Welcome to EQ Mini Friday Fun, a blog series devoted to sharing, teaching, and informing you about the new scaled down, simpler version of EQ7 quilt design software.  This program was created for quilters who are just getting started using software for quilt design.  EQ Mini will help you create, edit, share, and print patterns and yardage for your quilt designs.

My name is Lori Miller and I will be your host as we explore EQ Mini software.  A little about myself. I am a life long sewist and quilter.  My home base is Troy, Michigan where I design, stitch, and sew quilts and quilty things.   In 2012, I started a new career sewing and designing quilts and quilty gifts.  I started to submit my designs and patterns to magazines and I wanted a tool to help me more quickly document my ideas, try different color paths,  and provide color snapshots to submit to editors.

I purchased Electric Quilt 7 and attended the very first Electric Quilt Academy in Perrysburg, Ohio.  (If you have not been, it is so worthwhile, excellent hands on classes to learn your software.) I was hooked with the endless possibilities of the software.  This past year I decided to attend again and I took a class on EQ Stitch, the embroidery add-on to Electric Quilt 7.  It is the perfect tool to create simple embroidery designs and appliqué.

I was introduced to EQ Mini when I volunteered to beta test the software before it was released.  I was so impressed with the easy flow and friendly beginner aspects of the software.  I love the colored step by step tabs that let you easily work to create and edit a design.  And even though it is a Mini version of the Electric Quilt 7 software, it is still robust enough to offer a ton of design possibilities. It contains a block library of 300 pieced and appliqué blocks that can be set in 4 layout styles, there are 8 different border styles and a fabric library of over 3500 scanned fabrics to use to make your designs exactly how you want them.  There are a slew of add on blocks you can purchase as well as fabric stash libraries to add even more options for your software.

This blog is for YOU to help you learn your EQ Mini software and to design beautiful things.  I plan to share tips and techniques, tutorials, design project skill builders, and maybe even a little show and tell of what I am working on in my studio.  I welcome your ideas and suggestions as well so that this journey can be fun, educational and helpful.  Just leave a comment and let me know what you want to learn about EQ Mini.

Lori J. Miller lives in Troy, Michigan, where she designs, stitches and sews quilts and quilty things. She loves experimenting with fun colors and designs to make playful and clever products for the modern stitcher.  Sewing since age 11, Lori has deep roots in sewing and quilting traditions that add a unique dimension to her designs.  She loves designing using Electric Quilt 7, Electric Quilt Mini and EQ Stitch.  You can follow her quilting adventures on her blog at lorimillerdesigns.com or on instagram @lorimillerdesigns