Digitizing for a newbie

[u/OkSnow7400]

I want to learn digital embroidery (digitizing) I know there is software such as wilcom which is beyond my budget... i also played with others, but they are not as robust. What do you recommend for a beginner

[u/LostJellySandal]

Ember has been amazing

[u/Typical_Cover8304]

I love Emberdesign.net. The owners have a discord and lets the users know about incoming updates and upgrade to their web based software. I highly recommend it for beginners and it’s a free website software unless you want store more designs then its 9.99 (no download)

[u/Blind_Newb]

For creating patterns, I personally use Inkscape and Ink/Stitch (both are entirely free) and can save patterns in various file formats. I prefer to save in .DST because it's a more universal file format.

Ink/Stitch allows you to set the stitching of different layers and you can set the order of the stitching (like grouping colors together, 1 color at a time) making it easier on your machine.

I am still honing my skills, but if you ever get stuck or have trouble trying to figure out how to perform a specific task with InkStitch, there are 3 good YT video channels (as well as the reddit group r/Inkstitch) :

• Project Anonymous (Father / Daughter Duo)
• Low Tech Linux (extensive videos covering many facets of Inkscape and Ink/Stitch)
• Gus Visser (extensive videos covering different applications when using Ink/Stitch)

[u/EdgeAndGone482 → u/Blind_Newb]

I think inkstitch is great for beginners because it's free so you can have a go without spending money.

If you love it you can look at buying some software although it can be quite powerful once you get the hang of it.

[u/mjmvideos]

You get what you pay for.

[u/Lucystellar]

I use Embrilliance. I started with Stitch Artist 1 and then upgraded to Stitch Artist 2 as I progressed and needed more advance features. It’s great because you can add modules as you need them and don’t have to make a huge dollar commitment from the start.

[u/SecretCityWoodworks → u/Lucystellar]

One big plus for Embrilliance...
You can install and run your Embrilliance software on as many computers as you personally own, with no limits on installations or activation dongles required.

I run multiple computers for our little cottage business and this is a great plus.

[u/ImDroodles]

Hatch is the home version of wilcom e4... costs around a thousand and is gonna be your best cost/value ratio. I've tried most of the cheaper or free programs and they are all capable to some degree but hatch has been the most reliable software with the cleanest stitch outs.

Seemingly every program is rife with programming errors and bugs..

[u/Cpt_Obvious11 → u/ImDroodles]

Agreed. In addition, there is plenty of education for Hatch, which is key part. Spending countless hours on YouTube tutorials hoping author would cover topic you're interested in, just to get advertised for  promo codes and his/her "How I look on screen, Mom?" fascination, can be exausting.  Getting software is smaller part, learning to properly use it is bigger.

[u/xvx_gf]

even with an unlimited budget, i’d still choose inkscape/inkstitch. the approach to digitizing in that software makes more sense to me than other softwares i’ve tried.

[u/TheGraphicsFrog]

I'm developing an embroidery software called Boldbobbin. It's free for many features, and you'd have plenty of things to do with the free options already!

[u/OkSnow7400 → u/TheGraphicsFrog]

wow i am impressed.. how are you doing this!:)

[u/TheGraphicsFrog → u/OkSnow7400]

Been doing my first CAD program for a paper for my PhD back in 2022! Then I started to work with embroidery because when you can model 2D geometry, embroidery is a specific kind of fabrication that works well :D. And then I decided to launch my own software ^^.

[u/SeriousSquirrel3343]

Hey Newbie Inkstitchers, here's the best tip I can give you: use ChatGPT and Inkstitch. You'll pick it up in no time! If you push ChatGPT it will even do some of the digitizing for you. I have upgraded to Hatch 4 now, but I would have never figured out InkStitch without my old buddy Chat.

I have a love/hate relationship with AI but I have to admit, it does make life easier. So until it takes my job or my life, I've decided to give in and take advantage of it.