EQ7 Designing Panel Quilts - Custom Layout

After teaching Beginning EQ7 Class last weekend.  I was asked on how to design Panel Quilts in EQ.  Well I decided share my experience with designing Panel Quilts.  In this month’s blog I will show you how to set up a Panel Quilt using Custom Layout Style.  Using the Custom Layout allows you design on Layer 1.

Below are the steps on how to set up my Panel Quilt.

1. Create New Project.

2. Click Quilt > New Quilt > Custom Set.

3. Click Layout, select the center of quilt size.  In this quilt example, I used 46” x 46”.

4. Click the Layer 1 tab at the bottom.

5. Click the Set Block tool.

6. Right-click inside the palette and choose Add Plain Block.

7. Drag the “Plain Block” from the Sketchbook Palette onto the quilt. You will notice the block will snap into place and will be 6” x 6”, in the next step we will adjust the size for the Panel.

8. Click the Adjust tool, then click to select the block on the quilt.  Most Panels are made 24” x 44”, but make sure you measure your panel before finalizing your quilt design.

9. After the Panel Block is adjusted to the correct size.  Click on the Center horizontal and vertical buttons which will move you Panel block to the exact center of the quilt center.

10. Now, in the next couple steps we will add 1” sashing pieces around the Panel block using the Plain Block.

11. Click the Set Block tool.

12. Click on the plain block and drag into the quilt center.

13. Click the Adjust tool and select the block to 1” x 44” these piece will be added to the sides of the Panel. Place on the Left side of the Panel Block.

14. With the Sashing piece still selected, click Edit > Copy, then Edit > Paste.

15. Click the Adjust tool and select the copy sashing piece and drag to the rightside.

16. Repeat with the top sashing pieces. Using 26” x 1” for the top and bottom of the panel quilt.

17. Next steps filling in the empty sides around the Panel and Sashing blocks.  I choose 2 blocks that I liked for the quilt.  I’m using an Hourglass and modified half square triangles that I added to the sketchbook.  The modified half square triangle was done in the EasyDraw worktable.  You can replace these blocks with blocks of your choice.

18. Select the Modified half square triangle in the Sketchbook and drag it to the far top right corner of the quilt. Setting the block orientation to be 0 x 0.
19. With that block still selected, Click Edit > Copy, then Edit > Paste. Drag it to the opposite side. Setting the block orientation to be 36 x 0.

20. Repeat 2 more times, dragging the blocks to the bottom corners.  Making sure that all the alignments match up.

21. Setting the block orientation on the left bottom to 0 x 36. Right Bottom Position 36 x 36.

Note: You can adjust the Size and Orientation by using the Precision bar, see the diagram above. Refer to your Manual Page 90 - 91.

22. Rotate the blocks, so the blocks are positioned diagonally.

23. Select the “Plain block” in the sketchbook. Drag it under the top right Modified half square triangle.

24. Adjust the block to 10” x 1” sashing pieces.  Setting the block Position at 0 x 10.
With that 10“x 1” sashing block still selected, Click Edit > Copy, then Edit > Paste.

25. Drag it to the opposite side. Setting the block Position at 36 x 0.

26. Select the Hourglass block, dragging the block to below the 10” x 1” sashing block.
With Hourglass block still selected, Click Edit > Copy, then Edit > Paste. Drag it to the opposite side.

27. Select the block to 10” x 4” sashing block. Drag it under the top left 10” x 1” sashing block.

28. Adjust the block to 10” x 4” sashing block.  Setting the block Position at 0 x 21.

29. With that 10“x 4” sashing block still selected, Click Edit > Copy, then Edit > Paste. Drag it to the opposite side. Setting the block Position at 36 x 21.

30. Select the already placed Hourglass block on the leftside of the Panel, Click Edit > Copy, then Edit > Paste. Setting the block Position at 0 x 25.

31. With Hourglass block still selected, Click Edit > Copy, then Edit > Paste. Drag it to the opposite side. Setting the block Position at 36 x 25.

32. Select the already placed 10” x 1” sashing block on the leftside of the Panel, Click Edit > Copy, then Edit > Paste. Setting the block Position at 0 x 35.

33. With 10” x 1” sashing block still selected, Click Edit > Copy, then Edit > Paste. Drag it to the opposite side. Setting the block Position at 36 x 35.


34. Add borders to the quilt. Border 1(Inner Border), Long horizontal 1" and border 2, Mitered 3". 

35. Finish your design with a little color of your choice, you can placing the panel in the center panel block. 

This shows you how to use set up a Panel quilt in EQ7.  Next month November 10th, I will show you how to set up another panel quilt using a horizontal layout.

Make sure your check out other Bloggers Celebrating EQ7 Anniversary with themed EQ7 Blog posts.  Also visit Electric Quilt to enter their monthly giveaway HERE.

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