Creative Zen Touch Driver Windows 10
Ophelia Gurin
Click Here to learn more about QCT 5. This package includes the creative touch motor to drive your machine, belts to attach to your frame, and the software to pick designs and place them on your quilt as you saw in this video.
After another short wait while the software downloaded more magic, it prompted me to hit a button on the side of the QCT motor on the carriage. This will be located on the same side you have 2 cords coming out of the motor and plugging into the back of the longarm.
Another thing that changed is the way stitching in the ditch works. It is entirely dependent on how you place the design now. You cannot adjust the ditching line independently of the design. So if you resize a design to 5 inches, the ditch will stitch 5 inches around it.
Now I find hitting this at this stage makes the machine be a little weird. First it moves out, then it moves back, then it needles down / up, then it moves back again. Just kinda clunky, but it works.
If you are a beginner to computerized quilting or interested in learning more, you're in the right place! Quilter's Creative Touch (QCT) is Grace Company's quilting automation system. This system helps you quilt precisely and quickly using a computer to guide your machine on your quilting frame.
Whether you're new or experienced in quilting, this guide will help you get started computerized quilting. Within this QCT Help Tutorial, you'll find help setting up, managing your software, and troubleshooting common issues.
Affiliate Links - This post includes affiliate links to the products I personally use for computerized quilting. Clicking these links helps support our education efforts at no additional cost to you.
By attaching the QCT 6 system to your quilting frame, you'll be able to quickly and easily quilt edge-to-edge quilting designs. This computerized quilting program comes with over 100 designs installed and ready for basic all-over style quilting.
Quilters CreativeTouch software can be upgraded to access more designs and advanced computerized quilting features. In this short video, you can see the hundreds of quilting designs included with QCT 6 Plus and how the system works on your frame:
The software level I'm showcasing in the video above is for QCT 6 Plus. This level of the software gives you hundreds of new designs and the ability to import new digital quilting designs too.
Each software level has different features and designs. If you upgrade your software, but love edge-to-edge quilting with QCT 6, you can also switch back to the simpler version of the program to use your favorite placement and computerized quilting methods.
Note - Previous versions of QuiltMotion were compatible with a range of home sewing machines as well. If you are currently using QCT 5 with a home sewing machine other than the Little Rebel, do not update to QCT 6. Your sewing machine may not work with QCT 6.
The first step to computer quilting is to attach the system to your quilting frame. This computer quilting system is compatible with all current Grace frames and some older frames. Keep reading to see if your older Grace frame will work with QCT!
Qnique longarms and Little Rebel manuals include comprehensive steps to setting up your frame and automation in the correct order. Take your time completing all the steps to add your drive motor, timing belts, and computer tablet bracket to your machine and quilting frame.
If you have purchased your machine, frame, and QCT at the same time, you will use all 3 manuals at the same time to assemble your quilting system. It will feel a bit like reading a "choose your own adventure" book.
This video is from 2019, so it is a little dated now. I've edited the video down to an overview of adding Quilter's CreativeTouch to your quilting frame. This video will allow you to see if adding QCT to your quilting frame is something you want to do. Please watch this even if you plan to ask a friend or hubby to build your quilting system:
Note - Some of the steps, like threading the belts, have changed since 2019. Grace Company continues to improve Quilter's Creative Touch, our instruction manuals and processes. Make sure to follow the manuals for your quilting frame, longarm, and QCT carefully to assemble your particular quilting system.
Since becoming a Grace Company dealer in 2018, I've helped many quilters with Quilter's Creative Touch. This system can be intimidating with the number of pieces and extra brackets included. The key to mastery is to not be afraid of it and having your hands in on the build is very important.
You should be prepared to build your computer quilting system yourself. Ask for help when lifting your longarm machine, of course! By building the system yourself, you're far less likely to be intimidated by it. Keep in mind, computer quilting requires you to do far more than tighten some bolts. You'll also need to be able to update your software, maintain the drivers, and do firmware updates.
By the way - we include all the brackets for our current quilting frames and a few older frames too. This means you will have LOTS of pieces left over from your Quilter's Creative Touch assembly. Stick the extra pieces in a box in the back of a closet. You never know when you'll upgrade from a Evolution Hoop to an Evolution Elite frame and you might just need a different bracket!
This is a great question too! All of the quilting frames listed are at least compatible with the Little Rebel Sewing Machine. Your frame may be compatible with a Q'nique too, but we'll need to double check just to be sure.
Quilter's Creative Touch software is specifically designed for computerized quilting on a frame. If you are looking for software to design a patchwork quilt, I recommend exploring Electric Quilt software instead.
Click Here to find the computer tablet I'm using and currently recommended for QCT by Grace Company Tech Support. Note: The Surface Pro 9 5G and Surface Pro X will not work with QCT.
Quilter's Creative Touch comes with a tablet bracket that adjusts to fit screen sizes from 10 to 12 inches. Most computer tablet screens are measured diagonally, so any computer listed as measuring 11.5 - 13.75 inches diagonally will fit the QCT bracket.
Follow the steps in this video to manage your QCT software. As of June 2024, you can update any level of QCT 4 or QCT 5 to QCT 6.00.60. The beginning of the video shows you exactly what to expect as you update your software to the latest version:
QCT 6 Pro + Gold Card - A Gold Card subscription gives you access to even more creative features! Pattern Eclipse allows you to cut out designs around appliques or blocks - filling the design inside or outside of a shape as desired. Other features include a font stitcher, borders and corners designer, corner maker, and multi-pattern placement options.
Whether you are brand new to quilting on a frame, or you're an experienced longarm quilter, it's a good idea to thoroughly test your machine with regular free motion quilting before turning on the QCT software. You are smarter than the computer and will be able to see if your machine is having issues.
Computerized quilting software is not like embroidery software - it cannot detect thread breaks or needle breaks. You must keep an eye on your quilting machine for this reason and be on the lookout for issues like skipped stitches or breaking thread.
For this reason, first prepare your machine for quilting by winding a fresh bobbin, threading your machine carefully, and installing a new needle. I've created two videos to guide you through all the steps I take when getting to know a new quilting machine. Click Here to find a tutorial on beginner longarm quilting.
Skipping stitches is an especially hazardous issue when a computer is moving your machine. The very first quilt block I stitched with QCT I broke a needle! Learn why this issue happened to me and the simple solution in this video:
My first broken needle on my Qnique 21 longarm could have been avoided if I'd thoroughly tested my stitches before turning on my computer. The machine will stitch with free motion quilting identical to how it quilts with quilt motion. This means if you have an obstruction bumping your encoders, it will show up as a skipped stitch area when you try to quilt any design across your quilt.
Make sure to watch all of the videos on the Beginner Longarm Quilting post. Some steps may seem silly - like winding a fresh bobbin with a new spool of thread - but they are very important for the troubleshooting process.
When using QCT 6, you will have an option to change your settings on the E2E Start Stitching Screen. Check the upper bar and tap on "Settings." I adjust my settings to have 15 stitches per inch and 2 tie offs. I also keep the pull bobbin thread steps on, but you're welcome to turn it off if you find it annoying.
When using QCT 6 Plus, Pro, or Gold, the settings menu looks a little different. Find the "settings" button on the upper bar of the Power Placement screen. When the screen opens, you have lots of options and here is how I change the settings:
Here is a screenshot of my settings for Quilter's Creative Touch. My Qnique 21X Elite longarm has a lot of power and can stitch very fast. I personally prefer to set the speed for computer quilting to "slow" and with the smallest stitch length - 15 stitches per inch. I also change the tie-off stitch count to 2 stitches with the "micro stitch" option.
Solution - You need to select the machine you're using so the software can communicate with it. To make this change, close QCT and unplug the USB cord from your machine. Open the program again and tap "Ok" to begin Simulation Mode.
If you need to make changes to your quilting frame or sewing machine, you can do so from this page. You may get a warning message that your program will close if you make a change. That's just fine - it's why we're in simulation mode!
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