If you don't have a fancy piecing program, you can do designing in Windows Paint. All you need to do is open a page of graph paper, then doodle away, drawing lines, and colour filling. If you just design a quarter, you can then Select, Copy, Paste, Flip or Rotate, and move to position (3 times) to make up a full square. Page not large enough? enlarge Image.
Don't forget to Save each variation with a slightly different name.

Rosemary

EQ7 comes with videos as well. It got the program for my birthday and I find it easy to learn the basic things, but I have not yet figured out how to do everything. I am used to AutoCAD, where I can do all I want. The advantage of EQ is that it already "knows" we are talking quilts and seam allowances and all things quilt related. I'm working on the 2008 BOM and when I had my blocks fused I took photos of them and put them in EQ7 to try out some different settings and colors for sashing. It took me half an hour to get something to work with. Next step is to dye that color . I ran out of fabric, ordered more before Christmas and it was in backorder, but I know it is on its way now. And of course you want pictures but I'm not ready to share yet, so you'll have to be patient.

crocus999 wrote:
I don't know about EQ7, but EQ6 has lots of videos where Penny McMorris explains how thing work while you watch a screen showing exactly what she's doing. Great for those of us who are visual learners. And of course it comes with an extensive written manual.

http://www.electricquilt.com/default.asp

I like the quilt on the cover of Edyta's book and hope to make it. As for EQ7, I've had mine for some time and still haven't had the patience to learn it so keep going back to Quilt Pro, which I've been using for years.
Fi

crocus999 wrote:

well, you can ask Santa for EQ but I'm gonna ask Santa for my very own " Margo "! LOL! Seriously Margo, thanks for posting the picture for me! I used to think if I ever got filthy rich I would love to have a maid, then I changed that to cook, and now what I'd really love is my own live-in computer genius!

Margo wrote: Wow! I think I'm gonna ask Santa for one of those nifty computer programs for next Christmas. Several of you have posted amazing quilt ideas. Sure looks faster than graph paper and coloured pencils.TQS has opened up a whole new world for me, this forum has inspired me, the exchange, the Sisterhood, the BRU have all expanded my horizons SO much. I can't imagine how much more something like that program could add. It seems unlimited. Is there somewhere you get lessons on it?... or does that all come with a tute - although I'm better learning when I watch someone DO it.

Here is Kalynn's EQ quilt!

I've been playing around on EQ6 and came up with this. But I'll probably change my mind several times before my share of the exchange triangle arrive. Plus, I don't know how this would look in scrappy fabrics since I was too lazy to do it that way on the computer.
Well, phooey! Can't figure out how to get my picture in here but if you want to see it I put in on the TQS member blog today.

I will probably decide once I get the triangles and let the colors "speak" to me.

What talented designers we have here.

I'm making "Deep Blue Sea" by Edyta in a smaller size for a wall hanging. Even before I decided to join
the exchange I knew I had to make this quilt. It reminds me so much of my dad and older brother who are no longer with us. I will think of them often as I look at it on the wall. I plan on making a large label for the back with a list of where all my HST's came from.

ajclapp wrote:
This is absolutely gorgeous!!!!! I totally agree with Ritzy, you are an amazing designer!!!!!

Wow Annis, you never cease to amaze me!

I found a little time to play today. Cutting the block into 4 pieces is already old news so I tried something different. By cutting it in half you can make friendship stars which are perfect for this exchange. They require partial seam piecing which isn't that hard to do. If you leave only 1/2" unsewn when sewing the first seam it will be easier to sew the final seam. Margo could probably do a tutorial on this. Also you have to cut 1/2" off the rectangles as shown in the photo so they will measure 1 1/4" x 2". The direction you cut the block in half makes a difference in which direction the stars will twirl. I sewed a couple to make sure these were possible to do and I even sewed those 1/2" strips together with an 1/8" seam which would make a great border. I would probably sew them on 1/8" graph paper printed on foundation paper for more accuracy, using my on top piecing technique. That's what I'm going to be doing for the slat border on my miniature Ruffled Roses. For each 2 light and dark blocks you would need 4 triangle blocks cut in half and 1 triangle block cut into 2 squares and 2 triangles. The 2 small triangles are extra and won't be needed for this block. They could be used in a creative border. This block finishes at 2 1/4". I trimmed all of the sewn seam allowances to about 3/16" for less bulk and pressed toward the outer edge.



This is one of the 2 blocks that I am thinking of making with my triangles from the big exchange. Maybe I will do the friendship stars from the batik exchange. Time will tell. For now I need to get back to other things.

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I think I finally have a plan. I am going to do sampler blocks like Kansas Troubles, Washington's Elm, Sunshine, market Square, Old Fellows Chain, and Snow Crystals, probably two each and then size up a couple of other blocks to make a queen sampler. This will help to use up some of my other scraps that are contained in a 55 gallon tub and overflowing. Would love to get them all used up so can buy new fabric. My resolution this year is to finish five projects started and use up what I have. This exchange should help with that. Then I get to start into the Buggy Barn fabrics and my Batiks. As of today, I have finished three quilts I started and made three new ones. Yes, I needed some new ones for Valentines Day and my doctor. One did contain scraps for a Mystery Quilt Day on New Years.