Behind the Mouse: The Electric Quilt Blog

What are ‘add-on’s’ and what will they do for us?  An add-on is an additional feature that when added to a program it will expand it’s capabilities.  This is what we have with EQStitch because it was added on to the EQ7 program.  EQStitch can not stand alone and operate.  It must be added to EQ7 to work.  There are also add-on products that can be added to the EQ7 quilt design software.  The big advantage of having an add-on program is that you can use items from the core program in the new add-on program without having to purchase new features.  We can use the blocks and images from EQ7 as the basis of a new stitched design in EQStitch.  This is a great feature for me because I can not draw.  I am really good at tracing something that is all ready there or  editing something that is

The Spraycan Tool The Spraycan tool paints matching patches in a block using fabrics or colors. The Spraycan tool is only available on Layers 1 and 2. 1. Click  on a fabric in the palette to select it. 2. Click  a patch in the quilt. All similarly colored fabric in that block will color with the new fabric. CTRL + click colors the same patch of that same color in all matching blocks (Layers 1 or 2). ALT + click colors the same patch of that color in alternate blocks (Layer 1 only). • If you’d like a reminder of this and other tools in EQ7, check out the  Display Dynamic Help tool. • To print this: Click the title (Tool Tip Tuesday! -  The Spraycan Tool) and then print as normal.

I have the pleasure of teaching a machine embroidery club every month in my home town.  Each month I come up with digitized designs and a corresponding lesson about the design for the students.  They then take the stitch files and create whatever project they wish with the stitch outs.  Show and tell is awesome and I love seeing what they have created with the designs I provided for them.   There is one thing that makes me cringe when I am watching the students stitch or when they are showing something they have done that was either a free internet design or a purchased design from a website and  they say ‘This design is awful and very poorly digitized!’   But is it always the fault of digitizing or is it some other influencing factor? The digitizing is only the first step to creating an embroidery design.  Hopefully, the

  The Erase Block Tool Use this tool to remove a block from the quilt. Click the block you want to erase. The Ctrl key on your keyboard + click on a block will erase every block. The Alt key on your keyboard + click on a block will erase alternate blocks. However, using Ctrl + click and Alt + click on some layout styles will not work the same as they do on Horizontal/Straight layouts. You may have to repeat the Ctrl + click and Alt + click to achieve the desired goal. The Erase Block tool is not recommended for Custom Set quilts, Layer 2 or 3 because it will leave a blank block placeholder. In these cases, use the Adjust tool  to select your block, then press your keyboard Delete key on your keyboard to remove the block. • If you’d like a reminder of this and

EQ Academy Ohio Location: April 21-23, 2016 Reminder! Enrollment opens Tuesday, August 18, 2015 at 11:00am EDT for the Spring 2016 Ohio location only. View class options now > View class listings for both locations >

I have to design lessons for several different classes I am teaching on the use of EQStitch.  I find myself constantly returning to my favorite tool for my samples.  That tool is the Wreath Maker tool.  It is so easy to create repeated patterns of a design.  They do appear in a circle, but I can move the individual elements outside of the circle line if I wish for a new look. 1.  On the stitch worktable , set up the worktable to be an embroidery table. 2.  Click on the ‘drawing board options’ icon on the properties bar. In the drawing board box, set the embroidery edge setting to a bean stitch with a shortened stitch length of 1.5.  The shortened stitch length allows the stitches to easily sew around a curve for a smooth stitched look. Set the embroidery fill setting to be a smooth stitch.  Be sure

Marian Pena is hosting a Row-A-Long! 20 great quilt designers are creating quilt rows for mixing and matching! I’ve seen some previews of the rows and they are ADORABLE! But, not only will the designers provide a pattern for you, but they will also be featuring Electric Quilt tutorials. And, there are TONS of great prizes including an EQ7! Here is the Row-A-Long schedule along with the season that the designers will be featuring. September 1 Marlene Oddie at Kissed Quilts – Spring Lynn Zydon Provencher at Thimblemouse & Spouse – Winter Dorice Cotten Rice at The Quilting Queen Online – Summer Janeen van Niekerk at Quilt Art Designs – Fall Bea Lee at Be A Quilter – Filler Row Anneka Kornelis at Stof Genoeg – Filler Row September 8 Lorna McMahon at Sew Fresh Quilts – Fall Carol Steely at Fun Threads – Spring Amy Heaton at Country Junk’tion –