[.ca] Animal Kingdom CD-ROM: More Than 100 Blocks to Paper Piece (ISBN 156477418X)

Lazy publication, Disappointed:
You buy a program that will print paper pieced creatures, then you learn once you start printing that WHOA! this author didn't even bother to make the printout user friendly!!! She chose to limit the sizes of the blocks but for crying out loud there is PLENTY of room on an 8x11.5 sheet of printer paper to break down the patterns so I don't have to cut, add on boarders, etc etc. This author requires an editor that quilts and won't let such over sights go to press.

Moderately useful:
This software includes all the patterns from _The Quilter's Ark_, pluse some new patterns, including DINOSAURS for your little boy! (So many quilts look feminine that this is a bonus!) However, I am getting indifferent results on my computer. It takes forever for the patterns to print, and some, like the flying eagle, will not print at all. I have no problem with the limited sizes, but I do wish that the author had broken the patterns down into sections and included the standard 1/4 inch seam allowances for each one.

In NO way would this particular CD ever replace a book:
Animal Kingdom is a CD inside a full-color cardboard sleeve. There are 2 pictures of a dolphin project on the sleeve, and several color photographs of blocks on the front "cover". The rest of the projects are shown strictly by a small color line drawing. I can't say that I'm very impressed with this CD at all. The patterns are definitely cute, although a lot of the design features come from embroidery, and not from piecing the features in. I haven't tried printing any patterns yet because our printer is hooked up to the other computer, and apparently I can't save any patterns onto a floppy. Not impressed. The patterns should have had the seam allowance included, and the multi-piece patterns should print that way - we should NOT have to cut the pattern apart after printing, and add seam allowance. There should have been WAY more color photographs of the patterns, and suggestions for projects - theres lots of room on a CD for these things. Instead of having an index with all the blocks listed (whereby you could pick which one you want to work with) - you get to figure out which section your block falls into alphabetically: Australian Magpie - Butterfly ... Camel - Cow ... etc. etc. etc. I have to say - that is one ODD "index". There are some excellent instructions on the CD, but you have to choose from 3 instruction categories, and then use arrows to get to your page - you can't directly access the page you want. Again - this is is an extremely odd and inefficient way to do things. If this CD is the "new wave" of crafting books, then it either needs a LOT of work, or else its going to go the way of Beta video recorders. The *concept* of a book on a CD is a good one, but the product - in this particular case - needs a lot of work.

Terrific ideas and instructions:
This is a really wonderful book. The directions are excellent. I found it inspired a lot of creativity. Even if you're not a paper-piecer, you'll find the animals just too cute and engaging not to just give it a try.

It's about PAPER PIECING!:
I just wanted to point out to several of the previous reviewers, and prospective purchasers, that these patterns are meant to be paper-pieced (also known as foundation-pieced). You do not need to cut the pattern apart and add 1/4" seam allowances. You sew your fabric to the paper, in the order given, and then trim the excess down to a 1/4" seam (best done using an Add-A-Quarter ruler). If you don't know how to foundation piece, google it. It's a great method that results in very precise seams and points, and allows you to make some great shapes you couldn't make with regular piecing.