DoYouEQ!?

I have had EQ for several months now, I think since July. I have watched a couple of the first videos and read a couple of chapters of the manual, but that is as far as I got. I have become a blog junky and look so forward to the times that I can not only read others blogs, but add to my own blog. I am learning a little day by day.

Recently I have noticed that the prolific quilters/bloggers/designers keep mentioning EQ. They seem to lean on it heavily. I have even read in their posts that they "could not live without it". I have decided to try harder to learn this program that has such potential.

EQ is really very user friendly. I played with it and easily made a "quilt", but when I got into making the quilt of my choice I came up against some obsticles that caused me to have to "read" and "read" again. That's OK. I think I have the concept now that you can only do certain things in certain screens under certain tabs. Certain tools are only available under certain tabs etc. I drew my string thing block and chose fabrics that are really similar and was able to play with several settings of the blocks until I decided which one suited me best. This was a real neat thing as it was alot quicker than trying to play on my design board.

Next I wanted to design a quilt using blocks that I have already designed (for real). These blocks are not in the block library. I could draw them, but decided to take pictures and import the actual blocks into a quilt. Well---this is not so easy. They cannot be "blocks" in the block library if they are pictures. So I imported them as pictures. I did finally discover that I had to use a tool that is not automatically in the tool bar. I had to right click and put it in the tool bar. I could then design my quilt with my picture blocks. I didn't LIKE it, but I did it. I tried adding sashing and I like it better.

I wanted to use this basket block in the quilt, but have not made it work yet. I will keep trying. I think it is the alternate block that I do not like.

Anyway---I am going to work in the yard now. The leaves are taking over and I NEED MULCH! I have definately done "my time" on EQ for the day. Maybe more!! LOL Girls who love EQ-- I am trying to get there. I need more of the lessons, but I am on my way. I want to be able to do it quickly so I can get on to the fun part. The actual piecing and playing with my fabrics. This will illiminate the making of a quilt I do not like and starting over again and again. I can design quickly and know that I am happy with what I am making.

If you are full of encouragement because you use EQ I would appreciat a few kind words--. Tell me what you like about it and any tips that you have discovered along your EQ journey. Maybe tips that are not "in the book". I will possibly take a less from Quilt University, but first I will study and get all I can out of the book and from viewing the videos.

See ya,