Product: Electric Quilt (EQ) for You Starter Box

Pitch: An EQ bundle to help new quilters jump confidently into designing quilts on the computer.

Includes:

Electric Quilt 8’s complete quilt‑design software with robust features for creating blocks, quilt layouts, fabric colourways and custom designs.

• Lessons for Beginners Book – A best‑selling, fully illustrated, spiral-bound lesson book with clear, step‑by‑step guidance to help users learn at their own pace.
• Simple Starts Add‑On for EQ – A download for EQ8 software that includes beginner‑friendly projects for design inspiration.
• 1-Year EQ Membership Voucher – Access to free fabric downloads for EQ8, exclusive member discounts, free yearly gift and other members-only perks.
• Instructional Videos and Printed Guides – Easy-to-follow visual and written instructions to help users get started designing right away.
• EQ Mouse Pad & Sticker – Trendy and fun extras to brighten your sewing room or computer workspace.

Format: Physical box (contents listed in press release)

Value: $336.80 USD

Price: $276.95 USD

Release Date: April 14, 2026

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​Meet Our Tester

I began sewing as a child, making clothes and started quilting in my early 20s. Back then, I used cardboard templates, patches sewn by machine and hand quilting. I became more active in quilting as my family grew and joined a local guild.

Open to experimenting, I have made quilts in the modern, heritage patterns, art and any quilt technique that inspires me.  I also love to dye fabric to use in my work.

I offered to review EQ8 to see how the program has changed from when I used it in the past.

Overview of the product

EQ8 is marketed for all levels of quilters from the average person to professional designers.  It runs on a Windows or Apple-based computer. It does not appear to run as an app on phones or tablets. Some features include the Block Library of more than 6,000 copyright-free options. A fabric library that comes installed which can be added to by subscription based or a purchased download.

A customization converts layouts to on point, horizontal and vertical lines, plus different border styles. The program also has drawing tools to modify original blocks so you can design your own, automatic calculating yardage based on design and printing of rotary-cutting charts.

The program allows you to save your projects to a project sketchbook and organize your quilt pattern projects.

It also has the ability for you to print foundation paper-piecing patterns or to make your own. Plenty of applique blocks are available too.

Add-on pattern libraries are available, like Block Based Plus. It features more than 4,000 from the epic Barbara Blackman book The Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Blocks.

The Dear Jane quilt made famous by Brenda Manges Papadakis also appears as an available add-on. I wish I had this program when I started my hand pieced Dear Jane Quilt! That epic quilt is still in progress!

For AccuQuilt users, you’ll find two available block add-ons: the AccuQuilt Go Cube and the AccuQuilt Bob Collection. Calculating fabric requirements would become easier with these systems, especially when combining blocks.

It is a powerful program which can do a lot when you learn it.

My experience with EQ8’s Starter Box

I have been a long-time computer person, learning various programs throughout the years. I hesitated at using this version of EQ8 because it had been many years since I had used the program at all.

Out of the box, I installed the program by following the clear literature sent with the box set. I did reach out to tech support at EQ8 for a bit of help with the installation. They were prompt in replying. (EQ8 installs on tablets that run Windows. You’ll find full system requirements here.)

I took the approach of watching some of the videos provided to familiarize myself with the new platform. Then I started working through the EQ 8 Lessons for Beginners. EQ8 offers many online support classes you can get by on-demand learning and in-person sessions in its Academy. They also have a blog and other resources.

I found the book very helpful. The program interface is pretty user friendly, especially if you are a practiced learner of technology programs. You definitely go through a learning curve but if you go through the lessons you can get the basics down.

It would be hard to get through all the things the program can do in just a few practice sessions. I would suggest any new learner work through the first book a few times and watch the YouTube or other online resources.

The basic program out of the box will keep you in quilt designs for a long time. They have follow up books for deeper dives into subjects for those with a special interest niche.

Pricing

The pricing is high for the average quilter, especially with our Canadian-U.S. dollar exchange at this time.  I would have to think about if it were buying this program for myself. I can see many uses of it as I toughed it out on in the review. If I was more deeply in the world of quilting as a business, I would see it as more fitting.

Conclusion

I definitely need to spend more time with the program to learn what I wish to get out of it. Further, I would recommend it for any avid tech-familiar quilter willing to put in the time to learn the program. It definitely is a not an app with a simple interface.

Someone familiar with graphics, Canva or a photo management program might find it easier to use out of the box. It would be great for designers, aspiring designers, or someone involved in a guild or group who makes a lot of quilts.

I look forward to a deeper dive into the program, especially the paper piecing creating for a Pixal picture quilt.

(This tester only commented on her short experience with the software, book and videos, but not the other contents that provide additional value that justifies the price point. We may ask for an update in a few months.)

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