Deborahkr81 Posted April 14, 2016 Report Share Posted April 14, 2016 Hello everyone! I'm hoping you can help me with the best way to plan my next quilt. I am new to quilting and have created but one single quilt so far. I'm ready to start my second but I need your help! If you are willing to share, I'm wondering what tips/tricks you have found to be helpful in planning out your quilts. I'd like to know the best way to plan it out. What have you found to be helpful? Are there any special tools you use? Can you just envision it? (that will take a while or me), do you lay out the fabric on your kitchen table? What do I need to know before stepping in again. I had a lot of expert help on my last one and this one I am attempting on my very own. Yay me! Thanks for any tips you can offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted April 14, 2016 Report Share Posted April 14, 2016 So let me get this straight....you are not using a pattern, but designing your own quilt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlnewell Posted April 14, 2016 Report Share Posted April 14, 2016 I have EQ7 but never taken the time to really learn how to use it. My number one tool would be 1/4 inch graph paper for drawing out the basic layout. The second would be computer to search for specific quilt block layouts (inspiration). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cagey Posted April 14, 2016 Report Share Posted April 14, 2016 Why don't you just find a quilt top you have seen in a book, magazine or in person, and make it? Take designs from multiple quilts, put them together, and make you own quilt. Let us see what you come up with. Cagey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon Deming Posted April 14, 2016 Report Share Posted April 14, 2016 I get inspiration from quilts in magazines or online. If a quilt has an interesting (in the public domain) block - I'll start a quilt design in EQ7, diddle with the block, add borders, etc. Usually when I play with the block, I wind up either creating an all new block I have not seen before, or using a completely different block as I play. I'm not all that creative from scratch, so I rely on that inspiration to get me going. Walk yourself through all of the video tutorials that come with EQ7 - do every exercise. That will get you going on the software. The help info is great, also. Of course, there is also the "free spirit design" technique. A friend of mine uses it almost exclusively. She just collects (buys) various fabrics that all go together and then cuts some shapes (rectangles are easy to deal with) and plays until she gets a simple block she likes, and builds the quilt top until she's satisfied. Go for it, girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judyday Posted April 14, 2016 Report Share Posted April 14, 2016 I have EQ7 but never taken the time to really learn how to use it. My number one tool would be 1/4 inch graph paper for drawing out the basic layout. The second would be computer to search for specific quilt block layouts (inspiration). I have EQ7 also. Take the time to learn it. There are some training videos in it. It is fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted April 14, 2016 Report Share Posted April 14, 2016 I use graph paper or EQ7 software. If you're new check out lessons at your local shops. You Tube has a lot of free lessons and then there is crafty. There's a lot of information and classes out there. Are you longarm quilting your own quilt? We'll be glad to help you but we're mainly longarm quilters, focusing on the quilting aspect here in the forum. Your signature has a website listed by you for exactly what your asking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlnewell Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 I really do want to learn to use my EQ7, but I'm so busy quilting customer quilts...I haven't taken the time for myself. Housework and other bits of life get in the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 I mostly use EQ7 but that doesn't give you piecing directions so if you are new to piecing it might not give you "everything" you need. I would suggest getting help from a local quilt shop. If you get your fabric there they are usually great about helping. I think the key things to do when constructing a quilt is to ensure you use 1/4" seam so that your end product is flat and square. If you are using a specific block look on youtube to see if there are any videos on construction. Missouri Star quilt company has a ton of tutorials but so do many others. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamache Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 Graph paper is my friend when designing quilts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fallenfar Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 I believe I recall you posting your first quilt here--what I remember most was it wasn't a beginner type pattern and you did a fabulous job on it! I have an older version of Quilt Pro loaded on a desktop. I haven't upgraded to anything newer because I haven't had the need to--this does the job for me. Between QP, Moda Bake Shop patterns, occasional Craftsy pattern I may like, and drafting vintage blocks that I set and revise in some updated way on QP.....I got sooo many plans for quilts, I hope I live long enough to make alllll the quilts I got going on in my head! I guess if my desktop goes down, I will be buying another Quilt Pro or EQ. I know my version of QP 4 won't load on any Windows beyond Vista..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kkey1030 Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 By the way, EQ7 is "Electric Quilt 7th edition". It's a fun tool, and I've had all 7 editions as they have come out, but I didn't learn to use it on my own, I had to take a class at the local quilt shop. It opened a whole new world for me! That being said, you might want to look for quilt classes at a local quilt shop, or online, to give you ideas for a design. "The Quilt Show" is an online "t.v. show" with regular updates that you can subscribe to, OR watch many free episodes. And the forums are free--you can even look at the quilts made by subscribers. Or QNN.TV also has a lot of shows. Heck, check out YouTube. If I were starting out today, I would either buy a couple of magazines to get inspiration (many come with patterns), or visit a local quilt shop and look at the quilts they have hanging on their walls (and ask about classes they have coming up). Some community colleges also offer quilting classes. I am a member of a Mennonite Church, and learned how to make quilts from the quilters in our church--I even learned to hand quilt there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 I don't want to be mean but I think this might be spam look at the advertisement under her signature? Quiltster sign-up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cagey Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 Connie: I agree, I saw her signature block but did not want to say anything. Plus I did not have time to read the entire link before leaving for work. Deborah's first quilt was a Judy Niemeyer and her signature block links to a new beta product by Judy's sons. Time will tell why the post was made here. There are a lot of quilters that provide their business links, but they come her primarily to share eye candy and to more importantly educate us. For both of those things, I am greatly thankful. Cagey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 Thanks Connie! I noticed the same thing and didn't post since I've been privately (and publicly) chastised for speaking up about this type of thing. Quiltster is being beta tested and is a program for placing your fabric choices into Quiltworx (Judy Niemeyer) patterns. Great application and very helpful. She may be trying to help, or she may be a paid poster and finding as many quilting sites as she can to get the word out. Nice to share new stuff, but if it's a good application, word will get out easily and fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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