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Friday, July 21, 2017

State Map Applique (A Tutorial)

I made a thank you gift for my sister celebrating a state they love to visit.


The pillow is 18'' square.  The states and lakes are raw edge appliqued and outlined in black several times using my FMQ foot.  The edges of the lakes that meet up to the state are appliqued in blue.

I wrote the names of a bordering state, the lakes and of Canada in a matching thread.


I used a fusible fleece for this front piece - the back shows off the quilting.  I think this looks cool.


To create the applique outline for state and the great lakes, I used EQ7.  I thought I'd share a brief tutorial on how I did this.

First, I screened grabbed from google maps using a snipping tool.   Choosing New Block then Easydraw+Patchwork Draw, I then imported the image into EQ7 (see red circle upper left in diagram below). 


Then, using the applique tab and the Freehand tool (see red circle upper left in diagram), I traced the state outline.


Over to the color tab to check it out and confirm I have a nice closed image.  (If you color it in and the color bleeds out of the shape just start over.)


To print, I choose print block and go to the OPTIONS tab in the print dialog.  There I make sure MIRROR is checked so it prints a reverse image.


Back to the BLOCK SIZE tab, I choose 15 x 15 '' for my applique, sized for my 18 x 18 '' pillow.


Choose PREVIEW to make sure you are getting what you expect.  My applique will print over four pages - easy to tape together to make my patterns.  You can see how the image is nicely reversed.


I choose new block and repeated the steps for the Great Lakes.  It could have been done in one big block but it was helpful (to me) put the lakes in a second block.  Less to start over again with when things went wrong as they are known to do.

Does that all make sense?  Drop me a question in the comments and I'll be happy to help.

For a tutorial on putting a zipper in a pillow back, please see this post.


I'll be linking up my pillow with  Freemotion by the River,   WIP Wednesday's,  Let's Bee SocialMidweek Makers.  Needle and Thread Thursdays, Finish it Up Friday and Finished or Not Friday.

Have a wonderful day! Patty

12 comments:

  1. This is amazing and such a great gift. Would like to do ones for friends in Holland, Michigan who have a lake home. Might you be creating and selling a pattern? I don't have EQ7.

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    1. Drop me an email. (I am unable to reply to your comment.)

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  2. That is super fun. I love the process you shared also!

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  3. Man, I need to try this stuff! Thanks for the tutorial

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  4. You are so darned clever and creative! You sister will just love this pillow!

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  5. Looks great Patty, fun idea for a cozy gift!

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  6. What a fantastic gift. Love how much thought you put into making this, the names of the lakes and how you quilted Michigan and Canada in to the appropriate areas. I was born and raised in MI and could not think of living anywhere else...we have such a beautiful state. :)

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  7. You did a fantastic job on this gift!!
    Very creative!

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  8. Great idea! You did a great job with it and I love the quilted details.

    -Soma

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  9. Ok, it has been awhile for this post, just I just followed links from your pillow post today. Do you have the michigan pattern available?

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