Oops...forgot something

I knew there was something that I forgot to mention.  It's how great EQ7 is and their support staff.  Before I get to my story, I want to say that I am not affiliated with ElectricQuilt Company; just a happy and satisfied customer.  So on to the story....

With the EQ7 software, you can install it on a number of computers but you can only have two active computers at a time.  Not a problem since I knew which two computers I wanted to be active.  For those of you who don't have EQ, let me digress a bit and tell you that it is computer program designed for quilters.  To quote from their website (http://electricquilt.com/online-shop/electric-quilt-7/ ),

"The industry’s BEST quilt design software. Design your own quilts and block patterns. Audition your own personal fabric stash, embroidery designs and quilting designs on your quilt before you make it. Print patterns for foundation piecing, templates and rotary cutting charts. We do the math for you! Print your fabric yardage too!"

It's expensive but I'm happy that I managed to save up for it for I really do use it.  I hope to use it more in 2013 and to take advantage of all the tutorials and things out there for it.  But back to the story....

As usual, my plans didn't go like they were suppose to.  Yes I managed to activate it (you must activate it in order to use it) on my two computers but then one of those computers died out on me.  So I went to my back up computer.  Hmmm.  I didn't want to put it on there since I knew eventually I'd get a new computer and would want it on the new one.  One year later I did get a new computer and set out to put EQ7 on it.  Hmmm.  Now I had to think.  I couldn't get online with the original computer any more to deactcivate it.  Finally I called up the help line at Electric Quilt and talked to a live person without an accent that I couldn't understand.  Gasp!  Yes I could understand her!!  It took a little bit to figure out which one of the two activations she should deactivate for me but once we figured it out (used the 'last date used' to figure it out) in under a minute it was deactivated and I was able to continue on with installing EQ7 on my new computer.  My new computer is Windows 8 and I am happy to report that EQ7 works quite well with that.  I tested it out last night.  YAY!

Here is how I justified originally getting it.  It cost almost $200 which is a TON of money in my budget.  On the other hand that is less than 10 trips to JoAnne's for quilting supplies, and even fewer trips if I went to a Quilt Shop.  So not only did I keep to my wish of "not buying more fabric" by getting the software, it was still quilting related and would help me figure out what to do with the fabric that I already had on hand.  No I'm not going to look at my last post where I said I bought more fabric.  I did say that I was "trying" not to buy more fabric.  I just try harder on certain trips than others.  :)

So that's my story about a happy customer of EQ7.

PS:  Did I mention you can swap designs with others who have EQ7 also?  After saving them you can email them to your friend who thought it was so cool and wanted to make it or thought you were so clever for figuring it out.

 

End of February

I can't believe it is the end of February already!  Where DOES the time go.

What did I accomplish?  Not much.  I did get some things done though.  I managed to finish up one test project and sent off the report today.  I can't wait to show you because I like it and will probably keep it for myself.  That is something that I don't often do.

Now that I used up some fabric I had to get more fabric.  I *had* to, right?  So here are some of the fabric that I got.  They are all cotton and something that I normally wouldn't buy.  The cupcakes I might make into pot holders.  The circles were cute and bright bought some of that and I had been looking for some small print cancer material.

These four fabrics are actually flannels.  I was thinking that I might use part of them for some more rice filled wrist bags.  I need to restock and get some things that are non Christmas.    The pink has little red lady bugs on it.  It's kinda cute.  :)

What else am I doing?

There are the Block of the Months (BOMs) that I am collecting.  I am caught up to date on one of them.  But behind on the others.  I will get caught up eventually.  Perhaps in June when I'm on vacation I will stay home and get caught up.

I am half way done with a chevron block for the Half Square Triangle Bucket List.  This year I am going to just do blocks and then perhaps put them all together at the end of the year.  If I don't do one of the lists, like the January one which I didn't do.  I'm going to leave the block empty and write on it what I didn't do.  Eventually I might get all the squares filled in like they should be but who knows.  I have lots of plans but sometimes they don't get done.  Next month's Bucket List is Hawaiian Applique.  I'm not sure what I'll do for a block but it might be a traditional breadfruit or something.

Before that I have two mug rugs to get done.  That is for a swap.

I also have another test pattern that I am working on.  That needs to be done in approximately 6 weeks.  I washed the fabric for that one so it's sort of started (grins).

I suppose I had better end this now so that I can go work on something.  With the snow and the wind that we got today my motivation is just not there.

Everybody have a good night.

Quilters Where's Waldo

Except in my case it's "where's the X".  I went through the pictures of African fabric and put an X on the fabrics that REALLY interest me.  Part of the interesting part of this way is that sometimes when I get the fabric and open it up, it's totally different that what I thought it would be.  Of course I told Lyndon that I won't refuse any fabric so we'll see what he brings back.  I sent him the pictures with the X on them.  Think he'll find them when he goes back to the stalls?

Did you see that there were two X's on this pix?

African Fabric Pictures

Ready for some eye candy first thing on Monday Morning?

My boss, Lyndon, goes to Africa every year and tries to bring me back some fabric.  Over the years we've refined how this gets done.  Last year he sent me pictures and I tried to explain to him which of the fabric I liked the best from looking at the pictures.  It worked out pretty well.  I've tried to tell him that I didn't care what he brought back but you know men.  They need more guidance so he decided to do that again.  Here are the pictures that he sent me to look over.  I wonder if he realizes that I might not get a lot of work done today because I just want to gaze at the pictures?  (grins).  He has also told me that the cloth he will get for me is only from the OUTSIDE ring of fabric merchants in the outdoor/open mall.  He isn't brave enough to go further in.  It doesn't seem like he needs to go further in to me.  I have plenty to choose from.