Quilting and Smart Phones

Smart phones have become a way of life for many people. Busy people use them to stay busier and relaxed people use them for enjoyment. No matter which group you fall into – or somewhere else in that broad spectrum – chances are you or someone you know has one of these phones.

Even if you are one of those people holding out, because you either despise technology or because you just aren’t ready for the investment, you can’t deny that these phones have some pretty handy apps.

C&T Publishing offers two applications that quilters should check into. You are probably familiar with C&T from their quilting (and other craft) books. They have entered the smart phone app world with two products – one for embroidery and one for quilting.

Actually, the embroidery app could easily apply to quilting. Anyone who appliques can benefit from the Embroidery Stitch Tool offered by C&T. Best selling author and embroiderer extraordinaire, Judith Baker Montano, gives the instructions for both left- and right-handed embroiderers.

The FREE app provides you with 10 stitches. While in the Free mode, you have the option of purchasing a complete series for three full features.

The first option is Beginning No. 1. It includes instruction for 60 basic stitches and 10 combination stitches. This option also includes information you might need relating to the proper choice of needles, tools, and fabrics.

Advanced No. 2 is the second option the app offers. Its focus is floral and freeform embroidery and includes instructions for more than 50 of these fancier stitches. This option also includes tips for choosing embroidery floss colors, storage of your floss, etc.

The third option – Silk Ribbon – gives instructions for this wonderful embellishment.  By practicing the more than 50 stitches on this app, you will be creating ribbon roses and braided borders in no time!

C&T Publishing also offers its Quick and Easy Quilt Block Tool as an app.  You can carry this handy quilting resource anywhere you can carry your smart phone!

The app gives rotary instructions for 102 popular pieced quilt blocks, each in five different sizes! You will also find cutting instructions and other handy reference material you can use on the go. One of the many convenient features of this app is its yardage requirement chart.

Another app on the market is a quilting calculator by Robert Kaufman. It was designed to figure your yardage, piece counts and more.

Still another app , FabricStash, helps keep your fabric organized. Maybe it keeps you from buying duplicate fabric, or maybe it encourages you to buy more. Either way, this app certainly sounds pretty handy. Simply snap a photo of each of your fabrics, then upload it into FabricStash.

The program allows you to add a variety of details about each uploaded photo.  The best part is that when you go fabric shopping, you can refer to this application to know what you already have and how much of it you have in stock. This will help you make better buying decisions in the future!

If you are new to quilting and sewing, you should consider adding Fabric U to your phone.  It’s just like its name implies – Fabric University. The app contains information about more than 120 well-known fabrics.

In addition to basic fabric info, Fabric U will help you select the best fabric for skirts, dresses, coats, curtains, totes, blouses, t-shirts and, of course, quilts.

There are so many ways to “quilt on the go” these days. Once that phrase simply meant making a quilt project block by block, anywhere, anytime. Now, you can design your next project, plan your fabric selection, calculate exactly which supplies and tools you might need – anywhere, anytime. Isn’t technology great?

© 2011-, Penny Halgren. This article courtesy of http://www.How-To-Quilt.com. You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain intact.