It finally arrived!!!
 

I've been wanting a quilt design software to help get my creativity flowing as well as to help me guestimate the amount of fabric I'll need for each project because I'm terrible at that. So I went on Ebay the other day and found a used Electric Quilt 5 package that was listed for $10. I eneded up winning the auction for $15.50 and it arrived in yesterday's mail! It works perfect has all the books and was still in the box. I've since designed a quilt for each of my daughters and can't wait to get started on a new project!

Do any of you use a design software?

I have EQ5 and have not seen a need to upgrade to the newer versions. the newer versions do have one or two things that might be helpful, but not absolutely necessary to me. congrats on your winning!

I use EQ7, upgraded from 6. I also have EQ's Dear Jane, which is based on EQ5, and the improvements in user interface between 5 and 6 are tremendous. If you find that you're using your software a lot, and if you were able to register it in your name, then you may eventually want to upgrade to the newer version.

I use EQ7 but I'm sure not to it's fullest potential. Most of the time I use it to re-engineer blocks to a different size, or even just duplicate a block I find on on a website so I have the correct dimensions (because yes - some of those free sites do have mistakes). I can say that there were times I wished I had used it before I cut the block, and every time I have used to duplicate or modify a *free* block my blocks are spot-on (including paper pieced blocks using EQ7 to print the paper piecing).