[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Welcome to the wonderful world of EQ Mini – the simplified way of quilt building.
Whether you have EQ Mini and want to know how to get started, or you’ve always been curious about playing with quilt design software, enjoy this quick tutorial showing how to build a quilt using EQ Mini software.
To begin, notice the four tabs along the top of the screen shown below. These are the four basic steps to designing a quilt. Let’s start with the first tab, Start New Quilt.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”53169″ img_size=”large”][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][vc_column_text]The blue tab, labeled Start New Quilt, offers four options for layout styles: Horizontal, On-Point, Horizontal Strip, and Vertical Strip. Each style offers six different layouts, so you can pick from 24 total.
Take a moment to look at the different layouts by clicking on the title of each along the left side.
From the Horizontal Styles, select the middle layout on the bottom row. It is shown below highlighted in a blue box.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”53172″ img_size=”large”][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][vc_column_text]Now we are ready to move to the next tab. Select the orange tab along the top, shown below circled in red, Adjust Layout.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”53229″ img_size=”large”][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][vc_column_text]From this screen you can set the number of blocks, size of the blocks, as well as the sashing. In the circled area below, set the number of blocks to 5 for both horizontal and vertical.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”53235″ img_size=”large”][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][vc_column_text]Below the number of block, you can adjust the size of the blocks. Check the box to keep the blocks the equal width and height, then set the size to 12″.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”53236″ img_size=”large”][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][vc_column_text]Next, let’s set the sashing. Check the inner sash border box along with the Keep Equal Width and Height box. Then set the sashing to 2.5 inches.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”53237″ img_size=”large”][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][vc_column_text]Now we are ready for the next tab. Select the tab circled below in red, Edit Borders.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”53238″ img_size=”large”][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][vc_column_text]Here you can add and remove borders, select border style, adjust the border width, and clone borders. Let’s insert a border.
Click Insert.
Note that the border that is grey is the border you are working on. You can select another border by clicking on it.
A little border pops up inside the outer border. If we had wanted the border to be on the outside, we would have selected Add. If you add a border you don’t want, you can click on the border making it grey, and then click remove. You can also select the clone option to create an identical border the one previously made for the quilt.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”53240″ img_size=”large”][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][vc_column_text]In the next area you can select the border style. There are 8 option. Select Mitered. Click on the other border to select it and choose Mitered again.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”53242″ img_size=”large”][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][vc_column_text]Click on the inner border to select it, then check the All box to lock size adjustments so all the border sides will always be equal. Set the size to 4 inches.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”53244″ img_size=”large”][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][vc_column_text]With the inner border still selected, return to the top of this dialog box and check the Clone box. Select Add. A border identical to the inner border is added to the outside of the quilt.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”53245″ img_size=”large”][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][vc_column_text]Now we are ready for the next tab, shown below circled in red. Select Design Quilt.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”53246″ img_size=”large”][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][vc_column_text]Next you need to open the Block Library. It can be found at the top of the Sketchbook Blocks window or along the top menu bar. Both are shown below circled in red. Open the Block Library.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”53252″ img_size=”large”][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][vc_column_text]Take a moment to look at the different libraries. When you are finished go to the Classic Pieced library, open Classic, and select the Ohio Star block. Select Add to Sketchbook. Note, once you add a block to the sketchbook it disappears from the library. Don’t worry, this is only a temporary matter, the library still has record of the block.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”53248″ img_size=”large”][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][vc_column_text]Once added to the sketchbook, a block will appear in the Design Quilt window. Click on the block to select it, then click on the first empty block space on the quilt. The block appears in the quilt where you clicked.
You can continue adding the blocks one at a time, or hold down the control key on you key board while clicking in a block location on the quilt. The selected block will fill the quilt. It’s a great shortcut![/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”53253″ img_size=”large”][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][vc_column_text]To color the quilt, select the paint brush along the right side tool bar. If you wish to add more fabrics to the Sketchbook Fabrics, open the Fabric Library and select fabrics as you previously selected blocks from the block library.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”53257″ img_size=”large”][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][vc_column_text]After browsing the fabric libraries, select Reproductions.
To select all the fabrics in the library, click on one of the fabrics, then push the control key along with the ‘a’ key. Notice all the fabrics have a blue outline around them showing they are selected.
Add the fabrics to the Fabric Sketchbook.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”53258″ img_size=”large”][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][vc_column_text]Go to the end of the fabrics in your Fabric Sketchbook to find the fabrics imported from the Reproduction library. Use the fabric to color the quilt.
Again, holding down the control key while adding the fabrics to a section of the quilt block will color all the same sections of that block as well.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”53259″ img_size=”large”][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][vc_column_text]Once you have finished coloring your quilt, add it to the sketchbook by clicking on the icon circled in red below.[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”53260″ img_size=”large”][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][vc_column_text]Click on the icon beside it with the glasses to review previous drafts of quilts and blocks in your sketchbook.
Congratulations! You’ve built a quilt in EQ Mini.
[/vc_column_text][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
