Designing Patchwork on Your Computer [With CDROM]

I am impressed with the author of this book! The book shows how to use a common program, part of the Microsoft office suite, to its fullest when planning out a quilt design for either straighforward piecing or foundation piecing. The techniques revolve around setting up a grid to then draw the shapes necessary as they fit together, and then plan the colors to use. First, kudos to the author: I didn't even know I had such a fantastic tool at my fingertips-- the program Paint works quite well for the purpose of planning designs, and the author explains in a detailed fashion how to do it. (There are notes on using Photoshop for the same purpose, as well.) Of course it is very nice to be able to plan out a quilt and not have to redraw and recolor! The explanations on how to set up grids to plan designs are very well written and thought out. There are also explanations on customizing color to better reflect the fabrics in your stash. Finally, there are sample projects illustrating the explanations of the techniques. The most useful part of the CD are the grids, which the author provides all ready to go. The CD also includes designs already set up on their own grids, sometimes colored in different ways as examples to show the different effects created by the use of color. (Be forwarned, however, that the book does not give piecing techniques.) The creativity is additive--I've already had loads of fun, and am in the process of setting up a project. P.S.-- the techniques also apply to applique. The use of shape tools, including curves, and the techniques used for symmetry have been valuable as I have designed some simple baltimore album-style applique designs...

I just bought this book and disc and it has lived up to what it promises. There is nothing to install on the disc, by the way. The disc has some colored diagrams of about 20 or so quilt block patterns, various grids, and some templates of borders, stars and basic foundation templates. The book tells you how to use the Paint program to design any (as far as I can tell) quilt pattern, sashing and borders. It also tells you how to make the block to real inches so that you can print them out and use the pattern for making templates. I have found it very useful. It also shows you how to color in your design to match (farily closely) the color of material you wish to use. Sure, it takes more work and thought then EQ6, but it is also much cheaper.