Pattern Making Programs

Tips, Tricks & Techniques - anything to help fellow cross stitchers.

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Solitaire
Posts: 211
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2012 11:21 am
Location: SW France

Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by Solitaire »

I've used my Janet Greenoff 4 times now, 2 have come out how I want and 2 haven't been so good, a lot depends on the quality of the photo you have to work from.

I have had to change a few colours, but generally I've been pleased with my results.
Piper
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2012 6:26 pm

Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by Piper »

I have used Jane Greenoffs but now have Pattern Maker for Cross Stitch which I find is much better, I tend to convert a lot of stuff as its nice to do projects of subjects you like that are not always available commercially.
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Amanda G
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Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by Amanda G »

I used to find the same problem when I scanned my artwork for charting. I would scan the image, load it into my program (XSP) and would find a huge amount of colours, often mis-matched. The XSP would pick up every slight change of colour. With watercolour images, that was a lot of colours. After many attempts and much tearing out of hair (!) I changed my method. Now I do a line drawing of the artwork and use a DMC thread shade card to choose the colours. I always choose threads in proper daylight, never artificial light, and don't worry too much about how they may appear on the PC as they always look darker on my screen. The shade chart stays open beside me so I can keep checking that the colours are right. I find this method much simpler and less frustrating.
Stitchhitch
Posts: 15
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:10 pm

Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by Stitchhitch »

'Old'un - like what you say - found this colour issue across the range of cross stitch software demos that i downloaded and tried - obviously thay all do their best but the colours always seem to come out duller than the original picture - one company stated '... manufacturers colour ranges have been measured accurately using a spectrophotometer to ensure matching between screen colours and finished stitched results...' but the end result is still the same - i'm of the mind of the long haul process (like Amanda G) and choosing your own colours - the joke is that i don't use DMC etc but (discontinued) Sylko cotton thread - so that's another conversion LOL :) Great forum - PS apparantly after 10 messages i get to see everyone's lovely work - which is what i'm most interested in !!! Thank you :)
Old'un
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Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:29 am

Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by Old'un »

Welcome stitchhitch, I'm sure as you look around you will find many threads to comment on and your 10 will soon be accomplished. And YES it's brilliant viewing all the wonderful work other stitchers have done. I'll warn you though, it can make you very jealous! :wink:
Stitchhitch
Posts: 15
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:10 pm

Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by Stitchhitch »

Thank you 'Old 'Un' - does THIS constitute as one less towards me ten LOL if so i have YOU to thank :) - BTW i'll try to keep the 'jealousy' level low but the 'inspired' level up - should i get to view ... Very much enjoy this particular topic - happy creativity :)
superstitch
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 2:33 pm

Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by superstitch »

I have used PCStitch for several years now. It has been very helpful on my current project, which is a Christmas stocking for my Grandson. It is a mural of all of his favorite things. I have been able to create my pattern at night, export it to a jpg file and stitch it the next morning in the office. That has been my favorite aspect of the program. I think my biggest complaint was previously stated by someone else and that would be the single stitches that appear when they really do not add a lot to the overall picture. Hard to explain unless you have ever looked at one of those situations.

Glad to read about all the others that I had never heard of before, and will be checking them out! I mean when it comes to cross stitch, you can never have too many tools....right?
Old'un
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:29 am

Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by Old'un »

Hi Daisly56
It's taken me years to realise I could have purchased a DMC shade card and saved myself a lot of heartache. This purchase was brought about by my having loads of older threads which I carelessly hadn't kept a record of the number. So I asked at my local hobbycraft shop and the kind knowledgeable up to date lass suggested I purchase one. Well I know as you get older you get dafter, but you could have knocked me down with a feather. Needless to say I was straight on to Ebay, received my pack and now my threads are all in the correct place - with the exception of 3, which I can only imagine might have been some weird make and purchased because I liked the colour.

By the way I've finished The Duck by Morgan and have now started my first HEAD chart of Giraffes - this will take a while but really enjoyable. Happy stitching.
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ComaStitch
Posts: 127
Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2012 7:21 pm
Location: Leeds, UK

Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by ComaStitch »

I swear by KG-Stitch, which is completely free. You can't run a photo through it but it's great for designing your own - all of my patterns are made on there. I find it really simple to use too. :D
kouneli
Posts: 158
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2012 9:31 pm
Location: Southern California

Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by kouneli »

I was able to do a photo on KG-Stitch...not sure how it will turn out when I actually make the cross-stitch though.
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goldenlightdesigns
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Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by goldenlightdesigns »

I'm surprised that Hobbyware is not as praised as PC Stitch here.

Based on my experience on various softwares, the best one for converting photos to chart is DMC's very own software - Stitch A Picture. Despite the limit of 48 colors, the outcomes really look as much as the original. I guess because they know actual colors. It uses a lot of dithering to achieve that.

But the best software overall is Hobbyware's Pattern Maker. Its importing is also superb and you actually have options to change the level of dithering from none to plenty of dithering. The idea of dithering is to blend colors by strategically placing them next to each other. The downside is that the DMC color palette isn't very precise. But overall, it is the best. You can lay-out the final product. You can use underlay to trace images and all. And it is amazing if you want to change one color to another or one type of stitch to another. The selection tool is very powerful.

This is where PC Stitch fails. It only has one option for importing photos and its equivalent in Hobbyware is the no dithering import. The lay-outing option has been added in the Pro Versions but I only have the old version.

I would love to show a similar image converted into chart form by both softwares!
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marikaaa
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2012 5:36 pm

Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by marikaaa »

Hi, I found new website on web http://www.cstitching.com/" target="_blank where everyone can make their own scheme. Besides there you can choose the count of colors or size.
murrayr
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2012 10:51 pm

Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by murrayr »

Pattern Grid at CraftDesignOnline.com (see link below) is a web based pattern design program.

It is in active development and has new features added frequently. As I write this, it supports automatic photo conversion, pattern editing, DMC and HSL color, HTML chart generation and up to 600x600 patterns with 64 colors. This is an example of what it can do at the moment: http://craftdesignonline.com/cdo/wp-con ... chart.html

We at Craft Design Online want Pattern Grid to be usable by anyone, but capable of producing professional quality designs. Please let us know if you have any feedback or suggestions for us.

Update: We now allow up to 150 colors, generate PDF charts, allow backstitch to be added to patterns and have a library of patterns that you can copy from and add to.
Murray

Developing the pattern designer at http://craftdesignonline.com/pattern-grid/
Adryana
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Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by Adryana »

Re: Pattern Making Programs
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Mrsadm
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Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by Mrsadm »

Hi everyone, I just bought PC Stitch 10 and will be using it shortly, and would be happy to report back here. My main purpose for it is to scan in graphs, and make changes to the design or colors (I know I am altering someone else's design, but it's my project! :-) For instance, I'd like to put a different type of border on a sampler, than the one it comes with. Yes, I even like to alter historically correct reproductions.

Sometimes I just like to simplify the design (for example, give it a less complex border) so it takes less time to finish. Other times I like certain motifs and not others, and want to combine all my likes into 1 stitched project.

Changing colors is fun, too. I find a lot of charts on the market now have a lot of autumn colors, browns, golds, etc. and I like to brighten them up with stronger colors.

Anyway, I'm having fun!
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becky41030
Posts: 130
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Location: Kentucky

Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by becky41030 »

Good for you! I have PCStitch 10 also and I really like it. Their online help feature is very good. :)
shadow38
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2013 1:16 am

Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by shadow38 »

i am thinking of purchasing a cross stitch pattern maker. is it hard to convert a picture or photo into a cross stitch pattern?
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skitzzzzz
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Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by skitzzzzz »

well shadow the answer is yes and no
it all depends on the software and then the image
some software let you try before you buy - i would say do that and give it a go
or just get someone who does this already to convert one for you

it's just a matter of finding what works for you
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bookknurd
Posts: 1421
Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 7:06 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by bookknurd »

I have an iMac and after hunting around, decided to go with MacStitch. It's ok so far, not too bad but not super intuitive either.

I have a MacBook also, which has Windows running on Bootcamp. I might look into PC Stitch on it and see if I like it better. I would like to be able to do projects with my mom, who has a PC, so maybe that's the way to go.

Maybe I should put Windows on the iMac, since it has a 27" monitor....

Does anyone have experience with both PC Stitch and MacStitch, that would be able to compare the two?
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agi
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Re: Pattern Making Programs

Post by agi »

I had used PCStitch for a long time and liked it, now I have a Mac and bought the MacStitch and not so happy with it, especially considering how much more expensive it was than PCStitch.
I might be just getting old and finding it hard to learn a new system (I am still struggling with the Mac after almost two years) but there are few little things that make me annoyed all the time. One is the lack of drag-and-drop function, it is very cumbersome to move your pattern just a bit. The other is not being able to make a good size jpg file from the pattern, and not being able to make the pdf the way I want it either. Mind you, it might be just me :)
Agi

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