That is the one class that I really considered taking, but I don't think I'm going to be able to go to the show this time, not to mention the fact that the software is out of my budget for now. I don't have a business and it's hard to justify another $870 for my "hobby"!

Congratulations on your certification! It's an awesome program and I know you and your sister will be great ambassadors for Loes and Theo!

http://www.artnstitch.com/

I tried the Quilt Cad but once I found I could trace my designs with the 3point arc and then use the sew simulator in Art and Stitch, I was hooked. They even have a cch fill that I can adjust to the shape I'm working on. My twin sister Joanne Flood and I are teaching feather designing and digitizing at the Machine Quilter's Showcase in Kansas City in May. It truly is a gift from God and I'm not kidding. The originators of the program are awesom teachers. We went to the Netherlands last summer for some intensive learning and we are just totally amazed how well and easy the program works. We are the first two certified to teach it here in the US. Judy

Margo wrote: [/quote]

Hi Margo,
I looked up QuiltCad on the internet, and it sounds very cool. It could be just what I have been needing for my quilting designs, and I didn't know a product like this existed. Thanks as always for sharing your thoughts.

Kathy in California

Featherqueen wrote:
I'm just using QuiltCad, which is not nearly as sophisticated as Art & Stitch. Maybe one of these days I'll be able to upgrade!

Hi Marge, The pattern looks beautiful, it was one of my favorites, What program did you use to do it. I have just become certified to teach through Art and Stitch, the newest software for longarm quilters and embroderers. I have put a full addendum on feather digitizing. You can go to the website and download a trial version if you haven't already. Judy

Featherqueen wrote:
Hi Judy! Welcome to TQS! Today I finished a quilt using a design that I digitized myself to fit a specific area in our 2011 BOM. I used a motif in your "The Art of Feather Quilting" as a starting point! Thanks for a great book, and I look forward to seeing your CCH book!

My name is Judy Allen and I have been promoting the cch techniques since about 1994. My book "The Art of Feather Quilting" Includes a number of designs with them. I am presently working on the next book, "The Art of Curved Cross Hatching". To Help with the placement of lines you must know this,the lines will curve less on one side and more on the other so what I have done is created a stencil that does the work for you. I am a longarm quilter so I also have made a set of rulers to quilt the cch lines and then quilt the feathers themselves. You can email me at mailto:juditha@ymail.com if you would like some more information.

Thanks Betty for the straight line tip. I'm going to be hand quilting several of my blocks in the curved cross hatching. I marked clamshells yesterday and found out that it is imperative to have a straight line to start with on that one as well. I had to start over, but it looks great now.

I have done a number of curved crosshatched quilts. I start out by lining up my 45 degree ruler on the edge of the quilt and mark a straight diagonal line across where I want to start. I then use my curved ruler (approximately 18" that I got at JA's) by laying the low point on the line I marked and mark my way across the quilt. I found that by only using the curved ruler I got off the 45 degree angle as I marked across the quilt thus the need for the straight line first. I found that putting my line guide attachment to the left of the needle worked best for me to follow my first stitching line. I hope this helps. Betty D - Delaware OH

Zarah wrote:

Or....you could perforate your drawn lines (sew with a large needle and no thread in your machine) to make your own custom stencil!
Just use a pounce pad to transfer the design to your quilt!

If you are able to draw it full size (I use my computer), then you could cut the paths in paper or stabilizer and sew along these strips

The Judilator templates were developed by Judy Allen. I love her book about feathers:

http://www.amazon.com/Art-Feather-Quilting-Golden-Threads/dp/157432876X/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1287625164&sr=1-4

and it also has some illustrations and explanations about curved cross-hatching, but I don't think there really is a specific formula.

If you are a long-armer, there is a set of curved rulers called "Judilators", designed for that purpose. If you quilt on a home machine, I would simply use a French curve ruler to guide the lines. Hope this helps, as they say!

Has anyone here ever marked a quilt for curved cross hatching. I'm having a dickens of a time wrapping my brain around how to do it correctly. Is there a formula to start with?