Quilt Design Software
Copyright 1996 Robert G. Holland, The Virtual Quilt Company.
Our quilting website is: http://planetpatchwork.com
This file contains a brief description of the various quilt
design programs now available on the market, to assist
buyers in making a decision about their purchase. The author
is not affiliated with any of these companies. The
descriptions here are as accurate as I can make them, but
aren't warranted against error. The information focuses on
IBM-compatible PC quilt design programs, but provides
pointers to sources of Macintosh programs.
Electric Quilt 3
Electric Quilt 3, or EQ 3 as it is known, is one of the
oldest of the quilting design programs, but has been through
several major upgrades since its introduction. The first
version of the program was published in 1991 by well-known
quilter and teacher Penny McMorris and her husband. Version
3 was published in 1996, and was a major upgrade. The
program is a DOS program, though it will work from within
Windows and WIN95. It contains more than 1,500 quilt blocks,
hundreds of fabrics, including designer fabrics from VIP and
Nancy Crow, and dozens of color palettes. For sheer richness
of features it is hard to beat EQ3.
The program's drawing mode, known as EasyDraw, is an
excellent simplified straight-line-based drawing module,
which works with a mouse. The program also has an applique
module which assists the user in drawing curved lines. The
program uses a pull-down menu system and is moderately
configurable by the user. There is a built-in quilt/block
viewer, and designs can be exported as *.PCX files. The
program will calculate yardage and print quilting templates,
including those for paper piecing. The new version contains
modules for such non-traditional quilts as watercolors, and
has great flexibility in the setting of blocks.
EQ3 can be supplemented by another 3,500 quilt blocks in the
companion program, BlockBase. This program contains nearly
the entire contents of Barbara Brackman's catalogue of quilt
blocks. These blocks can be searched in several ways and can
be imported into EQ3 for use in quilt design.
Strengths: Large block, fabric, and color libraries, good
draw programs. The most robust libraries and feature set of
any quilt program.
Weaknesses: Clunky DOS interface and awkward integration of
different program modules. (This has been improved a great
deal in EQ3 with the introduction of Windows 95-style
folders in selection boxes.) Some difficulties printing
large templates. A few program bugs. The biggest headache
for some folks has been compatibility with printers,
particularly the new ones being made. The company attempts
to accommodate new printers, but because it's not a Windows
program they have to produce printer drivers for EQ and
sometimes there is frustration and delay. You must also be
running a DOS-based mouse driver in order to use EQ.
Special: Occasional publication of "The Floppy Gazette" for
registered users. Availability of an electronic
maillist for EQ users. To subscribe, go to http://
planetpatchwork.com/info-eq.htm (List not
sponsored by the company)
EQ Website at http://www.wcnet.org/~equiltco/
System Requirements: 286 or higher IBM compatible PC
Mouse or compatible pointer device
640K RAM DOS 5.0 or higher
Hard disk with 2.5 megs of
available space
Works with all printers (though
drivers for some of the
newer printers may have to
be obtained from the
company)
Price: $110 plus $5 shipping.
BlockBase available for about $65 (prices subject to
change)
For the Macintosh: At one time The Electric Quilt Company
was working on a Macintosh version of their program. At last
report the company had suspended work on this project
indefinitely.
To Order: The Electric Quilt Company
1039 Melrose
Bowling Green, OH 43402
Telephone: 419 352-1134
VISA/Mastercard Accepted
Online representative: Sandy Wheeler, angel@genie.com
Quilt-Pro for Windows, Version 2.2
Quilt-Pro for Windows was first published in 1994 by James
Salamon and Miriam Neuringer of The Colony, Texas. Version
2.2 was released in 1996. It is a full-featured quilting
program designed to take full advantage of the Windows
environment. Nicely integrated and intuitive, it is highly
configurable by the user. It has a large fabric library
supplemented by a CD-ROM of designer fabrics and contains
hundreds of blocks. Any bitmap file can be imported into the
program as a new fabric design. Quilt-Pro is clearly the
Windows-based quilt design program of choice, far superior
to other programs written for Windows.
The program's drawing tools are based on the concept of a
"patch" rather than on lines to draw a quilt block. Some
users like this feature, while others find it awkward and
prefer a line-based drawing module. The patch tools contain
a variety of common shapes which can be sized and
manipulated to make a quilt block, which can then be laid
out in a quilt. Straight and curved lines can also be used
to make applique blocks. The program will calculate yardage
and print block templates, including paper-piecing
templates.
Strengths: Intuitive Windows interface, nicely designed
screens, moderately large block and fabric libraries.
Weaknesses: Awkward block viewing mode that displays only
one block at a time. This is improved somewhat in version
2.
Special: Forty quilting stencils from The Stencil Company
built into program. Demonstration program available for
downloading online, or from company for $5. Paper piecing
templates.
Quilt-Pro also now has available a version for the
Macintosh. Will work on Macs and Power Macs, and is very
feature-rich. Said by users to be the best Macintosh quilt
program, with many of the same features as the PC version.
System Requirements:
386 or higher CPU
4 MB of RAM
EGA, VGA, or Super VGA Monitor (color not required,
but recommended)
Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 installed
A mouse 5 MB of hard disk space available
Dot matrix, inkjet, or laserjet printer
Price: $95 plus $5 shipping. (Subject to change).
Quilt-Pro website: http://www.quiltpro.com/
To Order: Quilt-Pro Systems
P.O. Box 560692
The Colony, TX 75056
Telephone: 800 884-1511
Online representative: almab@aol.com
VISA/Mastercard accepted
QuiltSOFT Version 4.0 (Formerly Quilter's Design Studio)
QuiltSOFT, from QuiltSOFT software in San Diego,
California is a Windows-based quilt design program which has
been out for several years. The Program is now out in
version 4.0, which was released in early 1996. QuiltSOFT was
the first quilt design program made for use in Windows, and
has steadily improved in quality from early versions, which
were buggy, resource-intensive, and difficult to use. It now
comes with a large selection of fabrics on CD-ROM, a fairly
good selection of quilt blocks, and a number of sample
quilts.
QuiltSOFT has some nice features, like a block selection
screen that displays many blocks at once. However the
program remains very sluggish in refreshing its screen and
other complex graphic activities. It is prone to frequent
and often cryptic error messages and sometimes parts of
quilts will drop out (leaving white background) for no
apparent reason. It is also very awkward moving back and
forth between the quilt design and block design modules. You
can only color a quilt block in the quilt design mode,
unlike the other major programs where you can color either
in the block or in the quilt. Overall this program is
distinctly inferior to other Windows-based quilt design
programs. Not recommended.
The program is a "full-featured" quilt design program with
block libraries, fabrics, etc. It prints templates and
calculates yardage. QuiltSOFT also offers a program for the
Macintosh, but it is generally considered not as good as
Quilt-Pro's offering for the Mac.
To Order: QuiltSOFT
P.O. Box 19946
San Diego, CA 92159-0946
Telephone: 619 583-2970 Fax: 619 583-2682
VISA/Mastercard Accepted
Price: $99 plus shipping and handling (price subject to
change)
VQuilt Version 2.0
VQuilt came on the market in late 1994, and version 2.0 was
released in 1996. Designed by quilter Sarah Hisley and her
programmer husband, VQuilt has more modest aspirations than
the quilting programs outlined above, although in recent
versions has added features which make it more
"full-service," such as the ability to estimate fabric
yardage. The program is informed by the philosophy
expressed by its designers in the documentation:
Rather than attempting to "computerize" quilting,
what we wanted to do was produce a quilt design
program that "facilitated" quilting . . . a subtle
but distinctive difference. We believe a quilter
should spend more time working with fabric than
sitting in front of a computer screen!
VQuilt's major strength is its simplicity and speed. It is a
good tool for quilters to visualize layouts and get an
overall feel for a design. It doesn't come with designer
fabrics and other bells and whistles of the more expensive
programs.
It is a DOS-based program, although it will run under
Windows 3.1 and WIN95. It has a quite capable and simple set
of drawing tools for designing blocks, and will lay out
those blocks in a quilt top of virtually any size or number
of blocks. Its color palette can be customized and colors
"mixed" to reflect individual tastes. Borders and sashing
can also be generated. Quilt blocks and quilts can be saved
and templates can be printed. My remaining major gripe about
the program is its lack of anything more than the most
minimal of online help. The manual covers the program's
operations adequately, but I like to be able to click and
feel my way through a program, and VQuilt is not as
intuitive as some.
If you're looking for a quilt program to help you visualize
what your quilts will look like, and to print templates,
but don't a lot of extras, then this program may be the one
you want.
Strengths: Low price, requires minimal computer resources,
fast performance, good price-to- performance ratio.
Weaknesses: Lack of online help, no fabric libraries.
System Requirements: IBM-compatible 286 or higher CPU
550K memory
VGA color adapter and monitor
Mouse
2 megabytes of hard disk space
MSDOS 3.0 or higher
To Order: Computer Systems Associates
P.O. Box 129
Jarrettsville, MD 20184-9998
Telephone: 410 557-6871 Fax: 410 557-7928
Price: $39.99 plus $5 shipping (price subject to
change)
PCQuilt for Windows
First programmed for DOS and sold in 1987, PCQuilt is the
first dedicated quilt design program ever made. It had been
eclipsed in recent years by more capable and sophisticated
programs such as EQ and Quilt-Pro, but a new version,
completely reprogrammed for Windows, was released in late
1996.
This new Windows program has the unique feature of being
able to view the block editing window and the quilt layout
grid on the same screen. This is helpful, but also makes for
a somewhat crowded screen. The program has about 250 quilt
blocks and 20 fabric patterns, plus many color palettes.
The toolbar and color and fabric selection bars are nicely
arranged at the top of the screen, and the online help is
very good and thorough. This is quite a sophisticated
program, with a nice drawing module and the ability to edit
and create new fabrics. With its small libraries of blocks
and fabrics, it is at a competitive disadvantage with other
Windows programs.
Strengths: Elegant Windows interface, good tool bars,
excellent online help, speedy operation.
Weaknesses: Small block and fabric libraries, some
awkwardnesses and extra steps in moving from one operation
to another. Limitations in the number of blocks that will
fit in the block library window.
PCQuilt website: http://www.pcquilt.com/
To Order: Nina Antze
7061 Lynch Rd.
Sebastopol, CA
95472
Price: $75.00 (introductory offer; price subject to change)
* * *
Checklist for Judging a Quilt Design Program
The following quick list provides a summary checklist of
questions you should ask about a quilting program:
1. Compatibility--
Will the program work on your system?
What are its minimum hardware requirements?
Is it designed for your platform (Macintosh,
IBM-compatible Windows or DOS)?
Does it run using a minimum of your system's
resources and without conflicting with other
programs?
2. Functionality --
Will it do a lot?
Will it allow you to design quilts with a large
number of blocks, or is it limited?
Can you change colors/fabrics easily?
Can you change colors/fabrics in layout mode, or do
you have to return to block design mode?
Can you change the set of a quilt easily?
Do you have a lot of options for sashes and borders?
Does it have a large block library?
Can you draw free-form applique?
Can you draw and print stencils?
Will it measure yardage for you?
Will it do paper-piecing patterns?
Can you design your own fabric?
Does it have a large fabric library?
3. Ease of Use --
Is the program easy to use?
Will it work with a mouse?
Is it structured logically so it is easy to move
from module to module?
Is it integrated (i.e. do the parts fit together
well?)
Is it easy to learn?
Are the steps between going from one process (say
making a block) to the next (laying out the blocks
in a quilt) minimized?
Does it have a good help system?
Is the help system context-sensitive?
Does it have good written documentation (a manual?)
Is it configurable by the user?
4. Pleasing interface --
Are the screens attractive and
pleasing to the eye?
Is the type on the screen easy to read?
Are the screens laid out in a logical and
easy-to-use way?
Will you be able to stand looking at this program
for the many hours you will be using it?
(c) Copyright 1996 by Robert G. Holland. All rights
reserved. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce this
document in electronic format as long as it is maintained in
its entirety, including this notice, and no fee is charged
to the user.
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