Favorite Finish Monthly Linkup - March 2020

Welcome to March's Favorite Finish Monthly Linkup!

March has been crazy and I am not sad to see it go.  I am now working from home and my two kids are e-learning.  We are all settling into our new routines and trying to stay safe and healthy.

I think that we could all use some cheer so please link up your favorite finish from March and take a few minutes to see everyone else's finishes.  Remember, you can link a picture right from your computer, you do not need a Instagram or blog post.

My favorite finish for this month was a Wide Open Pouch by Noodlehead for my mother.  March's challenge for Aurifil Artisans was to use Kaffe fabric and Kantha stitching (big stitch hand quilting without marking lines).

I used my only piece of Kaffe I own along with a bunch of different colored 12 wt Aurifil threads and stitched away.  Once I finished the hand quilting, I cut up the fabric and had the pouch made pretty quickly (Noodlehead's patterns are always wonderful).  Now to get the pouch in the mail :)

Ready for the party?  

Here is a reminder of the party details:

• The linky party will open at 12:01am EST on the last day of the month and will be open for 5 days, through the 4th at 11:59 pm EST.

• For instructions on how to link up blog, Instagram, or pictures from your computer (new - there is now a way to just upload a picture without a web link) to the party, click here.  

• If linking a blog post, I ask that you please add a link back to the party (and the button graphic if you would like).

• Please visit at least 3 other links (and preferably leave comments) to share the love and celebration :)

I hope you join in by checking out the posts or linking your favorite finish of the month!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

EQ8 ++ Tips & Tricks ++ Moving the Fabric Preview

I have a quick EQ8 tip for you today on how to move the fabric preview window out of the sketchbook area.

Especially when you are on a smaller screen such as lap top screen, the sketchbook area on the left hand side of the screen is limited.  The fabric preview window takes up a good portion of this valuable real estate.

Simply click the button that looks like an arrow pointing to a bracket (in the bottom right hand corner of the preview fabric).

This detaches the fabric preview window and allows it to be placed anywhere on the screen giving more area for the other elements in the sketchbook.

If you ever want to return the fabric preview window to the sketchbook, simply click the X in the upper right hand corner of the fabric preview window.

I hope this quick tip helps!!

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 ++ Parade and Prizes

Thank you to all that took part in Cindy and my Camden Road QAL!  Below is the parade of Camden Road quilts, from baby all the way through lap size.

Here is the parade of quilts...

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

2 pdf patterns: 

   #12: https://www.flickr.com/photos/147408140@N04/?

   #11: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-F08g1nIQl/

 

$25 gift certificate:
   #8: https://www.instagram.com/p/B99oqrYHdMD/

$25 gift certificate: 
   #9 https://www.instagram.com/p/B9Z1MKfnRLn/

Printable fabric:
   #13 https://www.instagram.com/p/B-GKd81nX6Y/

Collection of 12 large spools of thread:
   #4 https://www.flickr.com/photos/116323919@N03/49649522808/in/dateposted-public/

2 pdf patterns:
   #2: My quilt flimsy
   #5: https://www.instagram.com/p/B9_1g5CntUr/?igshid=z7na17tm55n3

Congrats to the winners and thanks to everyone who participated! You can always find out all of the other details about the quilt along here and see everyone's progress on #CamdenRoadQAL.

March EQ8 Block Spotlight

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 2 Little Flowers 2 in the Contemporary Applique, Flowers category and you can find it on EQ's blog here.

This block was a challenge for me as I do not tend to design applique much and the cute flowers were not really my style.

I transformed the block using the Serendipity Kaleidoscope function to make the one block into 4 new blocks.  Here is my new quilt top...

Have you ever played with and submitted a design in the EQ8 Block Spotlight?

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.

Mosaic Mystery ++ Reveal Parade and Prizes

Thank you to all of the quilters that joined in on the Mosaic Mystery Quilt Along!  Today is the reveal parade and prizes will be awarded.

If you would like to make a Mosaic Mystery Quilt, you can start at any time, the instructions will always be posted as blog posts!  Find out all about the quilt along here.  

Now that the Mosaic Mystery Quilt has ended, you can find a easy to print, full version of the pattern for sale in my pattern shop.

Full pdf Instructions of Mosaic Mystery Quilt

Without further ado...here are the Mosaic Mystery Quilts...

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Here are the prize winners (winners randomly selected from quilts submitted to the linkup).  Learn more about the sponsors here.  Winners should have received an e-mail from me.

Paintbrush Studio Fabrics: Half yard bundle of Painter's Palette Solids
     Link #39 "Scrappy Brights, Splat quilting! Happy Happy!"

Hobbs Batting: Twin-sized cotton/wool batting
     Link #79 R McIntosh

Aurifil: Collection of 12 large spools of thread
     Link #87 "Slow getting done"

Busy Hands Quilts: $25 gift certificate
     Link #14 "Sandy Allen's RWB mystery top"

Make Modern: 2 winners - six-month subscription
     Link #129 "finished top, quilting in progress"

     Link #119 "bunnies for grandson"

Needle & Foot: $50 gift certificate
     Link #78 "B DRECKTRAH"

Backside Fabrics: $50 gift certificate
     Link #9 "1st Mystery Quilt! Had fun, looking for next one"

Cooking Up Quilts: One copy of the Painted Stars quilt pattern and a 14-piece fat quarter bundle from Brushline fabrics
     Link #88 "Loved this pattern!"

Bear Creek Quilting Company: $50 gift certificate
     Link #92 https://www.elmstreetquilts.com/2020/02/out-of-formation.html

Honey, Bunny, and Doll: 3 yards of Kona cotton
     Link #98 Mosaic Mystery completed

Sew Fresh Quilts: $50 of patterns
     Link #29 "Mosaic Mystery top"
Quilting Jetgirl: 4 winners of 2 pdf patterns each
Link #97 Paisley Mosaic Mystery

Link #34 Bette's completed top

Link #22 Mosaic Mickey Mouse Mystery

Link #50 Mosaic Mystery Spring Floral

Whims and Fancies: 4 winners - each winning the Little Penguin Pattern Bundle
     Link #125 Judy's daisy quilt

     Link # 105 Finally finished the top! Have enough purple for the backing!

     Link #93 Mosaic Mystery

     Link #36 Finished my top

OLFA: 45mm Ergo in Pacific Blue
     Link #42 Love seeing the variety of fabric choices!

Fat Quarter Shop: $50 gift certificate
     Link #149 http://www.tishnwonderland.com/2020/01/to-do-tuesday-4.html

Tish in Wonderland: 2 winners of 3 pdf patterns each
     Link #60 https://www.instagram.com/p/B7tkYwonpLE/
     Link #145
https://m.facebook.com/groups/1583320305263906?view=permalink&id=2483243885271539


Meadow Mist Designs: 4 winners of 2 pdf patterns each
     Link #55 Mosaic Mystery
     Link #154 Quilt top is done! I loved doing this so much!
     Link #117 Top completed, but will be quilted before our local fair end of April! This was
     Link #19 did this because the fabric was on sale :-)

Thanks again for taking part in the Mosaic Mystery Quilt and thank you again to all of our wonderful sponsors!

Many thanks to the generous sponsors of the Mosaic Mystery Quilt!

Hobbs Batting | Bear Creek Quilting Company | Quilting Jetgirl | Sew Fresh Quilts

Quilter's Planner | Needle & Foot | Fat Quarter Shop | BackSide Fabrics

Cooking Up Quilts | Paintbrush Studio Fabrics | Honey, Bunny, and Doll | Make Modern | Tish's Adventures in Wonderland

OLFA | Aurifil | Busy Hands Quilts | Whims and Fancies | Meadow Mist Designs

EQ8 ++ Importing Fabric Series ++ Post 5

We are now in the 5th and final post in this series about how you can import fabrics into EQ8.  Here are links to all of the posts

• Post 1 - Importing fabrics from Electric Quilt into EQ8 
• Post 2 - Importing fabrics from fabric manufacturer sites into EQ8 
• Post 3 - Importing fabrics from other sources into EQ8
• Post 4 - Resizing and cropping fabrics in EQ8 to correct fabric print scale  
• Post 5 - Adding fabrics to "My Library" for future use ← this post

Adding Fabrics into EQ8 for Future Use

EQ8 gives us many standard colors and fabrics as our default when we start a new project in EQ8.  These are a great starting point for most projects, but if you want additional fabrics not in EQ8, you have to load them into your sketchbook for each project...unless you add them to "My Library".  Then your fabrics will be waiting in the library and you can easily add them to each new project.

Step 1 - Open the Fabric Library

Open the fabric library (where you go to add additional fabrics into your sketchbook).

Step 2 - Create a Favorite Library under My Favorite Fabrics

On the left hand side of the window, select "My Favorite Fabrics".  "My Libraries" will appear in the lower left hand area of the window.  Click the "Create Library" button to create a new library and then name the new library.  Good suggestions for names would be fabric collection names, fabric colors, etc.

Step 3 - Editing the Library and Styles

The new library will default to 10 styles.  This can be edited by right clicking on the library name.

You can change the name of the styles by right clicking or using two single clicks on the style name.

Step 5 - Adding Fabric to your Favorite Library

Using the "Import" button, import your desired fabric images from your hard-drive (Importing fabrics from your hard drive is shown in more detail in a previous post).

Select the fabrics within the window and press copy (or use Control-C for PC or Command-C for Mac).  Go back to your new library and style and paste the fabrics.  Click the "Save Library" button to save the library.

Congrats!  From this series you now know how to import different fabric images from a variety of sources, do basic scaling and editing, and how to add them to your favorites library to easily access them in each project.

I hope you have found this series helpful!!

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 ++ Link Up

The Linky party is ready for you to link up your Camden Road quilt tops and quilts!  You have until 11:59 pm EST on Monday March 23rd to add your picture so you still have plenty of time.

Camden Road QAL Linky Party

If you have any questions or issues, you can e-mail me your picture ( MMDmysteryquilts@gmail.com) and I will link it up for you.

Find out all of the other details about the quilt along here and see everyone's progress on #CamdenRoadQAL.

Next week we will open the link to enter your finished quilt top or finished quilt through March 23rd at midnight (EST) to be eligible for one of the many prizes.

EQ8 ++ Importing Fabric Series ++ Post 4

I hope that you are finding this series about importing fabrics into EQ8 helpful.  So far we can covered importing fabrics from Electric Quilt and from fabric manufacturers' websites.

Here are the posts that will be in the Importing Fabrics into EQ8 blog series, that will be posted each Wednesday:

• Post 1 - Importing fabrics from Electric Quilt into EQ8 
• Post 2 - Importing fabrics from fabric manufacturer sites into EQ8 
• Post 3 - Importing fabrics from other sources into EQ8
• Post 4 - Resizing and cropping fabrics in EQ8 to correct fabric print scale  ← this post
• Post 5 - Adding fabrics to "My Library" for future use

Resizing and Cropping Fabrics in EQ8

Sometimes you have a fabric image that is not scaled correctly in EQ8.  For example, a flower that measures 5" in real life on a fabric may show up as measuring only 1-2" in EQ8.  Today, I will be taking you through the very quick steps to fix the scale of your image so that it renders correctly in your EQ8 quilt top.

Step 1 - Open the Image Worktable

The Image Worktable is the green worktable button all the way on the right hand side of the screen (circled in red).  One way to know that you are in the Image Worktable is that the ribbon header is green.

Step 2 - Open the Image

Under the Image - Edit tabs, click the Import Image button (circled in red).  Navigate to where the image is stored on your computer and select the image you want to scale. The fabric should be &' wide but in EQ8 it is showing almost 10" in width.

Step 3 - Scale the Image

Click the Scale Fabric button and type in the actual fabric width in inches.  For this example, I am using a Ruby Star for Moda print that has a ruler so I can easily see that the fabric should be 7" wide.  If your fabric does not have a ruler, you can manually measure the width using the actual fabric and a ruler.

Step 4 - Crop Image if Necessary

If you image has a ruler (or other markings) you would like to delete.  Select the crop button (circled in red) to crop out the unwanted elements.

Step 5 - Add as a Fabric

Once you are satisfied with the fabric image being scaled correctly, you can press the Add a Fabric button (circled in red).  This will add the image as a fabric and it will show up with the other fabrics in your Block and Quilt Worktables.

I hope that this helps solve the problem of fabric images not scaling correctly in EQ8.  Next week we will learn how to add fabrics to your favorites library so that they are easily available in every project.

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 ++ Week 5

This is officially week 5 for the Camden Road Quilt Along! You still have plenty of time to work on your quilt tops / quilts with the quilt parade and prizes on Tuesday March 24th.

Find out all of the other details about the quilt along here and see everyone's progress on #CamdenRoadQAL.

Hop over to my co-host Cindy of Hyacinth Quilt Designs' blog to see her progress (hint, its gorgeous!).

Next week we will open the link to enter your finished quilt top or finished quilt through March 23rd at midnight (EST) to be eligible for one of the many prizes.