New software releases, upgrades and reviews:
Electric
Quilt release of Blockbase released in December has entered the computer
quilting world to rave reviews. See my
review.
Blockbase Screen Saver for Blockbase owners, this is a thank
you from Electric Quilt Company and on their website. You must have
Blockbase installed (see our review) to be able to use the screen saver.
I also have completed my review for the Electric Quilt Magic Book with
Design CD Series, Stitched with Love by
Robyn Pandolph.
New Updates
to Organized Expressions for both the Quilt and Needlework versions. The
updates include new lines of threads, fabrics, notions and more. What's the BEST
thing in these NEW versions? SCANNING capabilities!! WOW, this allows the
user to scan pictures, magazines, class instructions, ribbons, embellishments
and much more. They also include the ability to link to Word documents that may
have additional information you want for reference, good for teachers who have
class handouts they want to organize and those who have quilt documentation in
Word. Organized Expressions has
also added a Rubber Stamp version
and we are now carrying Knitters and Crocheters
Version.
We have added
an often requested software for cross stitch. After a some research and recommendations
we settled on Pattern Maker™ for Cross Stitch. Pattern Maker™
is a great aide to Quilters who want to transform photos into a usable format
using squares, rectangles and half-square triangles, something not doable at this
time in quilting software. Janet Ward Sattler tested and wrote a Pattern
Maker™ review for us. It comes in three versions levels: 1. Standard
2. Professional 3. Machine Embroidery. Go to the feature
page to see the differences between the 3 versions. We have also added
2 Clipart for Cross Stitch programs,
each can be used as a stand alone or a companion program that work in tandem with
Pattern Maker™ for Cross Stitch.
With the holidays, many received new
software and scanners. I have sent a notice earlier in the month explaining scanners
and the interface software required to use it. Now I have expanded that information
in a Frequently Asked Question about Scanners
article with additional information for getting quality fabric scans ready
to put into your quilting software.
Bubble Jet Set users look at the updated
Bubble Jet Set Frequently Asked Questions with 
recommendations for handling the final rinse after printing on your fabric.
It turns out that some washing machines are washing the ink right off the surface
of the fabric because the agitation is so strong. If your printouts are fading
in the final wash/rinse try the new recommendations.
Carol
Doak Books with instructional CD's uses only the 6.x Media Player.
Some computers with higher Media Player versions than the required 6.x version
are having trouble running the instructional CD. If you happen to be one of those,
the solution is simple, go to the Microsoft website and download one of the 6.x
versions that is compatible with your computer. To open the Microsoft Media Player
page 
.
Then click the arrow (shown below) to view all
We have several guest writers for this issue of Computer
Quilting BYTES:
NOTE to all Quilting Software users: You can benefit looking
over Hints and Tips for both Electric Quilt and Quilt-Pro because
many of the techniques introduced can be used in more than one quilting
software and many of the graphic programs too.
We are starting a new series of Electric
Quilt Hints and Tips.
-
-
Patti R. Anderson, a talent quilter and EQ
user who is teaching classes at Quilt University has agreed to write
a series of hints and tips on using Electric Quilt to its fullest
potential. Her first addition is about how to
insert
a photo scan into a Quilt Layout in Electric Quilt. This
new idea is going to make GREAT memory quilts!
NEW additions to Drafting Complex Blocks
in Quilt-Pro by Frank Smith.
NEW additions to Hints & Tips Series for
Quilt-Pro by Frank Smith.
Online quilting classes are gaining popularity
with Internet Quilters. Some are even Free. Check them out!
- I will be teaching 4 online quilt classes at Quilt
University:
- Getting Up to Speed in Quilt-Pro 3 using the Block Libraries,
Coloring Tools, and Quilt Layout
- Getting Up to Speed in Quilt-Pro 3 using the Drawing Tools to
Create Quilts that use Country Set and Odd sized Quilt Layouts.
- Cathedral Windows by Sewing Machine
- Machine Quilting with Exotic Threads, learn everything you need
to know to use any weight of thread for machine quilting.
- Carol Miller, cofounder
of Quilt University has written an article about how Quilt
University came to be and where it is going.
- Nikki Bennett, tells us about her experience of taking
online quilting classes at Quilt University.
- Look over Internet Finds below for
additional online quilting classes.
What's New in the Store? We continue to look for products that
aide computer quilters, check out:
- Inkjet Printer Products: Mountain Mist Template and Stencil Material
and Stick-n-Stitch products can go through your printers
- Instant Fabric, a new book on how to use your printer for fabric,
and the new software and updates.
- We have added, the Angler 2 which is included in the instructional
videos of Pam Bono's Books, "A Quilter's Life in Patchwork,"
- Other New books. Color Play and the back in publication, Bargello
Hearts book.
-
UNTIL NEXT TIME
-
May all your time Computer Quilting be a Joy,
filled with right brain escape, and result in that much sought
after finished Fabric Quilt, if not at least a very nifty
Virtual Quilt that you send to me to display in the VIRTUAL QUILT
GALLERY!!
-
Sharla Hicks
-
Editor of Computer Quilting
BYTES
Table of contents
Computer Quilting Information Series by Sharla Hicks
Dedicated
to Supporting The Expressive Quilter
