I've seen a quilter's calculator at some of the quilt stores and I was wondering if anyone uses this and is it one of those tools that I absolutely must have? The math part of quilting escapes me. I've only used patterns someone else has designed but would love to do something of my very own.

I have one and I don't use it much. I can figure the fabrics I need without it.

I won one of those and I have never opened the package. Too many buttons for me!

They looked pretty complicated to me, too. Do you know anyone who has one that you could try out first? :D:D:D

My husband bought me one for Christmas. I thought I would love it, but I end up using EQ6 to get an idea of what I need, instead. I figure one of these days when I am REALLY bored (as in probably never), I will read through the manual and try to figure it out.

I don't think it's a "must have" -

I do think a working knowledge of "basic arithmetic" is very useful - and a calculator that you allows the use of parantheses and converts fractions to decimals and decimals to fractions. I know there are Texas Instruments ones that will do that available for less than $20 - maybe less than $10.

I have one and never use it to complicated just like EQ6 I have never figured it out.

Texas Instruments TI-30 is a "big kids'" calculator with scientific functions - which you can ignore - and a nice display. Costs around $15.00

I have one but haven't used it , can't figure it out .

I have one of those. I played with it a while and then put it away. I have a plain old printing calculator on my desk that I use for every thing. I can convert fractions to decimals in my head and do all the quilt math on that calculator. Quilt math is actually pretty simple. I like doing it on the printing calculator so that if I forget I can look on the tape and find my calculations.