“Electric Quilt is an invaluable resource in my studio when creating and designing.” – Quiltmaker Magazine featured designer, Scott Flanagan (March/April 2016 issue)
We love to find EQ-designed quilts in magazines!! Read about how EQ user, Scott Flanagan, created his Flying Geese quilt:
“Flying Geese is one of my favorite blocks to make. However normally you find them in straight rows and I wanted to play with getting the geese to fly in circles. I looked through EQ7, BlockBase, and a couple of block books to find a basic Flying Geese block to start with. After much playing on EQ and on scratch paper I found out the 12” block I was working with wasn’t big enough and ended up working with an 18” block instead. From there I started playing with EasyDraw until I came up with a block that gave me the geese flying in a circle. Then, it was time to play with the color placement and setting of the blocks. After setting the blocks into an on-point layout I found an unexpected secondary design of the pinwheels that form in between the circles of geese.”
How I go about designing a quilt:
- When designing I try to figure out a theme or certain block (or set of blocks) that I would like to use in order to incorporate all skill levels and techniques. These ideas will get noted and sketched out on paper.
- Once I have sketched out ideas on scratch paper I move to EQ7 to help in figuring out the design and placement of the blocks. It isn’t uncommon for me to have over 20 different layouts and 30-40 blocks saved in my Sketchbook.
- After getting the layout figured out I will start coloring the quilt. I use a very basic color pallete for all my designing and don’t worry about what fabric I will actually use at this point.
- It is then time to start the project notebook. A large quilt image gets printed for the cover then all block and settings instructions get printed.
- At this point a LOT of sticky notes get used in labeling fabric cuts, making pattern notes, cutting suggestions/revisions, square up points, pressing directions. Sticky notes are a staple in my studio and are all over the place!
- Once I have the sample created and the rough directions figured out, I write the actual pattern. Depending on the project I will make test blocks or another whole quilt to make sure everything works out as planned.
- Scott Flanagan
Scott was nice enough to offer two FREE EQ7 downloads for our users!
04-08-2016
11:19 am
I like the pinwheels and stars quilt.
04-08-2016
11:45 am
It was nice to read how Scott’s process for designing plays out. I like to use EQ to reproduce any pattern I want to make myself. It seems to ‘set’ my brain in the proper channels plus it shows me problem spots and area(s)that will need corrections. It is also great to double check the fabric amounts. EQ is usually long on fabric but that is better than short. Thanks Scott.
04-08-2016
1:36 pm
WOW! Scott. I LOVE your quilts!
04-08-2016
1:37 pm
WOW! Scott, I LOVE your quilts!! Ann W.
04-08-2016
4:44 pm
Thanks for sharing your process!
04-10-2016
12:08 pm
I love designing on EQ, too. There isn’t enough time to make all the quilts in my head out of fabric, but at least I can get an idea of what they would look like using EQ. Is that pinwheel pattern available? I do love it.
04-17-2016
11:32 am
I really like the look of these patterns. Will have to give them a try soon.
04-18-2016
7:12 pm
way cool Thanks for the pattern.
05-01-2016
1:46 pm
His designs have been around forever! I’ve got lots of old books with stuff like that in there.