My personal Digitizing Software recommendations

[wienerin]

Hello my dear fellow-stitchers,
in the past 10 years I've been using the old Pfaff Designer 2.0 software, which was very expensive then, but, well..., it definitely has its limitations. Ever since I was looking for other software and tried out quite a lot. However, there was not much that really met my needs, but some programes I found really usefull.
I intend to share my experiences in this thread with everybody who might be interested.

[wienerin]

One of the programs I really like to use is Pulse Ambassador by Tajima, which is a free download from this site: www.pulsemicro.com/Ambassador
It is great for converting designs from one format to another; if you happen to have designs in .pof- or .pxf-format you can even resize the designs, change colors, view in 3D and simulate the stitch-out on screen.

[joyanthony]

I am new to machine embroidery and am hoping to learn to digitize. I am very interested in reading your posts. Thanks, Joy

[Simpleuser2000]

Hello my dear fellow-stitchers,
in the past 10 years I've been using the old Pfaff Designer 2.0 software, which was very expensive then, but, well..., it definitely has its limitations. Ever since I was looking for other software and tried out quite a lot. However, there was not much that really met my needs, but some programes I found really usefull.
I intend to share my experiences in this thread with everybody who might be interested.

Please tell us what you have learned.
Elaine

[wienerin]

Another program I find quite useful is Embroidery Font Plus by Soft Sight, Inc., which can be downloaded form http://embroidery-fonts-plus.software.informer.com/ (I don't know if this link works, I downloaded my copy years ago from another site that semms no longer to exist - but there are some other download-links to be found on the web). The program comes with three free fonts (I use only one of them), others have to be purchased.
Unfortunately the program is not very self-explaining, I had to do quite a lot of "research-work" in the help file and the manual, but once you found out and got used to the main commands, there is quite a lot you can do with it - especially if you own a machine with a large hoop and therefore are not restricted to 4", then digitizing text with this software is real fun.

The same company developed also StitchVista2, another free program, to be found on www.datastitch.com. I have not had the time yet to try out this one, but I hope to do so in the next time.

[wienerin]

But the program I only found accidentally a week ago and I really like and fully recommend to everybody is SophieSew: http://www.sophiesew.com
This one has a completely different approach to design creation, which I deeply appreciate: you work with vector graphics all the time (you do not have to know what this is - you just go and use it!), apply attributes to outlines and regions with mouse-right-click, resize and change objects, lines and forms whenever you like - even after "filing" objects with tatami-stitches, and when you find you are ready with your design, only then you export the design to a machine format (about 10 or so are available).

However, there are some restrictions: It is software in progress (not finished yet - that seems to be the reason why it is still free at the moment), it has no "undo"-button (so everything you mess up has to be "de-messed" manually) and it has no auto-trace function (but manually tracing images is very easy and fast with this software - I was really surprised and amazed when I tried this for the first time!).

But: I succeded in less than one hour (!) with my first design from software-setup to import to the Pfaff Designer Software, only after watching the video-tutorials which are available on the site, and with the help-file open in another window. The help-file is really very helpful and informative and explains everything one has to know to get started.

[Simpleuser2000]

How did the design stitch you made using SophieSew?
Elaine

[Rebekah1234]

Thank you for sharing your information. It is nice to know what is out there

[wienerin]

How did the design stitch you made using SophieSew?
Elaine

Quite well, at least not worse than other designs. It worked out properly.

I set up a small website today, where you can find the design and a few others too: http://wienerin.bplaced.net

The site is written in German, but I'm sure everybody will get on with it all the same!

[Simpleuser2000]

Quite well, at least not worse than other designs. It worked out properly.

I set up a small website today, where you can find the design and a few others too: http://wienerin.bplaced.net

The site is written in German, but I'm sure everybody will get on with it all the same!

I could not find the design you made.
Elaine

[p_lanter]

Me neither just went there...

[p_lanter]

http://wienerin.bplaced.net/Wienerin/page1/page1.html Found the designs.

[p_lanter]

By the way the downloaded 2 and they were nice. Thank you.

[Simpleuser2000]

http://wienerin.bplaced.net/Wienerin/page1/page1.html Found the designs.

Thanks for sharing your site.
Elaine

[teddy_rn]

I am very new to design machine embroidery(October 200, I have a Pfaff Creative 2.0 and bought the 4D program and love it. I have not idea how to go about the digitizing thing; I do understand that it is to transform a design to embroidery but that is all. This type of thread post is great for someone like me and I very much appreciate all of the hard work put into providing info for all to share. THANK YOU!!!

[Simpleuser2000]

I am very new to design machine embroidery(October 200, I have a Pfaff Creative 2.0 and bought the 4D program and love it. I have not idea how to go about the digitizing thing; I do understand that it is to transform a design to embroidery but that is all. This type of thread post is great for someone like me and I very much appreciate all of the hard work put into providing info for all to share. THANK YOU!!!

There are yahoo groups to help you in learning the 4D.
Elaine

[teddy_rn]

Thank you Elaine. Does the 4D do digitizing? I get so caught up in the "instructions" that I am brain dead. Makes me feel stupid that I can supervise an entire hospital and can't manage a computer program.

[p_lanter]

Yes it does. I have it and it has a lot of great features. Still need to learn though. I think I am going to try to find that yahoo group. Elaine, you would have possibly have the link for that group?

[Imdamama6]

Oh welcome to the forums and I look forward to seeing and reading your threads.

[p_lanter]

Imdamama6, do you have any projects posted. Would like to see some of the things you have done.
http://www.designsbysick.com/?pointsfor=p_lanter