Tech Know Quilters Masters Challenge - Design Your Own T Shirt
In this blog post I will inspire you with ideas developed by Tech Know Quilters Masters members who designed their own T Shirt in EQ (or used a T Shirt from the EQ library). And then created a design for the T Shirt. I will also walk you through the process of preparing your Electric Quilt 8 design for printing -- and will walk you through how to use VistaPrint to print your own T Shirt. Quilty T Shirts Tech Know Quilters Masters Challenge
For this challenge, Tech Know Quilter Masters members started by either drafting their own shirt or using a shirt from the EQ library.
In week 2, they found a design to add to their T Shirt. And then (if desired) they added text to their quilt. I am hoping some decide to create their own personal T Shirt from their design. I personally would love to wear any of them.
Did you know that if you have received twelve months of Tech Know Quilter classes, you are eligible for the TKQ Masters program?
Send me a note, if you are interested in learning more about joining Masters. From EQ8 to T Shirt
I decided to challenge myself to participate in the TKQ Masters Challenge as well.
I've been wanting to create a Tech Know Quilters T Shirt. I ended up with two designs and couldn't decide which one I preferred.
Let me walk you through the highlights on creating my design in EQ8.
In my free video this week, I decided to share (as Paul Harvey would say) "the rest of the story".
While the design in EQ was great, I didn't want a quilt with the design -- but wanted an actual T Shirt. I knew it would be fun to wear to retreats and quilt shows. And I loved the fact that it is a one of a kind item. The biggest challenge I needed to overcome was preparing a good design for printing. And then finding a way to get it actually printed. Check out how I addressed both of these challenges.
You may have noticed in the video that I added a new piece of software to the mix.
My original plan was to use a background remover app (such as remove.bg). I use that app a lot, but the export was not large enough to create a crisp design.
When I was looking for a way to get my shirt printed, I saw that VistaPrint https://www.vistaprint.com was an option. I've used them in the past for postcards and business cards and have been impressed with their quality. They allow for purchases of single shirts, so I thought I would give it a try. In the process, I realized my image should be at a dpi of at least 300. (That was when I realized remove.bg wasn't going to work.)
Do you have a favorite quilting T Shirt? I would love to see pictures. I've set up a separate post in the Learning EQ Facebook group for you to share.
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Sometimes that beautiful striped fabric in our collection can be a bit intimidating to work with.
If you have ever struggled with making that initial cut into striped fabric, this tutorial is for you. Kaleidoscopes with Striped Fabric
Tech Know Quilter members have been working with striped fabric and posting their blocks in our private Facebook group..
In the EasyDraw Kaleidoscope class they created a striped fabric Kaleidoscope block. While many of the blocks are the same -- the fabrics result in a very different look for each of the blocks. Enjoy some of their awesome designs.
If you are currently in TKQ and would like to take EasyDraw Kaleidoscopes as an add-on class, send me an email. I have a discount coupon just for you.
Rotating Fabric in a Block using Electric Quilt 8
Although Electric Quilt does not have a rotate fabric option in the block worktable (something definitely on my wish list), there is still a way for you to rotate fabric for your block.
Let me show you how.
In the video I used Rose Whisperers by Eleanor Burns for Benartex. This is one of the fabric of the month collections from Electric Quilt. You can still get the free download on their website.
Here is the block from the video.
And if you want to supersize your project, consider creating a quilt comprised of four blocks. Just don't rotate the block (or put them in an on point layout) as you will need to adjust the rotation and fussy cut the fabrics again).
I look forward to seeing what you choose to do with your striped fabric. Post your quilts in the Learning EQ Facebook group.
Quilt Show season is upon on.
I've been enjoying the photos of award winning quilts from some of the national shows. They are truly breathtaking. My local quilt guild -- Maple Grove Quilters -- is having their show this weekend as well. We have a great group of very talented quilters. I also enjoy spending time enjoying their quilts. During the last couple of months, I have been busy on the longarm finishing up my quilts for the show. No custom quilting for me this year. I was in production mode. Two weekends ago, I was at a quilt retreat. A good chunk of my time was trimming up the quilts and adding binding. Last Sunday I was focused on creating and attaching labels for my quilts. Quilt show is today (May 4th). For those in the Twin Cities area, join me at the Maple Grove Community Center (from 9 am to 4 pm) to see a great collection of quilts created by Maple Grove Quilters. In this tutorial, I will share my quilts, their matching labels and walk you through my label process for one of my quilts. Summertime EQ8 Quilt Label Tutorial
When trying to decide what to do for this label, I struggled with the fact that there was no natural place on the quilt top to add the label information.
I didn't want to delete any of my blocks. So I decided to redesign the layout to include a plain block that was large enough to add my label information. Check out the full process in this EQ8 video tutorial. Printing Labels
In a Word document, I inserted the label images exported from Electric Quilt 8. I did a copy (Ctrl or Command Plus C) followed by paste (Ctrl or Command Plus V).
I then resized the images to fit on three pages. Pro Tip: Make sure to leave at least 1/2 inch between the quilts on each page to ensure a large enough seam allowance. It is a good idea to print the document on regular paper -- before proceeding to the EQ Printables.
What to Do if Your Ink Jet Printer isn't Working
Electric Quilt recommends that you print your labels on an InkJet printer. My InkJet printer was out of ink. So I used my laser printer instead. This is definitely not recommended. I printed one sheet at a time and let my printer cool down between pages. I did not want to melt the plastic sheets which are attached to the EQ Printables fabric.. I did notice that there was some extra ink on the next couple of printouts (after finishing my labels). Using a Laser printer is not recommended -- so use it at your own risk. I did find that the ink sits on top of the fabric, making the label a bit stiff. I am also not sure about the color fastness of the label -- so you may want to test this if you decide to user a laser printer.
I would love to see pictures of your EQ designed labels. Feel free to share in the Learning EQ Facebook group.
Quilts and Matching Labels
Here are the other quilts for my show along with the label (designed in EQ8). For each label I included an explanation of how I modified the quilt when creating the label.
Limited-Time Enrollment: I'm excited to announce the opening of enrollment for Tech Know Quilters, but act fast – this opportunity is available only from Friday through Monday. Since I open enrollment just a few times a year, I wanted to ensure you don't miss this chance. Your Electric Quilt Mastery Journey Begins: Your journey towards Electric Quilt mastery kicks off on May 1st. I can't wait to work with you, helping you unravel the potential of that fabric stash and explore your creativity through designing one-of-a-kind quilts. Ready to Join? If you're eager to master Electric Quilt and take your quilting to new heights, I invite you to join me. Let's embark on this exciting journey together. Tech Know Quilters March 2024 Month End ChallengePrepare to be amazed by the incredible creativity on display in our latest showcase featuring student projects from the Tech Know Quilter community. A recurring sentiment we've encountered is the delightful surprise expressed by many: "I didn't know you could do that with Electric Quilt 8!" Breaking free from any limitations, our talented members have harnessed the full potential of this versatile software.Get ready to be blown away by the astonishing creativity showcased in our newest collection, highlighting student projects from the vibrant Tech Know Quilter community. One sentiment echoed throughout is sheer amazement: "I had no idea Electric Quilt 8 could do all that!" Unleashing boundless creativity, our skilled members have unlocked the endless possibilities of this dynamic software
Registration now open for Signs of Spring Free EQ8 Live Webinar on April 24 or 25
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I've been sharing a fun EQ project - April Showers Brings May flowers. This week we will finish up the quilt.
Over the last two weeks, I shared drafting umbrella blocks along with raindrop blocks (for the April Showers) part of the design. In this tutorial, I have a bonus project focused just on the May Flowers block option. |
May Flowers EQ8 Tutorial
In the April Showers brings May flowers quilt, we will add a May Flowers block to the quilt. You will notice that there is some similarity to the raindrop block.
In the tutorial, I talk about a second option for creating the "tilt" option for the flower. During the last video I shared how to create the block using the Tilt option in Serendipity. In this tutorial, I share how to use the Merge Block option in Serendipity. I am curious which you prefer. |
Add the remaining blocks to the quilt and borders and color the quilt.
May Flowers Alternate Quilt
This used the quilt style - Horizontal Strip. With the Horizontal Strip style, you can pick a different style for each strip.
And then add borders of your choosing.
Kari Schell
Electric Quilt Expert and Educator and Pattern Designer.
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