Quilting Software?
04-02-2007, 12:15 PM
#1
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I'm looking into quilting software since I have so many ideas for quilts and different color combinations for each that it gets frustrating trying to draw them all in my graph paper notebook...and hopefully if I do get some quilting software it will spare some of my paper and not completely wear out my color pencils and sharpie markers.
But there's so many different quilting software packages that I wouldn't know which one would be perfect for me just by looking at the list of things it has. I want something that has a ridiculous amount of content to work with yet be easy to use (something I can tinker around with). And, of course, I want it to be a reasonable price (I saw a couple pieces of software running for almost $100...is that even reasonable for quilting software?! :?:) Any software recomendations?
But there's so many different quilting software packages that I wouldn't know which one would be perfect for me just by looking at the list of things it has. I want something that has a ridiculous amount of content to work with yet be easy to use (something I can tinker around with). And, of course, I want it to be a reasonable price (I saw a couple pieces of software running for almost $100...is that even reasonable for quilting software?! :?:) Any software recomendations?
04-02-2007, 01:58 PM
#2
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You won't find one single program that has everything we should be able to find in one place. Not at any price. Not yet. (The folks at Electric Quilt have my wish list for EQ7. we shall see. LOL)
I finally settled on Electric Quilt6. EQ5 has a really good reputation and now sells at a deep discount. but i have this ridiculous need to start with the latest version available of anything.
to be brutally honest, i am underwhelmed by the content. not as much as i expected. i'm sure the numbers they state are accurate. just doesn't "feel" like that much, if you know what i mean. However, that is not an issue for me because i want to draw my own and crank out templates, foundations, yardage estimates, designs, etc. to compile patterns.
i'm not crazy about the way my fabric scans look when i import them to my designs. but i'll bet that's because i haven't fiddled yet until i find the right scanning settings to make them look as good as the ones already included in the software.
-i love the fact that it comes with a book. a real live book! i can carry it from room to room and everything. LOL
-you can use the book as a text book and follow along with the step by step lessons. or you can skip to the second half, or bounce around to wherever the specific piece of information can be found.
-they have the best customer support staff i have dealt with in years. i mean the BEST.
it is the most expensive, that's for sure. i fished and i fished for one with as many features and as widely known great reputation but a lower price. not saying it's the only one with a good reputation. just saying it's the best known, and the one that all the other software companies run to keep up with. so, i finally took a deep breath and wrote the check.
i have no regrets. :-)
I finally settled on Electric Quilt6. EQ5 has a really good reputation and now sells at a deep discount. but i have this ridiculous need to start with the latest version available of anything.
to be brutally honest, i am underwhelmed by the content. not as much as i expected. i'm sure the numbers they state are accurate. just doesn't "feel" like that much, if you know what i mean. However, that is not an issue for me because i want to draw my own and crank out templates, foundations, yardage estimates, designs, etc. to compile patterns.
i'm not crazy about the way my fabric scans look when i import them to my designs. but i'll bet that's because i haven't fiddled yet until i find the right scanning settings to make them look as good as the ones already included in the software.
-i love the fact that it comes with a book. a real live book! i can carry it from room to room and everything. LOL
-you can use the book as a text book and follow along with the step by step lessons. or you can skip to the second half, or bounce around to wherever the specific piece of information can be found.
-they have the best customer support staff i have dealt with in years. i mean the BEST.
it is the most expensive, that's for sure. i fished and i fished for one with as many features and as widely known great reputation but a lower price. not saying it's the only one with a good reputation. just saying it's the best known, and the one that all the other software companies run to keep up with. so, i finally took a deep breath and wrote the check.
i have no regrets. :-)
04-02-2007, 02:36 PM
#3
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: MS
Posts: 518
Patrice is right about the EQ Software. I have EQ5, but everything she has told you is true... as always! :lol: The one, tiny detail she failed to mention is... it is so addictive!! :twisted: You'll get into it and will not want to stop creating!! :D
It is a small investment, but well worth it! In the mean time, some of the simple graphics programs can be used to save your colored pencils from immediate demise. My #2 Daughter plays with Microsoft Paint all of the time and comes up with some really creative blocks. (I call them blocks, she calls them art. She refuses to admit she is a future quilter, because it isn't cool, so therefor refuses to even look at my EQ program.) These types of programs will do fine to start with; they just don't have templates and fabric scans built into them. They're certainly better than graph paper, pencils, & rulers, BUT printer ink is WAY more expensive than any of these items. :-)
It is a small investment, but well worth it! In the mean time, some of the simple graphics programs can be used to save your colored pencils from immediate demise. My #2 Daughter plays with Microsoft Paint all of the time and comes up with some really creative blocks. (I call them blocks, she calls them art. She refuses to admit she is a future quilter, because it isn't cool, so therefor refuses to even look at my EQ program.) These types of programs will do fine to start with; they just don't have templates and fabric scans built into them. They're certainly better than graph paper, pencils, & rulers, BUT printer ink is WAY more expensive than any of these items. :-)
04-02-2007, 02:53 PM
#4
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Hmmm...maybe I don't want something that has literally everything packed into it. But I do want a quilting program that would offer me a lot of options yet come at a lower price.
How much did you pay for EQ6?
How much did you pay for EQ6?
04-02-2007, 08:23 PM
#5
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EQ6 is $150
EQ5 is down to around $90
don't faint. you'll forgive yourself within the first month. LOL
as to the addiction ... i've gotten so hooked on the board i didn't notice one more gotta-habit. LOL
EQ5 is down to around $90
don't faint. you'll forgive yourself within the first month. LOL
as to the addiction ... i've gotten so hooked on the board i didn't notice one more gotta-habit. LOL
04-03-2007, 03:35 PM
#6
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:shock: $150?! $90?!
Wow. That is a lot. Not only that, I'm one of those people who like to see how far my dollar can stretch out or if there is something I've been waiting a very long time to get I'll put that as my first priority. Like "Why buy one computer program when I can buy three video games?" or "Well, I could EQ6, but I really want a Nintendo DS and I dunno when I'm gonna have this kind of money to spend on myself again. Let's go with the DS!" This is probably why I haven't gotten that Flying V guitar I've always wanted (along with the other things on my Wishlist).
Wow. That is a lot. Not only that, I'm one of those people who like to see how far my dollar can stretch out or if there is something I've been waiting a very long time to get I'll put that as my first priority. Like "Why buy one computer program when I can buy three video games?" or "Well, I could EQ6, but I really want a Nintendo DS and I dunno when I'm gonna have this kind of money to spend on myself again. Let's go with the DS!" This is probably why I haven't gotten that Flying V guitar I've always wanted (along with the other things on my Wishlist).
04-03-2007, 04:09 PM
#7
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Originally Posted by Flying_V_Goddess
This is probably why I haven't gotten that Flying V guitar I've always wanted (along with the other things on my Wishlist).
04-03-2007, 05:14 PM
#8
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I went to ebay when I got my EQ5 I also got a few other books with it I'm still playing with it been busy to get through all the lessons But I have designed a few quilts I like that it will figure my yardage and everything.
04-03-2007, 05:33 PM
#9
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yep. that's a pile of cash alright. but you had a long list of things you wanted in a program. EQ is one of the few that comes close. I could talk about it because i have it and like it.
Not a law in the land says you can't pick one of the lower priced programs that has a similar list of features. the only hitch might be finding one for less than $90 that lets you draw your own. i don't remember seeing one of those. but i was shopping for them more than 10 minutes ago, so ... LOL
i'm not going to try changing your priorities. whether you design your own quilts or prefer the games is up to you. you can still have tons of fun quilting and gaming, whether you buy software or not. i will, however, provide a few points to ponder:
-you have to buy game after game after game to feed your "habit". you buy the quilting software once. (then yard after yard after yard after yard of fabric. same process. different "habit". LOL) maybe a few upgrades over the year, but you'll spend a teeny-tiny fraction of what you're spending now on only games.
-buying the software just means waiting a little longer for the next game. they'll still be there later.
-sounded to me like you wanted it an awful lot and can afford it
-once you're done with a game you have nothing to show for it. when you finish a quilt you can call your very own and share with others ... well ... i've never seen a joystick or whatchamathingie that can do that.
Not a law in the land says you can't pick one of the lower priced programs that has a similar list of features. the only hitch might be finding one for less than $90 that lets you draw your own. i don't remember seeing one of those. but i was shopping for them more than 10 minutes ago, so ... LOL
i'm not going to try changing your priorities. whether you design your own quilts or prefer the games is up to you. you can still have tons of fun quilting and gaming, whether you buy software or not. i will, however, provide a few points to ponder:
-you have to buy game after game after game to feed your "habit". you buy the quilting software once. (then yard after yard after yard after yard of fabric. same process. different "habit". LOL) maybe a few upgrades over the year, but you'll spend a teeny-tiny fraction of what you're spending now on only games.
-buying the software just means waiting a little longer for the next game. they'll still be there later.
-sounded to me like you wanted it an awful lot and can afford it
-once you're done with a game you have nothing to show for it. when you finish a quilt you can call your very own and share with others ... well ... i've never seen a joystick or whatchamathingie that can do that.
04-04-2007, 08:09 AM
#10
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: MS
Posts: 518
Yup... Sounds about right. She covered it all, now it's up to you. (BTW, as I said previously, I have EQ5 & my upgrade is only going to be $70. So you see, she is right again about the teeny upgrade price- comparitively speaking of course.)
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