Still more about EQ6 and wondering about the centre of the block

This morning I opened EQ6. Nothing in the Fandance project. NOTHING!!
How could that have happened?? I knew I had saved, saved, saved.
Rather than bothering Penny again, I went online to the FAQ and there was the answer:

I named a project, added things to my Sketchbook, and exited. But when I opened the project again it was empty. Why?
You may have over-written your full project with an empty project of the same name. So be sure, when you want to open a project you have saved, that you click the "Open an Existing Project" tab, and choose your project from the list, rather than typing a name in the "Name a New Project" tab.

If you type the name of a project, and already have a project with this same name, your new project (empty), will replace your existing project (full).

OK.....
Lucky I had saved the image of the quilt as a gif file and didn't really need anything else.

I've made a few fan blocks and have started adding the quarter circle. Tried a few different sizes and also considered how best to get the smooth curved applique.
When I do a full circle, I make 2 templates. A plastic template of the circle plus the seam allowance. I used that to mark and cut the patches.
Then I have a  cardboard template of the circle's finished size. I stitch a running stitch along the edge of the circle, place the cardboard in the centre on the wrong side of the fabric, pull the stitching tight over the carboard template and press. After it cools off, I take the cardboard out and give the circle another good press. Voila, nice, neat easy circle.
That doesn't work so well with a quarter circle.
What is working reasonably well is this:
Make 2 templates: one of the quarter circle plus seam allowances, another on where the seam allowance is cut off the curved edge.
I cut 2 patches from the big template: one of the fabric, one of some fine white lawn.
With the smaller template, I mark the sewing line of the curved edge only on one of the 2 fabrics.
I stitch the 2 fabrics together with a very small running stitch.
Turn the fabrics, cut some of the excess white lawn off and applique stitch the curved edge over the fan blades.
The straight edges are lined up with the raw edges of the block and I baste them together.
This really seems to take longer to write it all down than it is to stitch.

Here is Fandance!

OK, this is a VERY ambitious project, because it has 14 x 14 blocks and is 100"x 100"
I may well still make changes because if I make it as a large quilt for my own bed, it needs to be rectangular rather than square.
Anyway, I got fantastic support from Penny at EQ6, especially when you consider this was in the silly season, between Christmas and NewYear.
The problem lies with a another program interfering with EQ6 and one day, when I need a challenge, I'll sort it out. Meanwhile, I can use it the way it is and of course, I mustn't forget to SAVE!
So far I cut about 100 6.5" background blocks for the centre and hundreds of fan blades.
I don't care how long this takes. It is like a hexagon quilt, once everything is cut, I'll just work on it when I feel like it.

How my stash is organised, more about EQ6

My stash is in plastic boxes that are on shelves in a cupboard. Queensland is not a climate for leaving fabrics on open shelves because of the fading. Besides, I am not tidy enough for that.
These are the boxes:

• White to Black
• Cream to Brown
• Red
• Yellow and Orange
• Green and Aqua
• Purple
• Blue

As every fabriholic knows, some fabrics don't fit into a colour category because they have multiple colours. They are sorted by value in the following boxes

• Multi light
• Multi medium
• Multi dark
• Multi bright

Then there are 2 more boxes with theme fabrics

• I spy and other children's fabrics
• Butterfly, ethnic, sewing designs

And about EQ6: I still have problems opening the program, the opening window comes up, then disappears behind the design window and the program then freezes, so later on I'll re install. Even this can be a problem,  because I think you can reinstall the program only so many times, something many users have complained about.

But.....I realised also that placing designs into the sketchbook, does NOT save them automatically, so, all that work is gone, about 14 different versions of Dancing Fans and I am still very happy that the important parts were printed out.

Dancing Fans...back to my first love

In art/craft that is!
For a while I have been thinking it is time to start another patchwork project. Throughout this year I've made 3 major projects: Bernina Bling and 2 children's quilts, so I didn't abandon quilting altogether. This remark in response to what I get asked every so often: " Don't you quilt anymore?"
Back to the new project. I set up the following checklist for this new project:

1. This is a bed quilt: so it has to be big enough and fabrics and techniques used have to be appropriate, iow, the quilt is to be washable.
   
2. No new fabrics to buy, but I am sure I have to buy wadding.
3. Not too complex. 
4. Not boring in either technique or design
5. Some handwork. We finally solved the problem of lighting in our lounge and I can now stitch while watching TV.

While two days ago I was wondering if I could legally sell EQ6 , yesterday morning I used it to design this new quilt. Dancing Fans is the working title, I may change it yet. However, after having problems opening the program, my project is there but there is nothing in the sketchbook!!! Shock Horror!! Fortunately, the only things I really needed: the template and the layout, I had printed out. I'll have to try to reinstall and if that doesn't work, get to support.

But this is what it is:
A Fan block with 5 blades. The blades are appliqued onto a 6" background.
I am using stash fabrics.
I considered a few different options such as a colour wash quilt , but that would make it too complex.
I made one test block 

The plan is to cut the background fabrics from medium dark-dark fabrics.

Blades from fabrics in my "multi light" box

Applique a quarter circle over the end of the fan blades in the lower left corner.

"Keys that jingle in your pockets"

I skipped the 2-key practice and went straight into the 3 keys!

I worked on this for 90 minutes today, half an hour yesterday. In all, I did 2 hours yesterday. I think if I just keep drawing, I just got to get better, shouldn't I? I am also re-reading "Drawing with your artists brain".

I do understand it better now than I did when I first got it.

I don't know, maybe because my designs (except the Tarots) have always been so analytic, that's just how I think: if I cannot analyse it, I think I cannot draw it either.

The book speaks about retraining your brain...

"Windmills of your mind"

Our art group has asked the textile/mixed media artists to create a piece based on music for March 2010. That inspired me to do a drawing, based on the lyrics of  "Windmills of your mind",  at Deb's course.
Initially I was going to do a collage,  then I designed a film strip that was to show "images unwinding".
I was pretty excited about that design, but it meant that each of the images had to be drawn small, to fit into the strip. As per usual, I got to the stage where it didn't seem worthwhile, especially as I missed 2 of the classes. Also as before, I didn't like my drawings.
Today I decided to "just do it!" and DRAW. I chose "keys that jingle in my pockets". I spend 90 minutes, drawing one key and I am happy with the result. I didn't draw from life, but from a reference drawing. Next I am going to draw a key overlapping another key, then 3 keys.
I will need to forget the idea of drawing small, so I am going back to the collage, something like this
Next class is Tuesday, I want to be able to have something to show then.

Deb's new course

Deb is starting a new course: " Design, Development and Finish".
For a while I wasn't sure if I was ready for this. My realistic drawing didn't seem to be going anywhere. I didn't mind doing some bits and pieces, but I couldn't visualise anything I would want to work on for weeks.
Till last week when I decided to go with design and then apply realistic drawing techniques. I don't know if that style has a name, for the time being I am calling it "organic geometrics". In other words: geometric design that has become more fluid, more random and has perspective applied to it. LOVE Deb's "Wonkies"!
So I enrolled and it will start on the 6th October. Not sure if I will stick to graphite or go with colour, but that seems to be a decision that we will explore at the class.