQStitch build 1. in the print function, templates does not work ??????
08-14-2013
10:57 am
Hi Kay,
Actually the block is a motif set on Layer 2 so you have to be on Layer 2 before you can print templates. Let me know if that doesn’t help!
Thanks,
Heidi
08-28-2013
8:52 pm
It will not let me download the map pdf.
08-30-2013
10:12 am
Hi Joy,
The download is not a PDF file, it is a PJ7 file that can be opened in the Electric Quilt 7 (EQ7) software.
Jenny @ EQ
09-07-2013
7:25 am
I have the EQ but can not download your USA pattern. ? why?
09-09-2013
9:27 am
Kathryn, this project is only for EQ7. If you have EQ7 and are still having problems please contact techsupport@electricquilt.com or 419-352-1134. Thanks!
10-04-2013
10:10 pm
I put quilt on Layer 2 and clicked on Print. It would not let me print templates because there were no blocks. It would only let me print the whole quilt (sized to fit the page), Neat project and if I could get it to print full size with the blocks outlined I would have a pattern for all the states.
10-07-2013
9:26 am
Hi Sheri,
You are just missing one tiny step. You have to click on the block first, and then click Print > Template. That should do it! Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks!
10-22-2013
7:31 am
Looks like a great tutorial and this would be fun to make. Thanks for sharing!
07-03-2017
12:36 pm
I’m not understanding how to use the project, I thought there would be applique “blocks” that I could print out and trace or what ever. How can I do that?
Thanks,
Susan
07-03-2017
12:55 pm
Hi Susan,
They are not individual applique blocks. They are considered motifs. There is one for 48 States, 1 for Hawaii and 1 for Alaska.
What are you wanting to trace?
If you want to print the quilt you need to be on Layer 2. Then click the select tool, click the quilt, then click Print. If you have any other questions please contact techsupport@electricquilt.com
Thanks,
Heidi
07-03-2017
12:42 pm
I tried following the directions you gave Sheri, but I can’t select anything on any layer so I cant print anything.
Thanks, Susan
07-03-2017
4:49 pm
I guess I have no idea how to use the project file, I wanted to print out each state so I could cut fabric for them.
Thanks,
Susan
07-03-2017
4:54 pm
That’s not really what this project is meant to do, but you can. Not all the states will be the perfect shapes since that’s not what it is meant for, though.
If you want to print the state shapes you need to be on Layer 2. Then click the select tool, click the quilt, then click Print. It will print 48 states. If you have any other questions please contact techsupport@electricquilt.com