Quilt Blocks with FREE Shapes – Part 1

Monkey and I have more tips to help you design Inklingo quilts in Electric Quilt for the Love the Lines Contest.

Ready? Let’s go.

MY MISTAKE—A BIG BOO-BOO

First, I have a confession. I made a mistake when I named the free shape collection “LeMoyne Star 4.5 inch.”

Bad choice—too limiting! You can make sooo much more than LeMoyne Star!

The name is now Diamond/Triangle/Square. Oh dear. I’m not sure it is any better. I find it very hard to name the shape collections because they are so versatile. (It’s a good problem to have!)

ABOUT THE WEIRD SIZES

The 4.5 inch star is the same size as a block in Dear Jane® by Brenda Papadakis. It is a block which is traditionally made with templates because the measurements are odd.

To make this   

You need 8 diamonds, 4 squares, and 4 QST, like this:

Don’t worry! With Inklingo, you do not need to measure 1.32 or 1.86 inches!

A block like this shows just how precise and simple it is when you print the shapes on fabric—no matter how weird the measurements!

The triangles are Quarter Square Triangles (QST) because they have straight grain on the long side. (Quilters always prefer to have straight grain on the outside edges!)

BONUS SHAPE

I also included a Half Square Triangle (HST, straight grain on the short sides) in the free shape collection because it makes even more block variations possible.

MORE SQUARES AND RECTANGLES TOO

For the LTL Contest, it is important to get the sizes right in EQ, so the quilt is actually Inklingo-able. However, Inklingoists sometimes use simple non-Inklingo shapes with Inklingo shapes, so we made an exception. You can use rectangles and squares too, if you wish, and your entry will be accepted.

NOT JUST LEMOYNE STAR 

There are detailed design notes and sewing instructions included in the free Diamond/Triangle/Square shape collection, but it is easy to underestimate what you can do with these simple shapes.

FREE PDF

To get your creative juices flowing, I have prepared a new reference with a few of the many blocks you can make with diamonds, triangles, and squares.

  Free PDF

Download PDF HERE (3 pages)

The PDF does not include every possible block, but it will get you started.

DESIGNING WITH THE FREE SHAPES

There is no purchase necessary to enter the contest, but the free shape collection is a great place to start because the shapes are so versatile.

MORE TO COME

The best is yet to come!

What’s in Part 2 and Part 3?

  • a new EQ5 project file!
  • a PDF with a sample quilt you can sew with the free shapes,
    including step-by-step instructions for designing it in EQ5
Monkey hasn’t decided yet which is Part 2 and which is Part 3. We’ll let you know when you come back, okay?

Part 1, 2, and 3 will show you how easy it is to create your own design for the contest, whether you use the free shapes or any of the others.

We think you will be gobsmacked by how easy it is to design with 1.32 inch squares and 1.86 inch triangles! Who’d a thunk, eh?

You can trust Monkey and EQ Mouse on this one.

A NOTE ABOUT EQ5

The new EQ5 project file can be opened with EQ5, EQ6, or EQ7.

I used EQ5 this time in order to include more quilters. I hope  you appreciate it <LOL> because it was hard to go back to the olde tools.  I have been spoiled by EQ7.

Electric Quilt has come a long, long way since EQ5 was released 10 years ago.

ARE YOU TEN YEARS OUT OF DATE?

A couple of quilters have told me that they only have EQ5 and can’t upgrade right now. Oh! No! The contest rules require EQ6 or EQ7. Don’t worry, there’s still hope.

If you design a quilt in EQ5 and want to enter it in the contest, all you need to do is find a friend who has EQ6 or EQ7, email the project file to her and have her open it and save it in EQ6 or EQ7 format. She can then email it back to you, so you can email it to me for the contest. You won’t be able to edit it or open it in the newer format, but you could win the top prize!

STAY TUNED

I hope you will come back for Part 2 and Part 3. If you subscribe for email alerts (right sidebar), you won’t miss anything. There are other messages about the contest too, if you scroll down. The rules are here.

See you soon, okay?

Linda & Monkey

New to Inklingo? Order and download free shapes and start sewing in the next few minutes. Quick Start (Always FREE.) There are triangles, diamonds, and squares in the free collection—great for dozens of different blocks.

Inklingo for Beginners

Tilde’s 15 Minute Challenge

5 thoughts on “Quilt Blocks with FREE Shapes – Part 1”

  1. Linda, I’d like to add my thanks to the ladies’ above. I am planning on trying out your product this week-end and can hardly wait! I also want you to know I appreciate your offering in EQ5, as I have EQ5 but not 6 or 7…someday, maybe! THanks for all the info you share so we can make the most of inklingo, I especially liked watching the short videos as a tutorial. Cheers, Cathy in MA

    Reply
  2. Thank you, Cathie, karendianne and Cyn! I am making another pot of decaf to keep me going this aft on Part 2, but even with chocolate milk, it doesn’t do me as much good as hearing from you.

    Reply
  3. Thank you so much, Linda, for all the new ideas and tips for the Free Collection. I have saved the PDF in my Inklingo folder. I hope it will help me think “out of the box” more… that is good!
    Nice job. Thank you for all you do for us Inklingoists. I just want you to know that this quilter appreciates all you do and the extra information that you provide! You always go the extra mile!
    Heaps of Hugs,
    Cyn; -)

    Reply
  4. Thank you for the great file of “new” ideas for using the shapes. I understand how hard it could be to figure out a name for the collections. To me the Lemoyne Star name does make you think of only using it to create one type of block however the new name doesn’t really tell me what i can make from the shapes. LOL
    But then again I can’t say I have any better ideas right now!
    Looking forward to seeing the rest of the files even though I am not doing the contest.

    Reply

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