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QUILTED DIAMONDS QUILT-ALONG

These are the next two diamonds for the Quilt-Along (above).

QD1 #122 Could you shrink from so simple an adventure?

QD2 # 1 Miss Elizabeth’s Star

If you have already made these, you can choose any others or even design your own. There are hundreds to choose from in the two books and we love it when you share photos in the Austen-tatious Quilted Diamonds Group on Facebook or in the Inklingo IO Group (previously on Yahoo). Please tell your friends.

Quilted Diamonds CDs for EQ

I have been bombarded by questions about the optional QD CDs to use with Electric Quilt software . .

Print diamonds with Electric Quilt

. . . so the tips this week are about printing diamonds on freezer paper (FP) instead of tracing from the book—plus some good info if you are tracing.

The CDs have been available for each book from the first day for $10. In 2002 and 2004, fewer quilters had EQ software, so some shops only stocked the books without the CD. (Book only $29.95, book with CD $39.95, just like today.)

The CDs are not sold without a book in shops but if you have a book, you can order the related CD from me for $10 plus postage. Please email me privately for instructions.

NOTE ABOUT DVD All QD2 books (second book) include the DVD with the two-hour hand piecing lesson for the price of the book alone. It is a DVD, not the CD to use with EQ.

Print diamonds from Electric Quilt

PRINT OR TRACE
QD CDs are optional. The main benefit is that you can print the diamonds on freezer paper instead of tracing from the book if you have the QD CD and Electric Quilt software (EQ4 or newer, Windows or Mac),

There are many other benefits of using EQ software listed on my website.

Mini rolls of freezer paper

MINI ROLLS OF FP (TRACE OR PRINT)
Whether you are tracing from the book or printing, mini-rolls of freezer paper are perfect.

Rolls of Reynolds are 18 inches wide. Cut off a few feet and use a rotary cutter to make 3 cuts to get four rolls, each 4.5 inches wide. If you cut with the plastic-coated side up, the ruler will not slide as much.

Mini rolls of freezer paper for tracing

TIP Mini rolls of Reynolds FP are perfect if your are tracing too. Reynolds is thinner than the premium stuff, so easier to see through for tracing.

There is great info about FP in the Top Ten Tutes (tab above), including video showing how to get the curl out—in seconds.

Print Quilted Diamonds with EQ

PRINT A PORTABLE MASTER COPY
In EQ, print on plain paper first to check the accuracy of the print, to show where to position the freezer paper, and to get a portable master.

Choose the line thickness in EQ

Under Options in the print dialog box, you can choose the line width you prefer. (I like the finest one.) “The comfort of ease and familiarity [will] come in time.” (Pride & Prejudice)

PREVIEW
Preview first to avoid printing the wrong size or printing in color when you only want the line drawing (or vice versa).

Measure the rectangle

CHECK THE SIZE FIRST
EQ always prints a rectangle around a diamond design. We do not use those 4 triangles but measure the rectangle to be sure the print is accurate at 4 x 7 inches. (You can adjust the settings, if necessary. e.g. 4 x 7.03 if the print is a little short.)

Print diamond on freezer paper

PRINT ON FP
Cut about 8-10 inches of FP from the mini roll. Position it over the print on the master and use a hot, dry iron to attach the leading edge (about 0.25 inch) to the master copy. Run the master-with-FP through the printer in order to print on the FP.

Peel the FP off the master

The FP will peel off neatly and the master can be used again.

Print diamonds on FP in color

WHITE FP ON WHITE FABRIC
Instead of printing the outline drawing, you can print in color, so the FP pieces will contrast with the fabric so you can see the edges easily.

For example, print all of the pieces that will be cut from white fabric in pale pink and leave the other pieces white to save ink (above).

Print in color on freezer paper EQ

To print in color, choose Showing Fabrics (above). Select the coloring you prefer using the arrows underneath the picture of the diamond. A new coloring will only be available if it has been saved to the Sketchbook.

There are instructions for printing larger or smaller 60° diamonds in the QD1 CD booklet and in QD2 on page 128.

Highlight the edge of the FP

Instead of printing in color, you can print or trace on freezer paper and use a highlighter to mark the edges of any pieces that will be ironed to white fabric, so you can see the edges more easily.

All of this is easier than the weekend Sudoku.

There are more tips for printing from EQ in QD2 pages 128 and 129 .

How to use freezer paper templates

NEXT STEPS
Whether you print or trace from the book, the next step is to mark grain line, matches, numbers and indications to show which fabric to use for each piece, as described in the books.

It only takes a minute and you can use the templates over and over again. Mine from 20 years ago are still good.

Sew by hand or by machine

This time, both of the Quilt-Along diamonds are suitable for fussy cutting with FP templates.

You can machine piece QD1 # 122, if you prefer. If you machine piece, marking the sewing lines is optional but the rest of the prep is identical.

Quilted Diamonds in Jane Austen shape

BONUS TIP: CHANGING THE DIMENSIONS
You can change the dimensions in EQ to print 72° diamonds like the ones in the Jane Austen Patchwork (4.11 x 5.66 inches) instead of 60° like the ones in the QD books. Some of the diamonds look great in the shorter, wider format.

Changing the dimensions is a very cool advantage of printing instead of tracing.

Quilted Diamonds setting

SETTING WITH 60° DIAMONDS
Replace the 24 pink diamonds with pieced ones, all one color or scrappy.

If you use 4 x 7 inch diamonds for this design, you can use the Inklingo for QD shape collection to print the plain diamonds, sashing and cornerstones on fabric. Assemble the top by machine in diagonal rows for a fast finish.

Setting for Quilted Diamonds

SETTING WITH 72° DIAMONDS
If you print the 24 diamonds 4.11 x 5.66 inch like the ones in the Jane Austen Patchwork, you can use the Inklingo JA shape collection to print the plain diamonds, sashing and cornerstones on fabric for this design.

You can see a comparison of the diamonds in QD and JA patchworks on the Main Jane Austen Page under the Shop tab on the website.

Print on fabric with your Inkjet