Matt Sparrow Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 I am so green! There I said it. That didn't hurt at all. I am so excited My Quilt Path ships today. I will be recording dozens of videos to give you a 'real time' look at the learning curve a newbie to automated quilting can expect when they take the leap into computerized quilting. My question to all you experts and even light users on the forum is this: Where do I start downloading new designs? What are some of the sites out there where I can find border/blocks/e2e designs to load into my QP when it arrives? What am I looking for in a good starter pack? What designs do you guys use the most? What designs do your clients request the most? Should I set a budget so I don't go crazy overboard with designs I may never use? Someone school me PLEAAAAASE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Matt - it would be helpful if any of us knew what format file you need for the Quilt Path. Currently, we have NO information other than some simple screen shots on the main webpage (which just appeared in the last few days, as I've been checking). I buy a lot of my designs from Jessica Schick (also an APQS dealer) at Digitech: http://digitechpatterns.com She has lots of APQS designers on her site, as well as many others. Not sure about how Quilt Path works, but when I got my Intelliquilter, there was a coupon for patterns at Digitech. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anniemueller Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Congratulations Matt! I have IQ, so my perspective might be a little different....that said....I love having IQ and wouldn't trade back for anything. The best part for me is that it takes away the pressure from always doing beautiful "perfect" stitching. First, find out what file type your Quilt Path uses. Before you buy patterns make sure that the file type is compatible. Digitized pattern quality varies widely. Not all are good. Try one single pattern from a designer/site before you stock up with them. When you find yourself with a "'poor" one, use it as an opportunity to learn how much editing capability you have. By poor, I mean shakey curvess, crossed lines where they shouldn't cross, missed connections where they should connect, that kind of thing. Some of my favorite sites are: http://stores.digitechpatterns.com/StoreFront.bok http://trilliumhousedesigns.danemcoweb.com/ (our very own Darlene Epp;s site. I"m using her Budding Ferns Sashing 2 right now and LOVING IT!) http://www.onesongneedlearts.com/ http://www.annebright.com Have fun and happy shopping! You might find some great Black Friday deals! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Matt - it would be helpful if any of us knew what format file you need for the Quilt Path. Linda (and Matt), Quilt Path can import a variety of formats: I've used HQF, TXT and QLI. DXF works, as well. CompuQuilter files are supposed to work but Quilt Path didn't see them when Darlene Epp was here last month learning about Quilt Path - Nathan, one of the developers, is working on that issue. Matt, buying digital quilting designs is like buying quilting tools or thread: it's waaay too easy to buy too many, thinking you'll find somewhere to use them! I started with just a few designs from several different sources, so I could judge whether I liked their shopping/download process and final product. Where have I gone for digital quilting designs? DigiTech and Trillium House are my first choices, after that maybe Urban Elementz, Intelligent Quilting, Sharon Schamber - there are lots out there! You'll be like a kid in a candy shop!! And don't forget that there are tons of stock designs that are already loaded in Quilt Path..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oma Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 I don't know how much help I can be past what you've been told by all of the above, but to start with...my program came with a bunch of designs. Then from there I bought designs a few at a time to do what ever quilt I was working on at the time. The important thing to remember here is the designs are DIGITAL so it's instant downloading from most sites. You can be in the middle of a quilt and need a different design then go find it, download it, and be back to sewing within 15 minutes. Too cool. Then I realized how much manipulation I could do within my program and good grief did that open a brand new door. Here's a list of sites. Several of them have sales every month so it's a great deal then. I may have missed some, but I'm sure others will add them. Have fun! Anne Bright www.annebright.com Quilter's Niche www.quiltersniche.com CompuQuilter Designs www.compuquilterdesigns.com Apricot Moon Designs www.apricotmoon.com Quilters Digitized Designs www.quiltersdigitizeddesigns.com Digi-Tech www.digitechpatterns.com Intelligent Quilting www.intelligentquilting.com Sharon Schamber www.purpledaisiesllc.com Munnich Designs www.quiltrecipes.com Irena Bluhm Designs www.irenabluhmscreations.com Stitch Happy! www.stitchhappy.com Quilts Complete www.quiltscomplete.com Legacy Quilting www.legacyquilting.com Urban Elementz www.urbanelementz.com Willow Leaf Studio www.digiquilter.com My Creative Stitches www.mycreativestitches.net Wild Flower Quilting www.wildflowerquilting.com One Song Needle Arts www.onesongneedlearts.com Wasatch Quilting www.digitizedquiltingpatterns.com Trillium House Designs www.trilliumhousedesigns.com Apricot Moon Designs http://www.apricotmoon.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Oh! I forgot to mention -- I use a lot of fancy designs -- ones that you can get at Onesongneedlearts.com. Once every week or two, she loads a "weekly" sale special. You'll see it near the top of the column at the left of her page. The prices are usually about 85% off and I've gotten some massive bargains there. I sometimes need to fiddle a bit with her older patterns (closing up spaces where the backstitching doesn't quite fit), but all in all they are beautiful designs at a huge savings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anniemueller Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Nice list Oma, thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veg-girl Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 You've got a good list there of designers. I would suggest you get a few pantos first as these are the money makers, they can be stitching away whilst you custom quilt on another machine .Types I use the most- Open and swirly Swirly and spikey. Flowery Leafy Watery Oriental Babies/kids Some pantos are rectangular in shape and can look as if they are sewn in rows. Where possible I prefer ones which interlock between the rows but if you want to make the design more open you can run tight on throat space with these. Because you are so good at free motion you may find custom quilting is not so fast with a computer system as working freehand so may not need lots of motifs to fit into blocks but border designs can speed life up. You can also use pantos in borders. Like fabric and thread it is easy to get carried away with your purchasing but remember you can buy the design and be stitching it within minutes at any time of day so you don't need to get lots in advance. Sign up to the sites and they will send you notice of special offers and sales. Yvette in the UK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Hi Matt, You're going to LOVE the computerized quilting world. Many quilters think you just push a button and the machine does the rest, so there's no creativity involved. You are about to enter a whole NEW world of creativity that you never imagined possible! Some designers have free designs that you can download to see how you like their work. I've bought many, many designs over the last 10 years, and sad to say, many of them were not digitized well. Fortunately, I'm trained in digitizing and have 3 good software programs to work with, so I can usually "fix" these designs, but it's very frustrating when you've paid good money and then all the design is good for is the idea behind it. Having said that, the quality of digitizing has greatly improved in the last couple of years. You can download 2 free patterns from my website; one is an allover leafy design that you'll get a lot of use out of and the other is a block design from one of my Collections. http://trilliumhousedesigns.danemcoweb.com/shop/category/free-patterns/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anniemueller Posted November 23, 2012 Report Share Posted November 23, 2012 Oops, some of my first post here got cut off. I'm using Darlene's Budding Ferns Sashing 2 on a quilt right now and LOVING IT! It is so pretty and easy to work with. I will post pics soon. Thanks for posting your free patterns Darlene. I'll use that Budding Fern block design on the same quilt. The other sites that I like are also on Oma's list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoAnnHoffman Posted November 23, 2012 Report Share Posted November 23, 2012 Here's a good list. http://intelliquilter.com/patterns.php my site is www.compuquilterdesigns.com JoAnn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Sparrow Posted November 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2012 WOW! Thank you guys so much! I think I have over 500 designs picked out and am having trouble narrowing down my list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted November 25, 2012 Report Share Posted November 25, 2012 Start small Matt! When I first got my system I ordered over $900 from one designer. Sad to say, I've used very few of them. Since downloads from most of the sites are instantaneous, it's easy to go shopping for just the right thing when the quilt is on the machine and you can see what it needs. Saves you lots of cash! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted November 25, 2012 Report Share Posted November 25, 2012 I like to buy from Trillium House, Darlene EPP's Digitech, Jessica Schick's, Intelligent Quilting, Crystal Smythe's, They are all APQS Reps also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoAnnHoffman Posted November 27, 2012 Report Share Posted November 27, 2012 Buy what you need when you need it. Don't go hogwild to start. Look for sales too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o2b Quilting Posted November 27, 2012 Report Share Posted November 27, 2012 I purchase each design as a new project comes in and my current designs aren't quite right. Once in a while I purchase a couple of pantos or motifs when there is a sale but I try to have an idea of when or where I might be able to use it. I also tend to stay away from buying "packages" as I find I only use the border & corner patterns but not the rest of the package or maybe the block motif but nothing else in the package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Sparrow Posted November 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2012 thanks for sharing everyone! My Quilt Path was shipped yesterday and I can't wait to get started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klwheeler Posted May 7, 2013 Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 I like the designs and the sales. I do buy packages and like to get sales, so they always have items on sale. My issue is that it takes time to import each design one at a time into Quilt Path. I put in a request for a Batch Import Tool to be added. I don't have the time or energy to import them all. So it goes...slowly. I wish for some company or all of them to offer native .GPF format for Quilt Path, so no importing would be necessary. I have also purchased Art N Stitch to learn how to make my own patterns. I like to use One Song Needle Arts www.onesongneedlearts.com I have used Digitech and bought a few good ones there too, Digi-Tech www.digitechpatterns.com. I am just getting started with computerized designs but like them. I have used EQ, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Canvas, and ArcGIS for decades. I have no problems learning new computer programs or working with the files or machines. Karen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted May 9, 2013 Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 Karen, the problem with offering yet another "native" format is that many designers, myself included, have hundreds, if not thousands of designs to convert each time a new system hits the market! Several of the designers don't offer anything but CQP, IQ and QLI. I have Art & Stitch, so convert all new patterns into ALL the available formats. I'm still working on converting some my older patterns into the newer formats, but it takes a long time. Personally, I'd rather be spending my time designing and putting out new patterns than in adding another format to all my designs. I don't know if or when GPF will be available to the digitizing/software conversion programs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klwheeler Posted May 9, 2013 Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 Thank you Darlene for your reply, and I do see a solution if the Grace or CabinLogic group will offer a batch import of sets or folders of patterns that are all one format, such as .QLI or .DXF. I also have Art and Stitch now and am learning it. I am converting my redwork and bluework designs into the quilting patterns, mostly birds and such. I have lots of Dover books to work with and other designs that I have made, so I really think I can design my own quilting patterns and within minutes had a nice one to use on my next quilt. I love Art and Stitch. It would be interesting to have a group or subforum on it in this APQS Forums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted May 9, 2013 Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 Matt, I see this is an old thread, so am wondering how you are getting along with the Quilt Path? Just curious.. Also on patterns, which way did you find best to buy? Bulk, singles, theme, etc? Did you find any that are masculine, and not patriotic or military? When I was in the hospital on Mon., I was trying to select patterns and it takes so darned long to look through so many on each site. Resorted to notes.. still that is confusing. Rita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted May 9, 2013 Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 Hi Rita, I spent a lot of money when I first got my CompuQuilter, back in about 2002. Most of the $$ was wasted, as the patterns I ordered, which were "so pretty", just didn't work on the kind of quilts I got. It's so easy to download patterns at any time of the day or night, wait until you have the quilt in front of you, and then go shopping. Some sites are easier to navigate than others. I tried to set up my site to reflect the way I like to shop. There are enough categories that you can hone in on the type of pattern you want fairly quickly. Some of the sites have Clubs, which really are a good deal, BUT, you're going to get a lot of patterns you'll never use. This is fine, because they're priced well, BUT, let me tell you, after awhile your computer gets clogged up with all those patterns, and you find it harder and harder to find what you really need. Take it easy at first. Eventually you'll know when you look at a pattern whether you're likely to ever use it. A large percentage of the ones I purchased are lovely eye candy, but they've never been used on an actual quilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathG Posted May 9, 2013 Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 Darlene I know this message was for Rita, but just wanted to add that your advice is very good and timely. I have just bought two digital designs today and I don't even have a computerized system yet . I have spent, more like wasted a lot of time looking at designs on all the different sites. There is so much lovely eye candy. Your advice to wait until you have the quilt top in front of you makes a lot of sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klwheeler Posted May 9, 2013 Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 So is it like buying clothes? Or shoes? Ha! My closets are full of very cute dresses and jackets, linen pants and knockout accessories. I enjoy grabbing one now and then and playing dress up to go out! That's how I look at digital patterns. I buy them to have ready and printed out to enjoy. If I have to sit down and hunt online for a pattern for every quilt, it would take me a lot longer to do each one. Quilt Path came with over 200 patterns and the basic ones are easily edited or new ones made and used. I found lots of redwork patterns I had bought and hardly used for my Bernina 830 and with Art and Stitch have them as quilt patterns. I am a collector. So now this latest collection is taking up no physical space and the beauty of each pattern is like artwork...but can be used and will be used to help make my quilts more interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue E. Posted May 9, 2013 Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 I stopped looking for online patterns until I need something for a particular quilt. Like Darlene, I spent lots of money when I first got my CQ back in 2005 - and there weren't nearly as many places to purchase digitized designs as there are now! Most of those designs have never been used. I have thought about joining several clubs but, thank goodness, decided not to spend the money and I have been very happy with my decision. I have seen too many monthly clubs where you pay for the month but the monthly designs are not something you would ever use. Also, because there are so many sites that sell digitized patterns today, you spend way too much time looking. I find it much easier to have an idea of what I want to do with the quilt and then look for something fairly specific. My suggestion is to only buy what you will actually use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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