Partnering with Electric Quilt

Hi everyone,

I have some exciting news. You all know how much I love designing paper piecing designs in EQ7 right? Well the folks over at Electric Quilt love that I’m designing with their program too and have asked me to be one of their Media Partners. A perfect partnership!

To give you a little background about my paper piecing/EQ7 journey…It all started with a mini quilt swap in April 2014 that I signed up for. My partner said she loved all things nautical so I got this idea to make an anchor. I was still new to quilting in general but wanted to make an anchor and didn’t know how – (at that point I still didn’t know how to do raw edge applique or needle turn either – yes I was really new to quilting). Somehow paper piecing was way more interesting to me so that is where I set my sights.

I had been hearing for a few months all about paper piecing but had no idea what it was and what that meant. The more I looked around the more I learned about the process and had enough ‘curious cat’ in me to figure it out. That’s when I discovered The Electric Quilt Company. Much to my dismay, the PC version had been out for years, but they were still working on the program for the MAC and were releasing it soon, but hadn’t yet. What to do while I wait? I tried designing a paper-pieced anchor on graph paper so it would be easier to get me up and running on the program. I got it all drawn out on paper and still wasn’t sure I was doing it right and took Amy (Friend) up on her offer to email my drawing just to be sure I had done it right (btw - she’s one of the EQ Ambassadors this year). If you click on the link above - you can read the comments and share in my #idontknowwhatimdoing hashtag! lol.

A month or so later the program came and I was thoroughly hooked. Everything new has a learning curve, but I quickly found answers on their website for anything I couldn’t figure out on my own. They really have an answer for everything! Now I can't stop myself from making more difficult blocks and pushing the program to it's limit (a limit of which I have yet to find).

About 2 years after beginning this paper piecing journey the folks at Electric Quilt Co. named me one of their #doyoueq artists and now almost 3 years later one of their Media Partners and I couldn’t be more thrilled. I’ve really enjoyed making so many new designs to fit my needs (like the chair above that I made last year for my husband’s quilt), and making blocks for friends like this one above I made recently for Giusepe to match his (Giucy_Giuce) logo.

I am also having fun making random blocks like the Christmas Sweater block (a play on the Ugly sweaters everyone wears to holiday parties) and hosting sew-alongs to encourage more fun.

If you are still wondering how paper piecing works…Here’s this analogy that I hope helps to explain it the best way I know how…Think of the game “Pick Up Sticks”. When playing pick up sticks (which are usually longer and colorful), the object of the game is to pick up as many sticks, one at a time, without moving any of the others. Meaning you can’t just grab them all at once. Paper piecing is similar but works in the opposite order. As you lay down the fabric, and sew on each line of the paper, you have to put them down in a particular order, one by one, as they will lay over each other line by line. As you sew each piece, you are sewing on the paper with the fabric underneath, flipping the fabric and trimming seam allowances as you go. When you have a design that has a perpendicular line next to a section that has another perpendicular line lower or higher, it splits the block into multiple sections. I hope that makes sense. You can visit some of my previous learning how to paper piece tutorials starting at the Land of Magic Crown tutorial.

Thanks so much for stopping by and thank you especially to the Electric Quilt Co for including me in this new program. I'll have a fun block to share with you later this month so keep an eye open for that. In the meantime, let me know in the comments below what you love about paper piecing, and any questions about paper piecing and the EQ7 Electric Quilt Program that you have. I'd love to help answer some of them and might chose your question to work a tutorial off of!

Disclaimer: This blog may accept forms of compensation, including cash and product, and although I may be paid for this post all opinions of the Electric Quilt Company and EQ7 are always my own. There are no affiliate links. 

Land of Magic Quilt Sew-A-Long

I'm so excited to announce I am hosting a Land of Magic Quilt Sew-A-Long! This (my very first) quilt release has been a long time coming and it's going to be so much fun. I designed this paper piecing quilt for, and in collaboration with, Sarah Jane Studios - directly based on her new Magic fabric line with Michael Miller Fabrics, using the Electric Quilt Company EQ7 program.

I've gathered all of the details, bloggers, giveaways and prizes from some awesome sponsors and everything else you need to know  to get started - so read on and get your fabric ready to sew the first two blocks next week.

MAGIC Fabric Requirements:
If you want to make your life easier - you can order a Land of Magic Fabric Kit from the Fat Quarter Shop (click the green words). The kit contains all of the fabric you'll need for each of the blocks, the sashing and binding. There are a limited number of kits, so get one quickly. While you are there, you can also pick up the fabric for the Land of Magic Backing as well.

If you can't get one of the quilt kits, you can purchase the Magic fabrics from your local quilt shop, using the Magic Fabric Requirements below. Please note the Kona Cotton Solid Pale Flesh will not work with the Mermaid because the pink in the Mermaid Magic is the same shade and her skin will get lost. Trust me - I know.

Land of Magic Quilt Patterns:
You can purchase the patterns for your quilt through my Kid Giddy Etsy and Kid Giddy Craftsy sites (still loading these) as well as through the Fat Quarter Shop. The patterns are available as individual blocks (for anyone wanting a specific block - please note: the Crown and Star are sold together) as well as sold in a complete pattern bundle.

Land of Magic Sew-A-Long Schedule:
Sept 13, 2016: Crown/Star block release - Rhea - @alewivesfabrics
Sept 20, 2016: Castle block release - Cristy - @CristyCreates
Oct 4, 2016: Dragon block release - Angie - @GnomeAngel
Oct 18, 2016: Mermaid block release - Giuseppe - @Giucy_Giuce and Alisa - @astitchinbetween
Nov 1, 2016: Unicorn block release - Melissa - @OhHowSweetCo and Peta - @shequiltsalot
Nov 29, 2016: Piecing Quilt Top, Quilting and Binding

The blocks are going to be sewn in order of difficulty. If you are new to foundation paper piecing, I'll share as much info as I can to acclimate you, as they grow more intense. There are many videos out there too that can help. Aside from the Crown and Star release, each block or sew-a-long segment will also be two weeks long to accommodate the intensity and work around family time or busyness during the holidays. No stress involved.

I'll have a different blogger friend share their block with each release and will also share pics from the amazing pattern testers that tried out the patterns earlier in the summer.

Land of Magic Quilt Sew-A-Long Sponsors:
As each block is "released", there will be an Instagram giveaway announced on my Kid Giddy IG feed from one of the sponsors shown below. All Land of Magic Quilt SAL participants 1) posting their progress pictures before the next block release, 2) tagging them with #landofmagicquilt, and 3) following myself and that sponsor, will have a chance to be randomly selected to win the gift from that sponsor. All details for the individual block giveaways will be provided in each post on IG during the dates shown above.

There will also be a Grand Prize (see below) for one lucky person (any Land of Magic SAL participant that finishes sewing their entire quilt no later than December 13, 2016 and posts their finished pic on IG, will be entered to randomly win the Grand Prize).

The Grand Prize includes: 

$50 Sarah Jane Studio Gift Card

Michael Miller Fat Quarter bundle

$50 Gift Card for Fat Quarter Shop online

1 Large Aurifil Brights Spool Collection

Electric Quilt EQ7 Software Program

I'd like to thank all of the sponsors (Sarah Jane Studios, Michael Miller Fabrics, Christa Quilts, Fat Quarter Shop, Electric Quilt Co, Aurifil), my blogger friends (Cristy, Angie, Giuseppe, Alisa and Melissa), my fabulous testers (Angela @thegreenapricot, Cindy @liveacolorfullife, Kim @robotmomsews, and Shauna @smoobug) as well as all of you participants in advance for joining with me on this fun adventure!

If you have any questions - please share them below. I will do my best to respond asap.As you share your excitement and pictures - especially on Instagram - please include the hashtags #kidgiddy #landofmagicquilt #sarahjanefabrics #magicfabric and tag @kidgiddy and @sarahjanestudios too! I want to see all the pretty pictures - and hashtags are the best way to see them and be seen without getting lost in the quick passing notifications feed!

Disclaimer: I received fabric from Michael Miller Fabrics back in April to design this quilt for Sarah Jane Studios Quilt market booth. Opinions are my own, and there are no affiliate links. Thank you.