Searching for a Program

[justaquestion]

My wife cross stitches now on a regular basis and she has one program to take pictures and make patterns from but it just tells her which colors she needs to get.

What I am looking for is a program that she can input the colors that she already has. She has just recieved a large amount of different colored thread from a relative so it would be nice to just use those instead of buying tons more since there are so many similar colors that she doesn't mind using something close to what the program would normally give.

Any help please? This will be quite a nice present for her if you all can help me find one. Thank you.

[SusanF]

Hello, some of the programs you are talking about allow you to specify the floss being used as a palette, so if the thread is from a well known manufacturer, your wife might already have this capability on her software. If you could let us know what software she is using and the name of the thread, we'll try to help you further.

[agi]

Hello, I use PCStitch Pro. It has an option that you can change one colour to another, with just one click, in all the pattern.

If you look on the Internet, there is a demo version downloadable, and you can try it out. It only doesn't let you save and print but that can be solved...

I bought the whole version, and it is OK basically, with some minor mistakes, but their customer support is not the best.

[Rose]

You can change the colors individually in most of the programs just by going to the palette and changing it there or you can use a conversion chart such as this site
http://www.findstitch.com/resources/" target="_blank It will give you many options for conversion to many different brand names.

[Serinde]

What a lovely thoughtful present. However, you ought to be aware of one very important downside to your plan. It will only encourage your DW to accumulate stash. There is no help for this addiction -- stash accumulation -- it is part and parcel of cross-stitching. The silver lining to this is, of course, having beautiful hand-crafted items and a very happy wife. No problems, then, eh?

[sammy_v]

U hit the nail on the head Serinde.

[justaquestion]

Indeed Serinde. =p Though I must say she tends to be very conservative but I have seen her at work already and on the computer looking at tons of things so one can only hope lol. If she buys some more I don't mind of course though. It afterall is better than the loads of yarn she has too lol.

She currently uses Patter Maker for Cross Stitch. I have no problem buying another one if it is one that is better. Though as two of you mentioned, changing the colors isn't what she was looking for really though if there is no other alternative, that does help so thank you for that =)

She would like to be able to I guess save it as a file in the program or so, so when she does something like using only 20 colors (Yes, I have watched her do some things on it already but it doesn't mean I am about to start joining ^_~), she would like the program to just pop up the threads in the colors she currently has.

Luckily I know enough about computers to hide anything from her so upon getting whatever is most useful, at least it will be a surprise. Me... Computers and Games... Her... Cross Stitching and Knitting. Interesting contrast in hobbies eh? =p

Oh, I also believe she only uses DMC just fyi if that matters at all. Do the different types really make a big difference? (Besides the obvious not being able to mix one set with the other)

[sammy_v]

Hi i have patter maker and i have just had a play about and i have worked out how she can do it without having to get another program etc. Ill do it step by step and i really hope it makes sense.

1: once opend program go to the option pallete on the top (along the bar that has file on)

2: click on colours, underneath at the bottom of the screen colours will come up. It ask what type (DMC etc) click what brand she wants to use.

3. There is a little box thats empty and says find next to it. In here type in all the numbers one by one im afraid. It will highlight the colour and take u to it. Double click the colour that highlighted.

4. Once u have clicked the colour thats highlighted it will add it at the bottom in a pallete. U can now click the little x on the pallete colours to make all the colours go, so u are now left with just the ones u have picked out.

5. Once u have added all the colours she has, click back onto the top where it says pallete again, go down to "save pallete as" click this n save the pallete.

6. Now to use this pallete, if u want to import something like ur own pattern. U go to file, image import... import new image. This brings up a new box go about as u would when u did last time (if u need help just say and i add what i do)

7. when u get to pickin how many colours u want to click on the little circle white box that says "Use the colours in this palette file" click on browse and find the file she saves as here pallete. Open this and pick the amount u want to use, then click next and then import, once happy with this click on the close buttom and ur pattern will be ready to print.

I really hope this is what u ment and it helps her out If u need any help just giz a shout.

[Serinde]

Oh, I also believe she only uses DMC just fyi if that matters at all. Do the different types really make a big difference? (Besides the obvious not being able to mix one set with the other)

You are correct: there isn't much difference between DMC and Anchor (slightly different cotton used and a slightly different total palatte, but both reliably colour-fast and dye-lot controlled). As far as I can see, you use what is easiest to buy in your area. Of course, many of us here started stitching before the intertubes made life so much easier in this regard. As for mixing them. You are also correct: this isn't encouraged (each brand has a slightly different weight). And I would never substitute one DMC colour for an "equivalent" Anchor colour in the middle of a design. However... let's just say it's not unknown to use, for example, Anchor black (404) as a substitute for DMC black (310) when using up stash!

[Mabel Figworthy]

Serinde ! You mix your blacks? Shame on you -- how can you live with the resulting chaos...

[SusanF]

Justaquestion, why not introduce your wife to this forum. We love newbies and are happy to chat about anything to do with stitching (we'll question her mercilessly about her current works in progress and encourage her constantly to accumulate new stash ). And it's also a lovely way to share this great little hobby.

[Serinde]

SusanF, Justaquestion is, I suspect, quite rightly is keeping DW well away from for forum until the matter of the the computer program is settled. However, he may well decide he rather likes it here himself!

Mabel: I don't actually mix the blacks. But I am using an Anchor 403 left over from a kit with other DMC colours in the Ink Circle piece. Who could tell? (Well, now of course, everybody knows! ) The shame!

[Mabel Figworthy]

...this great little hobby.

Little? Have you seen some of the HAEDs ?

[justaquestion]

Well first and foremost, Thank You sammy_v ^_^ This is precisely what I was looking (Well, what she was looking for anyways) and it seems no other program needed. I guess logically if I think of painting and putting the colors on a pallete, it is pretty much the same things using what you have right on there. But I will try and use my excuses of not being a cross stitcher myself and not knowing how those sort of programs work (Even if I couldv'e checked out the tutorial, but I tend to hate those and prefer this way =p).

As for you two, SusanF and Serinde, I must say that even not doing this hobby, you two can make for interesting people and its been fun talking with you all =).

I will surely introduce her to here soon enough as I am sure she will love it here and you people too.

And lastely, seeing how my wife can be with it all, I agree with you Mabel lol.

Again thanks and who knows, maybe I will still be around for more questions and ideas to surprise her with ^_^ Or just random ranting with you crazys =p

[Serinde]

*Rats! I think he may have twigged! muttered Serinde with an ever-so-slightly manic chuckle*

Glad the forum could be of service, and we do really enjoy helping and chatting. You are always welcome, I think I'm safe in saying.

[sammy_v]

Well first and foremost, Thank You sammy_v ^_^ This is precisely what I was looking (Well, what she was looking for anyways) and it seems no other program needed. I guess logically if I think of painting and putting the colors on a pallete, it is pretty much the same things using what you have right on there. But I will try and use my excuses of not being a cross stitcher myself and not knowing how those sort of programs work (Even if I couldv'e checked out the tutorial, but I tend to hate those and prefer this way =p).

Again thanks and who knows, maybe I will still be around for more questions and ideas to surprise her with ^_^ Or just random ranting with you crazys =p

Ur very welcome, glad i could help. Gave me a reason to explore the program more, i really dont like looking at the help sections/tutorial never have.

I really hope u stay around and come to chat with us "crazys" lol, also hope u introduce ur wife to, we love new people.