Design quilts at any size!
Start with a layout from the library, or choose a pre-designed Quick Quilt project for instant inspiration. For complete control, design your layout from scratch! Choose any layout style—from traditional, to modern, to a completely custom design. Adjust your layout settings to make your quilt exactly as you like. Create custom-designed layouts and borders too!
Draw block patterns of all sizes and styles!
EQ8 has full drawing capabilities to create any kind of block. Draft your block from scratch, use the built-in grids or import a photo or sketch to trace.
The Block Library is full of over 6,700 pre-drawn designs ready for you to use in your quilt designs. Use these blocks as they are, or edit them to add your own touch. Use existing blocks to create completely new ones with the Serendipity feature!
Scan and import fabric
Scan your fabric or take a picture of it, then import the image into EQ8. Use the scaling, straightening and cropping tools to make sure your fabric looks as accurate as possible.
You can also add fabrics from the web! Download fabric images from a website, then import into EQ8. The EQ8 Fabric Library comes pre-loaded with 6,200 fabrics from top manufacturers!
Calculate yardage
Get yardage estimates for your quilt, including borders! You choose the appropriate fabric width to get the most accurate requirements. Using fat quarters? No problem! If you make changes to your quilt, your yardage automatically updates. No math involved! Printouts include the fabric name and SKU.
Print patterns
Print patterns for the blocks in your quilt. EQ uses the sizes you defined for the blocks and adds the seam allowance, where necessary. Choose to print templates, foundation patterns, rotary cutting charts and pictures of your blocks and quilts.
Export images
Are you submitting your quilt design to a magazine? EQ8 exports high-resolution images perfect for print publications.
Export web images to post on your blog, website or on social media. Link your Facebook account to EQ8 so you can easily share images of your designs with your friends and followers.
Updated User Interface
The user interface has been redesigned for faster learning and more complete designing. Its friendly new look introduces large interface elements, customizable workspace, help tips, and guided designing—creating the most intuitive version yet!
Home Screen to Get You Started
The Home Screen is a convenient way to perform commonly used actions quickly and easily. It’s perfect for directing users to the worktable and tools they need for their project.
Customize the Start-up Project
EQ8 comes with blocks, fabrics and threads pre-loaded in every new project. It’s quick and easy to delete all of these designs and create your own start-up project, with or without any blocks, fabrics or threads using the Save Palette as Default feature. Make every new project the way YOU want it!
Quick Quilt T-Shirt Quilt Project, and More!
EQ8 comes with 11 new Quick Quilt projects with 75 quilts, including quilt labels, t-shirt quilts, table runners, traditional and modern. Use these projects just as they are, make adjustments to block settings and colors, or simply use them as inspiration for your own project.
Fabric Preview
The detachable Fabric Preview window lets you customize your workspace to display the selected fabric swatch in its own window – in any size. This is perfect for viewing the print of the fabric in a larger scale.
Applique Patchmaker Tools
Create stars, posies and quilting stencils with simple-to-use controls. No drawing involved! These new applique tools make creating these shapes easy and fun!
Interactive WreathMaker
Watch your wreath come alive with the interactive preview added to the all-time favorite tool: WreathMaker. This preview takes the guessing game out of creating beautiful wreath designs.
Import Fabric: Straighten, Scale and Crop
Want to use your own fabric in your EQ design? Take a photo of your fabric with your camera, or scan it with a scanner. Use the Straighten and Scale Fabric tools to ensure your fabric looks just the same on-screen as it will in your actual quilt. Straighten, scale and crop to the repeat!
See the Quilt’s Block Size Right on the Screen
Not sure of the dimensions of your border? Want to know the size of your block, motif or stencil before printing? Simply click on any block to display its size from the quilt.
PolyDraw Grids – No More Sticky Blue Line!
EQ7 users…you know what we’re talking about! Now, when you choose to draw a pieced block with the PolyDraw tools, you simply double-click to start and end a patch drawing. This makes using this drawing style so much easier…and fun!
New Frame Options for Serendipity
Several new on-point frame options are now included in the Serendipity Frame Block feature. These new options can create amazing designs quickly!
Enhancements to the Project Sketchbook
Resize the Project Sketchbook larger or smaller. See the notecard information of every design without having to open every notecard. The block sizes and quilt sizes are always available here too!
Copyright Free Blocks Galore!
The libraries have been updated and enhanced! The Block Library has been freshened up with newly colored favorites and over 1,500 completely new blocks! All blocks are copyright free and can be used in your projects. (EQ8 library patterns cannot be resold as patterns.
Thousands of Fabrics at Your Fingertips
Over 6,200 new fabrics have been carefully scanned, cropped and imported into the Fabric Library for you. Each fabric is marked with the line, designer and manufacturer name, as well as the SKU number.
New and Fresh Photos in the Photo Library
The EQ8 Photo Library has 181 new photos to experiment with! Use these photos for your next photo quilt project, or simply for inspiration.
Improved Template Patterns
A new “mirror” option is perfect for fusible applique designs and text templates. Use the improved rotation option in Print Preview to adjust the rotation in 30 degree increments instead of 90 degrees.
Yardage Estimates
EQ8 provides yardage estimates based on several different yardage widths and now on fat quarters too! See the fabric SKU number right on the yardage printout.
Colored Foundation Patterns
New color-filled foundation patterns eliminates all confusion as to which fabric comes next when you sew by number. Print foundations in color, grayscale or no color at all!
Enhanced Display in Rotary Cutting Charts
The visual display of the cuttable piece of fabric has been enhanced. The print dialog now includes the option to calculate actual sizes, without rounding, to aid in selection of block size and final accuracy of the pattern.
Edit Blocks and Photos from the Palettes
As you work on a quilt design, you might decide that you want to make a small edit to a block. Maybe add another seam line, or another leaf to the stem of a flower. Simply select it in the Blocks palette and choose Edit Block. This will put the block right on the Block worktable so you can edit right away. You can do the same with the Photo palette too!
Edit Design Name from the Print Dialog
Ooops! You’re ready to print your block, but you realize you didn’t give it a name! No one wants an Unnamed printout. Now you can add a name to your block or quilt directly from the print dialog. Easy peasy!
Quilt First, Then Borders
Design your quilt’s center layout, then choose to preview the center while you add borders. Previewing your completed quilt center while adding borders helps with alignment and style choices.
Design and Print Quilt Labels Right in EQ8
Design your quilt label on the Quilt Worktable using any of the design tools and the Applique Text tool. Once you’re finished, add your label to the Sketchbook as a photo! This puts a printable version of your label in the Photos section of your Sketchbook so you can print it from the Image Worktable’s Photo Layout.
EasyDraw is Even Better
It’s the enhancement you’ve been asking for! As you continue to add and remove lines and arcs to an existing EasyDraw block drawing, EQ8 preserves the existing coloring as you go. You will love it!
Easy Access to the Library From Every Worktable
Make your workflow more efficient by opening the library for blocks, fabrics, photos or embroidery right from the worktable, right when you need it. Don’t have exactly what you need in your palette? Click the Open Library button directly in the palette!
Edit Designs Directly From the Library
Did you find a design you like in the Library? Click the Edit to Worktable button to work on this design right away. Clicking this button automatically adds this design to your Project Sketchbook AND puts it on the worktable ready to be edited. There’s no need to locate it in your Sketchbook first. This feature is available in the Block Library, Layout Library and Photo Library.
Hide Patch Outlines in Quilt
This new tool makes easy one-click access for toggling on and off the outlines for blocks and patches, resulting in more realistic-looking quilts on the computer screen.
Easier Custom Quilt Design Tools
Designing custom quilts is so much easier with the palette controls right at your fingertips. Let the block size and position snap right into place using the Adjust tool and the grid settings.
Turn Quilt Layers On and Off While Designing
Make your workflow more efficient by opening the library for blocks, fabrics, photos or embroidery right from the worktable, right when you need it. Don’t have exactly what you need in your palette? Click the Open Library button directly in the palette!
Preserve Aspect Ratio
Resizing blocks on Layers 2 and 3 and Layer 1 of Custom Quilts is effortless when this option is checked. Type a new width and let the height auto adjust to keep the proportions intact. Or, manually resize the block with the Adjust tool by dragging a corner larger or smaller. Both the width and height will adjust proportionally.
Customizable Interface
Choose from large, labeled tools, or small tools. Tips in the palette can be visible, or hidden. Palettes can dock on the right or left side of the screen and expanded larger to view more items at a time. Use the Preferences dialog to see all the customizing capabilities.
No More Hidden Tools
All tools are visible and larger on your workspace for quick access—no tools are hidden in menus! The tools are labeled to help familiarize you with each tool for faster learning.
Worktable Ribbon
The new worktable ribbon includes helpful tabs and illustrated icons to help you make the best choices for your design. See a sample of every layout and border style before you make your selection!
Zoom In and Zoom Out
Use the CTRL key and your mouse’s scroll wheel to zoom in and out on the worktable. (Mac users use Command instead of CTRL.)
Export Images for Print, Web and Facebook
Are you submitting your quilt design to a magazine? EQ8 exports high-resolution images perfect for print publications. Export web images to post on your blog, website or on social media. Let your quilt designs shine on social media by sharing directly to your Facebook page. Your friends will love seeing what you’re designing in EQ8!
Help Tips in the Software
Built-in tips for every tool appear in the palettes along with “Read More” buttons for more extensive help. Use these tips to help you learn your software quickly!