Design N Quilt Software versus Electric Quilt 8

A lot of my readers have mentioned seeing ads for the new software from Quilt Select.  Design N Quilt has the endorsement of Alex Anderson and claims to be the most powerful and easy to use quilting software ever made.

This week I downloaded a trial version of Design N Quilt -- which allowed me to test everything other than export capabilities.  I read through the entire manual and decided to test out the software with a fairly simple block.  I will draw the same block using both EQ8 and Design N Quilt.  I will also import fabric from outside the program to color both blocks.  Just so you can see the difference and decide for yourself what will work best for you.

I also did a perusal of the library options in both Electric Quilt 8 and Design N Quilt.

After the demos on both pieces of software, I will share my observations about Design and Stitch versus Electric Quilt 8.   

Full Disclosure -- I am very well versed in EQ8 and have classes for all levels of EQ8 users.  While I don't work for EQ8, I have a ton of respect for the company.  I use their products for my own quilts and am in Electric Quilt 8 every day.  

Quilt Program Library Review

Both Design N Quilt and Electric Quilt 8 have libraries with ready made collections to work with.  As shown in the chart below (compiled by me), Electric Quilt has many more items in each of the libraries.  Electric Quilt 8 also offers add-on libraries to add additional blocks and fabric.  At this time, I am not seeing any additional offerings through Design N Quilt.

Both programs have the option of adding personally created designs to their libraries.

Electric Quilt 8 and Design N Quilt are organized differently and have different strategies on saving items within their software.

In Design N Quilt individual links to the libraries are included on the design worktable

In Electric Quilt 8, libraries may be accessed through a link on the main menu. Information specific to a project may be accessed by selecting "View Project Sketchbook"

Here is a video I did on the libraries in Electric Quilt 8.  I also shared information on the Project Sketchbook and how it is used in organizing your quilts.  This is a feature that is not available in Design N Quilt.

Here is a video I did on the libraries within Design N Quilt.  Since this software is new to me, I included a a deeper dive on the content within their libraries.  

Some reflections based on review of Electric Quilt 8 versus Design N Quilt libraries:

1. Project Organization  Electric Quilt 8 has significant more items in each of their libraries.  (Think of it like what you would find in a super largequilt store.)  Design N Stitch has a much smaller collection.  (Think of it like what you would find in your quilting stash at home.)   From an organization perspective, EQ allows for collecting blocks, fabrics and multiple quilts in project files.  Within Design N Quilt, each saved quilt and each saved block is a separate file.  Since I can easily have 50+ quilts in a single project ( with 100+ pieces of fabric), the EQ method makes more sense for me to work with.
2. Fabric Organization  Within EQ personal fabric libraries, you can organize fabrics based on how you like to use them.  For example, I create libraries for each Fabric Manufacturer and sub-libraries for fabric collections for each manufacturer.  Within Design N Quilt, all fabrics are in one (which will soon become massive) library.  I couldn't find a way to create sub-libraries in the software.
3. Block Library  The preloaded blocks in the Design N Quilt software were designed with only squares, rectangles, half square triangles and quarter square triangles.  I am curious why this is as they do have the ability to create additional blocks as well.  Within EQ, their block designs in the block library include not only simple pieced blocks but complex blocks (with curves, complex grid designs, and combination blocks with both piecing and applique in a single block).  It appears that some of those designs would be impossible to accurately draft in Design N Quilt with its current functionality.
4. Embroidery designs in EQ8 are for auditioning on a quilt.  There is not an ability to export a stitch file that can be used with your embroidery machine.  Design N Quilt embroidery designs can be downloaded and used with an embroidery machine.   While this is not a library feature -- it is a significant benefit of the Design N Quilt software.

My Conclusion

In all categories, Electric Quilt 8 has much more extensive libraries than Design N Quilt.  The lack of sub-libraries and the inability to create project files with multiple quilts, blocks and fabrics will make keeping track of work much more challenging in Design N Quilt.

Library Review Winner:  Electric Quilt 8

Drafting a Simple Block

I selected a variation of a nine-patch block to demonstrate how to draft using Electric Quilt 8 and Design N Quilt.  Although Electric Quilt has a large collection of fabrics in their library, I decided to demonstrate importing your own fabrics -- both for Electric Quilt and for Design N Quilt.

There were a couple of things I was unable to show you in the Design N Quilt version as I have been working with the trial version. 

• Saving the block
• Printing out a rotary cutting chart (I would love to see how it compares to the EQ8 cutting chart)
• The foundation piecing print out

If anyone reading this already owns the program, and would be interested in sending me screen shots of your actual printouts for my block, I would be happy to update my post to include them. 

Some reflections based on drafting the two blocks (one in Electric Quilt 8 and one in Design N Quilt).

• Both blocks were relatively easy to draft (once I found the right tools in Design N Quilt) and to color.
• There is not a way to fussy cut fabrics in Design N Quilt -- however this is not a major concern.  There did seem to be a problem with the scaling of the fabric in Design N Quilt, which is a little bit bigger of a problem.  I think there are ways to fix this in the software, but it would involve much more work.
• Not being able to clone and rotate within a block in Design N Quilt was slightly irritating.   On blocks that are not super complex like this one, drafting all of the lines is ok.  But the more pieces in a block, the more frustrated I would be about this missing feature.
• Although we couldn't see it in drafting this particular block, there is not a way to easily draft blocks that are not based on a horizontal/vertical grid in Design N Quilt.  Although you can snap to anchors (nodes in EQ-speak), there isn't a way to accurately put the anchors in the correct locations.  This is definitely a show stopper for me.  
• Before purchasing the software, I would definitely want to see actual print outs of the cutting charts for the block that I drafted along with the foundation printout.    It is definitely a question I would ask my dealer about before purchasing.

My Conclusion

Although there wasn't a lot of problems in drafting the block in both types of software, the missing functionality to set additional snapping options (either through some specialty layouts or partitioning line segments) is definitely a major problem for me.  This is a feature that I believe is a non-negotiable in any quilt design software, unless the goal is to do only super simple pieced blocks.

Block Drafting Winner:  Electric Quilt 8

Program Structure

MAC Versus PC  Design N Quilt is a Windows based program.  To run it on a MAC you will need to have Parallels software and partition your hard drive.  I know that particular issue is a concern for many MAC users. EQ8 has both a MAC version (that doesn't require parallels software) along with a PC version.

Program Stability  In the two days I spent playing with Design N Quilt, I crashed the program on my high-end PC at least five times.  That is a lot.  Particularly with the amount of RAM on my computer.  I have crashed a few times in the past year with EQ -- but that has always been doing super complicated blocks or bringing in a large number fabric images that were way too large.   I didn't feel that anything I was attempting to do with Design N Quilt was super complicated -- but obviously the program disagreed with me.  My conclusion is there may still be some glitches in Design N Quilt that need to be worked out.  

Embroidery Features  Electric Quilt 8 does not have an option of converting designs for use with an embroidery machine.  Back in the EQ7 days, they created EQ Stitch, which was an embroidery version of EQ7.  While it can still be run as a stand-alone program, designs in EQ8 cannot be used with EQ Stitch.  I have not reviewed Design N Quilt from the standpoint of embroidery software as that is not my area of specialty.    But when compared to EQ8, Design N Quilt is definitely the winner with respect to embroidery functions.

Cost 
Design N Quilt is only sold through their Dealer network.  The suggested retail price is $799.99.  However I was able to find it for $600 with a Google search.  That price is significantly higher than EQ8.  

Electric Quilt 8 has a suggested retail price of $239.95.  They have sales throughout the year that can reduce this price to $180.  And if you purchase through my affiliate link below, you will receive some additional bonuses directly from me.

If you are looking to save a bit of money (and embroidery is not your primary purpose in purchasing your quilt design software), I recommend Electric Quilt 8.

What Are Your Thoughts?

If you have purchased Design N Quilt, I would love to hear from you.  Particularly if any of my information is incorrect.  Have you found any workarounds for the problems I encountered? 

Send me a note and let me know.

Are You Interested in Purchasing EQ8

If you are ready to purchase EQ8, I would like to provide you with some bonuses if you decide to purchase through my affiliate link below.   I receive a small commission for purchases through the link -- but it does not affect your cost. 

Affiliate Link Bonus #1 Goose Goose Duck Challenge Material

• Goose Goose Duck Video Series – Video series covering creation of six different pieced “goose and duck blocks using Electric Quilt 8 along a number of layouts.
• 12 Goose Goose Duck patterns
• 7 Sampler Quilt Patterns
• Kari’s Goose Goose Duck Electric Quilt 8 project file with 35 blocks and 19 quilts.

This bonus is only available if you purchase through the affiliate link.

Affiliate Link Bonus #2 Spring Fever Challenge Material

• Spring Fever Video Series – Video series covering creation of seven original foundation friendly blocks plus related quilt.
• Kari’s Spring Fever EQ8 project file.

This bonus is only available if you purchase through the affiliate link.

Ready to Purchase Electric Quilt 8?

Just click on the picture, enter your name and email and you will receive my affiliate link to purchase Electric Quilt on the Electric Quilt website.​  Then watch for a follow up email from me where I will ask you for your purchase info.

Electric Quilt currently has a sale going on (25% off everything in their store).  Now through November 30, 2022.   So now is a great time to make the investment in EQ8.

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Happy quilting.

​Kari

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