> ~ Insights by SewCalGal ~

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

What are you going to do...pre-EQ7?

Do you EQ?
I EQ do you?



You may already have EQ7 and think this post doesn't apply to you, but on the other hand it might.  Or, you may have some great insights to share to help others (and I welcome your comments). But ultimately, I'm writing this post for those that do not yet have EQ7.

If you are new to EQ,  I'd like to recommend that you:
1) read the most recent  EQ newsletter online.  And, sign up to get copies via email by clicking here or or email customerservice@electricquilt.com with your full name and email and let us know you'd like to subscribe.  The EQ Newsletter is a great source for current insights about EQ.  SewCalGal highly recommends it for all EQ users.

2) sign up for the EQ-Info email.  Very insightful.

3) become a fan(like) of EQ on Facebook, as well as EQ the Mouse.  Both are great ways to have fun and get insights from EQ and fans.












4)  Take time to read the FAQ on the EQ site.  Great wealth of insights.

5)  Check out the EQ Blog.

6) Enjoy watching some fun youtube videos

7) Check out Club EQ.  Great club that inspires and facilitates learning.

8)  Download Free projects from EQ and when you have your software loaded and have a few minutes, play with these exercises.  Great way to learn.

9)  Get inspired by checking out the gallery of projects on the EQ Site.  The Virtual Quilter is a blogger that has many beautiful quilt designs, which she designed using EQ6. 

10) Learn more about EQ by going thru the free exercises that come in the manual with your EQ software, as well as additional online exercises that are all free.  I've been going thru the Benni Harper Mystery Lessons recently and found them very helpful, as well as great fun.


















These lessons are all based on an award winning mystery writer, Earlene Fowler, author of the popular Benni Harper mysteries.  Each lesson shares insight on a particular novel, and provides an excellent lesson on using EQ6.  To clarify, while these lessons may have been written for EQ6, like the companion books for EQ6, all are applicable to EQ7. 

To clarify, if you have EQ6 and are waiting on the arrival of EQ7, and have not yet completed the Benni Harper lessons, you may want to take time now.  Even if you pursue these lessons in EQ6, your insights will carry forward to EQ7.  And, if you do not have EQ6, and are waiting for EQ7, you may want to review these lesson exercises online and prepare to follow these exercises when you have received EQ7.  To clarify, the little time it takes to review these lessons online is well worth it!

Actually, EQ has many online lessons that are perfect for those using EQ6, or EQ7.  And, these lessons are so well written that they are excellent reading material for those waiting for EQ7 to arrive.

EQ7 is an amazing product that "added" some fun functionality to EQ6 (e.g. Swath features, photo features, etc), as well as many improvements to existing capabilities.  Thus, the existing EQ6 companion manuals are still fantastic manuals for EQ6 and EQ7 users.  I highly recommend these books for all EQ6/EQ7 users. 

EQ is working hard to ship early orders of EQ7, and upgrade packages to EQ7, as well as accept new orders.   Based on the recent newsletter from EQ, it looks like EQ is working hard to ship orders, but it may take until early July to get all orders shipped.   Still, SewCalGal recommends if you have not yet placed an order for EQ7 and are interested, go ahead.  EQ7 is worth the wait!

And, while you wait, remember you can practice with prior releases of EQ (if you have them), as well as read the EQ newsletter, online lessons, and the EQ6 companion books (which are applicable to EQ7).

This is certainly going to be an exciting summer with EQ7.  And I think the Electric Quilt Company has released another fantastic product, with an amazing product introduction. ...and waiting a few weeks to get EQ7 is certainly worth the wait!  But if you are waiting, or learning to use EQ7, I hope these tips help. 

If you have other tips to share, please feel free to post a comment and share your thoughts.




2 comments:

Pat said...

Thanks, Darlene, for links to other areas that might help me improve my success with EQ7. I clicked "LIKE" on them and tried to figure out how to sign up for the newsletter...couldn't figure that out, so I just bookmarked the page and guess I'll have to try to remember to check there periodically. (Can you tell me HOW to sign up for the newsletter?? Maybe it was there and I missed the sign-up section??)

SewCalGal said...

Note for others, as I did respond directly to Pat on her above questions. To sign up for the EQ Newsletter, when you visit the current EQ newsletter online @ http://www.electricquilt.com/Users/News/current.asp there is a blue box in the upper right hand corner and a hyperlink that says subscribe. Click on it to subscribe. It will take you to this page (http://www.electricquilt.com/Users/News/subscribe.asp) where you can provide your contact info to get an electronic copy when it is published.