Transparendo Sewalong - Week 11

Welcome and thank you for joining us for the eleventh week of the Transparendo Sewalong. I have to admit, I am wondering if anyone is actually reading these sewalong blogposts? Writing a few words in the comments section below can't be that hard can it? Although a lot of the information below is a repeat of the previous weeks, it takes a good three hours to write a blogpost with informative information, good graphics, consistent content and interesting prizes.

Are you sewing along with us? You still can jump in and make 12 blocks for the quilt top as shown in the book and enter your finished quilt top for the random drawing in Week 15 for your chance to win a full-version copy of EQ8 sponsored by our platinum sponsor - The Electric Quilt Company.

Verena from einfach bunt Quilts  and I love sewing your blocks and look forward to seeing your finished quilt top in our Transparendo Sewalong (#transaprendosal). 

 This week's hashtag is #transparendosalw10 for Week Ten, Block Nine. 

 Please sign up for our newsletters to keep on top of the sewalong.

Sewalong Schedule

What is in store for you over the next fifteen weeks? Take a look at our line up. Each week there is a fun, new assignment to complete. The blocks accelerate in skill level with each new block and build upon previous blocks. Learn all types of new skills such as flying geese, nesting and twisting seams, and cutting extra-large pieces of fabric for squares and triangles.

Post your progress on Instagram with the hashtags: #transparendosal and the week -  #transparendosalw1 (week one, etc.) for your chance to be entered into a drawing. If you don't have instagram, you can send me a photo with your fabric selection at 72 dpi with a resolution of 800 pixels or less. The following Sunday, one lucky recipient will be chosen at random. Our sewalong is open internationally, so get out those sewing machines ladies (and gents)!

 

Email Karen with your weekly photo assignment. 

Email Verena with your weekly photo assignment. 

Week 11 Prize

In Week 11, we a wonderful Dream Bamboo Batting, crib-size, sponsored by our friends at Quilter's Dream Batting in Virginia, USA.

In addition, we have a set of Magic Pins from our friends at Taylor Seville Europe sponsored by Steidl & Becker.

Week 11 - (Block Ten) Sails in the Wind

Block Ten no longer belongs to the easy, cheesey, flipping easy blocks. This one is advanced due to all of those points that need to line up! Don't worry. You got this. Just take your time and allow yourself the patience to finish the different segements. Press in the direction as outlined in the instructions. If that doesn't work, press however you want. Remember, those are just guidelines. 

This block is based on a 12" Mosaic block found in EQ8. As an added bonus, I am going to walk you through the process of how to recreate this block in the Electric Quilt Software. Are you ready? Let's get started!

This is my final block using the current fabrics for our sewalong.

Sails in the Wind - Block 10, Week 11 in the Transparendo Sewalong - #transparendosalw11

Our Sponsors

We've been working really hard behind the scenes to bring some amazing prizes to our participants. We are so happy to announce our fabulous sponsors!

Gold Sponsors:

• Quilter's Dream Batting
• Steidl & Becker / Taylor Seville
  
• Adlico - AGF
• Goldschmied Klär
• easypatchwork
• einfach bunt Quilts

Platinum Sponsor

 The Electric Quilt Company

The wonderful folks at the Electric Quilt Company are sponsoring our Finale Prize of one full version of EQ8 at the end of the sewalong Week 15. To enter your finished quilt top with all blocks and borders, photograph and forward to me or post on Instagram. If you would like to purchase the program, we have a PROMOTIONAL CODE to receive 25% off the software. Enter EASYPATCHWORK25 at checkout. If you live outside of the US, you will be sent a physical item in the mail. After you receive the package, you will be informed how to download and install the software on your system. Please follow the Electric Quilt Company on Instagram and subscribe to their newsletter for other great deals. 

The winner of this week's drawing is ! You will be contacted shortly about how to collect your prize. Thank to all for participating. We look forward to seeing your beautiful blocks next week as well.

Please participate in next week's drawing. Take a photo and post for all of us to see on Instagram or send to me info@easypatchwork.de or Verena with a resolution of 72 dpi no larger than 800 pixels. One lucky participant will be chosen at random. The giveaway is open internationally. Void where prohibited. Open to quilters 18 years of age and older. Good luck to all. Thanks for joining us!

Preview

We look forward to seeing you next week, where we will be showcasing the Splendid Alps!

Please leave a comment below and tell everyone that your are sewing along. Be supportive and comment and contact other participants. We would love to hear your thoughts. Take care of yourself and keep on sewing happy. 

Transparendo Sewalong - Week 10

Hi there! Thank you for joining us for the tenth week of the Transparendo Sewalong. We are 2/3 rds of the way through the sewalong. Are you sewing along with us? You still can jump in and make 12 blocks for the quilt top as shown in the book and enter your finished quilt top for the random drawing in Week 15 for your chance to win a full-version copy of EQ8 sponsored by our platinum sponsor - The Electric Quilt Company.

Verena from einfach bunt Quilts  and I love sewing your blocks and look forward to seeing your finished quilt top in our Transparendo Sewalong (#transaprendosal). 

 This week's hashtag is #transparendosalw10 for Week Ten, Block Nine. 

 Please sign up for our newsletters to keep on top of the sewalong.

Sewalong Schedule

What is in store for you over the next fifteen weeks? Take a look at our line up. Each week there is a fun, new assignment to complete. The blocks accelerate in skill level with each new block and build upon previous blocks. Learn all types of new skills such as flying geese, nesting and twisting seams, and cutting extra-large pieces of fabric for squares and triangles.

Post your progress on Instagram with the hashtags: #transparendosal and the week -  #transparendosalw1 (week one, etc.) for your chance to be entered into a drawing. If you don't have instagram, you can send me a photo with your fabric selection at 72 dpi with a resolution of 800 pixels or less. The following Sunday, one lucky recipient will be chosen at random. Our sewalong is open internationally, so get out those sewing machines ladies (and gents)!

 

Email Karen with your weekly photo assignment. 

Email Verena with your weekly photo assignment. 

Week 10 Prize

In Week 10, we a collection of my most favorite easypatchwork digital patterns including the 2023 Fairy of Strength, Vanity Flair, Subway Tiles, Geo Optics and Retro Circles. These patterns are for a range of skill levels from beginner to advanced. The methods used in the patterns include foundation paper piecing, strip piecing, templates and the use of curved piecing. All of my patterns include full-size templates for quick and easy construction. 

• 16" Fairy of Strength - Amber
• Vanity Flair
• Subway Tiles
• Geo Optics
• Retro Circles

Week 10 - (Block Nine) Disappearing X Block

This is my absolute favorite block in the Transparendo Sampler Quilt! I decided on a simple construction of the block as well which is slightly differently than you will see illustrated below.

This block is based on a 12" Mosaic block found in EQ8. As an added bonus, I am going to walk you through the process of how to recreate this block in the Electric Quilt Software. Are you ready? Let's get started!

Open up your EQ8 or EQ7 software program. Start a new project if you desire.

1. Click on Libraries - Block Library in the toolbar.

In the EQ Block Library.

2. Go to 01 Classic Pieced - Antique Mosaics 

3. Click on Mosaic, No. 3(2).

4. Add to the Sketchbook. 

5. Close the Block Library.

6. Click on View Sketchbook.

7. Double-click the Mosaic, 3(2) to bring the block illustration to the worktable.

Now we have the illustration of the Mosaic block on the Block Worktable.

Now we are going to copy the block, resize it and reposition it in the corner. I use a lot of shortcuts on the keyboard and a lot of right mouse clicks to work faster.

8. Click CTRL + A on your keyboard to capture all of the lines of the block drawing.

9. Click CTRL + C on your keyboard to copy all of the lines of the block drawing.

10. Click CTRL + V on your keyboard to paste all of the lines on the block worktable.

Without making any adjustments or clicking, hover your arrow of the mouse over the center of the drawing. 

11. Perform a right-mouse-click to get the additional scaling menu below . Click on Resize. . .

12. Adjust both the Horizontal and Vertical size to be 50% of the current size which will shrink the block by 50%. You can do this by clicking and dragging the slider over to the left until you see 50 % in the number field or enter the number 50 the directly into the number field with the keypad.

Now the block is reduced in size by 50%.

13. With the block lines still highlighted (with all of those little arrows around it), hover your mouse over the center of the new block. 

14. Click, hold and drag the block to the lower right corner of the block drawing.

Please note: For this to work correctly, you must have the Snapping Options on as shown AND the correct Block Width and Height divisible by 2. If you don't, the newly drawn block may not snap to the grid as intended. 

Now we are going to add some lines to help the program draw the block and keep it in the workbook.

15. Click on the Line drawing tool. 

16. Click, hold and drag the line through the center of the block horizontally creating a line.

17. Repeat the click, hold and drag of the line tool vertically through the middle (bottom half) of the block creating a new line.

18. Add the block to the Sketchbook.

19. Click on the Color tab in the toolbar to verify the colors are in the proper location. Recolor if necessary.

You can now print templates, rotary cutting instructions, add to a quilt and/or use as a quilting stencil if so desired. 

Please note: the block is sewn together different than shown above. I redrew the block eliminating half of those pesky triangles and turned them into squares for a clever and easier block construction.

If you try this EQ8 exercise, I would love to know how it worked for you. Please drop a note in the comments section below. If you would like more EQ8 exercises, pleae tell us what you want to know!

And here we have the finished  Disappearing X quilt block. Yay!

Disappearing X - Block 9, Week 10 in the Transparendo Sewalong - #transparendosalw10

Our Sponsors

We've been working really hard behind the scenes to bring some amazing prizes to our participants. We are so happy to announce our fabulous sponsors!

Gold Sponsors:

• Quilter's Dream Batting
• Steidl & Becker / Taylor Seville
  
• Adlico - AGF
• Goldschmied Klär
• easypatchwork
• einfach bunt Quilts

Platinum Sponsor

 The Electric Quilt Company

The wonderful folks at the Electric Quilt Company are sponsoring our Finale Prize of one full version of EQ8 at the end of the sewalong Week 15. To enter your finished quilt top with all blocks and borders, photograph and forward to me or post on Instagram. If you would like to purchase the program, we have a PROMOTIONAL CODE to receive 25% off the software. Enter EASYPATCHWORK25 at checkout. If you live outside of the US, you will be sent a physical item in the mail. After you receive the package, you will be informed how to download and install the software on your system. Please follow the Electric Quilt Company on Instagram and subscribe to their newsletter for other great deals. 

The winner of this week's drawing is ! You will be contacted shortly about how to collect your prize. Thank to all for participating. We look forward to seeing your beautiful blocks next week as well.

Please participate in next week's drawing. Take a photo and post for all of us to see on Instagram or send to me info@easypatchwork.de or Verena with a resolution of 72 dpi no larger than 800 pixels. One lucky participant will be chosen at random. The giveaway is open internationally. Void where prohibited. Open to quilters 18 years of age and older. Good luck to all. Thanks for joining us!

Preview

We look forward to seeing you next week, where we will be showcasing the Sails in the Wind block!

Please leave a comment below and tell everyone that your are sewing along. Be supportive and comment and contact other participants. We would love to hear your thoughts. Take care of yourself and keep on sewing happy. 

Transparendo Sewalong - Week Nine

Hi everyone and thanks for joining us for another edition of the Transparendo Sewalong. We are here to share with you the ninth week with another fun block assignment. Make all 12 blocks, sew together the quilt top as shown in the book and enter your finished quilt top for the random drawing of all participants in Week 15 for your chance to win a full-version copy of EQ8 sponsored by our platinum sponsor - The Electric Quilt Company.

Verena from einfach bunt Quilts  and I are really excited to support you and our quilting community with tips and tricks and well as soon good old fashioned quilting fun with our Transparendo Sewalong (#transaprendosal). 

 This week's hashtag is #transparendosalw9 for Week Nine. 

 Please sign up for our newsletters to keep on top of the sewalong.

Sewalong Schedule

What is in store for you over the next fifteen weeks? Take a look at our line up. Each week there is a fun, new assignment to complete. The blocks accelerate in skill level with each new block and build upon previous blocks. Learn all types of new skills such as flying geese, nesting and twisting seams, and cutting extra-large pieces of fabric for squares and triangles.

Post your progress on Instagram with the hashtags: #transparendosal and the week -  #transparendosalw1 (week one, etc.) for your chance to be entered into a drawing. If you don't have instagram, you can send me a photo with your fabric selection at 72 dpi with a resolution of 800 pixels or less. The following Sunday, one lucky recipient will be chosen at random. Our sewalong is open internationally, so get out those sewing machines ladies (and gents)!

 

Email Karen with your weekly photo assignment. 

Email Verena with your weekly photo assignment. 

Week Nine Prize

In Week Nine, we have another lovely set of Taylor Seville Magic Pins, 1 x Fork Pins and 1 x Extra-long Pins sponsored by Steidl & Becker (Wholesale Distributor) 

 

 

 

and one Art Gallery Fabrics - AGF Pure Solids Color Card to reference all of your future quilts sponsored by Adlico. 

 

Week Nine - (Block Eight) Spinning Dice

This block uses a the classical Shoe Fly quilt block. One Shoe Fly is shown at 100% and another is reduced by ~ 50% and overlaid on top of the original block. Do you see the transparency and how it changes the colors?

This is how the block looks mocked up in EQ8 with the colors used in the current sewalong quilt.

Simplified Version

When I designed this quilt block, I wanted the center block to stand out. The use of a third color challenges the viewer to go out of their comfort zone to see more color transparency and complexity. That is why I changed up the color in the middle. Of course, you can work with just two colors in the example below if you want. It is easier to visualize the transparency. 

Here we have the finished block. Yay!

Spinning Dice - Block -Eight in the Transparendo Sewalong - #transparendosalw9

Now you can see all eight blocks that we have completed in our sewalong.

Here are a couple of mockup quilts I designed with the help of EQ8, my favorite quilting software for designing quilts.

This Week's Tip

Enjoy your downtime especially your vacations! I know this isn't a sewing tip, but you should always know when to treat yourself to a break. We were on vacation last week in the Black Forest, here in Southern Germany. The typical fall weather didn't slow us down either. It was great to get away from the daily grind to enjoy the wonderful Black Forest scenery and hospitality. Everytime we visit, I am bombarded with beautiful ideas for a "Schwarzwaldquilt." What would it look like? What could you envision?

Sponsors

We've been working really hard behind the scenes to bring some amazing prizes to our participants. We are so happy to announce our fabulous sponsors!

Gold Sponsors:

• Quilter's Dream Batting
• Steidl & Becker / Taylor Seville
  
• Adlico - AGF
• Robert Kaufman Fabrics
  
• Goldschmied Klär

Platinum Sponsor

 The Electric Quilt Company

The wonderful folks at the Electric Quilt Company are sponsoring our Finale Prize of one full version of EQ8 at the end of the sewalong Week 15. To enter your finished quilt top with all blocks and borders, photograph and forward to me or post on Instagram. If you would like to purchase the program, we have a PROMOTIONAL CODE to receive 25% off the software. Enter EASYPATCHWORK25 at checkout. If you live outside of the US, you will be sent a physical item in the mail. After you receive the package, you will be informed how to download and install the software on your system. Please follow the Electric Quilt Company on Instagram and subscribe to their newsletter for other great deals. 

The winner of this week's drawing is Sylvia! You will be contacted shortly about how to collect your prize. Thank to all for participating. We look forward to seeing your beautiful blocks next week as well.

Please participate in next week's drawing. Take a photo and post for all of us to see on Instagram or send to me info@easypatchwork.de or Verena with a resolution of 72 dpi no larger than 800 pixels. One lucky participant will be chosen at random. The giveaway is open internationally. Void where prohibited. Open to quilters 18 years of age and older. Good luck to all. Thanks for joining us!

Preview

Join us next week for my favorite block in this series - The Disappearing X Block!

Please leave a comment below and tell everyone that your are sewing along. Be supportive and comment and contact other participants. We would love to hear your thoughts. Take care of yourself and keep on sewing happy. We look forward to seeing you next week, where we ill be showcasing the Double Nine Patch block!