Cross-stitch Software Review

So you want to design and create your own cross-stitch patterns from scratch? Maybe you're an artist and you want to convert existing artwork. Maybe you want to design patterns straight onto your computer. Or maybe you just want to be able to scan in pictures of loved ones and make them into beautiful patterns to cross-stitch!

As an artist myself, I wanted some software that would let me convert my artwork to cross-stitch patterns. I needed software that was easy to work with and would give me flexibility with my designs.

I trawled the Internet looking for the right software for me, and I wanted to share my opinions on the cross-stitch design software that I chose, now that I have some experience of using it.

PCStitch Pro

After finding the website on google (www.pcstitch.com) I spent a few hours looking through the site, and then emailed customer service the questions I still had unanswered. They were very friendly in their response, and answered my queries very quickly.

I downloaded the trial version of this software, so that I could play around with it and see if it was going to perform all the functions I wanted it to. The trail version is free. You can save it to your computer and experiment with it. It won't let you save patterns until you purchase the activation code, but it's a great way to find out if you like the software, before spending any money!

I've since purchased the unlock key at a price of $79.95, and have created a pattern from start to finish.

What I Love About PCStich Pro

It's very easy to import your own picture into the software, which means you can either use a photograph or your own artwork to make a cross-stitch pattern from.

When you import a new picture there are option to select the number of thread colours you want the design to include, the type of material and the size of the design.

The user interface is very easy to find your way around. I got used to using it very quickly which allowed me to just get on with my design.

There is a very active forum on the website for users of the software. You can post questions and comments and get help from other users. They're quick to answer you, and very friendly and helpful.

There are many cool features to use. One of my favourites is the underlay tool, allowing you to place an image underneath your design space, meaning that you can effectively use it as a guide. This is great when trying to place those tricky backstitches!

Talking of backstitches ... there's an auto-backstitch function that can come in very handy!

There is a full thread list of DMC and Anchor threads, and many others as well. New thread colours are included in software updates, which are free after you've purchased the software.

After you've finished your design you can choose to export it in a jpeg format, and save the list of thread colours and numbers too.

Watch Out For ...

Designing your own patterns is fun and rewarding. I've really enjoyed the experience, but it's worth noting that it isn't as simple as you might think!

Even when using a colour photograph, you will still need to make adjustments and tweak your pattern to get the best results. Your computer sees colour differently than your eye does. It's best to reduce your image size before imputing so that 1 pixel = 1 stitch. Your picture will look tiny to you, but it makes it easier for the software to interpret the colours.

So, if you're up for a bit of a challenge, and are looking for the software to enable you to create your own cross-stitch patterns, then I thoroughly recommend PCStitch Pro! :)

Grab Some Ebay Bargains!

I find it helps, when designing my own cross-stitch designs, to have a full set of DMC threads. Buying them in bulk from ebay is the most cost effective way I've found to buy them.

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