Quilt Wizard v EQ7 - help please for a newbie quilter
 

Hi,
Thank you for letting me join your group, which looks really good.

I am new to quilting and I am confused about Quilt Wizard, which seems ‘cheap’ compared to EQ7. Web sites have not helped me understand so I am hoping someone here can help?
Thanks…
Toni

Quilt Wizard is put out by the same company as EQ7. It doesn't have nearly as much capability. I bought EQ6 and Quilt Wizard at the same time and never used Quilt Wizard after I discovered what EQ could do. I upgraded to EQ7 as soon as it was available, and I use it a lot. If you are thinking about buying EQ7, check the price on the Quilt in a Day web site. It's usually the lowest price around, but you have to put it in your shopping basket to see the price.

Some people are happy with older versions of EQ. The problem with EQ6 is that there are limited installs available, so if you buy it used or if you need to have multiple copies installed you may run into problems. EQ5 and earlier versions have an older style of user interface, and less capability than EQ7. I have the Dear Jane software, which is based on EQ5, and I find it much more difficult/cumbersome to use than EQ6 or 7.

Welcome to the forum!

Depends on why you are inquiring. I have both. Quilt Wizard is very basic and simple. EQ is much more advanced in features and techniques for designing projects. I would take classes on EQ if you buy it. I have fun with Q Wizard and rarely use my EQ6 but that is due to the time it takes to learn it etc. I have not bothered to invest in later versions. I dont use what I have now. Research the Electric Quilt website to see which product fills your needs.

toni, you say that you are new to quilting....not sure that you need to invest the $$ for EQ until you get some quilt projects under your belt.

quilt wizard has basic quilt blocks already loaded in the library. You can alter the block sizes, play with arranging the blocks, design quilts by adjusting the size of the blocks, the size of the overall project, play with the colors and fabrics that are already installed in the library vs. uploading fabric thumbnails from vendor websites. You can play with quilt layout, (with sashing, w/o sashing, setting blocks on-point vs straight grid). Download projects from the Electric Quilt website. that were designed on Quilt Wizard. I enjoying playing with the program. I think that, for a beginner, it is worth exploring.

For $30.00 ...why not?

there is another duscussion on the Board about both.

sandy

I've had EQ7 for a couple of months. I've done all the tutorials twice. They are very good. EQ7 is extremely in depth, I am overwhelmed with it. I probably should have started with Wizard.
EQ7 you can:
add images of your own fabrics/there are tons already loaded
there are lots of blocks in the program/ or you can draw your own
you design quilts with 1 or as many blocks as you want
change block orientation, add boarders, sashing, anyway you want to lay it out
print block patterns so you can make your own templates
I like loading up blocks and just playing with different colors
I"m sure way more I just haven't figured out.

EQ stitch is a add on for EQ7 thats for embroidery, you can digitize your own image (tons of other embroidery stuff). I haven't used Stitch yet

The quiliting design packages are extra. I really don't know if EQ7 has any preloaded. With this you can overlay the
stitching design for your final quilting and see how it looks. Then print design and make your own stencils. Hope that made sense.

Even though there are tutorials once you start actually using it there are several other things going on that I can't figure out how to control. Example while designing my quilt it autosaves. It keeps saving things I don't want. I haven't had time to contact EQ. I hear they are good with answering questions. I'm sure it's easy to sort out. I seriously need more hours just for quilting!
Also on May 5, 2014 there is a EQ7 sew along. Where you design a quilt as a group step by step. I'm definatly doing that.
I know after I got comfortable with Wizard I would have upgraded to EQ7 either way.
Try Wizard and see if you like designing quilts. If you really do and feel limited then get EQ7. I agree its cheapest at Quilt in a Day.
I've heard people say after getting EQ7 they've never bought another pattern, just design their own. You can design and sell patterns (not sure what's involved with selling your own pattern and copy right and such)


I also got the EQ stitch (cost more than EQ7) and the extra quilting designs that are around 25 a package.

Hope that answers some of your questions. If not post again. It's 4:45am, I've been up way too long.
Good Luck
-Amy

i attached/imported the Dear Jane block library to EQ.
i couldn't find a way to import the default quilt layout, so i had to re-create it manually.
(there's probably a way i haven't found yet.)
i never need to run the DJ software itself. I just use EQ. :)

Quilt Wizard uses blocks that are in the software. You don't make up your own blocks. I really like it since Im not interested in making up my own blocks anyway.

I am one of those EQ5 users. It does EVERYTHING I want it to do. My only setback is that I can't download the free fabrics on EQ's website any longer!! I have had EQ since I bought EQ3 in 1995. Now I live on a limited budget so I can't afford the upgrade and it is hard for this old dog to learn the new stuff. I love to be able to input the blocks that I want to quilt.

I just had to have EQ7 when I was a new quilter - I wish I would have bought the $30 program first to get my feet wet. At this point, I just don't seem to have the time to really learn how to use it, as I prefer to spend the free time I have actually sewing something. I do not find it to be intuitive - although I am sure that I could learn how to use it if I would put in the time. I always say - it's easy when you know how:)

If you are just wanting to use existing blocks Quilt Wizard is great for choosing colors and combinations of blocks. You are able to print out cutting charts and calculations for fabric needed.

If you are wanting to design blocks or do a lot of applique then you will want to use EQ7. The big difference is that EQ7 has 3 layers to work with and drawing tools. QW has one layer and less blocks to choose from with no drawing tools to alter the blocks.

Quilt wizard v EQ7
 

I was wondering how do we sign up for the sew along you mentioned for the EQ7? I was on the site yesterday, and was only able to see where to buy the EQ7. I own the software, so I just want to sign up for the sew along. Does it cost anything to sign up? Any info would be helpful.