Cover Quilt Designed in EQ7 Another cover quilt designed in EQ7! This time it’s Jennifer Schifano Thomas’ quilt “Do-Si-Do” on the cover of Love of Quilting (May/June 2016). I’m sure you recognize it?!

EQ: Congrats on making the cover of Love of Quilting! Your Do-Si-Do quilt is just beautiful! Is this your first time being in a magazine? How does it feel?
Jennifer: Thank you so much!  I have been designing quilt patterns for magazines for over a decade.  My first design was Mulberry Square, published by Quiltmaker magazine in 2002.  Quilt designing started out as a fun hobby, but eventually became my full time career.  How does it feel to have a design published in a quilting magazine?  It feels wonderful, every time!

EQ: How does a designer get his/her quilt on the cover of a magazine?
Jennifer: That is a good question.  I’ve only been featured on a few covers.  My quilts that have graced the covers have all had bright colors and good contrast.

EQ: Tell us a bit about yourself, Jennifer.
Jennifer: I’m the mother of three boys, ages 6, 11, and 17, so my life is extremely busy!  I rarely have a whole day to stay home and sew.  I live in a vintage farmhouse in the countryside of North Carolina.  It’s a peaceful setting for quilting.

JST EQ: Describe your typical design process from idea/inspiration to finished quilt.
Jennifer: Most of my designs begin the old fashioned way, with pencil and paper.  I find it helps my creative process to start out slowly.  Once I have an idea down on paper, I recreate it in EQ7, playing with different arrangements and color schemes.  Often, the finished design looks nothing like the original.  Designing is my favorite part of the quilting process.

EQ: Tell us about your experience learning EQ7.
Jennifer: I started out with EQ5.  I already had some computer drawing skills from my previous job as a door/frame detailer, so I found the software easy to learn.  The transition to EQ7 was also easy for me and the upgrades were so helpful.  I love how I continuously learn more about EQ7, through books at the Electric Quilt website, and my own explorations of the program.

Do-Si-Do in EQ7

Do-Si-Do in EQ7

Do-Si-Do Finished Quilt

Do-Si-Do Finished Quilt

EQ: What are your favorite features of the program?
Jennifer: I love how easy it is to pull fabric samples from the fabric manufacturer’s websites and audition them in my quilt designs.  The ability to organize fabrics within the sketchbook is another favorite of mine.  As a child, I spent many hours arranging my crayons into different color families; EQ7 allows me to continue with that obsession.

EQ: What advice would you give to someone who is on the fence about trying EQ7?
Jennifer: EQ7 has something for everyone.  If you are interested in designing your own quilts, EQ7 can help you with that.  If you want to purchase specific blocks (such as from the Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks series), EQ7 can help you with that.  You can choose from hundreds of different quilt blocks, quilt layouts, and borders already available within the program, alter them to suit your taste, or design your own completely from scratch.  Plus, you don’t even have to figure out the yardages you will need for your project.  EQ7 has that covered, too.

EQ: Thank you so much for doing this interview with me, Jennifer. Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you, your quilt or your design process?
Jennifer: Thank you so much!  You can find out more about me and what I’m working on at my blog, http://curlicuecreations.blogspot.com/.  Have a wonderful day!