Welcome back to the EQ8 Update Insider.  As of March, 2019, there is a new free update to EQ8 that is loaded with New Features, Enhancements and Fixes.  If you own EQ8, you can download this update for free!

In this EQ8 Update Insider,  we are going to take a look at some of the Quilt Worktable Updates to the program.

Solid Seam Allowance Lines

Dashed seam allowance lines

Solid Seam Allowance lines

You could always print seam allowance lines with dashed lines.  Now you have the option to print seam allowance as a solid line.  For many folks, this solid line is easier to see on their printers.  Since everyone’s printer is different, see what works best for you.


You can find this checkbox option in the Print dialog box for Templates

And in the print dialogue box for foundation patterns.

Thick Seam Allowance Lines

You can also now display thicker seam allowance lines on Template and Foundation printouts.  This may make it easier to see when you print out your designs as well.

Go to File > Preferences > General > Printing options.

Under Printing Options, you will see Width of Seam Allowance lines: Allowable range is 1-4.  The default is 1.

Seam Allowance Thickness of 1

Seam Allowance of 4

Date added to Footer of Printouts

There is now an option to print a date in the footer of pages you print.  It is now ON by default.  Now you have more information to tell you when you printed a template or other pages by using the date.  You can change this by going to File > Preferences > General > Printing Options.

    

Soft Patch Lines

Soft Patch lines

Black Patch lines

Before this update, you could display patch lines or toggle them off with the Display Patch lines tool in Main Toolbar.  You can now change the dark black patch lines to show as a softer grey line.  This provides a nicer more realistic look to your quilt but still gives you some definition of your blocks.  Users also like it especially for applique designs so the outline of the motifs is not so harsh.

Soft patch lines on the Quilt Worktable is ON by default.  To change this feature, go to the Gear button on the main toolbar to open the Drawing Board Setup box.  Click View Settings > Display.  You will see the check box for Show soft patch lines on quilt.

Turn off Block Dimensions in Print & Export Tab

When you select a block in the Print & Export tab, a block dimensions box appears giving you the size dimensions of the block.  This can sometimes be distracting so you can now turn the block dimensions box off.

To turn them off, Click the gear button on the main toolbar of the Quilt Worktable, View Settings > Display and uncheck the block dimensions box.

Now, there will not be a block dimensions box displaying when you select the block.

More Grid Snap Increments

On the Quilt Worktable, when you are in Custom Quilt designs, there are now more snap grid increments to choose from.    Once you select the ADJUST tool, you have access to the new increments of 3″, 5, and 9″.  Now there is an increment to help you snap your blocks in place no matter what the size.

Border and Layout Palettes – ALL Checkboxes

Finally, now when you are in the Border and Layout Palettes and you have the ALL checkbox selected, when you type in the size of a block, sashing or border in the first box, the rest of the boxes change too.  You no longer have to click on the slider bar to adjust the rest of the sizes when you have ALL checked.  That is a great time saver.

These are the enhancements and new features in the free EQ8 update available now for the Quilt Worktable.  Try a few and see if they don’t make your design process a little easier.    In the next EQ8 Insider update, I will share the changes on the Block Worktable.  Some great improvements for block drawing await!

Happy Designing!

Questions or Feedback?
Please share your ideas, questions and feedback in the comments. I would love to hear from you. Thanks!
Lori J. Miller lives in Oxford, 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 sewist.  Sewing since age 11, Lori has deep roots in sewing and quilting traditions that add a unique dimension to her designs.  An Electric Quilt 8 Super fan, you can follow her quilting adventures on her blog at lorimillerdesigns.com , on instagram @lorimillerdesigns  or on Facebook at Lori Miller Designs.