Book Review ++ Modern Curves and Bold Stripes

I am so excited to share today a book by two of my wonderful and talented quilty friends Heather Black and Daisy Aschehoug.

The book is called Modern Curves and Bold Stripes and is published by Stash Books, an imprint of C&T publishing. Each of the quilt patterns combines curved elements with striped elements.

Both Heather and Daisy are curve masters and the book contains great instructions for making the curved blocks easily and accurately. Plus, the instructions are written for both piecing striped fabric and for using fabric with printed stripes.

Here is the table of contents to get a little peek at all of the designs from the book...

Which are your favorites?  It is very difficult for me to choose, but I think that Aurora and Patio Lights are going on my bucket list to make.

Aurora

I love the pieced large stripes in Aurora and how the circles overlap the stripes.  The colors are awesome too, pinks, reds, and blues combined with mustard is always one of my favorites.

Patio Lights

Patio Lights speaks to me with its bright "lights" set on the diagonal stripes.  This quilt design and color scheme would look great in my son's room.

The styling of the quilts in the pictures make for some beautiful eye candy.  There are 15 designs and a total of 24 quilts in the book, including the duplicates with pieced or printed stripes.

If you want to try your hand at curved piecing and combine it with some bold stripes, be sure to pick up a copy! 

Note:

Some links may be affiliate links

All pictures by Stash Books, used with permission

EQ8 ++ Turning Seam Lines On/Off

Ready for another EQ8 tip?  Did you know that you can easily turn the seam lines on and off in the quilt top in EQ8?  Showing the seam lines is great to see how the quilt top is put together and hiding the seam lines gives you a better idea on how the actual quilt would look pieced with fabric.

There are two ways of turning the seam lines on and off.

Method 1

While your mouse is on the quilt top in the Quilt Workshop, right click.  This brings up a menu where you can turn the seam lines on and off for the blocks and pieces.

 Quilt top with all seam lines

Quilt top with seam lines only around the blocks

Quilt top with no seam lines

Method 2

On the right hand side of the screen right over the question mark button is a Hid/Show Quilt Patch Lines button.  Clicking this button will turn on and off all seam lines.

I hope that you have found this tutorial to be helpful!  Happy designing!!

The Electric Quilt Company is generously offering a special coupon code for my readers.  Use can use EQ8CHERYL for 20% off of their entire website, ElectricQuilt.com (EQ8, EQ8 upgrades, books, add-ons, etc.). The code is good until March 31, 2020.

Camden Road QAL ++ Official Kick-Off

Are you joining in?  Cindy and I are officially kicking off the Camden Road Quilt Along today!

The Camden Road Quilt Along will run from January 28th - March 24th, 2020.  The Camden Road pattern contains instructions for baby, lap, and twin sizes and you can make any size you would like during the QAL.

Post on social media with #CamdenRoadQAL to share your progress with the other quilters.

My Fabrics

My plan is to make a lap sized quilt using some saved Maureen Cracknell for Art Gallery Fabrics fat quarters I have in my stash.  I am pairing them with a white and light blue solid for the backgrounds. 

You can find your estimated number of blocks to make per week on the QAL page, but do not feel you need to follow that schedule.  I usually like to make all of the components for the blocks assembly style so I will be probably be taking the first week or two and make all of the flying geese for the entire quilt. 

Pattern

The Camden Road pattern is available in the Meadow Mist Designs pattern shop and will be on sale for 25% through midnight EST tonight (January 28th) using the code CAMDENROAD.  The code will only work on the Camden Road pattern and only in my shop (not on Etsy).

Camden Road Digital Pattern

Camden Road Printed Pattern

Share Your Fabric Selections

Please share your fabric selections with the group by using hashtag #CamdenRoadQAL on Instagram and in the Meadow Mist Designs FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MeadowMistDesigns/

I hope you decide to join in!!  If you have any questions, you can leave them in the comment section below or e-mail me at MMDmysteryquilts@gmail.com

Camden Road QAL ++ Sponsors & Prizes

Only one week until the official kick off of the Camden Road Quilt Along!  I am so excited and I hope you are too!  You can find out all about the quilt along here including dates, quilt kits, and the Facebook group.

You can still get the pattern for 25% off through January 28th using the code CAMDENROAD. The code will only work on the Camden Road pattern and only in my shop (not on Etsy).

Camden Road Digital Pattern

Camden Road Printed Pattern

We have some wonderful and very generous sponsors lined up for the QAL.  All prizes will be given out randomly to those that enter the reveal parade link party at the end of the quilt along.

Without further ado, here are the sponsors in random order...

Quilting Jetgirl

Prize: Two winners of 2 pdf patterns each

Yvonne blogs at Quilting Jetgirl and is an awesome pattern designer, quilter, and technical editor. She has been quilting for 20+ years and credits quilting with helping her feel balanced and connected to both her local hometown community and a larger global community. Her patterns are available through her shop.

Needle & Foot
Prize: $25 gift certificate

While Needle & Foot has been around since 2014, Bernie began stocking fabric in January of 2017. She strives to carry a wide variety of quilting cottons.  In her Etsy shop, you will find a large selection of small fat quarter bundles, an affordable way to have a collection of pieces from one line without having to buy the entire fat quarter bundle.  Also, Bernie has recently expanded and now carries a selection of voiles and stretch knit fabrics for sewing garments. Providing individual help is a pleasure for Bernie so don’t hesitate to contact her with questions or concerns when selecting fabrics.

Needle & Foot created some super fun quilt kits for the Camden Road QAL which make up a baby or lap sized quilt.

Bear Creek Quilting Company

Prize: $25 gift certificate

The Bear Creek Quilting Company started in 2011 as a family business based out of Lebanon Oregon. Over the years they have grown and the online shop now has thousands of yards of fabric available. Bear Creek Quilting Company offers a flat shipping fee, quick shipping, and every order includes a surprise gift; everyone loves something exciting and free.

The Bear Creek Quilting Company created some beautiful quilt kits for the Camden Road QAL which make up to a twin size.

The Electric Quilt Company

Prize: Printable fabric (US addresses only)

The Electric Quilt Company makes EQ8, the premier quilt design software.  EQ8 makes designing your next quilt quick, easy, and fun.  Play with the design on the computer until you love it without having to cut a bit of fabric!

Aurifil

Prize: collection of 12 large spools of thread

Aurifil is a favorite of quilters for their high quality, wonderful colors, variety of thread weights. I love Aurifil's thread colors and weights (and my machine loves Aurifil thread)! Aurifil thread is made from the finest cottons grown in the Mako region of Egypt and manufactured in Milano, Italy.

Meadow Mist Designs 

Prize: Two winners of 2 pdf patterns each

Cheryl Brickey of Meadow Mist Designs focuses on producing innovative patterns with clear instructions by combining her technical writing and math skills with her love of quilting. She loves teaching computer aided quilt design and basic quilting skills to others. You can find all of her patterns in her shop.

Mosaic Mystery Quilt ++ Quilt Top and Quilt Linkup

I hope that you are love the Mosaic Mystery quilt design and are working towards finishing your quilt tops and quilts!

Please take the time to read through some important items as we near the end of the quilt along...

Important Dates:

• January 31st - Linkup of quilt tops for January's monthly linkup. See below for prizes.
• NOTE: The link up for the reveal parade and the January linkup are the same so you only need to linkup once (if you link up for January, you do not need to re-linkup your quilt top for the reveal parade)
• March 5th - Linkups of all quilt tops and/or quilts due into the linkup to be eligible for reveal parade prizes.
• March 12th - Mosaic Mystery Quilt reveal parade!
• March 16th or 17th - prize winners revealed.

How to Submit Your Quilt to the January Linkup and Reveal Parade and Be Eligible for Prizes:

• Use the link-up link below. You will link up your quilt top or quilt and then on the reveal parade day, they will all publish together in one post.
• If you have any problems with the link-up, e-mail me at MMDmysteryquilts@gmail.com. I will help you and will even load your quilt picture if needed.
• If you need help, please do not DM me through Instagram, PM through Facebook, leave a comment in the Facebook group, etc. I simply cannot keep track of all of the different avenues of communication and might not see your question or problem.

Frequency Asked Questions:

• Do I need to finish my quilt (quilted and bound) to take part in the parade and be eligible for prizes? 
• No, you can enter pictures of completed quilt tops or finished quilts.
• I posted my quilt picture to Facebook / Instagram / my blog, am I entered into the parade? 
• No, you must link up your picture to be eligible. I will help you if you have any problems.
• How are the prizes given out? 
•  All prizes are given out randomly to quilters who participate in the reveal parade.
• I loved the Mosaic Mystery quilt so much I made two (or more) versions, can I link up both of them? 
•  Yes! You can link up all of the quilt tops and/or finished quilts you made from the Mosaic Mystery quilt and each quilt gets an entry into the prize drawing.

Mosaic Mystery Quilt Links:

• Monthly pattern instructions - note: all pattern instructions will remain on the blog posts, but pdfs will be removed the day of the reveal parade.
• Quilt kits available
• Facebook group
• Non-mystery quilt option
• Sponsors & Prizes

If you have any questions, you can e-mail me or leave them in the comments below, now onto January's Linkup!  Many thanks to our generous sponsors for January!

Hobbs Batting
Monthly prize: Twin-sized cotton/wool batting 

Hobbs strives to create the best battings for quilters and has many options such as wool, cotton, polyester, and silk for quilters to choose from.  I love using Hobbs battings in my quilts.

Quilting Jetgirl

Monthly prize: One winner of 2 pdf patterns 

Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl is back as a sponsor for the third year in a row! Yvonne blogs at Quilting Jetgirl. She has been quilting for 20+ years and credits quilting with helping her feel balanced and connected to both her local hometown community and a larger global community. Her patterns are available through her shop. 

Click here to enter your quilt top and/or quilt into the linky party

Remember, those quilt tops entered by Jan 31st midnight are entered to win a prize from Hobbs or Quilting Jetgirl. The linkup will remain open and you can linkup your quilt tops and quilts to this same linkup anytime before the end of Thursday March 5th.

January EQ8 Block Spotlight & Giveaway!

Did you know that each month Electric Quilt highlights a block from the EQ8 Block Library? They share a few ideas on how you could use the block in a unique way in a quilt top then asks EQ users to play and show what they can do with the block.

This month's block is the Pinwheel Square and you can find it on EQ's blog here. You can link up your design and see everyone else's on the blog page too.

I decided to play with the Pinwheel Square this month and came up with three different looking quilt tops.

1. Vertical Layout

I used the vertical layout to have regular and half drop blocks and then colored parts of the block the same color as the dark background to give a vertical zigzag look between the columns of blocks.

2. Combined with Duck and Ducklings

For the second design, I combined the Pinwheel Square block with the Duck and Ducklings block. I colored parts of both blocks white like the background to simplify the quilt top a little.

3. Combined with Irish Chain

For the last design I combined with Pinwheel Square block with a simple Irish Chain block I drew in EQ8. I colored the blocks to look a little like flowers.

Which is your favorite design? Have you ever played with and submitted a design in the EQ8 Block Spotlight?

GIVEAWAY ALERT

Do you want to win a copy of EQ8? I am giving away a copy over on Instagram right now! You can find the link here. (Note: this giveaway is only on Instagram, a comment on this post will not be counted as an entry.)

The Electric Quilt Company is generously offering a special coupon code for my readers.  Use can use EQ8CHERYL for 20% off of their entire website, ElectricQuilt.com (EQ8, EQ8 upgrades, books, add-ons, etc.). The code is good until March 31, 2020.

Aisle Path Lighting

I have a bunch of quilt finishes from 2019 that I have not yet shared on the blog so I will attempt to do so over the next few weeks.  The first quilt I would like to share is called Aisle Path Lighting.

My local guild, the Greenville Modern Quilt Guild, hosts a quilt challenge every August.  The challenge for this past year was the crayon challenge.  The rules were:

• Randomly select 3 crayons 
• Make a small quilt (no side larger than 36") 
• Use the the crayon colors as the majority of the quilt top
• Focus on negative space

My colors were a dark blue, bright yellow, and grass green.

I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone a little and try some improv piecing.  I started by creating little dots of yellow on a dark blue background which I thought looked a little like aisle path lighting you would see in a plane (which is how the quilt got its name).

I then slowly pieced the top together cutting different angles and using slightly different hues of the dark blue for interest.  I really did not care for the grass green so I included it in just one tiny spot :)

For quilting, I first machine quilted some dark blue lines echoing the seam lines and then added some big stitch hand quilting using Aurifil 12 wt in dark blue.  I faced the quilt instead of my usual binding.  The finished quilt measures 34" wide by 25" tall.

I am happy to report that I submitted Aisle Path Lighting into QuiltCon in the small quilts category and it got in!  I am working on putting a hanging sleeve and label now.

I'm linking up with NTT at My Quilt Infatuation.

Camden Road Quilt Along Annoucement

Looking for a good quilt along to start the year?  Cindy of Hyacinth Quilt Designs and I are going to be hosting a quilt of my new pattern Camden Road.

The Camden Road Quilt Along will run from January 28th - March 24th, 2020.  The Camden Road pattern contains instructions for baby, lap, and twin sizes and you can make any size you would like during the QAL.

Post on social media with #CamdenRoadQAL to share your progress with the other quilters.

How many blocks you should aim to complete each week depends on the quilt size you are making, we will have 5 weeks of block making, followed by 3 weeks to catch up on blocks and sew the quilt top together.

You do not have to follow the number of blocks per week, if you prefer you could make all of the flying geese one week, the corner units another week, etc.  The only link-up for prizes will be at the end of the quilt along with the quilt top and/or finished quilt so make the quilt in your preferred method and pace. 

Baby size - 9 blocks - aim for 2 blocks/week

Lap size - 20 blocks - aim for 4 blocks/week

Twin size - 30 blocks - aim for 6 blocks/week

Pattern

The Camden Road pattern is available in the Meadow Mist Designs pattern shop for 25% through January 28th using the code CAMDENROAD.  The code will only work on the Camden Road pattern and only in my shop (not on Etsy).

Camden Road Digital Pattern

Camden Road Printed Pattern

QAL Schedule

You can find all of the quilt along related posts on the Camden Road QAL page.

Tuesday January 7th (today) - QAL Announcement and Fabric Requirements
January 14th or 21st - Prizes Announced
Tuesday January 28th - Official QAL kick-off
Tuesday February 4th - Weekly in-progress post
Tuesday February 11th - Weekly in-progress post
Tuesday February 18th - Weekly in-progress post
Tuesday February 25th - Weekly in-progress post
Tuesday March 3rd - Weekly in-progress post
Tuesday March 24th - Parade and Prizes


Prizes

We will have a bunch of great prizes announced within the next week to win if you link up with the parade with a quilt top or finished quilt for the March 24th reveal.



Fabric Requirements

Kits

Bear Creek Quilting Company and Needle & Foot Fine Fabrics have come up with some wonderful quilt kits options.

Bear Creek Quilting Company

The Bear Creek Quilting Company has put together two quilt kits:

Rosewood Kit (this kit will make up to the twin size)

Amethyst Garden Kit (this kit will make up to the twin size)

Needle & Foot Fine Fabrics

Quilt Kit 1 - baby & lap sizes

Quilt Kit 2 - baby & lap sizes

Quilt Kit 3 - baby & lap sizes

I hope you decide to join in!!  If you have any questions, you can leave them in the comment section below or e-mail me at MMDmysteryquilts@gmail.com

New Printed Patterns Available

I just got a batch of printed patterns back from the printer and got them listed in my shop.

Printed versions of the new patterns Disappearing Oranges and Spinning Stars are now available and they are at the introductory price of $9 through Wednesday at midnight.

Printed versions of Camden Road and Arrow Point Path are now also available.  The official Camden Road QAL announcement will be tomorrow and in it will be a coupon code for Camden Road (which will work on both he digital and print versions).

You can click the pictures or links below to be taken to the new printed patterns...

Spinning Stars

Disappearing Oranges

Arrow Point Path

Camden Road

EQ8 ++ Snap Grid Options Tutorial

I love EQ8 by the Electric Quilt Company and use it to design almost every single one of my quilts.  I have had the chance to teach EQ8 to a number of guilds, at QuiltCon, and at the EQ Academy. 

I have just been given the opportunity to partner with EQ over the next few months to help spread the word and teach more about EQ8.  What does that mean for you?  More blog posts filled with tips and tricks for EQ8, behinds the scenes looks at my design process, giveaways, and more!

Today, I would like to show you a little feature of EQ8 that I learned when I was teaching at the EQ Academy...did you know you can customize your grid display?  You can change both the size of the grid dots and the color.  You can make the grid larger and darker to make it easier to see or smaller and gray to make it blend in more with the background.

Here is the default setting for the grid display: small, green grid dots.

To change the grid...

On the left hand side of the screen, click on the Worktable Options icon shaped like a gear (it is the bottom icon).

This brings up the Drawing Board Setup window.  Click on Snap Grid.

You can change the Grid Display from Small grid dots, to Medium grid dots, or Large grid dots.  You can also select from 8 different colors.

Here is my new grid setup with medium grid dots in a magenta color.  I find that this combo is very easy to see when I use my smaller (and less bright) lap top screen instead of my stand alone monitor.

I hope that you have found this tutorial to be helpful!  If you have ideas on what you would like EQ8 tutorials on, please leave them in the comments below.

The Electric Quilt Company is generously offering a special coupon code for my readers.  Use can use EQ8CHERYL for 20% off of their entire website, ElectricQuilt.com (EQ8, EQ8 upgrades, books, add-ons, etc.). The code is good until March 31, 2020.