Over the years, as designers are switching to using software for ease and speed of work, quilters have also embraced the use of quilt design software for their beautiful and creative ideas.

So as household computers have become commonplace, the natural thing for the quilter is to explore the use of quilt design software in the quilt making process.

Before the end of the 20th century, the exploration of modern ways of producing quilt designs has resulted in an expanding line of computer quilting software.

Today there is a variety of quilt design software available in the market - especially online -that meets a variety of needs of a quilter. These software includes full design software programs, CDs for printing blocks for foundation piecing, stencils for quilting , an assortment of quilting patterns, aids to designing in form of support books with step by step instructions, and innovative software for creating art quilts.

QUILTERS ALL OVER THE WORLD CAN INTERACT TOGETHER AND PARTICIPATE COLLECTIVELY

With the emergence of the Internet and consequently the world wide web, thousands of quilters around the world now have the opportunity to gather together and participate in:

• computer fabric swaps
• block exchanges
• online classes
• online guilds
• develop websites
• participate in e-mail lists
• links to shared computer quilting files
• tutorials
• answers to FAQ's
• quilt galleries,  and much more.

And the expanding market of quilt design software has brought on a secondary market of products and sharing has emerged. You will find:

• software support books with step-by-step how-to instructions
• CDs with video demos
• quilt shops
• guilds and conferences offering computer quilting workshops and lectures.

The reasons many quilters opt for the use of quilt design software is mainly to expand the ideas presented in quilt projects. If you are a traditional or innovative quilter you may want to switch to the use of quilting software for your quilt works for some or all of the following reasons.

• You want to design a quilt pattern by drawing a new block, or you want to alter an existing block from the library and then explore the quilt layout available with software use.

• You wish to have unlimited access to select blocks and borders from included libraries to help create quilt layout choices.

• The need to use quilt design software to create printouts helpful in making a quilt and buying great fabrics to make a quilt.

• To have a large library of blocks to use only for the sole purpose of getting inspirations and ideas, and templates to design your own quilt works.

• When requiring and looking for specific block styles like foundation pieced blocks, mariner's compass blocks, holiday themes, or alphabet and numbers. Or you may want to print multiple sized blocks, templates, yardage charts, or numbered paper piecing blocks.

• Need a quilt design software that will give simple step by step instructions on how to make the block or how to quilt and a faster method than using graph paper to develop a design.

• Know how to create memory quilts - quilt labels - and design embroidery patterns that can be used in the production of quilts.

Quilt design software programs leads the user through the program with clearly marked buttons. You will have a positive experience using quilting software on the computer, and this is essential  and should be welcome to new users.

The quilt design software program called Electric Quilt  leads a quilter through the program with clearly marked buttons. Learning how to run this quilt design software prepares the new user for the interface found in the larger flagship program

Electric Quilt 6 (EQ6) Up-Grade, by which time the user is ready for more controlled and design options.

According to Amazon, the Product Features of this quilt design software includes:

• Upgrade from Electric Quilt 5 to 6 - Previous version must be installed
• Over 4,000 block patterns & 5,000 scanned fabrics (or scan your own)
• Draw your own block patterns using 2 drawing styles
• Unlimited layout and border styles
• 62 help videos + 304 Page user manual with tutorials

The EQ6 Upgrade is the most advanced version of the Electric Quilt design software and it is the most user friendly yet! This  full-featured quilting software and drawing program has been specially designed with beginners as well as advanced quilt designers in mind.

Use this design software to design quilts, draw blocks, scan in fabrics or select from over 20,000 blocks, fabrics, colours, embroidery, photos, threads, quilt layouts and borders included in EQ6.

Use EQ6 simply to try out colours or print patterns of any size and use it to pursue  a quilting career. Its great for producing professional, high resolution block and quilt images print ready for books or magazines.

This software will be the best thing that will happen to quilters and one that you'll never outgrow!  

There are lovely fabrics made especially for quilting.

These awesome online quilting stores have a vast selection of Designer Quilting Fabrics with various themes such as:

• holiday favourite fabrics
• cheerful children's' fabrics
• festive fabrics for the Christmas and all other seasons or celebrations
• fall, spring and summery fabrics
• high quality backings and broadcloth
• brushed winter holiday flannels
• bold cotton prints
• subtle pastel hues and shades
• vintage inspired prints, etc…

There is polished chintz, satin, and other shiny fabrics, cotton and twill, amongst other varieties of fabric types and textures. You will, during quilting courses, have the opportunity and exposure to great fabrics that you can utilise for your quilting craft.

Go out there and give quilting a try! It's fun and exciting, and you'll love every minute of it.

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Hub Pages Author - Viryabo

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