Rosemary,
Windows xp has print screen too. I haven't used mine in some time but you can google it and maybe it will tell you how. I am using Mac now and there is so much more it does than I know. I am probably using about 59% of the features. Margo uses her features to the Max and we are all so appreciative.

This may be another "ageism" thing. My PC laptop has a button called "PRTSC" which means PRINT SCREEN.
When I push that button, it places everything showing on my screen onto my "clipboard" and I can "paste" it into a design program (like MS Paint or PhotoShop Elements) and work with it....like adding the arrow, or text!!

However, I've just learned about a feature that my computer has that I wasn't aware of called "Snipping Tool". It's under "Accessories" and basically it allows you to just crop and snip out a part of anything on the screen and save it! I have a feeling I'll put that little tool to some good use!

Like this!

Yep - as I thought it is a 'Windows ageism' thing, my system is too old and simple for a neat button like that

By the way, how do you manage to take a 'photo' of the whole page?

Sorry I can't offer more help, Rosemary. I'm using Windows 7 and it shows up on the bottom right of my screen.

The scaling tool is below the red arrow:

Margo, I cannot find this slider tool thingy on the bottom right of my screen in Paint, could this be an agism thing as I am working on Windows xp 2003. If it is, it is a total nusiance because it sounds like just the button I could really get some use out of

Margo, thanks so much for the explanation. Will play with that some. Sandi

All great ideas!

Keep 'em coming!

BethMI

sanann wrote:


Hey Sandi! Glad you asked! It's a great way to try out quilting motifs, and anyone can do this! Follow these steps:

1) "Save" the desired (JPEG) photo to your computer, and remember where you filed it!
(You can do this with a photo you see on the Internet by right clicking on the photo, select "save image as", and designate the location on your computer where you want to save it.)
2) Open the photo you want to draw on in a drawing software program. You can use a fancy one (JASC or PhotoShop Elements or something else) or if you have a PC, it probably came loaded with Microsoft Paint.
On my PC, if I open any photo from "My Pictures", there is a task bar at the top of the page. I select "OPEN" on the bar and choose "PAINT" from the drop down menu. That will open the "PAINT" program with the desired photo on the screen.

You can choose the pencil tool to draw free-motion lines, or you can choose the line tool to draw straight lines.

You can also resize photo files in this program, or just use the slider tool at the bottom right of the screen if you need to maintain a large file size but just want to work on a smaller scale. You can also "crop" a photo so that you eliminate unnecessary stuff!!

Be sure to "Save As" from the drop-down menu accessed from the upper left corner if you want to save your drawing.

It takes some practice to draw with a mouse, but if you decide you want to do a lot of this kind of thing, I suggest you consider getting a "tablet" so that you can draw with a device that is more like a pencil. I am using a Wacom Bamboo Pen/Touch tablet:

http://www.wacom.com/en/Products/BambooTablets/BambooPenandTouch.aspx

Mine came with software for PhotoShop Elements software and cost less than $100. I haven't used the "touch" feature, but absolutely love the pen function!!!

Try it! You will like it!!

Margo!!! How do you do that? How do you mark the design on the pics? I must of been asleep in class if you explained in the forum before. Those are some pretty quilts and quilting too. I have a kaleidoscope on my design wall and need to finish putting rows together and the borders. Sandi

Kathy, I love the quilting motifs you used!! Thanks for posting your photos!

Hi Beth, I took pics of the corner, border and center of the quilt. (Plus some lint I didn't notice before!)

here they are:{!-- ia0 -->kaleidoscope quilting 003 copy.jpg{!-- ia0 -->

I used King Tut variegated thread for most of it except the sunflower.

Kathy

I just finished a kaleidoscope quilt last week. I did a simple petal design in each one.
It was easy and fast. When I get to this point I can't wait to get them done so I can
see the finished quilt.

Beth, if you just want basic quilting, stitching in the ditch of all your piecing would be sufficient to hold it together nicely. If you don't want the stitching to show, use a monofiliment thread like Superior's MonoPoly (polyester) or Maderia's Monolon (Nylon) or YLI's invisible nylon.
I would definitely add "ghost" kaleidoscope shapes in the border (but NOT stitched through the narrow border) and maybe use some kind of a decorative thread there if you are confident about your quilting stitches. A large fill to complete the borders, and maybe a swirly motif between the kaleidoscope blocks.

I love how your quilt looks and know it will be well received!

Thanks, Kathy - I'd like to see yours.

Any others?

BethMI