Thursday, June 09, 2016

Using Custom Set on EQ7

I hope you are enjoying these monthly posts on EQ7 - I am really enjoying writing them and find that I am learning more new things and exploring the functions of the program more every month.  I also hope you are entering their monthly contests - they are giving away tons of great prizes, including a monthly prize for using #EQ25!  I was the winner for an Instagram post in May, so you could be a winner, too!

This month I was working on designing a row for an upcoming blog hop and since I wanted to use blocks in different sizes I needed to work with the custom set feature.  I haven't really worked much in this setting, so was pleased to find several features that make it easier than I thought it would be!

To show you some of the process, I loaded up my sketchbook with a variety of blocks, and got going.  Under the layout tab you can set the size of your quilt - mine is 48 x 48.  When you add your blocks, you need to press the shift key, right click and drag your block into position.  It's tricky to get your block the right size, but if you click on the Adjust tool on the right, then click on your block, you can type the size you want your block to be in the third set of boxes.  (The first set is your block location on the grid)  I made mine 18 x 18.

Then you can center your block on the grid by clicking the two icons on the far right - super simple!

Notice the first set of blocks, which show the blocks location on the grid - it measures where the block's top left corner is located, not the actual center of the block.  You can use those arrows to move your block up, down, right or left without having to drag it around.  It's more precise to do it this way, I think.

Now, do you want your block to be set diagonally?
You can do that using that single box beside the rotating arrow - a 45 degree rotation will put your block on point.  After you rotate it you will need to recenter it by clicking the appropriate buttons again.  

Now you can add more blocks.  I made these 9 inches square and rotated each one.  I discovered that instead of clicking and dragging, on the grid you can actually drag the blocks directly from the Sketchbook Blocks box!  I think that is a much easier way to do it, then I just resize the blocks as I go.  I set them around the edges of my center block.  Then I added more blocks.


After playing with the layout I though it would be fun to use just half the block.  You can't cut the block in half, but what you can do is to put the block to the back so you only see half of it - just click the button that says send to back and there is your half block!


Another neat thing you can do is trim a block that would extend beyond the border or center of your quilt.  You have the option for no trim, trim at border of quilt, or trim at center of quilt.  I trimmed at the center.  I also un-clicked the button to show the grid as it was a bit distracting.

You can continue to add blocks,as you like.  I found an easy way to change your blocks as well!  Just click on a block from the Sketchbook Blocks, then click on a block in your layout and it will replace the block!
All of these things I discovered just clicking around on my own and playing with the settings.  I'm sure there are a lot more neat tricks to discover - there is a built in lesson on Custom Sets that I plan on going through this month to find out more!  I know I will be using this option more often - it's a lot of fun and if you want to make a quilt with a variety of block sizes this is the way to go.

Electric Quilt is having a giveaway each month this year to celebrate - make sure you check their EQ25 Celebration to enter!  This month's sponsor is Aurifil thread, so they will be having a giveaway as well.

Darlene of QuiltShopGal has been sharing a list of bloggers who are writing about Electric Quilt each month so make sure you check that out as well to see what other bloggers are doing with EQ.  Thanks for following along!


1 comment:

teachpany said...

Very interesting! I can't wait to see the whole quilt you've designed.