<![CDATA[ON POINT QUILTER - Blog]]>Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:59:55 -0500Weebly<![CDATA[Fall is In the Air Quilt:  A Quick Fall Project Designed in EQ8]]>Sat, 17 Oct 2026 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.onpointquilter.com/blog/fall-is-in-the-air-quilt-a-quick-fall-project-designed-in-eq8Do you decorate your home with quilts for fall? I love working with fall fabrics, and seasonal quilts are one of my favorite ways to decorate my home. There’s something about the rich golds, oranges, reds, and greens that makes me want to start a new project as soon as the leaves begin to change.
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I designed this fall quilt with a simple goal in mind: create something festive that you could easily finish before the snow starts to fall!
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​Fall is in the Air Quilt

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Fall Is in the Air Wreath Motif Created in EQ8
Last week, I shared how to combine several appliqué motifs from the Electric Quilt 8 (EQ8) library to create a beautiful fall wreath. If you missed that tutorial, you can catch it here.

In addition to designing the wreath in EQ8, I demonstrated how to convert the design to an SVG file for use with electronic cutting systems such as the Silhouette Cameo, Brother ScanNCut, and Cricut Maker. With that process, cutting the pieces for this 20-inch wreath becomes a whole lot easier!
This week, let's take our fall inspiration a step further. I'll show you how to create a simple quilt setting and add easy-to-piece blocks to turn the wreath into a festive seasonal quilt.

Ready to see how it comes together?

Constructing the Fall is in the Air Quilt

One of the things I love about designing in EQ8 is being able to experiment with a layout before cutting into fabric. For this quilt, I kept the construction approachable while allowing the wreath to remain the star of the design.
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The quilt combines a large center block with smaller maple leaf blocks and coordinating borders.
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Wreath Background Instructions by Kari Schell
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Maple Leaf Instructions by Kari Schell
​Additional Cutting Information for Borders

Here are the cutting details for the quilt's six borders:
  • Border 1: Cut 2-inch strips from Dark Gold fabric.
  • Border 2: Cut 1½-inch strips from the Background fabric.
  • Border 3: Piece together the Maple Leaf blocks and spacers. Cut the spacers 4½ inches × 3½ inches.
  • Border 4: Cut 1½-inch strips from the Background fabric.
  • Border 5: Cut 2-inch strips from Dark Gold fabric.
  • Border 6: Cut 4½-inch strips from the Leaf Print fabric.

​The finished quilt measures 44 inches × 44 inches, not including the binding.
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Fall is in the Air Quilt Created by Kari Schell in EQ8
I can imagine this quilt adding a little autumn charm to a wall, a table, or a favorite spot in your home. The wreath brings the seasonal theme to the center, while the maple leaf blocks and coordinating borders pull everything together.

Now I'm curious: Would you make this quilt as designed, or would you use the EQ8 layout as a starting point for your own fall creation? Perhaps you'd try a different leaf fabric, change the border colors, or experiment with another arrangement.
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That's one of the things I enjoy most about EQ8. You can start with an idea, make it your own, and see the possibilities before ever cutting your fabric.
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Apply What You Learned: Tech Know Quilters Member Projects

It's been a while since I've showcased some of the projects created by members of my Tech Know Quilters program, and I think it's time to fix that!

At the end of each month, I invite members to share something they've learned and applied during their studies. The results are always inspiring. Some members experiment with new block-drafting techniques, others explore different quilt layouts, and still others discover ways to use EQ8 to solve practical quilting challenges.

​The following projects were submitted by members between January and April 2026. As you'll see, learning EQ8 isn't just about drawing a quilt. It's about finding new ways to explore ideas, personalize designs, plan construction, and bring creativity into everyday quilting.

​Exploring Hexagons and Medallion Quilts

Sonya Chinn

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"I had a blast in the Hexagon Blocks and Settings this month. My project file is bursting with blocks that I drafted beyond those demonstrated in class. I enjoyed puzzling out how to achieve the combination of shapes I was aiming for using the PolyDraw Circle grid. My favorite quilt for the month is this slight variation on the Jack's Chain."

Julie Pedersen

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"For my Masters Old World Medallions class, we created a version of this for lessons 6–7. I added more appliqué flowers and made it more colorful. It still amazes me how you can change a quilt layout so easily with just different colors and their placement in the quilt. Thanks, Kari, for another interesting class."

Jane Perri

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"I found this great quilt on Laundry Basket Quilts. I drafted it using the picture and techniques from Masters Old Medallion Quilts. The name of the original quilt is Alaskan Holiday and used red and green fabrics."

​Learning New Border and Block Techniques

​Rachel Chandler

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"I completed the Advanced Border Design class this month. I did enjoy all of the options for borders. Here is the last quilt we completed using an eight pointed star border."

Fran Heisey

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"Kari never disappoints; there is always so much to learn. This month I took the Masters Lonestar class. Here is my variation of one of the lessons."

Julie Pedersen

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"This month I took the Masters Lone Star Class. Here is a variation of our Lesson 7 lone star quilt."

Terry McCaskey

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"Kari's challenge this month to make a quilt descriptive of your career or interests was definitely a challenge for me. The Lonestar blocks provided the inspiration for my 'Counselor' quilt."

Lorraine Doyno Evans

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"This quilt is a combination of blocks we learned in the Easy Draw Lessons."

​Using EQ8 to Solve Practical Quilting Challenges

Some of my favorite member projects demonstrate that EQ8 can be useful long after the design stage. It can help with fabric planning, cutting layouts, and even planning the quilting itself.

Debbi Treusch

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I love seeing EQ8 used in ways that extend beyond designing the quilt top. A visual cutting chart can make fabric preparation easier to understand and can be a useful tool when developing patterns for others. - Kari
"This is a somewhat odd Apply What You Learned, but I am a visual person so I found it helpful. I am making each of my grandkids a Starlet quilt. The pattern calls for fat quarters for background fabrics and yardage for the stars. However, I wanted to use fat quarters instead of yardage for the star in each block. That part was easy to get the number of fat quarters needed, but then I needed to figure out how to cut 36 stars from 3 fat quarters and I wanted to do it with the Stripology ruler for quicker cutting and greater accuracy.

"I used a concept from the panel class to create a cutting chart for the Stripology ruler. The attached picture is my cutting chart. Also, because I want 13 stars out of each fat quarter, I colored the patches. Green is the star centers and blue is the star points. The rest is leftover fabric.

​"This image tells me that with the Stripology I'll cut 2 2.5-inch strips WOF for the star centers, and 4 1.5-inch strips WOF for the star points. Then I will subcut the star centers at 2.5 inches and star points at 1.5 inches.
"This would also be a useful idea for creating cutting charts for publishing patterns.
"Brilliant idea Kari to create cutting charts in EQ!!"

Debbie Treusch

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"I'm going back to the cutting layout from the panels class for this challenge. I love that we learn things in EQ to are 'out of the box' and creating cutting layouts has helped me more than once!!

"For this one, I am quilting the Legit Kits Mermaid quilt for a customer. I designed a coral reef to quilt behind the mermaid and I loaded the quilt on my longarm yesterday to start the quilting. The quilt is 80 × 80 and I'm struggling with the scale of the coral reef designs, so I used the cutting layout idea to section the quilting.

​"I exported the design out of Procreate, then imported into EQ to create sections for quilting. Each section is 20 × 20 that I can print out full size to help me freehand the designs on the quilt or chalk around them."
This is a wonderful example of adapting an EQ8 technique to a real quilting project. A tool introduced in one class can turn out to be useful in an entirely different situation! -- Kari

​Finding Inspiration and Making Designs Personal

Sonya Kemmerer Chinn

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"I spent a lot of time playing with Double Wedding Ring quilts in Reproduction Quilts 1. This one is much more modern and inspired by something I saw on Pinterest."

Fran Heisey

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"Modern Traditionalism was a fun class. As always, I learned so much. This is a quilt I designed as part of Lesson 3."

Marcia Valliere Lord

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"I have learned so much from Kari's lessons. This is a combination of two patterns I saw online. Inner circle of geese surrounded by outer border of flying geese. I still need to work on the coloring."

Josie Sifft

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"This is a challenge quilt for our annual challenge in our quilt guild. The challenge this year was related to the 250th anniversary of USA. I used the idea for the movement of the Dresden plates from the Modern Traditionalism class."

Julie Pedersen

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"Here is my quilt that I created for the challenge for the Modern Traditionalism class."
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​Here is my Masters Nine X Class Apply What you Learned Project. I took Lesson 7 and used some of the blocks from the class to make it my own.

Terry McCaskey

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"The challenge project this past month of using a silhouette was a stretch for me. I used AI to create a Nativity sketch, reached out to Kari on how to get it on the quilt design and contacted EQ to find out which transparency site they recommended. remove.bg Now I have a new Christmas project to consider making."


It's exciting to see members combine ideas from different sources with what they're learning in EQ8. A class technique can become the starting point for something completely new!

​Turning EQ8 Skills into Finished Projects and Patterns

Maria Ricart

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"I'm sharing my experience from my first trimester at TKQ. In three months, I've done a sprint to include additional classes—I’ve completed a total of 8 modules and feel very confident using EQ8. In fact, I now know more about EQ8 than I'm able to translate into sewing yet!"

"I’ve learned not only the software but also a lot about patchwork. So far, I’ve only had time to put into practice the design and creation of two pillows—designed in EQ8, machine-sewn, and free-motion quilted on a domestic machine. You can see the result in the photo."

"Kari Schell" I’m very happy with your lessons and your way of teaching. Thank you!

Mary Groesbeck

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"I'm working on so many these days. But the one I like the most is my new Stars and Fireworks. It includes instructions for one change to make it QOV compliant. The class that helped me the most in this was Masters Double Dipping. Easy, easy FPP."


Mary has also made her pattern available for others to enjoy: Stars and Fireworks pattern.

Jeannie Schultz

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"​I received the floral panel by QT Fabrics in Sulky's spring Mystery box and followed the T-shirt and Panel lesson to download the fabrics from QT Fabrics that coordinate with the panel. A discussion on Kari's help session in April helped me visualize how to incorporate other blocks and borders. I've actually finished the quilt top and am ready to put it on my longarm for quilting."
It's especially rewarding to see an idea move from a lesson to a completed quilt top, ready for quilting!

​What Can You Create with EQ8?

These projects illustrate why I enjoy teaching Electric Quilt 8 so much. There is always another technique to explore, another design to personalize, or another way to solve a quilting challenge.

Whether you're experimenting with hexagons, building intricate borders, combining traditional blocks in new ways, or creating a cutting chart to make fabric preparation easier, EQ8 can help you turn ideas into workable plans.

And you don't have to figure everything out on your own.

The Tech Know Quilters program includes classes, illustrated PDFs, ongoing tutorials, and live help sessions to support you as you develop your EQ8 skills.

​If you'd like to learn alongside this talented group of quilters, learn more about Tech Know Quilters here.
I'd love to see what you create with the skills you learn!
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Happy quilting.

​Kari
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Join the On Point Quilter weekly newsletter and receive regular tips and inspiration on using Electric Quilt 8 along with the  Free 12 Top Tips for EQ8 video guide.
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]]><![CDATA[Fall Is in the Air: From EQ8 to SVG to Your Electronic Cutting Machine]]>Sat, 10 Oct 2026 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.onpointquilter.com/blog/fall-is-in-the-air-from-eq8-to-svg-to-your-electronic-cutting-machineDesign a fall applique wreath in Electric Quilt 8, convert your design into an SVG file, and use an electronic cutting machine to cut your fabric patches.
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Fall Is In the Air Wreath Created in EQ8
As the temperatures begin to drop and the leaves start changing color here in Minnesota, I find myself looking forward to my favorite season of the year—fall!

To celebrate the season, I decided to create a fall wreath using leaf motifs from the Electric Quilt 8 (EQ8) library. The result is a block I call Fall Is in the Air.

​But this project turned into more than a tutorial on designing a beautiful fall block in EQ8. I also wanted to find a way to cut out all those applique shapes without tracing and cutting each one by hand.

My solution? Convert my EQ8 design into an SVG file that can be imported into an electronic cutting system!
In this three-part tutorial, I'll walk you through the entire process:

  • Part 1: Create a fall wreath using EQ8.

  • Part 2: Convert your EQ8 design into an SVG file using Inkscape.
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  • Part 3: Import the SVG file into Cricut Design Space and prepare the shapes for cutting.

If you own a Cricut, Silhouette, or Brother ScanNCut, this technique may open up some exciting possibilities for your applique projects.

​Why Use Inkscape with EQ8?

Have you heard of Inkscape?

Inkscape is a free, open-source vector graphics program used to create and edit illustrations, logos, and other vector images. I'm certainly not an Inkscape expert, but I've discovered a particularly useful application for quilters: converting designs created in EQ8 into SVG files.

SVG stands for Scalable Vector Graphics. This file format preserves vector shapes, making it useful for transferring applique designs into compatible electronic cutting software.

Once your EQ8 design has been converted to SVG, you can import the shapes into your cutting software and use your electronic cutting machine to cut your fabric patches.

No more tracing every shape and cutting each one out with scissors!

​Let's get started.

Part 1: Creating the Fall Wreath in Electric Quilt 8

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Fall is in the Air Wreath Created in EQ8 by Kari Schell
The first step is designing the wreath.

In this video, I'll show you how to combine leaf motifs from the EQ8 library into a single block. You'll see how rotating and resizing the individual elements allows you to arrange them into a wreath design.

​The fun part is experimenting with the placement of the leaves until the design comes together.

​Preparing a Large EQ8 Design for Export

Once I finished the wreath, I knew I didn't want to cut out all those applique shapes by hand. I wanted to use my electronic cutting machine instead.

However, I ran into two challenges.

First, the finished block measures 20 inches by 20 inches. If I printed it on standard letter-size paper, EQ8 would tile the design across multiple pages.

Second, the applique shapes overlap. That means I couldn't simply rely on my cutting machine's tracing feature to identify each individual patch from a printed image.

I needed a way to preserve the entire design as a single file.

After some experimenting, I found a solution: print the EQ8 block to a PDF using a custom paper size of 24 inches by 24 inches.

No, I don't own a printer that can print a 24-inch square page! The goal isn't to print the design on a giant sheet of paper. Instead, creating a larger PDF page allows me to bring the complete design into Inkscape without splitting it across multiple pages.

In the video, I demonstrate how to use the free CutePDF Writer on a Windows computer and configure a custom page size using the PostScript Custom Page Size option.

The specific steps for creating a custom paper size differ between Windows and Mac computers, so I've included Mac instructions below.

Mac Instructions: Creating a 24-Inch Square PDF

Step 1: Create a custom paper size
  1. Open a Mac application that supports printing.
  2. Select File > Print.
  3. Open the Paper Size menu and choose Manage Custom Sizes.
  4. Click the + button and name your new paper size 24x24 Cricut Export.
  5. Set the width and height to 24 inches.
  6. Set the margins or non-printable area to zero if your print dialog allows it, then save the custom size.

​Step 2: Set up the page in EQ8
  1. Open your wreath block on the EQ8 Worktable.
  2. Select File > Page Setup.
  3. Choose Any Printer as the printer option and select your new 24-by-24-inch paper size.
  4. Click OK to apply the settings.

Step 3: Export the block to PDF
  1. Go to the Print & Export tab in EQ8 and select Block.
  2. Check that the finished block size is exactly 20 by 20 inches.
  3. Make sure Scale to Fit is turned off so the block retains its intended dimensions.
  4. Preview the page to verify that the complete block fits on the larger page.
  5. Click Print, then select Save as PDF from the PDF menu in the Mac print dialog.

You should now have a PDF containing the entire wreath design on a single page.

​Note: The names and availability of print settings can vary by macOS version, application, and printer driver. If you cannot select your custom paper size in EQ8, check your Mac's print setup and available printer options.

Want to Follow Along with My Design?

You don't have to recreate my wreath from scratch to follow the next two videos.
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You're welcome to download the PDF I exported from EQ8 and use it to practice converting a design into an SVG file.
Let's move on to Inkscape!

Part 2: Converting an EQ8 PDF into an SVG File with Inkscape

Now that we have a PDF containing the complete wreath design, we're ready to convert it into an SVG file.

This is where Inkscape comes in.

Inkscape is a free vector graphics editor available for both Windows and Mac. Although I use only a small portion of its capabilities, it has become a valuable tool in my quilting workflow.

For this project, I'll use it to open the PDF from EQ8 and prepare the design for export as an SVG file.

Why is this useful?

SVG files can be imported into compatible electronic cutting software, including Cricut Design Space, Silhouette Studio, and Brother CanvasWorkspace for supported workflows. This allows you to transfer your EQ8 applique shapes into your cutting software rather than tracing and cutting every patch by hand.

​You can download Inkscape from the official Inkscape website.

Converting the PDF

In the video, I'll demonstrate how to open the EQ8 PDF in Inkscape, work with the imported design, and save it in SVG format.

Because the original design was exported on a single, larger page, I can work with the complete wreath rather than having to piece together several tiled pages.

I'll also show you how I prepare the design for use with an electronic cutting machine.

​You are welcome to use my PDF file to import into Inkscape, even if you haven't created the wreath yourself.
Once you've completed this step, you'll have an SVG file ready to import into your cutting software.

Part 3: Importing the SVG into Cricut Design Space

We're almost ready to cut fabric!

In the final video, I'll show you how to import the SVG file into Cricut Design Space and prepare the design for cutting.

Note that SVG import and cutting capabilities can vary by software version and machine.  For Brother users, for example, the relevant software is typically CanvasWorkspace. 

One important detail: check the size of the imported design before cutting.

When importing an SVG, verify that the grouped design matches the intended dimensions from Inkscape.

For this project, the original wreath block measures 20 by 20 inches. The SVG may include additional page space, depending on how the file was prepared, so use the intended design dimensions rather than automatically assuming the imported page is the correct size.

Once the size is correct, you can review the individual shapes and prepare them for cutting.

​If you've assigned colors to the shapes in Inkscape, those colors may help you organize your design in Cricut Design Space. You may still need to adjust the groups, material settings, or cutting operations to suit your project.
And that's it! You've taken a design from EQ8, converted it into an SVG file, and prepared it for use with an electronic cutting machine.

​Take Your EQ8 Designs Beyond the Screen

I love finding new ways to use Electric Quilt 8 in my quilting projects. Being able to turn an EQ8 applique design into a file for an electronic cutting machine gives me another option for bringing those designs to life.

And the technique isn't limited to fall leaves. You can explore the same general workflow with other applique designs you create in EQ8.

​I hope this tutorial inspires you to experiment with your own designs and discover new ways to combine EQ8 with the tools in your sewing room.
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Happy quilting.

​Kari
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Join the On Point Quilter weekly newsletter and receive regular tips and inspiration on using Electric Quilt 8 along with the  Free 12 Top Tips for EQ8 video guide.
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]]><![CDATA[Kaliedoscope Coloring Pages with EQ8]]>Sat, 03 Oct 2026 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.onpointquilter.com/blog/kaliedoscope-coloring-pages-with-eq8Do you remember coloring as a child?

There was something wonderfully relaxing about taking a simple line drawing and experimenting with different colors to see what emerged.

A few months ago, I rediscovered an idea that brought back that same sense of play—but with a quilting twist.

Back in the early 1990s, I purchased a book called Kaleidoscope Pictures by Brenda Groelz. The book used kaleidoscope graph paper, colored pencils, and a little imagination to create a series of pictorial quilts.

​Brenda's book included templates and instructions for turning the designs into quilts.
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Front Cover of Brenda Groelz Kaleidoscope Pictures Book
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Back Cover of Brenda Groelz Kaleidoscope Pictures Book
As I looked through the designs again, I started wondering:

Could we use Electric Quilt 8 to recreate this process and design our own kaleidoscope pictures?

The answer is yes!

You can use the coloring tools in EQ8 to experiment with different designs and color combinations. Or, if you prefer the tactile experience of colored pencils, you can print your own kaleidoscope coloring pages and design them by hand.

​In this tutorial, I'll show you how I created a kaleidoscope block in EQ8, turned it into a coloring page, and then used EQ8's coloring tools to develop a new quilt design.

Creating the Kaleidoscope Block in EQ8

My favorite way to create the kaleidoscope block is with the PolyDraw toolkit.

One of the grids available in PolyDraw is the Kaleidoscope grid. This gives us the framework we need to create the block.

Rather than calculating angles or trying to construct the block from scratch, simply follow the grid lines using the PolyLine tool to draw the patches.

There are only two basic patches in this block:
  • The Kaleidoscope Wedge
  • The Corner Piece

​Once those two patches are drawn, you can clone, rotate, and position them to complete the remaining sections of the block.
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Drawing the Kaleidoscope Patches using PolyDraw
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Kaleidoscope Block Drawn in PolyDraw

​Turn Your Quilt into a Coloring Page

Once the block is complete, move to the Quilt Worktable and set up a horizontal quilt.

You can choose the number and size of your blocks based on the design you want to create.

For the quilt in my video, I used a 9 × 9 layout.

On the Design tab, I placed the kaleidoscope block on the quilt and colored the block white.

​And just like that, I had a coloring page!
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Kaleidoscope Coloring Page Produced in EQ8
If you enjoy coloring by hand, this is a great place to stop.

Print several copies of your quilt and pull out your colored pencils. Try different color combinations. Experiment with repeating colors. See what happens when you make one section light and another section dark.

There is no right or wrong answer.

​You're simply playing with color and pattern.

​Coloring Your Kaleidoscope Design in EQ8

Of course, if you'd rather do your coloring directly in Electric Quilt, EQ8 gives you plenty of tools to speed up the process.

In the video, I'll show you how I used the coloring tools to develop my own design.

I decided to start small.

Rather than coloring all 81 blocks in my 9 × 9 quilt, I focused on creating a design in the upper-left corner.

​That design used just nine kaleidoscope blocks.
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Colored Nine Block Kaleidoscope Design
While I didn't include all of my coloring experiments in the video, I had a couple of additional ideas that emerged while I was playing.
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Kari's Coloring Playtime 1
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Kari's Coloring Playtime 2
This is one of the things I enjoy about designing in EQ8.
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You can try an idea, change a color, move a block, or start an entirely different coloring—and you haven't cut a single piece of fabric!

​Saving Your Kaleidoscope Colorings

When you create a coloring you like, select Add to Sketchbook.

This saves the colored block designs in your Project Sketchbook.

There is one little EQ8 detail to be aware of.

I have my maximum number of blocks set to 10. That means that if I save several different kaleidoscope colorings, they can appear stacked on top of each other in the Project Sketchbook.

In the video, I'll show you how to separate that stack so that each individual coloring is visible.

Once the colorings are separated, the Eye Dropper tool makes it easy to find a particular coloring and place it back into the quilt.

​From there, I could repeat my favorite designs to create the center of the quilt.
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Kaleidoscope Quilt Center Created in EQ

​Take the Kaleidoscope into the Borders

At this point, I had a kaleidoscope design for the center of the quilt.

But why stop there?

I decided to carry the kaleidoscope idea into the borders.

EQ8's Border Style Blocks provide a great way to do this.

Set the number of blocks to correspond with the number of horizontal and vertical sections in your quilt.

Then use the coloring tools to experiment with the border design.

​You can coordinate the border with the center—or create something completely different.
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Final Kaleidoscope Quilt
And here is the full video tutorial where I walk through the process from drawing the kaleidoscope block through coloring and assembling the quilt.

A Kaleidoscope Challenge for TKQ Masters

This idea actually started with a challenge I gave my Tech Know Quilter Masters members in September.

I asked them to create their own kaleidoscope designs.

And they did not disappoint!

The members took the basic kaleidoscope concept in directions I hadn't even considered. Some played with traditional-looking geometric designs, while others used the kaleidoscope structure to create much more pictorial and unexpected designs.

​Here are just a few of the designs they shared in our Facebook group.
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Terry McCaskey Kaleidoscope Doodling
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Terry's Kaleidoscope Design in a New Quilt
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Terry McCaskey - Kaleidoscope Ladies
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Curryanne Hostetler
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Julie Pedersen Block
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Julie Pedersen Quilt
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Elly da Silva Block
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Elly da Silva Quilt
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Dianna Carter Block
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Dianna Carter After I colored the quilt, I wanted the border to be part of the quilt. I saw dragon eyes in the blocks, so I use the snipping tool and created the border.
Seeing all of these different interpretations reminded me of what I love about a design challenge.

We can start with exactly the same tools and the same basic block—and end up with completely different quilts.

​Now It's Your Turn

You don't need a fabric stash to get started.

You don't even need to open your sewing machine.

Choose a favorite fabric collection—or grab a set of colored pencils—and start playing.

Create a kaleidoscope coloring page in EQ8.

Try different colors.

Try different arrangements.

Try repeating a small design.

​And most importantly, give yourself permission to play.

You may be surprised at what you discover.

​If you create your own kaleidoscope design, I'd love to see it! Feel free to share a picture in the Learning EQ Facebook group.

Learning EQ Facebook Post for Kaleidoscope Coloring Pages
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Join the On Point Quilter weekly newsletter and receive regular tips and inspiration on using Electric Quilt 8 along with the  Free 12 Top Tips for EQ8 video guide.
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]]><![CDATA[The Missing Link Between Buying Electric Quilt 8 and Actually Using It]]>Sat, 26 Sep 2026 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.onpointquilter.com/blog/the-missing-link-between-buying-electric-quilt-8-and-actually-using-itHave you purchased Electric Quilt 8 with big dreams of designing your own quilts—only to feel overwhelmed once you opened the program?

You’re not alone.

Many quilters discover that EQ8 is packed with powerful tools, but without guidance, it can feel like more frustration than fun.

That’s exactly why I created the Tech Know Quilters Academy.

In this 10 minute video, I’ll share how the Academy can help you move from stuck and uncertain to confident and creative—designing quilts that are truly your own.

​Watch the video  to see how you can finally unlock the full potential of EQ8.
Ready to turn EQ8 from a source of frustration into your favorite quilting tool? 

Enrollment for the Tech Know Quilters Academy is now open—but only for a limited time.

In just six months, you’ll gain the confidence to design your own blocks, appliqué motifs, and quilts that reflect your unique vision.

​Plus, when you join the inaugural class, you’ll receive exclusive bonuses to support your journey.
Click Here to Learn More and Enroll in Tech Know Quilters Academy Today
Enrollment closes on Tuesday, September 29.
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Happy quilting.

​Kari

Join the On Point Quilter weekly newsletter and receive regular tips and inspiration on using Electric Quilt 8 along with the  Free 12 Top
Tips for EQ8 video guide.
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]]><![CDATA[Designing with AccuQuilt Appliqué Dies in Electric Quilt 8]]>Sat, 19 Sep 2026 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.onpointquilter.com/blog/designing-with-accuquilt-applique-dies-in-electric-quilt-8Do you have an AccuQuilt die—or perhaps a collection of dies—that you love using for appliqué?

What if you could use those same shapes to design an entire quilt in Electric Quilt 8?

Even better, Electric Quilt includes a collection of AccuQuilt block libraries that you can download for free.

The downloads are available through DoYouEQ.com:
Free AccuQuilt Downloads from DoYouEQ

When I first downloaded the AccuQuilt collection, however, I found myself wondering:

How do I actually use these designs to create a quilt?

​There is one important concept to understand before you begin.

​The Size Matters!

One of the things I love about Electric Quilt is the ability to resize virtually anything.

Want to make a block larger? No problem.

Want to make it smaller? EQ8 can do that, too.

For most quilt designs, this is a huge advantage.

But when you are designing for an AccuQuilt die, you need to pay attention to size.

The physical die determines the size of the shape you can cut.

So if you resize an appliqué shape in EQ8, you may end up with a beautiful design on your computer screen—but one that doesn't match the shape produced by your die.

If your goal is to design a quilt that you can actually construct using your AccuQuilt dies, maintaining the correct size is critical.

And that is where my approach comes in.

Turning AccuQuilt Downloads into Useful Appliqué Motifs

The AccuQuilt designs as downloaded into EQ8 are based on the way the dies themselves are packaged.

That makes sense from AccuQuilt's perspective, but it isn't necessarily the most convenient format for designing an entire quilt.

In the video, I'll show you how I work with these downloads in EQ8.

I'll demonstrate how to:
  • Download and locate the free AccuQuilt block libraries in EQ8
  • Work with the designs included in the library
  • Separate the individual shapes into useful appliqué motifs
  • Adjust the block size so the shapes are easier to work with
  • Maintain the correct size of each appliqué element
  • Create additional details, such as veins in leaves
  • Use the finished appliqué motifs in an EQ8 quilt design

​The goal is to turn what initially looks like a collection of die information into usable appliqué motifs that you can incorporate into your own quilt designs.

​A Fall Example

For this tutorial, I'm working with the GO! Fall Medley collection.

GO! Fall Medley from AccuQuilt

​This collection is perfect for a fall quilt—and it gave me an opportunity to demonstrate an important part of the process.

After working with the downloaded designs, I created several individual appliqué motif blocks that I could use in my EQ8 quilt.

​Here are some of the motifs I created:
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Fall Medley Motif 1
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Fall Medley Motif 2
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Fall Medley Motif 3
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Fall Medley Motif 4
Notice that the individual shapes are now much easier to work with as design elements.
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And because I have maintained their proper size, I can use them in my quilt knowing that they will correspond to the shapes produced by my AccuQuilt dies.

​From Appliqué Motifs to a Finished Quilt

Once you have your appliqué motifs ready to use, the real fun begins.
You can start with a very simple quilt design.

For my example, I created a quilt using:
  • One simple block
  • Two borders
  • A fall-themed fabric collection
  • AccuQuilt appliqué motifs

I downloaded a free fabric collection from Do You EQ and  added the fabrics to my Sketchbook.  I think Scrap Basket Besties by Kim Diehl for Henry Glass Fabrics is a perfect Fall collection for this die set.

Then I colored my quilt.

Finally, I moved the AccuQuilt appliqué motifs onto Layer 2 and rotated them to create my design.

There is one important rule to remember here:

Don't resize the appliqué motifs once you have created them at the correct die size.

If you resize them, they will no longer match the shapes you can cut with your AccuQuilt dies.

Instead, change the placement, rotation, or arrangement of the motifs to create your design.

​And with a little experimenting, you can turn a simple quilt into something that is uniquely yours.
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Fall Medley Quilt Designed in EQ8 using AccuQuilt Applique Dies

​Your AccuQuilt Dies Can Become Design Tools

One of the things I enjoy most about Electric Quilt is that it allows you to move beyond simply making a quilt from a pattern.

You can take the tools you already have—your fabric, your favorite blocks, your appliqué dies—and use EQ8 to explore what else you could create with them.

​And once you understand how to bring your AccuQuilt shapes into EQ8 at the correct size, you have another tool for creating original quilt designs.

​Ready to Have Some Fall Fun with EQ8?

If this project has you thinking about all the possibilities in Electric Quilt, I'd love to have you join me for my upcoming free live EQ8 webinar!

​Fall Fun: Free EQ8 Live Webinar

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From Quilt Idea to Quilt Design — Let EQ8 Do the Heavy Lifting!
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Have you ever opened Electric Quilt 8 with an idea in your head… and then wondered:

“Where do I even begin?”

Maybe you have a beautiful fabric collection waiting to be used.

Maybe you've found a block you love and wondered what you could do with it.

Or perhaps you have a seasonal quilt idea but aren't quite sure how to turn that idea into a complete quilt design.

​You're not alone.

​Join Me for a Free Live EQ8 Webinar

I'll walk you through the process of going from:

Idea → Block → Fabric → Layout → Finished Quilt Design

And we'll have some fun with fall-inspired examples along the way.

You'll see how the different parts of EQ8 work together to help you design with confidence—rather than feeling overwhelmed by all the possibilities on the screen.

And you don't need to be an expert EQ8 designer to participate.

​Come with your curiosity and your creativity. I'll guide you through the rest.

​Choose the Session That Works Best for You

Thursday, September 24, 2026
10:00 AM Central Time
Thursday, September 24, 2026
4:00 PM Central Time
Can't attend live? No problem!

Everyone who registers will receive access to the 48-hour replay, so you can watch the webinar even if the live session doesn't fit your schedule.

​Reserve your spot and get ready for some Fall Fun with EQ8!
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