I've enjoyed reading this thread. I use Jane Greenhoff's CrossStitch Pattern Creator 2 (version 1.0). I've been thinking about upgrading recently, but on the whole I really like what I have and would be a bit scared of losing it. The main issues, and the reasons I am considering an update, are:
- there can only be one instance of the programme running at once (I like to make different versions of a design and compare them)
- I have to have the CD in the computer to run it.
Once upon a time this would have been standard, how times change
- I'd like a more up-to-date thread palette, another vote here for variagated threads.

I agree with the comments about the erratic undo function. To this day, I have not worked out how to undo backstitches at all. The nearest I have got to this is to put cross stitches on top of the erronious backstitches, which sort of hides them, but it's not ideal. Also, I sometimes find drawing tool selection a little clumsy. Both of these I can live with, though. It's a shame there are no evenweave options, but it does at least have linen.

I don't trust either the onscreen or printed colour representations to be accurate, but that's not just the software and I wouldn't rely on the colour representation whatever the programme. I have a DMC colour card to look up colours more accurately.

Other than that I've learned the hard way that it's best to use image manipulation packages to clean a photo up before importing it as a pattern. The only photo I've imported which I got right almost straight away was a very old and very simple black and white portrait.

I've been cross stitching from patterns for years but every time I try a demo for a program to convert my own images it doesn't have all the capabilities as a full program and I cannot afford to buy every one out there. It's hard to tell which one to go for because of that. What would you all suggest as the best program for someone who likes highly complex/advanced, realistically-detailed patterns that can take upwards of two years to complete? I'm the kind of person who finds Dimensions Gold Kits to be too easy if that's any indication, and I build custom stretcher frames just to house the cloth for the size of patterns I love (the next one I will do is a ~2'x4' swan). Anyway it's hard to tell which program would handle that level of difficulty when they only let you see a fraction of each programs capabilities.

I'd love to know what actual users would suggest!

Thanks
Temy

There's one problem though - what's HAED?

And yes I go for the complexity of 40+ colours (not including blended threads), mixed stitches, and massive cloths that have to be special ordered. But every program i've done trials of has been no more complex than a few colours and regular cross and half stitches...so I'm looking for advice on what can handle making something almost photorealistic in a way.

I'll take a look at pc stitch 10 though - downloading a trial of it now to see if it's better than the last time I looked (somewhere between version 6 and .

Thanks

Temy

PS - I have now tried the demo for PC Stitch 10 and have had to email the makers because sadly the program crashes with my images when I try to add halfstitches (it doesn't like the complexity at a 700+ stitch size). If they don't have a fix for that I won't be able to use that program and will have to keep looking. it's fine for straight up cross stitches but not half, straight, or french knots.

well i use DP software and i say my charts are just as good as 'haeds' it does what i need it to do and have used it for over 10 years
yes its a little pricey but to me so worth it
my max design is 1200 x 1200

I think the problem you are running into is the fact that you are using a demo. It is not going to give you all of the functions that you are asking for because it is just suppose to let you have a peek at what the program can do. If they allowed all of the function on the demo option then why would anyone want to buy the regular product. I have used PC Stitch for many years and all ofthe functions you mentioned work wonderfully.

Well...If it is the demo that's the problem, then the company will get back to me with that information as confrimation in which case PC Stitch would work. I'll have to take a look at HAED - this is the first I've heard of them but their homepage looks like they have my kind of work. I built my computer specifically to handle graphic and audio strain so it wouldn't crash during 3D modeling work or intense gaming sessions but a demo program not designed for someone pushing it to its limits may be possible and I've found Win7 itself only can take so much. I'll see what the company says on Monday. If it's a demo thing I may spend the 50 usd to get it and just try not to be so hard on the software.

Skitzzzzz what did you mean by DP Software?

thats the software i use to create my charts i have posted in this topic about it there is a demo you could try from the web site
just the right thing for me everyone has there own tastes - i needed a specific chart at the time and after trying multiple this one served my needs and its the one i have stuck with

I'll see if I can find it in the posts then - I just tried the demo for PC Stitch at a 400 x 250 stitch count (average pattern size) and tried to test the auto-backstitch function again and it crashed again so if that's not a demo problem or fixable then it's always good to have alternatives!

Okay good news - the DP Cross Stitch Pro Platinum Plus worked beautifully! Here's the question though - There seems to be only two options for autobackstitch - I can't figure out how to work the "auto backstitch outline" and the other one does way too much so I may end up doing all my backstitching setup by hand (not a big deal). I'm curious about the outline function though - do you know how that works?

I managed to play around with it enough to know I'd probably rarely use the function except as a guide to where I might want to put my lines (seeings how it only seems to do black and I prefer blending to the pattern's colours). I like that if I do it the slow way I can pick my own colours by just clicking the matching ones down the left side - very handy!

For the most part this looks like the program I'd want - though at 3 times the price it has the stability I'd want as well. It did have one issue where in loading the picture if I did something like increased the size on a highly detailed picture it crashed...repeatedly...and would bog down if I even added 50 stitches to the stitchlength but as long as I'm reasonable with the program it seems to do okay and it may just be the demo version that's having issues.

the auto backstitch - use the area select then auto backstitch - this software has lots of options you just have to play around with it even now some of the options i still haven't used even after all these years
back stitch can be in any colour
as for the crashing i am unsure ?
mine is very stable and i have windows 7 64 bit
yes it is expensive but its what i wanted
Dave is very good at helping and you can email him straight from the software thats in the help

Hi All

Simple question I hope, are any Windows 7 software packages available for designing patterns.

Many Thanks

This may be a silly question- but are these programs set up for designing patterns or are they more for uploading and converting an image into a stitch pattern?
My hardanger instructor hand drew the chart for our class on graph paper. Its been the same pattern she has used for her beginners class for 10 years. Each week, she has said it would be nice if she upgraded to an electronic version of the chart. I would like to try converting it into a stitch program.. but don't want to buy a program just for one chart. And don't want to buy a program only to fight with trying to design a chart from scratch when it is mainly set for converting images and doing minor adjustments.

And do these programs handle projects other than cross stitch? Can I even create a hardanger pattern?

Maggie they are set-up to do both you can create from scratch or you can in put an image and have the program set it up for you. Then if you want to tweek the image you still can make changes.

Most of the programs are equipped with specialty stitches but as far as Hardanger since I am not that type o stitcher I have never tried to make that type of pattern. But Mable makes her patterns on a program so the option must be there.

I use a very old secondhand copy of Jane Greenoff's cross stitch program (no longer made, I think, it's an old version) which I use for hardanger although it's not ideal. It does some filling stitches but I didn't like them so created my own using backstitch, also for the Kloster blocks (just use varying thicknesses). It does do "cut areas", that is to say you can remove the grid lines from a selected area so it looks empty or cut. I think most cross stitch programmes could probably handle that sort of thing.
I can export the chart in their own format or as a .jpg, I think, but actually I create mine from screengrabs and save them as .png, which I find works better
Good luck!

Thanks ladies- this may be one of the things I'll play around with after all this Christmas busy-ness is done. My second level hardanger class will be starting at the end of January.. so I have some time to compare/ contrast the different programs.

I might have to try this one

I was given this program a few years back as a gift. At the time, I had put down my stitching but treasured the gift. I pulled it out a week or so ago, downloaded on my Vista. No problems there. With not being a computer expert, I need to have a step by step manual to operate it. First try in importing a picture for a design, I found that it did not layout the graft with speciality stitches. (1/4, 1/2 etc). Operator error, I know.
If you haven't tried the program, I would suggest checking out the free trail online.

Actually I am not sure there are any programs out there that will do 1/4 or 1/2 stitches automatically. Those stitches would have to be added indiviually. That is part of the tweeking process.

Hello Everyone
I've just registered to ask a different question but found this topic first. I've purchased PC Stitch 10 and uploaded photo's of my 5 grandchildren. I've changed the photo's a lot before loading them into PC Stitch but still cannot get real life colours within the key. I end up with purples, greens etc - nothing realistic. Can anyone help with this please?

I have the DMC Cross Stitch Pattern Designer, it's quite an old disc but can't get on with it.

I use the Janet Greenoff pattern designer again an older version, it's the blue one, I do find I have to alter the photo and keep importing the image until the colour palette looks right.

Hello Solitaire
I agree that you have to keep importing tweaked photo's. I've tried using a different scanned normal picture and the thread choices the software gives are still wrong. I was wondering if it was just photo's that came out abnormal colours.
I emailed PC Stitch and their advice is that you have to keep changing the original photo to get true colours in threads. This doesn't really help as monitors can make the photo look correct, but when uploaded into PC Stitch it all goes wrong.
I'm of the opinion now that its best to just get a graph of your photo thru' the software and then choose your own natural colours and replace them for the ones that are completely not true in the printed thread list. The symbols can then still be used but with the colour of your choice. Otherwise you can spend weeks changing the photo and still not get a true natural colour reproduction.
I'm not as impressed with the software I've purchased as I would like - perhaps I'm asking too much, but I've not seen any software package that states how much trouble it is to get a true reproduction of a face.
Best of luck