Border yardage in eq7
 

I am trying to determine how to cut my quilt out that was designed in EQ7. My question concerns how EQ7 calculates yardage.

When I print-preview the quilt yardage it tells me that it is assumed that all long pieces ARE pieced.

Does that mean that the borders will be cut width of fabric (and having to piece the strips togethether in order to get 4 strips for the top/bottom & right/left sides)?

But the fabric-amount info seems to be including enough for me to cut it length of fabric (in other words, cut into 4 pieces).

So I am confused on how to proceed. I worry that cutting my blocks 1st will make me not have enough material or if I cut borders first, I may not have enough.

Can anyone tell me how the yardage is being figured for EQ7?

Thanks in advance,
Dray - SE Oklahoma

i have EQ5. it always tells me that LOF is allowed in the yardage. sometimes i cut off a chunk LOF wide enough for the 4 borders before I cut my blocks. IMO, yardage is one of the weak points for EQ.

I didn't know that about EQ5. When I used EQ6, it also said that LOF in the yardage. But in this version it says that long pieces are assumed to be pieced. The only long pieces in the whole quilt are the 4 borders..so I assumed they were to be pieced...which was a bummer. But then I started looking at how much fabric it was saying and it seemed to be giving enough to cut the borders LOF.

This is for a grandchild's christmas present (8th grader) and I live 1 hour away from the store where the fabric was bought...so really worried about cutting it wrong.

I agree about the yardage...EQ is not capable of 'thinking'..so therefore everything is cut as a template with no 'thought as to wasting fabric!!

I believe all EQ figures cutting the fabric LOF.

Cutting LOF can be done even if the borders are pieced, so I think your issue is whether you will have continuous borders or pieced ones, not whether you're cutting LOF or WOF. If EQ says the long pieces will be pieced, it probably means that. It should be very easy for you to check to be sure. Is your fabric as long as the quilt's longest dimension (plus 1/2" for seam allowances)? If so, you can cut your borders in continuous pieces LOF before cutting your blocks. If not, you can't.

I did a test case in EQ7. My quilt was 146.5" square including an 8" border (yeah, huge, I know, but it was just a test) and EQ told me that I needed 3 1/8 yards for the border. 3 1/8 yards is only 112.5", and that would not be enough for one continuous piece in LOF.

Agree with Dunster ... if the length of fabric that you have is equal to or greater than the yardage that EQ calls for ... then you should be able to cut the borders on LOF.

You can also do some math of your own of your own to make sure have enough for blocks after you cut the borders.

One way is to calculate the remaining total square yardage after cutting the borders from the LOF. Then calculate the total square yardage of the pieces you will need for the blocks.

Or if it is strip pieced ... calculate the remaining WOF and LOF after cutting the borders then calculate the strips you will need from the remaining cloth.

I typically use one of the above methods with most every quilt I make (or block if I'm making single blocks for a block swap). One reason is that I have never used a pattern straight out of the box. I either make my own, or change an existing pattern.

I have used EQ since EQ4. Up until EQ7 all fabric yardage was figured on the LOF and it also figures yardage on a full square! That being said. If you have a quilt that has a final border that is 54 inches you need to have at least 58 inches for squaring up the length wise cuts! I would purchase 60 inches. I write my patterns based on WOF and piecing the borders. I do use LOF when I have enough fabric left. Then I always add to the scrap pile! Luann in CT

I usually diagram it before I cut. A quick paper and pencil sketch showing placement of pieces works for me.

Seems like a good idea !

OK...new to all this but think I'm understanding. Here is what I'm dealing with:

My top/bottom borders are 55" long. My side borders are 62" long. They are 3" in width.

It is a chevron with 3 shades of purple. The 3" borders are in the same color as one of the Chevron shades so, EQ7 has lumped those triangles amounts in with the border amounts. I'm trying to separate the amounts so I can tell if I've got enough to cut those borders LOW without piecing anywhere.

I will think through all your advice and use it to figure it out. Thanks for trying to help me,

Dray - SE Oklahoma

I sometimes will change only the border colors just to determine the fabric requirements. Then change the fabric color/selection back to what you really want it to be. For instance: change your borders to bright orange (or a color that you don't have in the body of the quilt). See what the amt. is for that bright orange cause that's the only bright orange that you have in the quilt. Then you can always change the color back to the correct color. That's the way I have done it.
Sandy

I've done this too. Forgot about it until I read your poste.

Thank you for all your helpful hints. I'm sorry for the long delay in the thanks, but with Christmas Quilting deadlines and catching a bad respiratory virus (which is still lingering) I've not been on the computer much. I finally figured out that I didn't have enough left and had to purchase more material.

I really don't understand why EQ decided to change how they calculated the fabric for borders...I'd rather have too much material left over than not enough. I had EQ6 and it always told me the right amount. Otherwise, I do love all the new bells and whistles of the eQ7...my favorite toy.