recycler

I am shopping for a new laptop and want to make sure I get one that works well with quilting software, and would love to know what is the favorite out there and why. I am working on a strip/row by row for my college bound dgs and it would sure be helpful to have it now as it is taking way longer than it should since I just can't picture how it will look! Thanks for your help!

jgriinke

I have Electric Quilt 7. Love it. There is a learning curve!

Onebyone

I have EQ7, Foundation Factory, Quilt Pro, and Blockbase. I use Foundation Factory the most because I love paper piecing. EQ7 is the one I'd keep if I had to choose.

ManiacQuilter2

EQ7, it is the best on the market. Go look at their website. There are monthly free fabrics and projects. Most quilts I make I have the pattern on EQ first before I start. Love it! I have own some version since 1995. If you can't afford EQ7, then go looking for a used copy of EQ5 (eBay). Many members here still have EQ5 and haven't felt the need to upgrade.

recycler

Ok, from following this board, I thought the EQ7 was probably the way to go, just wanted to make sure! Thanks so much!

QuiltnNan

as far as i'm concerned, EQ is the only way to go

Peckish

I can't compare, because I've only used EQ. My contribution is to let you know EQ7 is available for both Windows and Mac.

Snooze2978

I have Windows 10 on my computer and use EQ7 for the designing of a quilt pattern. I use ProQ Designer to lay out my quilting patterns as I have a robotic system on my quilting machine. Both have worked great from Windows 7 to Windows 10.

Johanna Fritz

Grrrr - I put time into typing this and was signed out before I posted. Auto Save only got half. Lesson learned. Type in Word and then cut and paste - OK, here it is again.

EQ7 is by far the way to go. The thing that is nice about it is that you can make simple blocks/quilts or go advanced, and the program has everything you need. Also, here are some of the issues I saw mentioned:
1. Cost: Yes $189.00 is a lot, but you will get automatic upgrades for free. I bit the bullet and just asked Santa to make that my 1 gift one year. (I just saw that Amazon Prime has it for $164.00 - huh.

2. Learning Curve. I started way back with EQ5 - nightmare! For EQ7, something I did that REALLY helped, even though it sounds annoying. I got a cheap composition notebook, and started reading the Owner's Manual. I took notes with a heading and page # to refer to in the manual for the things I knew I would use - and added one or 2 points. I don't do anything with images for example, and can read it later if I need to. I am looking for everyday stuff.

3. Instruction: I CANNOT imagine using this program without the book: EQ With Me: Pieced Drawing Exercises by Patti Anderson. It is spiral bound, and covers things not even in the user manual. There is one for applique too, but I would only recommend that if you are doing applique-only quilts. You still need the info in the other piecing book for making quilts etc.

4. Blocks and other compatible software: I would get Blockbase ASAP before they discontinue it. It has virtually every pieced block published in the Kansas City Star and other papers from 1836 to 1970: over 4,300 patterns. Of course one person's "Churn Dash" is another person's "Hole in the Barn Door." My EQ7 designing exploded when I bought this. I especially got many varied and interesting blocks using the "clip and flip" - which created even more new blocks.

5. I see your comment about making a strip/row quilt. EQ7 makes it so easy: pick the number of rows-dimensions of the rows - AND what kind of blocks do you want in the rows: pieced-lined up, half-drop, applique etc. You can also pick a finished quilt size and the number of rows you want and it will do the math for you.
6. Best Features - this is where I went into detail. I will just list them and maybe you could Google the term and EQ7. (1) Auto Fill Borders (2) Block Serendipity (3) Quilt Top/Block Symmetry (16 layouts from your blocks) - works with asymmetrical blocks. (4) Swap Colors on Quilt top - one click to swap vs. individually (5) Your row by row - super easy to do (6) Paper Piecing - you can change to make you own sections and numbering - all by clicking the mouse.

Whew - That's my WAY too long way to say get EQ7, Blockbase and Kaleidoscope Collection and enjoy. PM me if you need help with the row quilt and I can do a quick design for you - no charge.

Innov8R

EQ software is absolutely the best--I agree with the suggestion to buy Blockbase. I love the vintage blocks that came with Blockbase. I repurpose fabric and scan it into EQ, so the previews I get look very much like the quilt I am designing.