Sunday, May 13, 2012

Quilting


My biggest hobby lately has been quilting.  I bought a program called EZQUILT 7.  It is used to design quilts.  It allows you to design the quilt then take fabric jpg. files and import them into the quilt so that you can design the quilt and see what it will look like with the fabrics you have purchased.  It allows  you to see if the colors look good or if there is a balance to the colors. 

The quilt design program can print the pattern pieces when you are done designing and tell you how much fabric will be needed.  One of the quilts I recently did I purchased the pattern but did not purchase fabrics like the quilt pattern design because I liked the pattern but not the color scheme.  I cut out the quilt pieces with the fabrics I bought and had all the pieces layed out as they would go into the quilt.  I felt like some of the color design did not look just right.  I took the pattern and drew it in the quilt program.  I then took the fabric I had chosen and downloaded the jpg. Files into the quilt design.  It really helped me to make the changes I needed so that I could get it to look more cohesive and balanced.  I then recut a few of the pieces out of different fabric to achieve the design.  It turned out great and is currently at the quilters.  This program could save time and money. You won’t purchase patterns or prints that maybe won’t work into the quilt design.  I have found that I really like lots of color and big prints but big prints do not always lend themselves to some quilt designs because the large print pattern will not even show up when cut into small pieces.
Quilt Pattern I bought
fabric I chose and put into the pattern it totally changes the look

Pinterest has a lot of cute quilt ideas and I have been able to implement some of the ideas on pinterest into the quilt designs and then apply the fabrics I have purchased.  These are a few of my quilt designs.
this one is the design I came up with for JaNaes baby that is on the way 
This was an alternate design 
 I have this fabric and I thought that this would make a cute baby quilt someday for someone

This is another design I came up with and fabric I have already to go


This one I have already started cutting the pieces but have not totally decided on the border


Between pinterest  and the quilt design program I waste a lot of time.  When I design a quilt I do about 10 different versions and then print them off so I can see them side by side and then pick the one I like the best to actually make.  I have two quilts in progress that I have designed and about 4 more desgined and ready to implement. 
Purchasing fabric has also become an obsession.  If I can’t find it in the store the internet has plenty of companies that have what you need.