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June 8 is National Upsy Daisy Day, a lighthearted holiday that encourages us to greet the day with enthusiasm, gratitude, and optimism. Founded in 2003 by Stephanie West Allen, the celebration is all about bouncing out of bed with a smile and embracing life's adventures.
To celebrate this cheerful occasion, I designed a new EQ8 project featuring oversized daisies and colorful pieced bars. The quilt combines simple piecing with applique and is a great opportunity to practice both drafting and quilt design skills in Electric Quilt 8. Finding Inspiration for the Upsy Daisy Quilt
Drafting the Pieced Block in EQ8
Creating the Daisy Motif
Assembling the Quilt Layout
Watch the Video Tutorial
I've created a step-by-step video showing the entire drafting process in EQ8. Follow along as we build the pieced block, create the daisy motif, and assemble the finished quilt layout.
Construction Tips
Daisy Applique
Print the block pattern and templates from EQ8. If you plan to use fusible applique, print the templates without seam allowances. Cut the pieces and use the printed block image as a placement guide. Secure the applique using your preferred stitch. My personal favorite is a blind hem stitch with both the width and length set to 1.0. Make It Your Own
One of the joys of quilt design is personalizing a project to fit your style. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Swap Out the Pieced Block Replace the 6" x 30" pieced block with five 6" square blocks. Use a favorite block repeated five times, or create a sampler with five different blocks. Experiment with New Flowers The daisy is just the beginning. Explore Posy Maker and other applique tools to create entirely different floral motifs. Be warned—Posy Maker can become wonderfully addictive! Share Your Upsy Daisy Quilt I'd love to see your version of the Upsy Daisy Quilt. Whether you follow the tutorial exactly or put your own creative spin on it, be sure to share your project in the Learning EQ Facebook Group. I've created a special post where you can upload your designs and inspire other EQ users.
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One of my favorite quilt layouts starts with just two simple blocks. The design itself is easy to create, but the possibilities are almost endless.
The real magic happens when you combine the layout with the Serendipity tools in Electric Quilt 8. By inserting different blocks into one of the layout blocks, you can create unique quilt designs that showcase a favorite fabric collection—or finally put those treasured fabrics you've been saving for years to good use. Drafting the Blocks
This quilt uses two simple blocks:
Both can be drafted quickly using the EasyDraw toolkit in EQ8. One question I hear frequently is, "Where can I find that block in the Library?" For simple designs like these, I often find it faster to draft the block from scratch rather than spend time searching through the Library. Save the Library for more complex blocks and specialty designs. For coloring, I chose to use solid colors rather than fabrics. Since I knew I would be experimenting with multiple fabric collections later, I didn't want to become attached to a particular color scheme too early in the design process. To create the ribbon effect in the finished quilt, I made two different color versions of the sashing block. Creating the Ribbon Quilt Layout
Adding Interest with Serendipity
EQ8 offers several Serendipity options, but for this project we'll focus on Merge Block.
After selecting Merge Block:
The resulting block combines elements from both designs, creating an entirely new block while preserving the framework needed for the quilt layout. Continue experimenting by selecting additional blocks from the EQ Library and merging them with the Square-in-a-Square block. Every combination creates a fresh design opportunity. Updating the Quilt Design
Return to the Quilt Worktable and select:
Block Tools > Set Block Scroll to the end of the block list to find your newly created merged blocks. Hold down the Control key (Windows) or Command key (Mac) and click on one of the Square-in-a-Square blocks in the quilt. Replace it with one of the merged blocks from your Sketchbook. To quickly explore fabric options, use the Swap Fabrics tool under Coloring Tools. For my sample quilts, I used the following fabric collections: The same layout takes on a completely different personality depending on the fabrics you choose. Ribbon Quilt Video Tutorial
Watch the full video for a complete walkthrough of drafting the blocks, building the layout, creating Serendipity variations, and recoloring the quilt in Electric Quilt 8.
Piecing the Center Block
After assembling the block, use the Square Squared ruler to trim the center unit to approximately 9" x 9" if needed.
Then use the ruler again to align the seam intersections and trim the completed block to an accurate 12½" x 12½" unfinished size. This extra trimming step helps ensure precise points and accurate block sizing. What Will You Design?
This is one of those quilt concepts that can quickly become addictive. Once you start experimenting with different merged blocks and fabric collections, it's hard to stop at just one version.
I'd love to see what you create. Which blocks would you merge into the design? What fabric collection would you choose? Share your creations in the Learning EQ Facebook Group and inspire others with your unique ribbon quilt designs. Ready to Explore Even More Quilt Layout Possibilities?
Then my Quilt Layouts with EQ8 class was designed for you.
For a limited time, I'm opening this popular Tech Know Quilters class to all EQ8 users. During this one-month class, you'll learn how to:
By the end of the class, you'll have a much deeper understanding of quilt layouts and the confidence to create designs that go far beyond the standard options. Special Sale Price: $53 (Regularly $73) Enrollment is open through May 31, 2026.
Selecting a Fabric Panel
While searching for the perfect project inspiration, I discovered the American Tapestry Quilt Blocks Panel by QT Fabrics on Etsy. Designed by Dan Morris, this patriotic panel celebrates classic red, white, and blue Americana style.
The 44" x 36" panel contains 24 unique six-inch blocks with enough spacing between the motifs to allow for seam allowances. It immediately reminded me of the antique Calendar quilt layout, and I knew it would be the perfect choice for recreating the design in EQ8. Download the American Tapestry panel image and save it to your computer. I recommend placing it in your My EQ8 > Images folder so it will be easy to locate later.
Since the panel will not be used as a single fabric image in the quilt, there’s no need to cut it into 24 separate files. Instead, resize the image to match the physical dimensions of the panel and save it as a fabric within your EQ8 project.
Drafting the Sashing Block
Creating the Quilt Layout
Adding the On-Point Squares
To fill the remaining spaces in the quilt, create three additional PolyDraw blocks:
By drafting these shapes in PolyDraw and placing them on Layer 2, you can take full advantage of EQ8’s Snap to Grid feature. This makes positioning and aligning the blocks incredibly easy.
Tip:
If the modified on-point square does not display correctly on the Color tab, try adding an extra patch temporarily. Once the shape appears correctly, delete the added patch. Finishing the Quilt
After all the blocks are in place, experiment with color placement and fabric combinations. Although not shown in the video, I also created a second version of the quilt using coordinating American Tapestry fabrics from QT Fabrics.
You can download individual fabric swatches directly from their website.
Be sure to watch the full video for step-by-step instructions on drafting and assembling this quilt layout in EQ8.
Eliminating Inset Seams
Quilt Layouts with EQ8 - Special Class Offering
Do you struggle with moving beyond simple horizontal and on-point quilt layouts? Or wonder how to choose the best layout when designing a quilt?
For a limited time, I’m opening my Quilt Layouts in EQ8 class to quilters outside of the Tech Know Quilters membership. In this one-month class, you’ll learn how to:
This hands-on class is designed to help you think creatively while mastering practical EQ8 skills. The class is currently on sale for $53 (regularly $73) and enrollment is open through May 30, 2026.
A potato chip quilt is one of those projects that quickly becomes addictive — once you start sewing, it’s hard to stop at just one. This beginner-friendly quilt pattern is perfect for using up scraps, precuts, or jelly rolls, and it relies on a single patch size throughout the design: typically 2-1/2" x 4-1/2".
While many potato chip quilts are assembled into traditional blocks, you can also create a striking quilt layout without pieced blocks at all. In this week’s tutorial, I’ll show you how to design a dynamic potato chip quilt in EQ8 using only 2-1/2" x 4-1/2" rectangles. Choosing Fabrics
Drafting the Quilt in EQ8
Open EQ8 and begin on the Quilt Worktable.
Next, move to the Borders tab. Each border in this design uses the Blocks border style.
Border Setup
Continue alternating between top/bottom and left/right borders, increasing the number of blocks with each round. This keeps the patch proportions consistent at either 2" x 4" or 4" x 2". To finish the quilt, you can optionally add:
Coloring the Quilt
One of the easiest ways to create visual impact in this design is by alternating light and dark fabrics with each round of borders. The contrast creates movement and emphasizes the layered layout created by the rectangles.
Experiment with different fabric placements in EQ8 to see how color value changes the overall appearance of the quilt. Pro Tip: Calculating Fabric Pieces
EQ8 makes it easy to determine how many rectangles you’ll need from each fabric.
Go to: Print & Export > Yardage EQ8 will generate a fabric chart showing:
If you added finishing borders (such as a long horizontal border or mitered border), remember to subtract those pieces from the totals to calculate the exact number of 2-1/2" x 4-1/2" rectangles needed for cutting. Watch the Full Tutorial
Watch the video below to follow the complete quilt design process step by step in EQ8.
Are you planning to give your mother flowers for Mother’s Day? This year, why not create a quilted flower that can be enjoyed long after fresh flowers fade? In this week’s EQ8 tutorial, I’ll walk you through designing two floral-inspired wall quilts that are perfect for spring decorating or heartfelt handmade gifts.
As an added bonus, I’m also sharing free downloadable files for the featured blocks at the end of this post.
Tulip Quilt Block
Dresden Flower Variation
Watch the Full Video Tutorial
In the video tutorial, I demonstrate:
You’ll also see how easy it is to experiment with different flower heads and fabric combinations. Finished Quilt Designs
Here are the finished quilt layouts from the tutorial. One of the things I love most about this project is how easily the fabrics can be changed. Try pulling favorite prints from your stash or choose colors that reflect your mother’s personal style.
Soft pastels, bold brights, or even scrappy florals would all work beautifully in these designs. Free Downloads
Ready to start sewing your own flower quilt? Download the files below to get started:
I’d love to hear which flower version you prefer — the tulip or the Dresden flower. Or perhaps you created your own custom flower head design. Be sure to share your projects and ideas in the Learning EQ Facebook group.
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Kari SchellElectric Quilt Expert and Educator and Pattern Designer. Categories
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