Hearthside Poinsettias EQ8 Tutorial

Design a festive holiday table topper in EQ8 with Hearthside Poinsettias, a cozy poinsettia-inspired quilt project.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to combine multiple PolyDraw grids, create layered appliqué, and assemble a piecing-friendly design that works beautifully as a table topper—or can be resized into a tree skirt.

Step-by-step design instructions, construction tips, and a full video tutorial make this project approachable, even if it looks complex at first glance.

​At first glance, this design may look complicated—but I promise, it’s very manageable when you work through it one step at a time.

---

​The Countdown Is On

This week marks the start of a big countdown.

Not to Christmas—but to the Majestic Views – Free EQ8 Webinar, happening in just 9 days!

​I’d love to have you join me live as I share a design technique that can instantly elevate your quilts.

---

​Majestic Views – Free Live EQ8 Webinar

Do you ever feel stuck using the same basic blocks over and over in EQ8?

Are you ready to learn a technique that adds instant “wow”—without making your quilts harder to sew?

In this brand-new, free live webinar, I’ll show you how to transform traditional pieced blocks into dramatic stained-glass–inspired designs using just a few extra lines in EasyDraw. You’ll learn how to add “leading strips” that create bold visual impact while keeping everything 100% piecing-friendly.

​Your friends and family will swear you spent hours crafting intricate designs—but you’ll know the secret to creating them quickly and confidently.

Pick your time and save your spot below:

​Replay available for 48 hours — but you must register to receive the replay link.

---

Hearthside Poinsettias EQ8 Tutorial

​Fabric Selection

Berry & Pine Fabrics for Hearthside Poinsettia Quilt

For this project, I chose Berry & Pine by Lella Boutique, a Moda fabric collection that feels both cozy and sophisticated. Inspired by winter forests, it features classic holiday motifs—poinsettias, pine boughs, and berries—in rich cranberry reds, forest greens, charcoal, and snowy creams. Supporting prints like toile, herringbone, and polka dots add depth while keeping the collection timeless.

Berry & Pine is included in the Electric Quilt Digital Stash Collection – 2025 Download 01. If you don’t have that stash, you can also download and import the fabrics directly from the Moda website.

​For this table topper, I selected:

• Three reds
• Three greens
• A yellow for the poinsettia centers
• One background fabric

Because this is a smaller project, I stuck with smaller-scale, mostly monochromatic prints. If you’d like to double the size and turn this into a tree skirt, consider experimenting with some of the larger-scale prints in the collection.

---

​PolyDraw Background

Hearthside Poinsettia PolyDraw Backdrop

PolyDraw offers multiple grid options, each with its own strengths.

For this table topper, I recommend starting with the Kaleidoscope grid, which naturally creates an eight-sided shape—perfect for a table topper.

I also wanted to add prairie points along the outer edge. Those perfect quarter-square triangles can’t be drafted directly in the Kaleidoscope grid—but they can be created using the Rectangle grid.

Here’s the workflow:

1. Start in the Kaleidoscope grid to establish the overall shape for one wedge.
2. Switch to the Rectangle grid to draft the prairie points for one wedge.
3. Switch back to the Kaleidoscope grid.
4. Clone and rotate the entire group of patches for the single wedge to complete the PolyDraw design.

This method allows you to combine grids seamlessly while keeping everything aligned.

---

​Poinsettia Appliqué

Poinsetia Applique Draw Tab

Poinsettia Block

If you look at the overall design, you might think it’s too complicated—but it really isn’t. The key is to work through it step by step.

Here’s how the poinsettia appliqué comes together in EQ8:

• Use the Shapes tool to draw an Acute Diamond.
• With the Edit tool, reposition two nodes to form the red poinsettia leaf.
• Use Wreathmaker to quickly replicate and position eight diamonds.
• Use the Bezier Curve (under Drawing Tools) to create the stem.
• Use the Line tool (under Drawing Tools) to create pine needles.
• Select the Brush Stroke tool and double-click each line and Bezier curve to convert them into patches.
• If you need to reposition or resize pieces, use the Pick tool.
• If something doesn’t look right, simply Undo (red arrow in EQ, Ctrl+Z on Windows, Cmd+Z on macOS).

---

Faux Binding

Faux Binding Drafted in PolyDraw

If you’d like to create a faux binding, I recommend drafting it in PolyDraw using the Kaleidoscope grid.

I drafted mine slightly larger than needed.  This will ensure EQ will provide sufficient fabric yardage for the binding.

---

​Hearthside Poinsettia Quilt Layout

For the table topper, use a Custom Set Layout sized 19 × 19.

• Add the block to the quilt.
• Center it Horizontally and Vertically.

Next, add a sashing block:

• Change its size to 19 × 19 (slightly larger than the block).
• Center it Horizontally and Vertically.
• Send it to the back.

Hearthside Poinsettia Quilt

---

​Video Tutorial

​Watch the video below for complete, step-by-step instructions.

---

​Tree Skirt Option

If you’d prefer to make a tree skirt, I suggest doubling the size of the quilt.

• Eliminate the poinsettia in the center.
• Reposition (rotate) the remaining poinsettias to allow for an opening cut from one corner.

There are no detailed instructions for the tree skirt option.

Adjusted Quilt for Tree Skirt Option

---

​Construction Tips

Since you may want to finish this project in time for Christmas, here are a few construction tips to help streamline the process.

Adjusted Rotary Cutting Chart

Adjusted Fabric Yardage Chart

Background
You can cut all eight wedges from a single 9⅞″ strip of fabric, reducing background yardage to about ⅓ yard.

Of course, you could also use a single piece of fabric instead of wedges—your choice.


Prairie Points
​For the prairie points, cut one 2¾″ square for each point and fold twice on the diagonal. I recommend adding the prairie points after completing the appliqué.

When you alter construction techniques, be sure to adjust your yardage calculations accordingly.

Adjusted Applique Block to Eliminate Duplicated Patches

Annotated Templates for Applicate

Applique

When a block includes repeated appliqué elements, I like to make a copy of the block, remove the duplicates, and print templates from that version. This is much easier than deleting duplicates in Print Preview.

For the appliqué:

• Add fusible to the back of the fabric.
• Print templates and cut by hand—or use a cutting machine.
• I personally prefer cutting my pieces on my Cricut Maker.

​To secure the edges, I recommend a very small blanket stitch, especially since this quilt may need to be washed.

---

​Share Your Hearthside Poinsettias

I can’t wait to see your version of the Hearthside Poinsettia quilt!
​
Please share your creations in the Learning EQ Facebook group—I love seeing how you interpret each design.

Learning EQ Facebook Hearthside Poinsettia Post

---

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.