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The challenge is to draw the four Log Cabin block variations shown above, and then colour them in with your choice of fabrics.

You will need a 9×9 grid, easiest to work with a 9 inch block. The first three can be drawn with Snap Points and Graph Paper set at 9, but the Curved Log Cabin, or Thick and Thin Log Cabin, is easier with Snap Points and Graph Paper set at 36, or even 72.

Next step is to choose fabrics, and start playing with the blocks in quilt designs.

Who would not like to play with baby blocks which were as pretty as these?

This post combines sharing two more virtual quilt designs with a challenge.

I started this project file by starting a new quilt design, and then selecting Baby Blocks.

The first designs I did with rows of Baby Blocks, but then I started playing with the number of rows, numbers of blocks, and playing with every other thing I could find to change the setting. Then of course, I had to find some block designs to see what happened when I added them to the various ...

Welcome to this months challenge, which is about using sashing not just to frame each and every block, but to be a big part of the overall design of a quilt.

Open a new project file, select a straight setting of 5 x 5 12inch blocks with a 1 inch sashing.

Add a strong contrast colour to the sashing squares, and the light background colour to the rest.

Select a mixture of blocks and start designing. Use a light background fabric in all the blocks, pieced or applique.

When you have a design you like,  recolour some of the sashing ...

It has been a busy month, and it seems to be getting busier, so I hope you have time to play with this months challenge.

First, select two or three pieced blocks and one or two applique blocks from the Electric Quilt libraries.

Then start adding them to straight quilt settings, starting with 5 x 5 blocks.

Then add your choice of fabrics from the Electric Quilt fabric library.I find it easier to select fabrics with the blocks in a quilt setting, rather than trying to do it to the individual blocks.

Then can try using the block designs ...

Electric Quilt will create straight settings for us if when we tell the program we want 3 blocks by 5 blocks, but there is a way to get custom quilt settings based on any block design which uses right angles … just squares and rectangles.

This is an example of a block made up of squares and rectangles,  with no triangles, or any other angles.

Any pieced or applique blocks can be placed in the new setting …they are resized, and shaped, when placed in the design, EQ doing all the hard work for us.

Your challenge this month is to ...

This months challenge is to try drawing simple line drawings.

No shapes. No seam lines.

Just lines I could embroider in stem stitch using needle and thread.

Recently I found some hand embroidery blocks I had intended to make into a fabric book, and I thought I would try drawing them in Electric Quilt while contemplating what I will do with them.

The originals were drawn with pencil and paper, and I pretty much wanted to use simple lines which could be stitched with stem stitch to draw Christmas trees, then decorate them with French knots and a few bows ...

I have been sorting my virtual blocks … and finding that some of them need some work to make them neater and ready to use, and then naming them and sorting them into appropriate libraries. Along the way I found some new variations of the original blocks, and sometimes completely new blocks.

So, this month select some applique blocks from the Electric Quilt libraries. I would suggest floral blocks … crosses, wreaths and/or bunches of flowers.

Select some of the pieces you like the shape of, and copy and paste them into a new block … add two or three to get ...

A couple of days ago I shared some designs with much more elaborate sashing than is usual. I opened the project file while looking for the pieced sashing designs I had stashed away, and carried on looking, and wondering what if I challenged you to try drawing some pieced sashing.

I suggest you start with 3 inch wide sashing for 12 inch blocks, that is draw a 3 x 12 inch rectangular block with a 3 inch square block for the corners.

The example I have shared above include a version of the corner block to use at the quilt ...

Playing with Pieces

The challenge this month is to draw some 9 Patch blocks.

So, New Project—Horizontal setting. Give it a name you will recognise!

Open a New Block—Create Easy Draw Block..

Set up the grid initially for 3 x 3 squares, and 9 inches square.. If you set the size for a multiple of 3 then the grid will match the measurements of the block. However, this is not the most commonly used grid to draft 9 patch blocks.

Keep in mind that the block design can be used at any size, regardless of the drafting size ...

Edit When you have something to show after having fun, you can now share your results in Virtual Quilt Challenges, a closed Face Book group for members only. You will have to answer three questions so I can decide if you can join.

After many years, and thousands of blocks, My Library in Electric Quilt is a mess. I have made a New Year resolution to sort it all out. I have made several attempts over the last few years, but often finish up more confused than I was before, so I hope to get some order into the chaos ...

The biggest challenge this month is to find time between festivities to play with Electric Quilt. If you are trying to become more proficient using the program it is worth trying to make that time, even if you just open any project file, and either make a couple of small changes to the quilt designs in that file, or recolour a block.

In fact, why not recolour some quilts designs you have saved to Christmas colours … I prefer red, white and green, but you can make your designs any colours you like to suit your Christmas decor. Then save them ...

This month I challenge you to draw a flower. It doesn’t have to be complex. The simplest flower you can draw is a circle, or you can use a flower head from an Electric Quilt Library block. Leaves are optional at this point.

Once you have your basic flower head, start playing. I mean really start playing. This project file could keep growing and growing over time, like any healthy garden, and will survive better than a real garden if neglected through droughts or flooding rain or whatever nature throws at your real garden.

The block above started life ...

EQ can turn blocks into quilt settings at the click of a button, but there is a catch. The blocks must be made up of squares and rectangles, no triangles or any other shapes which involve any angles other than right angles.There are quite a few blocks which can be used in the Electric Quilt library, but you can draw your own and add them to your own library.

Today’s virtual quilts have been designed on a setting created in this way, and the one above as well. Below is the same design with the blocks outlined. The ...