BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Embroidery hand embroidery software

hi,
i am an embroider that is looking for a software for HAND embroidery.it would be nice if it worked much like pc stitch.i will buy it if someone has a copy to sell. pegasus@xcelco.on.ca

I have replied direct to your email addy.

Are you talking about freestyle embroidery, or cross stitch?

As far as I know, there is no software that will design freestyle hand embroidery. Basically, all you need is your fabric and a piece of tracing paper.

Megan,
I have replied to charon direct. If one has a scanner and a picture that one wants to embroider all one would need I think is a scanner,
print the picture on iron transfer, and iron the picture on the embroidery cloth. This does not tell one which colours or numbers of thread to use, that is for the individual to sort.
I do not live in Canada so I can't really give much more advice. Anyone who can?

Yup, Fritsau, that is really all you can do if you want to use a computer to design hand embroidery.

I usually dont go to those lengths - its often easier to just trace using carbon paper, or one of the many time-tried methods to get the pattern onto the fabric.

With freestyle hand embroidery, one of the most fun parts is the choosing of colours and the stitches to use! Or at least that's what I think.

I'm with Megan that, in general, it's easier to trace, if you want an outline. I don't like the hand of fabric after the computer iron on transfer has been applied.

However, that doesn't work if you want to print an image and embellish it. I'm wondering if anyone has tried embroidering on any of the print on fabrics? Some of the higher quality ones look like they might be nice to work with, but since you usually have to buy a 5 or 10 pack, experimentation would get expensive fast.

Julie

I've never heard of them, actually. WHat do they usually cost and where can you get them?

hi,
thanks for helping. i have been at this for some time, but i am still looking. software for this could be used for hand, crewel, liquid painting(like paint by number) or needlepunch and so on the ways are endless.
i did find a program that can convert an image into a black and white line drawing but it is rough at best but you can judge for youself go to thinker software and download the conversion software and have fun. i did

The printable fabric starts at about US$2 for a letter size sheet (slightly smaller than A4), usually cotton, though you can buy a 8 1/2" by 120" roll of silk haboti for $25 (hmmm)

They have them at all the big US chain fabric and craft stores - like JoAnn

I've heard that you can print on heavily starched fabric cut into paper sized sheets as well, but I've also heard that it can damage your printer, so I don't want to risk it.

Julie

Hi guys! I just found this forum discussion. I've got a computer programme called Cross # Stitch Studio. You import your image and it turns it into a cross stitch pattern.

I haven't used this software yet, but since I like freestyle hand embroidery, my plan was to scan it in, but use freestyle stitches to fill the design in.

This programme is by mindscape. www.mindscape.com is written on the box. I don't remember where I bought it, cause I've had it for awhile. I'll get around to using it one day!

I just noticed that it says here on the box that there are more than 5,600 patterns on here. Wow! I'd better get busy. And, it also says on the box that this is the 2004 edition, so there might be an updated version by now.

Happy stitching!

I'm now into machine embroidery, but did freestyle hand embroidery for quite a while. I've got a program photoS from caricature software
http://www.caricature-software.com
and used it to create outlines from my photographs (I do a lot of photographing as well).

I use a pencil that is meant for transferring quilt patterns. The only problem with this is it doesn't wash out completely so you have to make sure you cover it with your embroidary.

I have also found that line drawings of most any kind are good to use as an embroidary patteran. I have some books my Mom gave me that are actually patterns for painting. I have also even used coloring books to make samplers for babies. Another source are books from Dover, they have alot of coloring books that have historical scense in them.

Lisa, I totally agree with you. I also use a transfer pencil when I have one (they can be hard to find).

It's always fun to use colouring books for embroidery for kids - and even for some fantasy embroidery!

My daughter and I love to play video games. I want to make up a pattern of Mario from Super Mario 3 and embroider it. I imagine to get the scene I want, I will have to play the game and pause it in places to pull the image I want. I had been thinking of doing a pattern in the shape of a sampler. I have a HUGE pad of tracing paper, I could just tape it to the screen and trace what I want.

I have just visited Mindscape. Interesting it opens in French, but if one clicks on the British flag it reopens in English. If one clicks on the Australian flag it also opens in English, but seems to offer different programs. For good measure I also went to the Dutch and the German version. These last 2 advertise the cross stitch program, the other versions did not, although I have to confess I did not try out the French version.
Frits

[i][b][size:14pt]Hi Charon,
Funny thing that is what I have just been doing looking for another hand embroidery software package. I too have PCStitch Pro and have spent many hours converting my photos into cross stitch patterns, but like you I would like to create other types of embroidery stitch patterns also importing photos and creating these patterns instead of searching out books etc.

There must surely be other software like PCStitch Pro out there, so I will continue to trawl the net to discover them, will let you know if I have any luck.
Regards
Chris darvell[/size][/b][/i]

Thanks to provide me this information. I will keep this in my mind.

I agree 100%, thanks for sharing Quality.
Good luck for next and thanks once again.

I use Pattern Maker for Cross Stitch ( Hobbyware )

I've tried lots of other software, but this is the one i like best.
It has a fully featured 4 day trial.

For freestyle stitching, it is much easier to use traditional tracing paper, or hand sketching to do your pattern. Basically, for freestyle, you really want the outline for your fabric, and this can be put on any paper or media and then trasnferred to the fabric.

Sometimes, the old fashioned way is the best!