Tuesday, July 24, 2012

There's A Quilty App For That

A couple years ago, my office provided me with my first Mac computer. Add to that an iPhone and an iPad and you realize I am a Mac fanatic!

I've found a few quilty apps that have become go-to resources.

The first is QuiltingCalc by Robert Kaufman Fabrics. It's available in for the iPhone and in HD for an iPad. Enter the width of the fabric and the measurements of your quilt and it will tell you how much fabric you need for your backing. It also helps with calculations foe bindings, borders, triangles and square in squares. Plus you can view the latest Kaufman fabrics with this handy little app. Oh, and did I mention it's FREE!

My next favorite app is a toss up between Quick & Easy Quilt Block Tool by C&T Publishing, Inc ($3.99) and BlockFab by Mary Kay Podlecki (Free). Both provide a library of blocks that I browse when looking for ideas. There is very little overlap between the blocks listed in the two apps. Both provide calculations and cutting instructions based on the size and number of block you want to make. They also provide with layout options to give you an idea of what the finished quilt will look like.

The final app I will talk about is TouchDraw for the iPad ($8.99). I recently purchased this app and I am still learning the intricacies of the program, but several quilter's, most notably Lily's Quilts, has been using this app to create original designs. Pop over to her blog and check out her fabulous tutorials.

What about you? What quilty apps have you found helpful? No need to limit the discussion to just Mac users...are there handy quilt apps out there for other types of smart phones?


2 comments:

  1. I have an iPad, but haven't clicked with the quilty apps. I have the quilting calc, but have only played with it (my quilts are not structured enough that I need precise quantities, they have reached their size when I have run out of fabric!!) I bought an ebook about quilting, and haven't read that either! Although I LOVE my iPad, I think I prefer pen and paper for planning, and paper book for reading!

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  2. Thanks for the free app's links! Found you thru comments over at Jenell's Tech Help for Bloggers :) I do enjoy all the things that make quilting and blogging easier, especially when your standing at the cutting counter!

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