Which design software?
 

This has probably been asked a hundred times already - but new versions, upgrades, releases, bug patches etc. are always coming out so....here goes!

IF you use design software for your quilt designs - what do you use and what are 2 things you like the most and 2 things you dislike the most about it?

Thanks in advance!!!

EQ7 is the cream of the crop. It's for advanced designers as well as beginners. I use the image import and trace feature the most. Upgrades are inexpensive compared to the cost of the program. I have been using EQ since it was on floppy disc and used DOS. I remember the company saying it would never ever have it in Windows version. LOL. I have Quilt Pro and Foundation Factory. It's great for paper piecing.

Thank you Bella - what do you NOT like about EQ7?

I have had Jenny Haskins Quilt Express, EQ6 and the EQ7 upgrade. I LOVE the EQ product. That being said, it depends on how comfortable you are with software, What you want to do with it and what you want to spend.

I started with the Quilt Express - cost me under $30 at the time. It could not do what I wanted. I could not change blocks or create blocks that I wanted. When I looked at the full version, I did not really like it. I bought EQ6 (the DS gave me the EQ7 upgrade for Christmas).

I really like it and am still learning the software. There are also several sites that offer online classes to work through the software.

I guess the only thing I don't like is there are too many features then I use but I'm glad to know they are there waiting for me to advance.

I've been using EQ for a long time too - since EQ5. One thing I like about their upgrades is that you don't have to do them - you can keep using the program and upgrade only if you are looking for the features of the new versions. Their upgrades aren't so frequent you feel you ever waste your money. I also like their online community - they have a great design forum and 'mystery quilts' that are done as training excercises - and they make them interesting with stories to go with them. Bonus 'like' - vendors like Connecting Threads have downloads available for their fabrics so you can build your project with fabric that you can actually buy!

In program usage - I love being able to print the block patterns and it does a nice job of calculating fabric requirements!

I have EQ6 and love it!!!!

Thank you everyone. Do you think eq7 does a fairly accurate job at estimating yardage to purchase? I've hand 'drawn' a quilt for my DH but since I'm new to quilting (this will be quilt 7) I am kinda lost at determining how to figure out how much yardage to buy.
And, while I can 'see' this in my head... he doesn't connect all the colors and lines etc. I thot eq7 might give him that visual too.

I'm not too concerned on the learning curve with eq7 as I've used a wide variety of graphic editing and design software over the last 20+ years.
I want to get something that I can manipulate with colors shapes sizes ideas and not be restricted to using only their 'canned' blocks, patterns, etc, if you know what I mean. I am a little concerned that I may not know enough to know how to sew some of the designs and patterns together....and i'm sure that's an area I can come here for assistance on!

Thanks again for your input/advice and let me know please what you think about its calculations abilities...