Interview

INTERVIEW WITH JOANNA FIGUEROA, FABRIC DESIGNER & OWNER OF FIG TREE CO.
Joanna's "fresh vintage" style has helped her find inspiration everywhere she looks. Learn more about this successful designer and her tips for discovering your own style.

Lessons & Classes

#3 BENNI HARPER MYSTERY LESSON: KANSAS TROUBLES
These short & easy lessons are perfect for EQ6 beginners who want to learn more. Try the Kansas Troubles lesson.

BEGINNER'S ONLINE EQ6 CLASS FROM FRAN GONZALEZ STARTS MARCH 12
This is the first, and easiest, in Fran's series of online classes offered by QuiltUniversity.com. Fran is the author of EQ6 Simplified, the tutorial for beginners. You must take this class to take Fran's other classes.

Read a review of Fran's class. Class starts March 12. Sign up for class now.

MARCH & APRIL HANDS-ON EQ CLASSES
Lots of EQ classes listed for March & April, from Maryland, to California, don't forget Waunaukee (WI). Look for an EQ class near you.

ARE YOU TEACHING EQ?
If you are teaching EQ classes, don't forget to let our webmaster know the date, time and location of your classes so we can list them on our website.

KALEIDOSCOPE COLLECTORS
All 12 fun free lessons involving EQ and the Kaleidoscope Collection CD are now up. This is a TERRIFIC way to learn more in EQ5 or EQ6! Try Months 1 - 12.

PREVIOUS MYSTERY QUILT STORIES AND LESSONS
Learn EQ5 or EQ6 by working through our two different Mystery Quilt series: If you are just joining us, start here with Skylights Episode 1 and Skylights Lesson 1.

Then work through the EQuinox mystery, starting with EQuinox Episode 1 and EQuinox Lesson 1.

Show us your quilts! Have you made one of our Mystery quilts? We want to see your quilt or top. Email us a photo and we'll post it in our mystery gallery: Skylight mystery quilts, EQuinox mystery quilts.

News

JEAN BIDDICK BOOK HOT OFF THE PRESS

Congratulations to Jean Biddick on her AQS-published book, Masterful Machine Pieced Quilts. Jean's nine EQ-designed, foundation pieced projects were inspired by mosaic floors of the Truro Cathedral in England. Jean's a long-time EQ user who started with EQ1.

FREE BOM FROM MOOSE ON THE PORCH QUILTS
Konda Luckau, of Moose on the Porch Quilts, invites you to participate in her free Block of the Month which starts March 1. Visit her blog for a new block every 2 weeks. She writes, "I design all my projects in EQ and consider it my right-hand in quilt design." Sounds like fun.

NEW VIDEO ON YouTube
In this video Andrea Bishop gives some quick, simple ideas for Journal Quilting using EQ's Printable Inkjet Fabric. Thanks to host Patricia Bolton and Quilting Arts for making these shows possible. Watch the video.

EQ6 COMPATIBLE WITH WINDOWS 7
Both EQ5 & EQ6 are fully compatible with Windows 7, as are most of our other software programs. Contact us if you have questions.

ELECTRIC QUILT IS ON FACEBOOK
Electric Quilt has its own Facebook page now, as does EQ the Mouse. Become a Fan of both, and you'll get regular updates when we post something on our blog, or add a new video, or have other news.

EQ the Mouse adores his fans. If you're not yet one, he would love you to "fan him."

To become a fan:
1. Log into your facebook profile
2. Click this link, EQ the Mouse, to become a fan of EQ the Mouse.
3. Click this link, Electric Quilt , to become a fan of Electric Quilt.

FAB FAN FREEBIES
EQ the Mouse announces "Fab Fan Freebies." He explains: He loves his fabulous fans, and will have contests from time to time so he can give out a prize. To be eligible, become his Facebook fan.

Show us your work

MORE NEW QUILTS IN THE EQ QUILT GALLERY
Check out the beautiful new quilts *just* added to the "EQ Quilt Gallery."

If YOU would like to exhibit, send us a photo of your quilt, plus your EQ project containing the EQ design for this same quilt. Tell us a bit about you, your quilt, your designing, etc. List your website or blog if you have them. Help us show off your designing whether you're a quilting professional or this is your first quilt. Send them to penny@electricquilt.com. We love seeing what you're making and knowing more about you.

Display this blog badge to send others to see your quilt in our gallery.

Inspiration

TERRIE SANDELIN STARTS WITH A SIMPLE NINE PATCH
Terrie's recent blog posts show her EQ designing mind at work. She starts with a simple 9-patch. She adds some free Moda fabric downloads. Then she uses Serendipity to frame the 9-patch block, and develops a whole series of quilts from those basic ingredients.

DAILY EQ-DESIGNS BY JUDY BUTCHER
We like visiting Judy Butcher's blog often just to see what new EQ quilt she's designed for the day.

DAILY EQ-DESIGNS BY GLYNIS THOMPSON
Want more inspiration? Glynis has a blog too where she posts daily EQ designs. Check out some of Glynis's latest work.

Clubs

WANT TO START YOUR OWN EQ CLUB?
Download our "Planning an EQ Club" PDF file. See what you need to get started, how to organize and get topic ideas. The Mystery Quilt would make a great club project.

ClubEQ REMINDER
ClubEQ is a free monthly challenge organized by EQ-author, Barb Vlack. To participate, send in a project with 1-2 quilts to penny@electricquilt.com that follow the challenge theme and ClubEQ rules. Imagine getting 50 to 100 quilts for just submitting one.

Support

ASK EQ THE MOUSE!
Long-time mascot, EQ the Mouse, invites you to submit EQ questions for his column "Ask EQ." Email questions to Tech Support. Put "Ask EQ" in the subject line. He'll answer your question, and perhaps you'll make his monthly Q & A column. Read it here.

Read this month's Ask EQ questions & answers.

EQ the Mouse also invites you to Fan him on Facebook.

MAIL-LIST FOR MAC EQ-ERS
Are you running your EQ on a Mac? Then you may want to subscribe to the free EQonMacs Yahoo group, run by Sheila Williams. For more information, contact Sheila at Sheila@SheilaWilliams.com.

EQ FORUMS
The EQ Forums are waiting for your questions! Visit the EQ Forums and register, then you can ask questions and get answers from EQ staff, authors and other EQ users right on the EQ website.

TECH SUPPORT
A reminder that you can see answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions right on the EQ website. See EQ6 questions here. See EQ5 questions here.

EQ6 UPDATE
If you own EQ6, download and install the free EQ6 Update which makes EQ6 run faster and smarter. You'll know you're updated if in EQ6 you click
HELP > About EQ6 and see "Build 2."

Contests

NEW CONTEST: EQ CROSSWORD
Test your EQ IQ with this crossword puzzle (click image to see larger):


To enter, send an email with your information and answers to the crossword:
To: sarahshriver@electricquilt.com
Subject line: EQ Crossword
Body:
Your Full Name:
Your Email:

Answers Across:
2.
3.
5.
9.
10.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.

Answers Down:
1.
2.
4.
6.
7.
8.
11.
12.

Please enter only once.
Deadline: March 24, 2010

One winner, chosen at random from all correct answers, will win an EQ Companion Book of their choice. Remember, spelling counts!

NEW CONTEST: "WE WANT TO KNOW.." SURVEY
We want to know more about the innovative ways you are using EQ6 to design, plan, create, and organize in your world! To enter, leave a comment on the blog about how you use EQ. One winner will be randomly chosen on March 24th and can pick their prize from the following options:
Amy Butler Softwares
My Dream House
STASH Fall 2009
Quilting Designs 7

WINNER OF "FOR EQ1 OWNERS"CONTEST
What fun to hear from EQ1 owners. EQ1, the first version of EQ, came out in 1992. The company was in the basement of Dean & Penny's home, and they answered the phone 7 days a week, even at night, so thrilled to get the company started. Thanks to ALL the EQ1 owners who submitted answers and WHO ARE STILL WITH US TODAY. Yay!

We had 14 correct answers to the question: What is the first word of step #3 on page 126 of the EQ1 User Manual.

Answer: AVOID

The winner, chosen at random from all correct entries by EQ the Mouse: Nancy Quesada

Congratulations, Nancy! You win an EQ Companion Book of your choice.

Fabric

DOWNLOAD MORE FREE FABRIC
This month's download is "Outdoorsy" which was the second-place winner in January. Choose either to download a Library file or a Project file. Be sure to follow the easy steps provided. Then vote for next month's fabric. We take suggestions for future voting options; email penny@electricquilt.com to let her know.

CONNECTING THREADS FABS AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD
Connecting Threads has made some of their own fabric collections available especially for EQ6 users as Library files. Find the collections here.

1) Download the file to your Desktop. Extract the zipped file (right-click, then click "Extract All").
2) Place the .FAB file in your My Documents\My EQ6\USER\ folder on your hard drive.
3) Open EQ6 and your fabric library. The collection will appear in your "MY LIBRARY" folder.

MODA FABS AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD
Moda has new fabrics available to download as jpeg files, ready to be opened in EQ6.

1) Visit Moda's site, click any brown dot in front of a fabric name, download to your computer (remember where it goes).
2) Go to LIBRARIES > Fabric Library > Import > From Image Files and import the fabric.
3) Add the fabric to your Sketchbook and use it, or save the fabric in My Library (see pages 143 and 144 in the EQ6 User Manual) to use in future projects.

If you need complete steps, EQ the Mouse addresses them in one of his Ask EQ columns.

Freebies

FREE "LET'S WELCOME SPRING" PROJECT

Whether you have spring or are still shoveling snow, you can download this "Let's Welcome Spring" EQ6 project.

ROSE TRELLIS PROJECT FROM ANGIE PADILLA

Angie's design alternates 2 blocks to create this crossing trellis effect. Download this free EQ6 project from the author of the EQ6 Appliqué Drawing, and designer of My Dream House.

Want to learn to draw like Angie? Try out this free drawing lesson (PDF) from her EQ6 Appliqué Drawing drawing book. Read our earlier interview with Angie here.

NANCY RINK'S GALACTIC EXPLOSION
We just noticed Nancy Rink has a new starry BOM going on which started last September. It's easy to catch up by checking it out here.

ONGOING CROP CIRCLE BOM FROM DENISE RUSSART

Denise posts a new block the first Saturday of the month, and removes the earlier blocks. So be sure to get the pattern while it's still available.

FINISH THIS CHRISTMAS ROW BY ROW QUILT FROM SINDY RODENMAYER IN TIME TO QUILT

The idea of Sindy's quilt is that you sew all during the year and will have this free Christmas Row by Row quilt ready for quilting starting in August. New free pattern available each month until August. Check it out NOW because come March 1 the February row designs will no longer be available.

PATTERN SERIES FROM REGINA GREWE
Regina’s easy-to-sew Magic Mushrooms continue to grow. Download them as EQ6 projects.

ONGOING FREE CIVIL WAR BOM FROM GUDRUN
Gudrun, from Belgium, has an easy-to-sew 2010 BOM Civil War BOM. See the design here. And get started here.

FREE QUILTED DESKTOP CALENDAR
Diane Anderson starts a whole year of beautiful desktop calendars for you.

FREE VIEWERS
Want to see a self-running show of your own EQ projects? Download a free project viewer:

Download "EQ6 Show" if you have EQ6. It will show any EQ3, EQ4, EQ5 and EQ6 projects you've made.
Download "EQ5 Show" if you only have EQ5. It will show any EQ3, EQ4 & EQ5 projects you have made.

MORE NEW BLOG BADGES & CHANCES FOR BLOG GIVE-AWAY PRIZE

We've made several NEW blog badges for you. (We also take suggestions for new ones.) Display one on your blog, let us know (write Sarah Shriver at EQ) and we may choose your blog to receive a free prize to give away to a lucky reader of your blog.

FREE EQ6 WEB BUTTONS
Show your EQ spirit by adding an EQ6 button to your website!

DO YOU HAVE FREE EQ PROJECTS OR PATTERNS TO SHARE ON YOUR WEBSITE?
Let us know and we'll list you on the Project Sharing page. Just email our webmaster with the necessary links and information and ask for your site to be considered for inclusion on that page.

Next Month...

COMING NEXT MONTH
* Mystery interview. Will there be one? Only EQ the Mouse knows, and we don't know if he has someone in mind or not....

* Benni Harper Mystery Lesson 4: Goose in the Pond

* Results of EQ Crossword contest & "We Want to Know" Survey contest

* A new contest