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Old 05-27-2008, 03:03 AM
  #15  
patricej
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Southeast Georgia, USA
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EQ doesn't provide sewing instructions per se, but you can use it to create piecing diagrams.

when you print the rotary cutting instructions, for example, you'll get what's called a Key Block that shows the placement of the individual patches within the block. if you print templates, you also get one. if you want some hints about the best order in which to sew the patches to each other to assemble the block, print a foundation pattern - even if you don't intend to paper piece the block. the foundation patterns don't provide Key Blocks, but they do break the block down into logical sections you could use as a piecing guide.

when i need help figuring out the best way to assemble a block, i print all three sets. i use the foundation pattern as my starter guide. i cut paper templates, then group and number them to correspond to the group(s) and piecing order shown in the foundation pattern. then i cut according to the rotary instructions and go.

if you want to find out whether or not a particular block can be strip-pieced, look for it at one of the free pattern sites, such as mccall's or quilter's cache. even when you're making your block a different size than the one at the site, you can adapt the method(s) to your specific blocks, but use the EQ information for getting the pieces the right size. between what you'll find there, and what you get from EQ itself, you can figure out just about anything. :P
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