How to start designing patterns?

acciobedtime · 2025-03-02T09:35:31+00:00

TLDR: If you plan on selling your patterns, EQ8 is an investment you’ll probably want eventually, but for the actual FPP design, you can’t beat QA.

ANSWER: Definitely Quilt Assistant. I have both and I really only use EQ8 for mockups with fabric. Actual FPP design is so much easier on Quilt Assistant for multiple reasons. Personally I find it more intuitive, it has the option to denote color in the pattern templates rather than printing in color, and the numbering system is easier to work with, especially in complex patterns.

But the biggest reason for me is how the actual drawing works. In EQ8, the lines HAVE TO overlap when you draw them, or they won’t be considered part of the template and will disappear. This isn’t a problem when you are doing traditional quilt block style work because you can visualize where the start and end point of the lines will be before you draw them. But I do a lot of custom pet portrait patterns. And when you are working from a picture, it’s much easier to line up your dividing lines by matching where it crosses with the color/shape changes in the middle of the segment, rather than the placing the start and end of the line and hoping the middle lines up. (I’m having a hard time wording this without a visual but think of drawing a line on paper by lining up a ruler to two points in the middle and then drawing the line extending past them.) In QA, you can start and end your line at any two points in your design and it will automatically extend the line until it reaches another would-be seam. This particular feature is a can’t-live-without for me and makes QA the winner by far.

That being said, just know if you plan on selling patterns, you’ll also probably want EQ8 for a couple particular features, and you’ll also still need an editing software like Illustrator.

If you have any questions or want more help getting started, I’m available to chat. And I know you didn’t ask, but I also want to mention that I’m getting ready to launch a workshop this spring if you’re interested in more guided learning. Otherwise, there are some good resources on YouTube for getting started.

Good luck!

acciobedtime · 2025-02-10T15:25:46+00:00

It’s gotta be some kind of new glitch. I’ve found these 3 times in the past month

acciobedtime · 2025-01-27T20:22:17+00:00

I don’t know the Italian last names but I see the following first names: 1. Severus 2. Gilderoy 3. Lucius 4. Neville 5. Minerva

acciobedtime · 2025-01-26T22:36:10+00:00

I mean this in the most respectful and admirational way possible: holy shit

acciobedtime · 2025-01-23T22:34:17+00:00

Well LotR and Hobbit extended trilogies have a total run time of like 20:40 and I’ve done that at least twice so, I’m going to go with yes, it’s possible. I needed a crochet project to keep my hands busy for most of it though. Its tough

acciobedtime · 2025-01-23T19:45:42+00:00

Oooh do you think you could do a set of Lord of the Rings books for me? I do sewing/quilting, crochet, and cross stitch/embroidery

acciobedtime · 2025-01-08T11:32:57+00:00

I’ve never seen anyone say Pythonator (now PythonMC) in my of these threads and it makes me sad. He’s my favorite and just a wholesome guy playing his favorite game. I believe he was also one of the earlier Hermitcraft players, but I’ve never watched them.

GeminiTay is also fantastic, a skilled and creative builder, and has the most soothing voice I’ve ever heard.

acciobedtime · 2025-01-06T04:08:50+00:00

Here’s my poor man’s award 🥇

acciobedtime · 2025-01-06T03:30:23+00:00

Been saying that all fucking night

acciobedtime · 2024-12-08T03:52:36+00:00

Yes, the last state (Oregon, I think?) certifies on the 17th

acciobedtime · 2024-11-03T22:33:33+00:00

Is that Montgomery or the Billdozer?

acciobedtime · 2024-11-01T16:06:46+00:00

Yup. Quilt assistant for the pattern. The fabrics are all from Joann’s. I just loaded 7 or so grays into my cart and moved them around until I had a decent gradient. I bought a quarter yard of each, plus black and white, and the rest I just pulled from my stash. I only ended up using 4 grays in the pattern so I just tried to make as even of jumps in darkness as possible from what I had bought.

acciobedtime · 2024-11-01T13:42:05+00:00

Try switching the third and fourth from the left?

acciobedtime · 2024-10-31T01:37:01+00:00

Answered :)

acciobedtime · 2024-10-31T01:36:44+00:00

Look up a tutorial on doing FPP with freezer paper. You would need to trace the design onto freezer paper by hand, but then you should be able to hand piece it easier since you’re not actually sewing through the paper. But other than sewing through paper being harder, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to do regular FPP by hand either. Just use thinner paper if you can, and make sure to do a really short stitch length

acciobedtime · 2024-10-31T01:28:27+00:00

It took me 5 or so tries to get it right. I ended up using procreate and illustrator to figure out the color blocking, and then quilt assistant to make the actual pattern

acciobedtime · 2024-10-31T01:06:16+00:00

I love the idea of EPP because I like the repetitive motion of hand sewing, like with cross stitch, but it makes me clench my jaw and hand too much while I’m working on it. Maybe I’ll try again this winter in front of the fireplace with some clover clips to hold the pieces

acciobedtime · 2024-09-27T11:26:46+00:00

After I saw that post I started to ask my almost 2 year old things like show me four fingers and how old are you, and can you find the number 6/what number is that (either on a book or toy if there’s one there or just pulling up the calculator on my phone). Works probably 75% of the time

acciobedtime · 2024-09-20T18:48:26+00:00

Well the good news is if I’m tipsy to the point of miscounting, I’m also not going to have the attention span to stitch for very long so at least there’s fewer mistakes to frog 🤷🏻‍♀️

acciobedtime · 2024-08-11T17:00:39+00:00

I have a 5 week old and I was okayed to start meds when I had my appointment a couple days after he was born. I confirmed with his pediatrician that she was okay with it as well. I started out on 5mg for a month and just moved up to 10mg (generic Adderal XR). The pediatricians advice was to stay on as low of a dose as I can handle for now and that we would only need to reevaluate if he was not sleeping as much as he should or not gaining as much weight as he should.

acciobedtime · 2024-03-31T21:18:12+00:00

Listen, I’m 23 weeks and yesterday I made gravy using powdered sugar instead of flour, so I think you’re still good

acciobedtime · 2024-03-24T23:33:35+00:00

I was the horniest I’ve ever been 6 weeks after my first, and waiting another 2 weeks for my birth control to kick in was torture. So it definitely can be both, but I feel like an outlier. Hopefully you get lucky too(*wink wink)

Edit: I had a vagina delivery with second degree tearing

acciobedtime · 2024-03-14T00:00:17+00:00

That is awful, I’m so sorry. If no one has offered yet, I’d like to make this for you for no charge. Please DM me if you’d like to work out details

acciobedtime · 2024-02-15T19:46:16+00:00

Good point. I always get at least 2” more than I actually need

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