Accuquilt EQ7 Quilt Design Challenge Winner

Cactus Flower

Well, here it is... the winning quilt design for the Accuquilt EQ7 Quilt Design Challenge. I've never won a design contest and it's really a thrill for me. The entire quilt may be cut using the Accuquilt Go! Cutter, even the borders! Cactus Flower finishes to 45"x60".

I wanted to design a quilt representative of the southwest, my home for the past 25 years. Several years ago I designed an Arizona block-of-the-month for my local Bernina shop (planned for my blog later this year), so I played with the blocks from that quilt. The main block of Cactus Flower is a color variation of the 54-40 or Fight block which I call Hiking Trail. In the quilt this block has the appearance of a cactus bloom, but the block actually represents purple mountains majesty, green valleys, and beautiful rose-colored sunsets.

The second block in the quilt is a color variation of Jacobs Ladder I call London Bridge Sunset. This block represents London Bridge in Lake Havasu, Arizona, at sunset when the water and sky turn rosy pink and purple. Together these two blocks make a totally different look of cactus blooms amongst the saguaros.

Accuquilt will publish the pattern for this quilt and a table runner (below) but so far neither have been posted. Per the contest rules, I had to provide the pattern for the winning quilt but they hold the copyright. OK by me.... I love winning and I received the entire 2010 fall release of new dies in exchange. I hope they publish the pattern soon!!!

Cactus Flower Table Runner in Fabric

I also provided to Accuquilt the pattern for a table runner using these same two blocks. Many of my quilts I design in Electric Quilt never make it to fabric, and the same is true for this winning quilt. The table runner finishes to about 19-1/2" x 45" and was a great weekend project in lui of the full quilt. I guess this is where it works that you work with colors you like???? The one in fabric is almost the same color as the one in EQ. And I didn't even look at my stash until after I won the contest!!!

Accuquilt Go! Cutter 3" Finished Triangle In A Square Tutorial

Now for the tutorial..... the hardest part making Cactus Flower is the triangle units in the Hiking Trail block. They are not your normal triangles!  Accuquilt made it easy and designed the 3" finished Triangle-in-a-Square die to cut these units for a 9" finished block. In my video I show how to use the die and also how to sew this unit. Easy-peasy once you know the tricks!

CORRECTION TO THE VIDEO - I will be making a new video soon but.... when it comes time to sew the points to the center triangle, use the quarter inch mark on your machine or foot. DO NOT use the cut points as a guide as noted in the video. For most templates that cut this block, the video is correct. The Accuquilt dies are an exception in that you DON'T use those points.

Thanks for stopping by! I'd love to have you leave a comment. If you entered the EQ contest, please feel free to let us know!!! To recap our blog hop...

Tuesday - Marjorie shows how to use EQ7 with Accuquilt dies.
Wednesday - Kim of Chatterbox Quilts shows her entry and talks about the process of designing an entry for her first challenge.
Thursday - this blog
Friday - Back to SewCalGal for a surprise giveaway from Accuquilt!.

PS: A list of the dies used to make the quilt:

Block #1 Hiking Trail Block:

• Triangles in Square-3" Finished (55027)
• Square-2" #55022

Block #2 London Bridge Sunset Block:

• Half Square-3" Finished Triangle (55009)
• Square-2" #55022

Inner Border : Strip Cutter-1 1/2" (55024)
Outer Border: Strip Cutter-4 1/2" (55054)
Binding: Strip Cutter-2 1/2" (55017)