What are ‘add-on’s’ and what will they do for us? An add-on is an additional feature that when added to a program it will expand it’s capabilities. This is what we have with EQStitch because it was added on to the EQ7 program. EQStitch can not stand alone and operate. It must be added to EQ7 to work. There are also add-on products that can be added to the EQ7 quilt design software. The big advantage of having an add-on program is that you can use items from the core program in the new add-on program without having to purchase new features. We can use the blocks and images from EQ7 as the basis of a new stitched design in EQStitch. This is a great feature for me because I can not draw. I am really good at tracing something that is all ready there or editing something that is all ready provided. But, ask me to create something from scratch, especially using freehand drawing methods, and I am stopped cold. I am not an artist! I am a sewer who likes to create artistic items with the aid of my computer software programs and the computerized embroidery machine. Is this true for you also?
At this time there are 4 add-on EQStitch design packs available. I have digitized each of them to follow a theme. You can find them at the EQ website. These are more than just the designs. The entire project file is a part of the package. Because you have the project file they were created with, you will be able to edit them any way you wish. You can resize, take apart, recolor, merge with other designs, or whatever you wish when you have the project file along with the designs ready to stitch.
I am challenging myself to create at least two new add-on stitch file packages each year for you. I do have a few ideas about what I would like to consider producing, but I would always prefer to hear from the users what they want to have. There is no sense in me producing things that have a very limited amount of people wanting to use them. So, I am asking for your help. Please respond to this blog and let me know what you would like to see next. The sky is the limit in what we can do with our EQStitch program. Inspiration is what I need.
08-30-2015
10:24 am
What I want first is a Mac version. I can’t use any of this yet on my Mac EQ7. PLEASE! pretty please.
08-30-2015
11:52 am
This EQStitch program was made by a third party and it costs a fortune to create and even make changes to the simple program. To ask them to recreate it and make changes as we discover what we want added to both the PC program and a second MAC program would involve a much higher cost to the user for the product. I can not speak for the company, but I suspect this will not happen. Mac users can run a parallels program on their computer to partition the hard drive and then be able to use the EQStitch program on their Mac.
08-30-2015
12:03 pm
Thanks for reminding us that we can make our own designs using EQStitch. I have made several designs as well as whole cloth quilts, using EQStitch, making my own designs. Thanks for the reminder for all of us.
08-30-2015
2:28 pm
You are so right – add-ons are a wonderful way to increase tools and the usefulness of our programme. I just wish we in the UK could buy these Downloads! *** Vat rules!!
08-30-2015
4:19 pm
Tutto molto bello, è acquistabile in Italia? se solo in USA è proprio poco, l’usa non è tutto il mondo!
08-30-2015
6:08 pm
Nella-I don’t know Italian or how to get it translated for you. Perhaps some one else knows how and can do it for you.
08-30-2015
9:59 pm
I would like an English Paper Piecing module. Where you could create shapes, move them about the design board, colour and resize them; then print them with and without a chosen seam allowance (1/4′ 3/8″ 1/2″)
THAT would be awesome!
08-31-2015
7:33 am
Dianne–English paper piecing is a quilting technique done by hand stitching. I am teaching and designing add-on projects for EQStitch which is dedicated to the embroidery machine creating designs to stitch in the hoop. I can make a ‘faux’ paper piece design, but it is not for piecing but for the embroidery hoop.
08-31-2015
6:26 am
Yvonne – you can use Google Translate ( https://translate.google.com/) to convert one language to another.
Enter the text in the box presented, choose the language and then select translate.
It translated Nella’s comment as – All very nice, is sold in Italy? if only in the US is just a little, the use is not the world!
I think she is asking if it’s sold in Italy or if it’s only sold in the US. I’m even having difficulty finding it in UK at a reasonable price. Importing it from US adds Import VAT and then an additional admin cost to the price so I’m still deciding whether to buy it or not as I have other digitizing software, but love EQ7.
08-31-2015
7:34 am
Thanks Anne! That VAT tax is a real problem for the European countries. It makes things extremely expensive.
08-31-2015
8:43 am
Yvonne,
I have been impressed by EQStitch, and by your writings about it. I have not found what type of embroidery machine you use.
The power of EQStitch is such that I wonder about the engine behind it. Are you familiar with 5D Embroidery? Or 6D Premier? The reason I ask: It seems to me that EQStitch (EQS) approximates the capabilities of those “high-end” programs. I use both of these, but can say I am thoroughly impressed by EQS!
I look forward to your comments!
Al
08-31-2015
10:38 am
Hello Al. I use the Brother line of machines. I have several of them. With embroidery programs today it doesn’t make any difference what machine type you have as the program writes all the file formats except .ART for the early model Bernina machines. I am familiar with the full package 6D Digitizing program. EQStitch is a basic entry level auto digitizing program and does not compare to the full package digitizing programs. It is meant for the beginner digitizer. If you want all the full features you need to purchase the very expensive larger programs. Having said that, I do own the larger digitizing programs also and often use the artwork from EQ to digitize in my other programs.
08-31-2015
12:38 pm
Thanks, Yvonne!
Although EQStitch is “entry level”, it is amazing how capable it is! I also love that it is connected to EQ7, and that EQ7 can read embroidery files.
Thank you for all you show us with EQStitch, Yvonne!
Al
09-01-2015
8:27 am
Could I do a cross stitch sampler in EQStitch? I love the look but can’t do a lot of handwork anymore.
09-01-2015
9:29 am
Carol–Yes you can do a small amount of cross stitch but it is very difficult in EQStitch. You need to plot each and every point of the ‘X’. With so many points, the program gets easily overwhelmed. It is a nightmare to go back and edit the stitches. I think I would not try it in this beginner level basic auto-digitizing program.
09-20-2015
3:15 pm
As you already know Yvonne, the difficulty of the European Vat means we can’t buy downloads from EQ, which is a great pity and renders a huge difficulty for us Europeans to continuing our EQ journey as even the EQ University courses are now forbidden to us. EQ is the only US company that I have found that can’t sell to Europe so I really hope they find a way (and the will) to sort this out.
However, I am (and I am sure many others are) very grateful for this series of learning articles which does help our progress – Thank you
09-20-2015
3:41 pm
Hi Toni! I understand your frustration. I believe the EQ company looked into how to handle this issue of the European VAT tax. It is my understanding that in order to have downloads available to you, the EQ company would have to pay a huge registration fee to comply with the European VAT tax codes and to stay current each year with the regulations forced upon them. This would make the cost of the EQ programs very prohibitive for the users in Europe. The issue is with the regulations in Europe and not with the EQ company. I wish there was a cost effective way of working with this issue, but so far there has not been a good answer to the problem