Electric Quilt Buyer's Guide (2026): Every EQ Product, Explained
Full disclosure twice over: we build a free browser-based alternativeto EQ8, and the shop links below are affiliate links. But if you've decided EQ8 is the tool for you — and for quilters who want its huge commercial block library, it genuinely is — the shop itself is confusing: three upgrade paths, migration kits that aren't upgrades, and add-ons with different version requirements. This guide sorts all of it so you buy the right thing the first time.
The Electric Quilt Company sells one current design program: EQ8 ($239.95 one-time, Windows and Mac, no subscription). Owners of earlier versions upgrade for less — $99.95 from EQ7, $179.95 from EQ6, $150 from EQ Mini. BlockBase+ ($119.95) is a separate, standalone digital edition of Barbara Brackman's block encyclopedia. Migration Kits are not upgrades; they add a Windows or Mac download to a license you already own. Everything else in the shop is an add-on to that core: lesson books, EQ Printables inkjet fabric sheets, EQ Stash fabric-library downloads, AccuQuilt die companions, and 140+ downloadable block and quilt collections.
Which EQ8 should you buy?
- New to EQ: buy Electric Quilt 8 itself — or the EQ for You Starter Box if you want the lesson book, a beginner add-on, and install help bundled (it's also the gift option).
- Own EQ7, EQ6, or EQ Mini: buy your upgrade, not the full version — same software, $60–$140 less.
- Want block history, not design software: BlockBase+ stands alone — 4,000+ documented historical blocks you can print as templates, rotary charts, or foundations.
- Switching between Windows and Mac: you need a Migration Kit, not a new license or upgrade.
The software
EQ for You Starter Box
Everything you need in one cute boxperfect for gifting!This bundle is for the quilter who wants to jump into creating their own designs with the comfort of guided help, plus some fun freebies.
Shop at ElectricQuilt.com
BlockBase+
From the pages of Barbara Brackmans Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns book, BlockBase+ brings over 4,000 quilt blocks to your computer screen.
Shop at ElectricQuilt.com
Electric Quilt 8
New Look: EQ8 is redesigned with a friendly new look that includes large interface elements for faster, more intuitive le
Shop at ElectricQuilt.comUpgrades & migration kits
Upgrades give owners of older versions the full EQ8 at a discount. Migration kits solve a different problem — running the EQ8 or EQ Mini you already own on the other operating system.
Books & lessons
EQ8's learning curve is the most common complaint about it — these are the official lesson books that flatten it. EQ8 Lessons for Beginnersis the standard starting point; Brackman's Encyclopedia is the print companion to BlockBase+.
Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns
Book Author: Barbara Brackman This book is the perfect resource for identifying blocks and getting inspiration for your q
Shop at ElectricQuilt.com
EQ8 Designing More Quilts
More Quilt Design Tricks from EQ8 Experts Back by popular demand! Each of the 8 chapters is a stand-alone lesson, in that you can work through the chapters in any order you want.
Shop at ElectricQuilt.com
EQ8 Lessons for Beginners
Step-by-Step Exercises for Learning EQ8 SoftwareThis step-by-step lesson book is the best starter book for learning EQ8 software.
Shop at ElectricQuilt.com
Dear Jane Book
Back by popular demand! Immerse yourself in the story of Jane A. Stickle with the 25th anniversary edition of the Dear Ja
Shop at ElectricQuilt.com
EQ8 Deep Dive: Fabrics, Panels, and Photos
Complete Guide to Importing and Editing Images in EQ8 Software This Deep Dive booklet contains everything you need to know to get started and then master importing your own fabrics and photos into EQ8 software.
Shop at ElectricQuilt.comEQ Printables: inkjet fabric & foundation paper
Printable fabric sheets for quilt labels, memory quilts, and photo blocks — plus Quilter's Newsprint, a non-smear foundation paper worth knowing about if you paper piece, whether or not you use EQ software.
EQ Stash Online: fabric library downloads
Each EQ Stash download adds 1,000+ digital fabrics from real, current manufacturer collections to your EQ Fabric Library, so you can audition actual fabrics on a design before buying a yard. EQ releases about three a year; the archive back to 2013 is still sold, though the older the download, the harder its fabrics are to find in shops.
Full EQ Stash archive (37 more downloads, 2013–2025)
- 2025 Download 02 — $9.95
- 2025 Download 01 — $9.95
- 2024 Download 03 — $9.95
- 2024 Download 02 — $9.95
- 2024 Download 01 — $9.95
- 2023 Download 03 — $9.95
- 2023 Download 02 — $9.95
- 2023 Download 01 — $9.95
- 2022 Download 03 — $9.95
- 2022 Download 02 — $9.95
- 2022 Download 01 — $9.95
- 2021 Download 03 — $7.95
- 2021 Download 02 — $7.95
- 2021 Download 01 — $7.95
- 2020 Download 03 — $7.95
- 2020 Download 02 — $7.95
- 2020 Download 01 — $7.95
- 2019 Download 03 — $7.95
- 2019 Download 02 — $7.95
- 2019 Download 01 — $7.95
- 2018 Download 03 — $7.95
- 2018 Download 02 — $7.95
- 2018 Download 01 — $7.95
- 2017 Download 03 — $7.95
- 2017 Download 02 — $7.95
- 2017 Download 01 — $7.95
- 2016 Download 03 — $7.95
- 2016 Download 02 — $7.95
- 2016 Download 01 — $7.95
- 2015 Download 03 — $7.95
- 2015 Download 02 — $7.95
- 2015 Download 01 — $7.95
- 2014 Download 04 — $7.95
- 2014 Download 03 — $7.95
- 2014 Download 02 — $7.95
- 2014 Download 01 — $7.95
- 2013 Download 01 — $7.95
For AccuQuilt GO! owners
These add-ons load blocks matched to AccuQuilt's GO! dies into EQ8, so you can design a quilt around the dies you own, then cut it in minutes. If you're still deciding on a die-cutting system, start with our die-cutting vs. rotary comparison or browse the dies themselves at AccuQuilt.
Design collections: 141 block & quilt add-ons
The biggest part of EQ's shop is downloadable design collections — themed blocks and full quilt projects from designers like Judy Martin, Barbara Brackman, and Karen K. Stone that install straight into your EQ library. We've organized all 141 by theme:
Frequently asked questions
Is EQ8 worth the money in 2026?
If you want the deepest commercial block library available (thousands of blocks), fabric-line imports, and don't mind desktop-only software with a learning curve, EQ8 remains the most complete package you can buy at $239.95 one-time. If you mainly want to design your own blocks and quilts and print sewable patterns, free browser tools — including ours — now cover that workflow.
What's the difference between EQ8 and BlockBase+?
EQ8 is full design software: draw blocks, lay out quilts, audition fabrics, and print patterns. BlockBase+ ($119.95) is a searchable digital edition of Barbara Brackman's Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns — 4,000+ historical blocks with publication history, printable as templates, rotary charts, or foundation patterns. BlockBase+ runs on its own; you don't need EQ8 to use it, but the two link together if you own both.
How much does it cost to upgrade to EQ8?
From EQ7: $99.95. From EQ6: $179.95. From EQ Mini: $150. Upgrades are full EQ8 licenses at a discount for owners of earlier versions — there is no subscription.
Does EQ8 run on a Mac?
Yes, EQ8 runs on both Windows and Mac. One license covers one platform; if you switch computers across platforms (or want to run both), the EQ8 Migration Kit ($24.95) adds a download for the other platform to your existing license — it's a platform cross-grade, not a version upgrade.
What is EQ Stash Online?
EQ Stash Online downloads add new digital fabric images from real manufacturer collections to your EQ Fabric Library, so you can audition current fabrics on your designs before buying them. EQ releases roughly three downloads a year (about 1,000+ fabrics each, $9.95); the back catalog going back to 2013 is still available.
Do EQ add-on collections work with older versions like EQ7?
Some do, some don't. Every add-on lists its requirement: many block collections work with EQ8, EQ7, EQStitch, or EQ Mini, while newer quilt-project add-ons require EQ8 only. Each product card in this guide shows the requirement line from Electric Quilt's own listing.
Not ready to spend $240? Try designing in your browser first — free
Our designers print cutting charts, true-size templates, and pattern PDFs. If you outgrow them, EQ8 will still be there.
We may earn a commission on purchases made through these links, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
Prices come from Electric Quilt's product feed and can change — the linked shop page always has the current price.