Pattern Making Programs

[bookknurd]

I've done a bit more experimenting with MacStitch and was able to make my first pattern. Mind you, it's very basic, just text in a cool font.

I'll be experimenting with photos/artwork sometime soon.

I'll still be trying a demo of PC Stitch, to see which I like better. I wanted to collaborate with my mom, and she has a PC, so that might be the way to go.

[thegrindre]

I'm using KG-Stitch as well. It's free and does the job quite nicely.
My latest frog pattern was made with KG-Stitch and was very easy to learn.
One of the things I like best about it is all of the types of save options you have.
You can save your work as a virtual finished project or as a low density color photo of your work. Then you can save with or without the graph lines and, of course, with all the colors and symbols and squares and everything.

[GracewoodStitches]

I began with the Jane Greenoff software and I think it is terrific for someone just trying out their designing skills, however, after a few designs and getting to the level that I began to sell some I switched to PCStitch.

One of the main reasons I switched is that it's export imaging is much better. It also produces better keys for the charts.

Kathy

[thegrindre]

Can anybody tell me if any of these chart making programs use layers?
I really miss the layers option I use in my other graphics programs.
Without the option of layers, I'm constantly having to FROG everything.

[cairee]

I have pattern maker for cross sitch by HobbyWare. its a lovely program wether drawing your pattern from scratch or converting a picture to a pattern. up to 240 color and a long list of brands to choose from. changing a picture into a quality pattern takes seconds, and judging by the symbols it uses it may be the program HAED uses. I have the regular version, it cost $60. the professional version (more options) is $120. they also have optional add ons like machine embroiery, and clip art type minis you can use. stitches include the standard cross, half cross, and quarter, and a whole host of specialty stitches, the pro version lets you create new specialty stitches.
all in all a thumbs up

[moogypop]

I downloaded the sample of PC stitch just to have a play around with and it seems allright. Im considering purchasing the full program.

I used to have one when I was younger which was really good but I cant remember for the life of me what it was called

[guenever]

i keep trying to install the demo version of macstitch and get this message:

Check the installation log at /Users/guenever1999/Library/Logs/Install MacStitch demo log for more details.

ugh. any suggestions?

[rcperryls]

MacStitch is what brought me to the forum. That is, asking questions about it. I have it and really like it, though I hardly use it. The developers are very helpful and you might want to send them an email and let them know you are having trouble getting the demo to install. They may know what to do. I'm sorry I don't know how to solve this for you, but this is probably not an uncommon issue.

Carole

[guenever]

thanks. i contacted them. i don't usually have issues installing programs.

[guenever]

i figured it out. i don't know how but i got the program working. awesome! i love it! i am in awe! thank you for the suggestion!

[moogypop]

Just wondering Im considering buying a macbook and getting rid of my laptop. Does anyone know if PC stitch runs okay on it? and If not any software that they could suggest instead

[rcperryls]

Unless they have made any changes in the past 2 or 3 years, PC Stitch does not have a program for Apple computers. You should be able to tell right away when you go to their website. When I asked them about it, they suggested that I get a copy of Windows and install it on my Mac (which you can do if you divide the hard drive up or something like that), which made no sense to me. (A solitaire game that I had on my pc wouldn't transfer and they wanted me to do that too. Huh?) Anyway, there were two programs I looked at, and I ended up getting MacStitch. There may be more now. I would do a google or bing search and see what is out there.

Carole

[helbel]

Just wondering Im considering buying a macbook and getting rid of my laptop. Does anyone know if PC stitch runs okay on it? and If not any software that they could suggest instead

You could buy a virtualisation software like VMWare Fusion or Bootcamp which will run a copy of Windows on your Mac and install PC Stitch on that. Note: you will need to provide a Windows disc too!

[minxie 80]

hi i have just been bought a tablet that runs on android and i was wondering if anyone knows of any programmes for downloading on to it so i can make patterns please

[diaz2571]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to the forum and am quite the novice when it comes to cross stitching. I started during the Summer and have found my love for needlework grows everyday. I just finished my son's christmas stocking which came as a kit and am now getting braver by attempting to create my own designs. I have many wedding/birthday/etc. gifts that I would like to make by hand (i find them more genuine then those bought). Anyways, I was exploring the software available for pattern making and thought that PC Stitch had the best reviews, however, I just tried the demo for STOIK Stitch Creator and was blown away! It was my first attempt using a photo I had taken and coverting it to a pattern with virtually no effort. Does anyone have a critique comparing the two programs? I would mainly be using photos as opposed to designing my own patterns (I am not nearly that artistic to have an eye to create from scratch). Also, the auto backstitching function is very important to me. Does anyone know if STOIK or PC Stitch provides that? Thanks in advance! I'm so excited to be apart of this amazing group of individuals!

[perftangel]

I've used both MacStitch 2014 and PCStitch (on different computers) and they are both pretty good, I know I don't have any complaints, but then again all I really create are pixel people and text so I can center it correctly.

I do know that on PCstitch I couldn't find how to export as a PDF, only as an image, which wasn't a deal breaker, but still mildly annoying.

[Mcath]

Can anyone recommend pattern maker for an iPad. Being dyslexic I finding it hard to get my head round some pattern makers. Jargon drives me mad, finding a dyslexic proof pattern making with straight forward instructions is a must for me.

I'm sorry if this question has been asked before. Thank you

[sami51311]

Are there any pattern maker apps for a smartphone? If there are which is best? The pattern I'm about to start is PDF and I love that my phone can not only open it but also the zoom and backlight make it super easy to see.

[LastingAllure]

I've used both MacStitch 2014 and PCStitch (on different computers) and they are both pretty good, I know I don't have any complaints, but then again all I really create are pixel people and text so I can center it correctly.

I do know that on PCstitch I couldn't find how to export as a PDF, only as an image, which wasn't a deal breaker, but still mildly annoying.

You have to get a program that you can "print to" to make it into a PDF. There are free programs out there that can do this with upgrade options if you want to edit the file after or add pages to it.

[richardandtracy]

I use the freebie program 'Ryijy Stitch Designer' http://code.google.com/p/ryijy/
It's a nice little program that reduces colours to either the DMC palette or your own defined palette, offers basic re-sizing & cropping and printing of a chart. When I came across it (ver 1.3.3) it insisted on printing the whole chart on one page. That wasn't good enough, so I created my own program that read the picture produced by 'Ryijy' and made a multi sheet chart in the way I wanted. The programmer of Ryijy & I have corresponded by e-mail, exchanged some source code etc & his program now addresses many of the issues I had with his program. However, I still prefer the output from my program.

As of today, you can download my program too for free. it's at http://www.chestnutpens.co.uk/downloads/planprinter.zip(714 kb). The zip file includes a standalone Windows 32 bit exe file (works on Win XP & Win 7 32bit & 64 bit), contains a little html help file and the source code in C++ so you can check for yourself that it won't damage your PC. The program will print a chart in colour or monochrome, print a key, fabric details and also creates a unique cross reference image of the chart pages and their location on the original image. The size of the chart symbols can vary from 6 to 20 to the inch, and it will accommodate Aida in 9, 11, 14, 16 and 18 count as the fabric. Furthermore, I have an experimental backstitch creator/editor built in. The Backstitch editor works pretty well, but there is a little problem with wiping out elastic band lines when creating the back stitches (display issue rather than creation issue). Please note: I wrote the program for me, so it's intuitive for me, not necessarily for you. There is a limitation in the number of symbols printed (100). There is no print preview, so I suggest you print to a PDF printer first (such as 'PDF Creator').

The biggest limitation of both programs is that they use rgb data originating from xstitchtreasures.com, and I have found the hard way that those values are not entirely accurate. Jari (the Ryijy programmer) & I have adapted the beige swatch to make the colours closer to the ones shown by the real threads.

Hope this is of interest,

Regards,

Richard