Quilting Software Versus Hand Drawn Plans?

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06-21-2012, 07:39 AM

#31

Peckish

Super Member

Join Date: May 2011

Location: Pacific NW

Posts: 9,379

Quote:

Originally Posted by feline fanatic

Pretty sure that is an EQ6 and 7 feature.

Yes, I have both EQ 6 & 7, and you can scan (or take pictures) and import your fabrics to use in your layout. Several fabric manufacturers also have files you can download that will import the latest fabrics into EQ.

06-21-2012, 10:56 AM

#32

scrapinmema

Senior Member

Join Date: Apr 2012

Location: Southeastern Indiana

Posts: 373

Normally I would not want a computer program but I am working on a scrappy quilt and do not have a place to lay it out to make sure the colors are where they need to be. I am not using a pattern or any thing, just putting it together.

06-21-2012, 01:03 PM

#33

DawnFurlong

Senior Member

Join Date: Dec 2011

Location: Colorado

Posts: 580

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoSewSue

I am a beginner quilter and I have had the EQ software programme for about 48 hours now! One thing I wasn't expecting was how much I am learning about quilt construction and block identification. In order to facilitate the learning process I have been reconstructing quilts in the software from magazine pictures or other pictures off the internet. In fact two quilts for which I had been planning on buying the pattern for - once I had truly analysed them for the purposes of putting into the software I realised how simple they really were and knew that I would find them far to boring to make. Now granted, I would have to come across about thirty of those to make up the price of the software.

My primary reasons for buying the software :
1/ I have a very hard time finding patterns that I want to make. I find lots that are 'close' but not quite right. The software lets me very easily 'tweak' different elements of the design.

2/ I am still rubbish at imagining different colour combinations. I have no stash to speak of and if I walk into the quilt shop without some semblance of a plan or intent I become overwhelmed and frozen with indecision. The software lets me try different combos - heck I can even try using actual fabrics currently available on the market.

I just purchased EQ 7 about a week ago. I am finding this to be a fascinating tool! I, too, am finding that I am learning about quilt construction and block identification, as SoSewSue said. I have done the same as she has - found a pattern I really liked, then drew it out in EQ 7. I have a hard time visualizing things. I need to literally see it. I love how I can change color schemes, turn blocks around, etc. and "see" what it looks like. Even just playing around with the program like this - it spurs on other thoughts as to what I might like to do in a quilt. The great thing is - I can tweak a few things and see what it looks like before committing with fabric.

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuiltnLady1

I LOVE designing my quilts -- I use both graph paper and EQ (now 7). EQ frustrates me -- here is an example. I designed a quilt with 56 blocks, there are 4 block sets that are the same pattern and different color ways. With EQ I was not able to find out how many of each color way I needed. It does not tell me how many pieces I need to cut of each block to do the whole thing. I wound up counting the blocks by hand using the printout of the quilt and doing my figuring by hand.

I agree with QuiltnLady1 on this. I thought the yardage calculator and/or rotary cutter tool would be more helpful. And some of this could be user error (since I have only had the program for a week). I think the yardage calculator might be more helpful. But the rotary cutter - as best I can tell - you can only have it "analyze" one block at a time (not the entire quilt). So that feature isn't seeming very user friendly yet.

All in all though I love the program and what it allows me to do and see before I commit to a particular pattern and fabric!

06-21-2012, 01:40 PM

#34

Silver Needle

Super Member

Join Date: Mar 2011

Location: Mechanicsville, IA

Posts: 1,497

I had Electric Quilt 6 and upgraded to EQ7. I love it because I can design patterns and they are saved to use again or to tweak into something else. I'm hopeless at keeping track of paper it's digital all the way for me. For example, I am making 4 identical Christmas throws for my family in memory of my grandmother. I have all the fabric purchased and set aside. And pictures of the finished product but now that the first one is done I am taking a break. I know the plans are safely inside EQ and backed up on Carbonite.

07-23-2013, 08:31 AM

#35

bjhumes

Member

Join Date: Oct 2011

Posts: 95

I am presently asking the same thing YOU asked as I sit with grafting paper and math solutions to limited remnants of fabric for borders, trying to decide which stack & whack block should go where as NONE are exactly alike! I thought this could help me see them set up. I love my wall quilt for playing with REAL blocks and REAL fabrics but when it comes to setting the quilt together...I think the software could save me hours of math and figures so I could get busy sewing. Thank you for asking this! I can see not all versions of EQ are created equal. HOPE people continue to post their opinions to help me decide.