I'm looking into quilting software since I have so many ideas for quilts and different color combinations for each that it gets frustrating trying to draw them all in my graph paper notebook...and hopefully if I do get some quilting software it will spare some of my paper and not completely wear out my color pencils and sharpie markers.

But there's so many different quilting software packages that I wouldn't know which one would be perfect for me just by looking at the list of things it has. I want something that has a ridiculous amount of content to work with yet be easy to use (something I can tinker around with). And, of course, I want it to be a reasonable price (I saw a couple pieces of software running for almost $100...is that even reasonable for quilting software?! :?:) Any software recomendations?

You won't find one single program that has everything we should be able to find in one place. Not at any price. Not yet. (The folks at Electric Quilt have my wish list for EQ7. we shall see. LOL)

I finally settled on Electric Quilt6. EQ5 has a really good reputation and now sells at a deep discount. but i have this ridiculous need to start with the latest version available of anything.

to be brutally honest, i am underwhelmed by the content. not as much as i expected. i'm sure the numbers they state are accurate. just doesn't "feel" like that much, if you know what i mean. However, that is not an issue for me because i want to draw my own and crank out templates, foundations, yardage estimates, designs, etc. to compile patterns.

i'm not crazy about the way my fabric scans look when i import them to my designs. but i'll bet that's because i haven't fiddled yet until i find the right scanning settings to make them look as good as the ones already included in the software.

-i love the fact that it comes with a book. a real live book! i can carry it from room to room and everything. LOL
-you can use the book as a text book and follow along with the step by step lessons. or you can skip to the second half, or bounce around to wherever the specific piece of information can be found.

-they have the best customer support staff i have dealt with in years. i mean the BEST.

it is the most expensive, that's for sure. i fished and i fished for one with as many features and as widely known great reputation but a lower price. not saying it's the only one with a good reputation. just saying it's the best known, and the one that all the other software companies run to keep up with. so, i finally took a deep breath and wrote the check.

i have no regrets. :-)

Patrice is right about the EQ Software. I have EQ5, but everything she has told you is true... as always! :lol: The one, tiny detail she failed to mention is... it is so addictive!! :twisted: You'll get into it and will not want to stop creating!! :D

It is a small investment, but well worth it! In the mean time, some of the simple graphics programs can be used to save your colored pencils from immediate demise. My #2 Daughter plays with Microsoft Paint all of the time and comes up with some really creative blocks. (I call them blocks, she calls them art. She refuses to admit she is a future quilter, because it isn't cool, so therefor refuses to even look at my EQ program.) These types of programs will do fine to start with; they just don't have templates and fabric scans built into them. They're certainly better than graph paper, pencils, & rulers, BUT printer ink is WAY more expensive than any of these items. :-)

EQ6 is $150
EQ5 is down to around $90

don't faint. you'll forgive yourself within the first month. LOL

as to the addiction ... i've gotten so hooked on the board i didn't notice one more gotta-habit. LOL

My son is a musician and the guitar would be his top priority! He would be like.. why buy new shoes, clothes, go to the dentist when I have enough money to get a guitar! Barb

I went to ebay when I got my EQ5 I also got a few other books with it I'm still playing with it been busy to get through all the lessons But I have designed a few quilts I like that it will figure my yardage and everything.

yep. that's a pile of cash alright. but you had a long list of things you wanted in a program. EQ is one of the few that comes close. I could talk about it because i have it and like it.

Not a law in the land says you can't pick one of the lower priced programs that has a similar list of features. the only hitch might be finding one for less than $90 that lets you draw your own. i don't remember seeing one of those. but i was shopping for them more than 10 minutes ago, so ... LOL

i'm not going to try changing your priorities. whether you design your own quilts or prefer the games is up to you. you can still have tons of fun quilting and gaming, whether you buy software or not. i will, however, provide a few points to ponder:
-you have to buy game after game after game to feed your "habit". you buy the quilting software once. (then yard after yard after yard after yard of fabric. same process. different "habit". LOL) maybe a few upgrades over the year, but you'll spend a teeny-tiny fraction of what you're spending now on only games.
-buying the software just means waiting a little longer for the next game. they'll still be there later.
-sounded to me like you wanted it an awful lot and can afford it
-once you're done with a game you have nothing to show for it. when you finish a quilt you can call your very own and share with others ... well ... i've never seen a joystick or whatchamathingie that can do that.

Yup... Sounds about right. She covered it all, now it's up to you. (BTW, as I said previously, I have EQ5 & my upgrade is only going to be $70. So you see, she is right again about the teeny upgrade price- comparitively speaking of course.)

sell the games you've conquered. the software you buy will then give you one more thing to brag about.
:wink:

I do not want to make you mad, so please forgive me if I come across too strong; PLEEEEEEEEASE, for your own sake, go back to school. You are young enough, and you could probably qualify for a Pell Grant to pay for it. (Then you could finish your art classes, design that PERFECT software program for all of us quilters, and we can proudly look at your picture one day on the AQS website introducing you as the software Guru as well as the latest Master Quilter!!!) I'm sorry, but this is the "Mom" in me. You have many years ahead of you; why not make the most of them by doing what YOU want to, instead of what you HAVE to, just to keep a roof over your head.

Ok, I'm getting down off of my soapbox. Again, I am sorry if I over-stepped my place. You just seem too bright to throw away your best opportunity to finish what you started: your education. Trust me, finishing your education is 10 times harder once you start a family.

Take care,
Carla

Seeing if you qualify for a Pell Grant is easy and I can almost guarantee you would. You just go online and fill out a FAFSA form. It is easy and it is free. All you need is your SSN and your income tax return. The URL is http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

Also, there are many courses available from legitimate Comminty Colleges, Colleges and Universities online, so you could do some of your course work at home.

Definitely worth checking into.

Barb C.

Yes, you can learn a lot from all of the experience here. Unfortunately, a future employer might not be to impressed by seeing only this on your resume. As far as using your talents to work for someone else, I take that as an excuse. You will use some of your own talent for the benefit of someone else no matter where you are or what you do for a living, be it bagging groceries or the CEO of a global corporation. That's life. But, it's all what you make of it. There are some major advantages to having that degree on your wall, the biggest being the freedom to choose... You choose who you work for, and MANY times, where and I don't just mean in your own town. And just as Barb C. said, you can now take most of the classes online without ever once entering a class room setting.

We are by no means trying to push you out... only up!! You can go far, anywhere in the world, with the education & right company. I have no doubts as an artist, quilter, & gamer you'd like to visit places like France, Italy, Japan, and Russia just to name a few. This is YOUR time!! Spread your wings and be that "Flying Goddess"; you have it in you!! We care sincerely. If you don't believe me, read some of the other threads. The members here actually look out for each other just like family, and you're part of it... like it or not!! :lol:

Flying_V_Goddess,

I completly understand what you mean about finishing college. I am a senior this year, and am going to be an Elementary teacher with a specialization in Special Education. After this current semester I have one semester of classes left and then one semester of internship. I am so burnt out on college. The first couple of year were great, then life comes along and one thing happens then the next and you forget why wanted to go to college in the first place, then you wonder if you really want to be what you are working towards. College is hard and it is not for everyone. I would love to take a semester off, but I am afraid I won't go back, so I am sticking it out, besides I am almost finished. I also want to start a family as soon as we can, but I would like to finish school or be almost finished before we do, because I hear it is ALOT harder to finish after you have kids.

Look at your life 10 years from now and try to do this from an objective point of view, if you didn't go back to school, would you regret it? I'm not sure if you said how long you had left, but what if you just finished a little at a time. Just think of all of the hard work you have put in so far. I am not at all lecturing you believe me, I know how college is. I don't know if you have kids, but someday you might, what if you had to support them, do you think minimum wage would be enough? Honestly, I couldn't do it. There is no way. Just weigh all of your options and whatever you decide will be right because you have to decide whatever is going to make you the most happiest in the long run.


Just an opinion and some friendly advice from a fellow quilter. :D

Actually, I've never been to college. I don't know how some assumed that I did (maybe because I'm 20...but believe it or not I've only been out of high school for less than a year...graduated at 19 in '06). But I do know what its like to be burnt out from education. The first couple years weren't so great and on top of that once junior year started there was suddenly some rule that kicked in saying you had to figure out your "life plan" before you graduated, so it progressively got worse. Eventually, juggling classes and wondering "Is video game design/art school something I really want to do?" constantly just burned me out and I dropped out a month after I turned 18. I did go back in the fall and completely turned the whole thing around (plus learned new things outside the typical art classes I was taking...never thought Woods and Metals would be fun and that I'd be at least decent at it). Just barely got enough credits to get that diploma and graduated "on time". Its something I don't exactly want to relieve...just having this enormous amount of stress and getting burned out like I did in school. I mean, I'm already under enough pressure. My mom and friends want me to get a job, talking like its the easiest thing in the world and that I don't want to make the effort for it when, infact, I do but the anxiety gives me a damn heart attack when I try. And this mindset the world seems to have that your life is measured by how much money you make or how many places you travel to. College doesn't seem like its for me...not to mention I did so poorly the first couple of years in high school that I sometimes wonder if any college would accept me or if I'd be able to get funding because I can't afford it. I'd be happy with minimum wage...Hell, I'm happy when I have a $20 bill in my pocket (cheap games, fabric sales, and going out to McDonalds!).

My mistake, I thought I had read somewhere about college, maybe not. LOL. Sorry! You are right, it isn't about the money, it definitely is not, it is about what makes you happy, and that is the bottom line. As for getting a job, it is hard as hell, either all of the good ones are taken or you just don't want to work certain places. I understand about the anxiety, it is nervewracking. When you have an anxiety attack, you feel like you're having a heart attack, seriously. When you keep having those, naturally, you're not going to want to do whatever causes them anymore. I hate it how high schools want you to know 100% what you want to do for the rest of your life. Here in WV, we had to know in middle school, what we wanted to do, I chose marine biology, I wanted to be a marine biologist and I would still love to. All of the classes I took revolved around marine biology, well then I met my husband and life happened and I changed my plans so I could stay in WV and do something else, this didn't bother me, I wanted to go to photography school and then go to become a massage therapist, but oh no, I couldn't live that down, my mom and others rode my behind until I went to college and had to pick something that I was going to spend the next 4 years of my life trying to pursue. At first, I had no idea, then finally I chose education, I love kids, I do. But I wonder if I would have chosen MY path to photography and massage therapy, what would have happened. I regret that I listened to them and didn't do what I wanted to do. I do not regret that I am becoming a teacher, I just hate the process. It is so much like high school but harder and so LONG.

I have worked since I have been 16. Non stop. I finally quit working in May of 2006. I was fed up with sexual harrasment and feeling like I was the babysitter at work. So I quit. Then I started making candles and purses, etc. I had to listen to my mom say when are you going to get a job, Heather, you need to get a job, etc, etc. This comes from a woman who has not worked or attempted to get a job in about 10 years or more. It's funny how easy she thought it was. I did try, before I started making candles. My candles and other items i make sell, but I do not have my own small business YET, but I will soon, and you know what, I am happy. I don't get a paycheck every 2 weeks, but my stuff sells, If I advertised more and actually had my business license, I'm sure I'd do great, but I am content right now. Besides, my husband doesn't like the idea of my having a job right now with school anyway.

So, do what you want, not what they want. If you wanna get a job, you will, if not, then you won't. Easy as that. Just don't settle for a job that you dread going to. It only makes things worse.

I live in such a small town. We don't even have a Wal-Mart here, I drive like 40 miles one way or more to get to the nearest Wal-Mart. haha. Yeah, anxiety attacks are very hard to overcome. It takes time and therapy. You can also get meds if it gets so bad that it controls your life. It sounds like everyone around you is not helping either. I was an assistant manager at a restaurant for a few months before it shut down. I thought I could handle it, and I did. But, I would feel like I was having a heart attack. At that time I was like 19 or 20, I am 22 now. My mom actually came out to see if she needed to take me to the ER. It was an anxiety attack. I had to deal with so much stress and crap from the employees that it was bad. I tried relaxation techniques and stress reducers but it didn't end until the day they went out of business and I have been find ever since. Maybe you should make things and sale them for now. You would be beating your anxiety and making money at the same time. :)

Flying V Goddess,

I am sorry if I came on too strong. You are right; it is your life & money isn't everything and I didn't mean to imply anything any different. I am the Mother of 3 daughters ages 16, 13, & 11. My mother barely finished high school, so when my father passed away when I was 11, she was left to raise 3 daughters by herself. It was so difficult on the 4 of us that, at 13, I started working to help my Mom pay the bills. When I graduated high school, I dreaded going on to school more than anything, but I knew a little something about what happens to a single (by choice or not) mom when she is unprepared for the task. So, in the Fall, I went back to school. I got married a couple of months later, and had our first child within a year. I knew I had to go back, for my daughter. It took me 12 years to finish. Why did I keep going? Because every time I considered quitting I remember growing up without my Father, & for the most part without my Mother because she had to work 3 jobs. I don't make a lot of money because I have never taken the CPA exam, so I'm an "Un-CPA". (2 Years befor I finished school, they raised the requirement to a Masters Degree before you can sit for the exam.) I tell my daughters almost daily to be independant; make a little money or a lot, live an elaborate life or a simple one, just be independant. Their Father & I will not live forever, and men sometimes die or leave, so be independant in case you ever have to be.
My concern is the same for you as well as all young ladies. We are the women; we have the babies, we make the house a home, we make sure the ends meet in the middle. My entire point is these things are easier to accomplish if we are prepared for "what if...". Yes, I know my story is extreme, but it is more common than people like to consider. My advise to you was truly out of concern, not to push you into an anxiety attack or create more stress in your life. I am sorry if this is what happened. Live2Teach had a very valid point; if you can look back in 10 years with no regrets, then you made the right choice.
I wish you all the best in your future. IF you do begin designing software (with or without that degree), will you PLEASE create a program for the quilters (you know, THAT PERFECT PROGRAM)???

You hang in there & take care of yourself,
Carla

I agree about college being a good thing and without it you might not get far with designing gameing or whatever you would like to do. ON THE OTHER HAND. I know that for some people it is imporant to take a year or 2 off after highschool. like you said the burn out factor. My daughter went right to college 2 weeks after graduating and did great. Now as a mother of 6 she is going to futher her degree doing some classes online. My son on the other hand took 2 1/2 years working min wage and decided that it just wasn't going to cut it. He graduates in June with a degree in communacations and has a good job already lined up where he did his intership.

What I'm saying is don't close the door or the idea of college.