Do any of you have the software Electric Quilt 7 or EQ7?

Ok, of course I found this program "after" tearing my hair out to make the blocks on my quilt for Iron Quilter Project. I ordered it and it has come. Now to learn how to use it! If any of you have it and are willing to share ideas tips, help, projects you have created, I would greatly appreciate it. My darling daughter got quite a giggle out of me buying this program. It was the "good luck with that" look! She's so good with computers and is very gifted in drawing house plans. I am determined to show her I can learn to use it!!!

I have absolutely no experience with it, but I have heard others say there is a bit of a learning curve with it. Perhaps that"look" from the daughter mught be right on! But you can do, then tell us all how it works!

I suggest watching all the preloaded tutorials. One you figure out the basics it gets easier!

Well Jean, I am determined and hoping that I can surprise her with my new found skills! I am quite excited at the possibilities and overwhelmed at the learning! If I figure out how to design something I will post it. I am reasonably sure you will all want to make my lovely learning creation! I can see her eyes rolling at the mere thought of me figuring it out!

Mary, do you have it? I have watched some of the tutorials and fiddled around. Did you print the lessons and try those?

All 23 EQ PDF Lessons by Rhonda
this is a link to someone that did a bunch of tutes for EQ. hope it helps

I have it and it is fun to play with. I do a lot of paper piecing, so it's great for me. You just have to play with the program and learn it. That is what I did. I am still learning new things with it.

Best advice that I can suggest is to read the book 100%. Its just not your normal instruction book, much thought and effort went into the writing of the book.

Watch the videos and find a quilt shop that has EQ software classes. I have been doing EQ since it was version 2. I thought I knew just about all I could, then I joined an EQ group at a LQS.. I felt like an idiot when I walked out because of how much I didn't know!

Practice, play, experiment, draw, scan and import your own stash... this program has way to much to just give a few tips.

Enjoy and don't forget to come up for air!

Good plan! I work at a school and will have time off for the holidays so I can read study and practice and search for a quilt shop that might have some classes. I will print the tutorials that were suggested as well. I am just so determined to learn to use this program!

One more tip: Keep in mind that EQ7 doesn't always behave the way you expect. Don't get me wrong -- it follows its own rules, but its rules aren't always "standard Windows" rules. Things like dragging your cursor don't always happen the way you'd expect.

Having said that, I concur with the other posters here. Read the instruction book, watch the EQ7 videos, try some simple things, and you'll learn it within a week. For my first "project," I took a quilting magazine and "reversed designed" a quilt from the magazine. That way, I could learn EQ7 with a photo right in front of me. I didn't have to be creative at the same time I was studying.

Toni, thank you! That's a great idea! I will have to try the quilting magazine thing. I am so excited about this program. I saw that one of the quilts in the Iron Quilter was designed on it. It was just beautiful. I can't wait until my break so I can really "tinker" in earnest! I work at a school so we will be off for the holidays soon! :icon_happy:

oh Good luck! Have really been wanting it, but there are enough free designs out there to keep me busy till I'm 90?? lmbo My best success comes from playing around with new programs, and finding web groups that use it. Would love to hear how you like it? It may be on my Christmas list for next year!

:-Debbie :icon_wave:

I have EQ7. I rarely use it. It was fun at first, but then I found it a lot of trouble. It isn't hard to use. I think they have some tutorials in it. Actually, now that I think about it, I used it from my Storm and Sea quilt where I mapped out what I wanted it to look like, and it did help. Go figure!

From what I've read and tinkered with so far I think I am going to love it Debbie. The fact that you can scan your stash and see what your quilt will look like with your fabrics is very exciting to me. No hopping, guessing, or wishing you had chosen something else.

Keep us posted with your progress. I've been thinking about getting it too.

Right now I used Adobe Illustrator to design my quilts, but I would love to get my hands on this program and see how it works! I especially am interested in importing your fabrics part! That sounds really cool. You will have to let us know how you like it and if you would recommend buying it or not! :)

I use EQ all the time. Love it! It's fun to just play around. I know I'll never make all the quilts I've designed by I think it's really helped me to be better at color choices and placement in the design. Here's one I designed the other night. It's basically a D9P. By fiddling with the symmetry I came up with this design and now I really want to make it.
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Originally Posted by LindseyW

Right now I used Adobe Illustrator to design my quilts, but I would love to get my hands on this program and see how it works! I especially am interested in importing your fabrics part! That sounds really cool. You will have to let us know how you like it and if you would recommend buying it or not! :)

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I use Illustrator also. I have EQ5 and have no trouble drawing in it since I'm usually trying to change a quilt to QAYG. Some parts are rather strange - maybe the later versions fixed them. In 5, you work on the quilt or the block and you have to stick everything in the scrapbook. If you can handle bezier curves, you are set for most software. I also have the Silhouette die cutter and bought the Pro Studio software. No trouble operating that because of Illustrator. Same with Masterworks digitizing.

I love your design. I am sure that I will be much like you. I will never be able to make all of the quilts that I design, but I am sure it will help me on color choices and placement. Are there any of you willing to share a quilt that you've made using the software to design it. Would love to see pictures of the design or the actual quilt!

LaNiece, have you used EQ yet? Did it go well?