Square in a Square is my second favorite quilt from my book Machine Quilting with Style. (Click here to find out which one is my favorite.) I really tried to play with alternate grids and negative space when I designed this quilt. I combined two of my go-to motifs when quilting it: free-motion boxes and walking foot square spirals. I love that it includes a bit of both methods I teach in the book.
Square in a Square is currently being exhibited in the modern category of the Pacific International Quilt Festival and it hung at Road to California earlier in the year. I love entering my quilts into shows so they can be seen by a wider audience. 🙂
Square in a Square 60″ x 60″ by Christa Watson. Photography by Brent Kane for Martingale.
Imagine the Possibilities
My BQF (Best Quilting Friend) Stacy from Farm Road Quilts made this fun version which is is just perfect for Halloween! During the original blog hop a year ago, a bunch of my friends each remade one of the quilts from the book. Click here to see all of the variations – they are so fun!
Square in a Square made by Stacy Cooper of Farm Road Quilts.
I design all of my quilts in EQ7 and I have embraced my inner control freak that needs to know exactly what it’s going to look like even before I begin, LOL!! So here are a couple more fun variations that I came up with, using Amanda Murphy’s playful Sewing Room collection for Benartex.
I think using the light gray background is probably more my style, but I wanted to push the envelope and see how fun and it would look using the sewing machine fabric as the background combined with funky bright solids.
Click here to get some of this fun fabric!!
Do you recognize what kind of sewing machine that is? Amanda is a BERNINA ambassador just like me, so I’m sure that influenced her artwork. Hmmm. maybe a smaller version of this would make a perfect sewing machine cover for my BERNINA!! 🙂
Giveaway Time! Win EQ Mini!!
Speaking of designing in EQ7, my good friends at The Electric Quilt Company recently released their latest software, EQ Mini. It’s a scaled down, less expensive version of EQ. It’s perfect for anyone who wants to get their feet wet designing their own quilts, but isn’t sure where to start.
One winner will receive either a boxed physical copy or an email code to download directly from the website, so that means this giveaway is open to everyone! To enter, leave a comment letting me know if you’ve ever designed your own quilt. For a bonus entry, share a picture of it in my Facebook group at Quilt with Christa.
And now it’s time to congratulate last week’s winner’s, Bec B. and Sharon T. who each won a copy of 180 Doodle Quilting Designs. It’s been so fun to read all of your comments each week and see the quilts you are making!
Click here to purchase a signed copy of Machine Quilting with Style.
Click here to see all of the quilts from the book.
Christa Quilts 
I have never designed a quilt, but I would like to. i get an idea in my head sometimes, but don’t know how to put it in sizes to cut out. this would help me a lot.
I’ve never used EQ but would love to learn. I have made 3 quilts, one like your Easy Going quilt that I recently gifted to a dear friend (picture on my IG feed @maurfitz) & a log cabin I ‘designed’ and a 9 patch. I feel ready to explore more designs & challenge myself with EQ. I have your book & love your posts & enthusiasm. Thank you so much!
I have designed simple tops & backings with paper & pencil. Design software would be fun!
I am a paper and pencil girl. Thanks Kathy in Colo
I’m just a beginner.
I don’t designed a quilt.
This EQmini will be perfect for me.
I’ve designed a few quilts on EQ6 but can’t use it on my new computer. I would love a new updated version for my new computer!
I sort of designed my own quilt. I saw one at Joann’s that was pretty easy, but I had to take a class to get the pattern. I felt I was too advanced for that, so I just decided to wing it! I really liked how it came out and my color choices were much better!
I’ve designed one or two quilts, and even ended up writing a pattern for one using only Word and Inkscape. 😬
I make most of my quilts without a proper pattern as I learned to quilt with a group we call Scrappy Club. Louisa teaches us a block and gives us setting ideas and then it is up to us to make something utilizing that block. It is only recently that I have used formal patterns.
Love your blog!
Yes, both with and without EQ software.
I started a baby quilt for my son, but it did not work out. It is still sitting in a box in the sewing room.
I’ve done many classes and am finally ready to delve into designing my own quilt. EQ mini sounds great as I’ve researched EQ7 and it’s really overwhelming!
I’ve designed very simple quilts, but would like to be more adventurous. I think the EQ Mini would really help with that.
I have only designed a couple of baby quilts using very rough sketching, but the results turned out great, and they are being loved today by the children who received them (and mothers)! Thanks for the opportunity to win this, it would be great to try it out!!
I have never designed a full quilt on my own. I have been considering purchasing eq7 as I have lots of design ideas that I would love to develop.
I have designed my own quilts but they have been on the small size–always a challenge when drawing it on paper or “fitting” all the blocks together when there are a few different sizes. I have always wanted to try EQ7.
I am a beginner quilter, so I have not designed a quilt-hoping one day to get there! Thank you, Great Giveaway! Susan
I have never designed a quilt but I think it is something that I might like. It would be fun to win the EQ Mini. I think I would be more apt to try designing.
I design a lot of my quilts and make them. I often find I can’t find exactly what I want, so design it.
I have designed lots of quilts, but only made one of them so far though.
I have designed a baby quilt on paper once, turned out OK but I would sure like to get a chance to try this out before investing in something I might not be able to use. Thanks for the chance.
I have made several quilts using an app on my iPad – a carpenter’s star, a friendship star variation, and a couple of nine patch variations. The eq mini would be a great way to see how the EQ system works
EQ Mini sounds perfect for me as I’m not sure I have what it takes to maneuver the full EQ. Yes, I have designed my own quilt and made it into a lap quilt for my great-aunt. It turned out so pretty and I’m tempted to use the design again, but there are so many other possibilities!
I have actually designed 4 quilts without a pattern. It wasn’t very simple doing it in paper and they were very basic. The mini software would definitely help!!
I’m just a beginner so I haven’t designed a quilt yet. This software will be perfect to try it out!
I would love to win the EQ Mini. I’ve had prior older editions of EQ, but struggled to understand how to use it. So I have tried to create my own quilt patterns – with mixed and limited success.
I’ve designed a few quilts myself using graph paper…so this would be awesome!!!!!
I have designed a couple of quilts based on blocks I already knew.
I have designed a couple of baby quilts. Love to use HST in various patterns. So would love to do web design.
The closest I have come to designing my own quilt is in my head. I have yet to put those designs onto paper or in an actual quilt. I have been looking at EQ7 for a while but have not purchased it. The EQ7 mini would probably be more up my ally.
I haven’t designed a quilt before but this program looks like just the right size to start.
this could be fun! thanks for the chance.
I have designed a few quilts, but I would love to try digital designing. So far it has just been paper and pencil for me!
I have been quilting for over 30 years and now am making mostly scrappy quilts. I do design my own quilts but rely on the traditional blocks for the bare bones. I will check into this mini EQ if I don’t win it. Thanks.
I’ve never designed a quilt before.
Oh how I would love to design my own quilt. I have been so inspired by Christa’s quilts and will be making the square in a square and several more of Christ’s quilts. I really appreciate all the different options you share. Thanks for all you do.
I’ve designed a couple of quilt blocks, which have been included in the Quilter’s Planner. It seems like there’s a lot of quilters who EQ.
I have never designed a quilt block or a quilt pattern; the most I did was took a pattern then look through the fabric I have and put all the colors together. I wish I have EQ Mini so I can learn to design my own quilt.
I have never designed a quilt block or a quilt pattern; the most I did was took a pattern then look through the fabric I have and put all the colors together. I wish I have EQ Mini so I can learn to design my own quilt.
I have designed my own quilts, mostly arrangements of HSTs. I use graph paper. I shared one on Facebook that I made for my mom. It has a spiral design repeating and some nice secondary diamonds. I used bright batiks and black, it is sharp. It even won Best Use of Color at the county fair this year! Thanks for the great giveaway, I am happy to learn about this mini software version. I will add it to my Christmas wish list.
As a beginning quilter, quilting designs swirl around in my head. Until now, simple sketches capture these designs… so hopefully I will remember them. But, using EQ Mini sounds like the next best step in my quilting journey. Christa, thanks for the sharing.
I have made some complementary blocks that are different sizes and plan to surround them with white in a manner similar to your square in a square block, so they are not in an obvious grid. This is my first time “designing”.
I’ve designed my own quilts here and there over the years. Thanks for the opportunity to win.
I have never designed my own quilt but look forward to the challenge when I win!!
Hi! I’ve designed one quilt using an online Web page that was very difficult to navigate and all the rest have been drawn out on graph paper… which as you know is a very long and tedious way to do it… especially if you don’t like the color combination and have to start over. I’m very intrigued by their software. Thanks so much for offering out a copy of EQ Mini! It’s very generous of you. I’m sure whoever gets it will be over the moon! Have a great weekend!
Yes, I have designed quilts but never with a program. I would love to win this program. I would do so much more. What an exciting give away. Thank you!
I have not designed my own quilt yet, but I have a couple of ideas I would like to try.
I’ve never designed a quilt before.
I have designed a few quilts of my own. The eq software would make it much easier to do.
Ohhh…I’d love to have an EQ7! I’ve been wanting one for a while. I love your quilts that you have designed on it and the quilting is fantastic! Can’t wait to go through your book 180 Doodle Quilting Designs! ❤ I can't say that I've designed an entire quilt. I've made star blocks and then sashed them and then designed my border…with my husband's input. lol I'll post the quilt on your facebook so you can see it.