~*Hello*~!! So here is some very important filter plugins to have if you use Photoshop: http://www.xero-graphics.co.uk/freeware.htm these are invaluable when creating textures and photos! I use these more often than any other plugins. Another program which is free software is Imagelys. SImiliar to other graphics programs but with an awesome make seamless feature. It actually lets you fill the screen with your texture and then vertically and Horizontally merge it to be seamless. http://www.imagelys.com/ It is frustrating when you first set out to create and do not find everything condensed in one place.To all who design, I hope these are helpful and I would love designers to share tips and tricks! I will share one of mine: After I make a seamless texture and save it as 1024x1024, I go to edit in photoshop and scroll down to save it as a pattern, define pattern and I name it. I then doubleclick to unlock my layer, on the layer tab to right..Then I click again to bring up the menu and choose pattern overlay.I pick the same pattern as what is on my screen. I drag my 2nd layer above the original in the layer window and play around with all the controls to get some very cool fabric effects and some very real 'cloth' like texture to my texture. now click inside the box where it says pattern overlay and a new menu screen will open showing the pattern you picked in a little box. the slider underneath will size and resize the pattern. Now the fun part! Play around with all the controls inside the layers menu! Next to each option you can click in the box which tells what each option is, like drop shadow,color, etc. and access secondary controls for those options! This is invalauable to know when creating clothing! When you have it as you like it, go to layer menu up top of screen and remember to merge layers. Save it as you wish with a new name. After saving, go to edit tab and you can undo the merge to do more cool things to your texture! Have fun and maybe, I am still trying to find some time, I may start a blog that will encompass all aspects of designing with all the links and info in one place!