Wednesday, July 28, 2010

QuiltFab 3.0 now available!

QuiltFab 3.0 [App Store link] is now available in the App Store! Read on for more detail on what is new in this version.

The first thing you'll notice is the completely redesigned set of screens. This new design uses a more standard table format, allowing for a flatter navigation model. In other words, you can get to the information you want faster. All input information is available from the main table or list. It may take some getting used to, but I hope you like it and find it easier to use.

Secondly, you'll notice that there is no more typing of sizes and counts. Instead, you use the pickers, which look a lot like twirling slot machines. Sizes can be entered in fractions of inches, or tenths of centimeters. That's right, this version supports metric measures! (This has been a requested feature from our sister quilters in Japan and Australia. Thanks, Debbie in Japan and Elva in Australia, for your input on how this should work.)

Next, the setting triangles feature from QuiltRef has been included. It not only determines the size of the squares to make for cutting into corner and side setting triangles, but it also determines the total amount of fabric needed.

A third border is now included, so your quilt can inched 0, 1, 2, or 3 borders. Since some quilters prefer to work with a quilt size before the borders are added, and some quilters like to specify the final quilt size, both options are now available.

Finally, a table of U.S. mattress sizes and quilt sizes for them are included. And each computed fabric amount has an associated explanation of how that amount was arrived at.

Now QuiltFab 3.0 has a look and feel that is similar to its newer companion app, BockFab, which computes fabric needs for a library of traditional grid-based blocks and patch shapes, as well as allowing you to try some quilt layouts. Together, they aim to help you dream, plan, and complete your next quilt project!