Electric Quilt 8
The Draw tool works in several different ways depending on the the subtool that is selected.
The Swath subtool draws a pre-defined, stylized stroke surrounding a segment. This segment or “spine” of the stroke can be edited and shaped like any curve or line segment. The stroke or “hull” surrounding the spine can have varying widths and end styles. Use Convert to patch to change the object into a set of Bezier curves.
To Draw with the Swath Tool
Position the cursor where you want to begin. Press and hold the left mouse button to anchor the initial node of the first segment.
Still holding the left mouse button, drag in any direction. A blue line will display the path of your mouse and the curves that are created as you move. The path will follow the actions of the mouse very closely.
Release the mouse to drop and anchor the end node for the final segment. Your curve will draw with the current stroke style settings.
When you are finished editing and adjusting your stroke, make sure to click the Convert to patch button in the palette.
The Swath tool works best with smooth, gentle curves. It is not intended for use with sharp curves. If your design requires a sharp curve, it is best achieved by creating separate swaths.
Notes
You can select the contour, style, width and boldness before you draw, or you can draw the stroke with the current settings and then adjust the settings after you draw. See Adjusting the Stroke Settings below.
You can convert any segment (not patches) to a Swath stroke by double-clicking on the existing Bezier curve or set of connected Bezier curves with the Swath tool.
To Edit the “Spine” of the Swath
The middle “spine” of the swath can be edited with the Edit tool just like any other curve. Use the handles or drag directly from the curve itself to change the curve. When you release the mouse, the “hull” will adjust to fit the “spine.”
To Edit the “Hull” of the Swath
To change the contour, style, minimum width, and boldness settings, select the stroke with the the Swath tool or keep the stroke selected after drawing it. Use the SWATH PROPERTIES in the palette to make adjustments.
You’ll see the swath changing as you adjust the settings. Once the swath is deselected, the settings return to the defaults.
Note: To change the default settings, deselect the swath, then adjust the swath properties in the palette. The next swath drawn will use the new default settings.
The Contours
Select a contour by clicking the drop-down menu in the Swath Properties palette to make a new selection.
The Styles
Select a style by clicking the drop-down menu in the Swath Properties palette to make a new selection.
For the first style, to make the “flying geese” fly right, draw your stroke from left to right. To make the “flying geese” fly left, draw your stroke from right to left.
Adjusting the Width and Boldness
Some of the contour styles of the swath taper at one or both ends. The Minimum Width refers to this tapered-down area of the swath. If the width is zero, this area is basically flat. As this number increases, the width of this part of the swath increases.
The Boldness refers to the area surrounding the entire spine of the swath. As the number increases, the fatter or bolder the swath becomes.
Converting Segments to Swath Strokes
To convert existing segments to a Swath, just double-click on the segment with the Swath tool.
The Swath tool cannot be used on closed patches. You need to *break* the segments apart first, and then click on the segment with the Swath tool.
Printing Patterns
If a Swath stroke is left unaltered, EQ8 will automatically section and number the Swath object for foundation piecing. If you delete patches of the Swath, EQ8 cannot automatically section and number. You can, of course, section and number the patterns yourself. Once you print the pattern, the sectioning and numbering will be saved with the block so you can reprint it over and over.
