EQ7 question
 

How user friendly is EQ7? Sue's Sew EZ Designs has a sale going. There was a post a few days ago on their Aurifil thread sale. I checked out the notions & saw EQ7 on sale for $155. I'm sure this is a good price but am wondering if there is a huge learning curve with it. Will I be able to 'catch on' fairly quickly? Thank you

I had a huge learning curve. My daughter never read the manual and can create quilts. Go figure.

It isn't anything like Word or Excel, which I play around in some. You just about have to read the manual and/or have some other type lessons. I use maybe 25% of what the program will do. I got the manual as a free download on the Electric Quilt website. You might want to look at it some. Now, having said all that, would I buy it again....YES!!!! I don't like drawing patterns on graph paper and I frequently like to resize blocks or copy them.

I only use about 15 to 20% of what the program can do. I do the DoYouEQ Challenge each month to try to increase my knowledge of the program. It is helping, but I'll probably be learning the program until I die.

Thanks! I'd like to be able to resize & copy blocks. Maybe recreate blocks from pics. I'm probably trying to 'learn' too many things at once. New phone that is supposed to send email but doesn't, new tablet, & still learning what my Bernina does plus reorganize my sewing room.;) I could also use the help figuring out yardage amounts, math is not my friend.

I found it relatively easy to learn. I personally don't learn very well via tutorials that plod along from one thing to the next, especially when I have no interest in the current lesson. I get bored very quickly with the program. I learn best by having an idea and figuring out how to get from A to B to make my idea work. The EQ manual is set up for this. I'd look through the chapters and index, find a term that I thought might address what I'm trying to do, and 98% of the time found what I was looking for within 5 minutes, and had accomplished it in the program within 10 minutes. The other 2% of the time I found answers in the forums on EQ's website.

As to whether you'll be able to catch on quickly - only you'd be able to say for sure. :thumbup:

It's all in what you are willing to put into the program. If you're looking instant gratification, you can use their pre-loaded layouts. I'll say it again - this program isn't elementary school. It's like college. YOU have to be willing to put the practice into it. Just like college, the "teacher" (the program) doesn't care whether you do the work or not - they give you all the tools to complete your "homework" (learning the program), but if it hands you all the answers you don't retain the knowledge. The teacher is there (with the HELP button) to assist you, but you are the one who must learn it. EQ's site has a forum that will also provide an amazing array of help with professionals staffing it. The program is so much more diverse than others. The Cadillac of quilting programs. I love EQ, even though I don't know it completely. I learn something new every time I use it! And it's SO simple to resize blocks. So if you're willing to learn it, you're not going to be disappointed - you'll love it!

I have no regrets on having bought EQ even though I know there is a lot that it can do that I have never tried.
I found the video lessons were enough to get me going. Some searching usually answers any questions and the one thing that i wanted to do that I could never figure out, I learned in an afternoon class that I took.
Draw a block or find it already there in the huge block libraries, resize it, change the colour or fabric and place it or combine it with other blocks in a variety of layouts already in the library and even add sashing or boarders, all super easy to do.

I started with eq5 then they offered eq6 at big discount so I got it. then I was offered eq7 also at a big discount.I use them almost daily resize blocks or printing templates that can't be rotary cut.

First, check out the price on the quilt in a day web site. I believe it is less than the price you quoted. You have to add it to your cart to see the price:
http://www.quiltinaday.com/shoponline/gift/28132
Next, there are 20+ step by step tutorials on this board on EQ7 use. Here's a link to the first class:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...n-t166726.html
If you are on the fence, you can look at the classes & see what it's all about.

I have own EQ since 1995 (that was EQ3). But then I have been around computer large and small for most of my life. I did jump from EQ5 to version 7 and trying to get use to the updated icons. But I can do the basics easily. If you belong to a group of quilters, you might inquire if anyone can do a show and tell with the program. Can your LQS do a show and tell?? You might just check EQ website to see if there is anything displaying the basics. Hardly a day goes by that I am not printing PP pattern or resizing a pattern. LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!

If you start with chapter one or video 1 and do the projects then you won't have any problem at all. Too many don't start from the beginning and say it's too hard.