If you've read my blog in the past, you might have seen comments from Cop Car, complaining that I have created a MONSTER!!!
It's a quilter's joy to addict someone to quilting. Can you envision us rubbing our hands in glee, plotting each step to drag you to the DARK SIDE??? Well, she's well and truly addicted, and I'm proud to say that I had a hand in it.
Unfortunately, you have to be careful, or your student might turn on you. Cop Car found a quilt store just a mile from her home, and she discovered a quilting software program called "Electric Quilt 5." She's shared with me the ease of designing a quilt, and even importing pictures of the actual fabric you wish to use in your quilt. I stood in awe of her progress, but resisted getting the software, thinking I simply didn't have the time to learn a new program.
I was at my favorite quilt shop yesterday. I made it to check out with only six or eight yards of fabric that I hadn't intended to buy, and was congratulating myself on getting off easy, when I saw something I HAD TO HAVE!
The Electric Quilt Company must have known that some of us couldn't resist a compilation of star patterns by Judy Martin. Judy specializes in stars, and has done some incredible settings using a variety of star patterns. Of all the quilt blocks, those have to be the ones that make my heart go pitty pat.
So here, on the counter behind the cash register, is "Stars and Sets." I thought that I had managed to keep Cop Car from luring me into more software, but the comments about how EASY it was to design, with just a click of the mouse, had me falling for this CD.
You know, she was right. It IS easy. I stayed up late last night so that the cat and I could play with it. Now, I just have to settle on the first pattern I want to make. This package offers over 200 blocks and 40 sets (different ways to sew the blocks together). It allows you to import fabric designs, and you can totally change the color choices from their original registration.
What boggles my mind is that Cop Car is working with a much larger program, and the block are not restricted to star patterns. I'm a little afraid. I can see that I will have to quit my job, give up gardening, and tell Elegant Mother that she will have to do the cooking from now on....
Comments (4)
Could you hear the chuckling eminating from Kansas? I didn't rub my hands in glee, but I AM going "Heh, heh, heh!" Tell me how you got the color registration change to work. I've not been able to accomplish that. I DID manage to get the software to add solid fabrics in each hue variation present in a print, but I have to go to a photo editor to change colors within a print.
Posted by Cop Car | May 29, 2005 2:57 PM
Posted on May 29, 2005 14:57
Rotter! lol
I didn't say I HAD done that....just that the program is supposed to be able to deal with it. You are so far ahead of me that I'll NEVER be able to talk about this intelligently!
Posted by Buffy | May 29, 2005 3:13 PM
Posted on May 29, 2005 15:13
I'll mark this day down in my diary--ahead of Buffy? Bloody unlikely, but thanks for letting people think so. My big problem with EQ5 (and I don't consider it to be crucial) is that I don't know from whence they are commencing with their directions in the help files. Other than that (and it's probably MY failing), I really think that their help files and the documentation that came with the software are wonderful. My engineers should have done such a good job of documentation--lol! Do let me know if you figure out the color registration change thingy. You are organized enough that you'll recall how you got it to work (and may be able to follow directions!)
I no longer recall how I got the software to add the multitudinous hues--from the bluegreen batik that I'd posted (Hoffman says that the fabric is "taupe". Oh, well, it is that, too!) I know where the box is that I need to check, but it is usually greyed out so that one cannot check it. Don't recall how I got the box (finally) to darken.
Posted by Cop Car | May 29, 2005 8:42 PM
Posted on May 29, 2005 20:42
I lied. Hoffman calls the fabric of which I was writing, marlin. The other Hoffman batik, featuring silhouettes of forest critters, that coordinates with the marlin is labeled taupe.
Posted by Cop Car | May 31, 2005 7:01 AM
Posted on May 31, 2005 07:01