Using Layers in Electric Quilt

Back to EQ Tips

At the bottom of the quilt layout table, you will see a Layer tab. Layer One is your basic layout layer. This layer provides the grid in which you will lay your blocks, arrange and color them. (Click on the thumbnail.)

Layer Two is used for placing appliqué motifs on top of the blocks in layer one. To set the motif on Layer 2, you must click on the Select tool and then click on the motif in the Sketchbook Blocks palette to select it. Your cursor will look like a cross. Hold the mouse down and drag the cursor diagonally on the worktable. Release the mouse and the motif will be on the worktable. Position it by clicking on the Adjust tool and then clicking on the motif to select it. Click and drag it to the correct location. To change an appliqué block to an appliqué motif delete the block outline while on the PatchDraw worktable, recolor, and save.

To change the size of the motif in layer 2 either drag the corners of a block selected with the Adjust tool or activate the graph pad in the view menu, select the adjust tool and highlight the motif. Change the size in the graph pad below the quilt. For example, to put appliqué motifs in layer 2, click on the Set tool and then select your block from the Sketchbook pop up menu. Point to the quilt, and while holding down the left mouse button, drag/draw a box shape and the appliqué motif will fill the shape when you release the mouse. You can resize, rotate, move it etc. using the Adjust tool. To delete motif on Layer 2, click on the "Adjust tool" on the right then click on the motif to select it. Press the delete key on your keyboard.

The outline color of a motif can be changed in layer 2 by clicking on the spool of thread tool on the right tool bar to change the color. Use the refresh tool on the left tool bar to clean up your drawing after moving or resizing the motif. Layer 2 can be used to create a faux redwork design by taking any appliqué block or motif, coloring all the pieces white, setting in layer two and changing the outline color to solid red.

Layer Two shines when used for unique layouts. For example, you can set both pieced and applique blocks (or motifs) on top of your border or sashing on Layer 2. Use the Graph Pad to adjust the block sizes and locations precisely. Layer two can be used to add any block to a layer one base.

For example, to design a "twist and turn" quilt, set the Twist V block in layer one, then add the rotated blocks in layer two. An attic windows quilt can be designed by putting the Window Frame block in layer one and adding the contents of the windows in layer two. A sampler on point can be designed by using the square in a square block in layer one, then adding the alternate blocks on layer two. Rotate the block 45 degrees using the Adjust tool To find the size of these alternate blocks (or any block) for use in a quilt, select the block using the select tool. In the File menu, go to Print/Block and check "Size from quilt". The size box will show the on point size. To print this block, go to Print/Templates and check "size from quilt"

Layer Two can be used to add an appliqué motif over the entire quilt. For example, to add the appliqué of a Christmas Goose over a red and green block quilt. To do this, first convert the picture you will be using to a bitmap. Import it into PatchDraw and trace it. (See Tracing tips) Make it into an appliqué motif by deleting the outline of the block before saving it.

Lettering can be done the same way. Type your letters into Word using the Arial Black or American Unical font at 200 Points.  Copy them into Paint and save as bitmaps.   Import them into PatchDraw to trace and save as appliqué motifs.  Use the Graph Pad Same Size and Alignment tools  to space them and align them across the border. 

Layer Three is used for overlaying quilting stencils (line drawings) onto your quilt. Tricks for Layer 3 include using blocks as quilt layout templates for Country Set. To set a stencil on the worktable in layer 3, click on the Adjust tool, and then click on the stencil to select it. Hold the mouse down and drag the cursor diagonally on the worktable. Release the mouse and the motif will be on the worktable. The Graph Pad will activate as soon as you select the stencil with the Adjust tool. Set the correct size of the stencil in the Graph Pad. If the Graph Pad does not activate, go to View and click on Graph Pad to select it. To delete a stencil, click on the Adjust tool point to the stencil you want to remove, click to select it, and then hit Delete on the keyboard. To remove more than one, hold down the CTRL key, point to any block and it will select/highlight all of them at once, then hit Delete.

To use more than one stencil all sized the same, click on the Set tool and set them on the worktable. Click on the Adjust tool and then click on the first stencil that is already established at the correct size. Holding down the Shift key, click on the other stencils. As soon as you select more than one stencil, the Align and Same Size tools will become available to you on the Graph Pad. With multiple stencils selected, click on the last tool in the Graph Pad, the Same Size tool. All of the stencils will now be the same size. (Tip: if you want to select all the stencils in Layer 3, just hold down Ctrl and click on one other stencil. Then use the Same size tool to size them all.)

Click out of the selected box and, with the Adjust tool engaged, click and move each individual stencil to the desired location on the quilt layout. Use the block coordinates of the graph pad to locate the stencils precisely. Use the Align tools to make all the blocks align to the top or to the left. Holding Shift and clicking on multiple blocks with the Adjust tool will allow you to select multiple designs by activating the Align and Same Size tools on the Graph Pad.

Stencils do not have to be confined to the block or sash in layer three. They can be modified to extend into the sashing or border by clicking and dragged on them. Use the Adjust tool to highlight the block. Point to any one of the little squares (the cursor will change to an arrow) that appear around the edges of the highlight, click and hold down the mouse while pulling or dragging to resize the block.

Layer Three can also be used to create faux redwork. To simulate redwork in EQ4: 

• 1.Set the appliqué motifs in Layer3. 
• 2.Click the Adjust tool. 
• 3.Click the motif you set onto your quilt. 
• 4.Click the Thread Color tool. 
• 5.Click a red solid color in the color palette. 

Using blocks as quilting motifs:
Removing the block outline from your applique block which will make it a free floating motif. (See page 65 of the Design Cookbook) Change the color of the thread, if desired. You can change the thread color of pieced blocks and Overlaid blocks too, but only in Country Set and on Layer 2 and 3. You can also re-layer blocks in Country Set and Layer 2 & 3. With the Adjust tool, click on a block to select it, and on the Graph Pad click on the Send to Back, Send to Front buttons.