New AccuQuilt Add-on for EQ8

I’m back and still talking about EQ8! It is a tool I return to again and again, especially when I am working on designing more traditional projects. I may have mentioned that I work with AccuQuilt. I learn about new dies several months before they are released, design and make projects, and write the patterns. Combining AccuQuilt projects with EQ8 makes the entire process so much easier, especially when Lori Miller gets involved. They just released a new add-on called AccuQuilt Go! Qube: Mix & Match, Plus Corners and Angles. You DO need to own EQ8 to use this product.

*The links in this post are affiliate links.

Lori Miller has done a bunch of add-ons featuring AccuQuilt products for EQ8. The ones I’ve seen have all been block libraries. I’ve tested a few for her and really appreciated how easy they make it to utilize the dies I have. I have to say, this latest one is probably my favorite. Oh, and here’s a shout out to Lori Miller. She is an EQ8 educator, and her tutorials are so easy to understand. I absolutely hate learning new software things, but whenever I break down and look up EQ8 instructions, I look for Lori’s. She makes things very easy to understand.

I have lots of thoughts, but not a lot of time to play right now. So, I did a very small quilt to play around and show why I enjoy EQ8 so much.

Colors

I love playing with pencil and graph paper to get ideas out of my head. However, I absolutely despise coloring in with pencils or markers. Once I start coloring, I change my mind and have to re-do the sketch. Or, I have to have planned ahead and made copies. EQ8 means I can change colors infinitely, and save off different options. It can be really fun to watch a project evolve as I tinker with stuff.

The colors on the left are the colors in the block library. They are also the ones in the downloadable booklet from AccuQuilt, I’m pretty sure. They are meant to give you an idea of how the blocks can look. Lots can change pretty dramatically with different color and fabric. And you can easily see how fun it can be to re-color things to develop secondary designs.

I often just use solid colors, but you aren’t restricted at all. Want to upload your own fabrics to EQ8, but don’t know how? Check out their newest booklet.

Sizes

One of the best parts about the AccuQuilt Qube system is the variety of sizes available. I’ve been working with them for years now, and I’ve acquired several different sizes of the Qubes. So, if I have an idea for a certain layout, but the 5″ Qube makes a quilt that is on the small size, I can just change the block size to 10″ and get a larger quilt. Or, I can really go wild and shrink it down to a 4″ block and get a mini quilt. Then, EQ8 will give me a good idea of how much fabric I will need to complete my project. They even have setting triangles with matching sizes, so I can set my stuff on point for a more dynamic layout. (I’m not drawing that right now, though.)

You can see here, that I can easily change the block size on the left, and it tells me the new size of the center of the quilt. The borders are calculated in the next tab over.

Block variety

If you have any of the Qube sets, you should know that each one has a downloadable file available with 72 different blocks. That is 72 blocks for the Mix & Match Qube, 72 blocks for the corner companion set, and 72 for the angle companion set. That’s 216 different blocks to play with. All of these blocks are in AccuQuilt Go! Qube: Mix & Match, Plus Corners and Angles.

I love sampler quilts. I used to dislike them, but then I found Tula Pink’s City Sampler, and she changed my mind. I’ve made it twice. Both times I made each of the 100 blocks with no thoughts to a final layout. I would happily make it again, but next time I would plan the layout. But, drawing all 100 blocks has been a non-starter for me. It sounds like work.

Now, as often happens in my creative life, if I let an idea ferment, it changes. It waits for a companion idea to come along so they can play together. This time I think it is going to be an AccuQuilt sampler. I’m going to use my 5″ Qube and do 100 different blocks. Why the 5″? I have the full set of all three for that size, so I can choose from all 216 available blocks in the libraries included in the new add-on product. I’d love to imagine I’ll do all 216, but I doubt that will happen. What do you think? Want to sew along? I’ll be kicking this project off in January, and I’ll share on social media.

I hope you check out the new AccuQuilt Go! Qube: Mix & Match, Plus Corners and Angles. EQ8 really is one of the most powerful tools in my studio, and this just makes it even better.