Pattern Maker by Hobbyware If you are a fan of cross-stitch and haven't heard of Hobbyware or Pattern Maker, you may be in for a pleasant surprise. Pattern Maker is a complete software package that enables you to create your own cross-stitch patterns right on your PC. You can create counted cross-stitch patterns with the basic package, or cross-stitch machine embroidery designs with the optional Machine Embroidery add-on module. What Hobbyware Says About Pattern Maker Pattern Maker is a Windows® application for the design of counted cross-stitch patterns. It is available in two levels: Standard and Professional. The Standard version provides a feature set which is useful to the hobbyist. The Professional version includes additional features that are most useful to professional designers. We also offer a Machine Embroidery add-on product that can be used to export a design from Pattern Maker into one of the common home machine embroidery formats. This add-on is available for both the Standard and Professional levels of the program. Sample screen shot of the Professional version with ME add-on: This sample shows two windows opened for the same design with one window displaying the design in the stitch view and the other window showing the symbolic view. The symbolic view shows the color-behind-symbol option enabled. Included in the program are most of the major floss color palettes. If you have a substantial stash of a particular brand, you can easily select that brand when creating your patterns. Three optional clip art CD packages are available, or you can import your own clip art or photograph and turn it into a cross-stitch pattern. Feature Summary: Up to 240 colors per pattern Fabric sizes up to 999x999 Supports full, half, quarter, petite, back, straight, French knot, and specialty stitches. Also beads. Easy-to-use importing wizard converts scanned photographs into patterns. Flexible formatting options for symbolic display/printing. DMC, Anchor, plus several other color palettes provided. Supports blended floss colors Stitch usage summary Flexible printing options including Print Preview Much more... Machine embroidery features include: Export PES/PEC, HUS, PCS, SEW, CSD, XXX, DST, EXP & JEF Selectable standard hoop sizes or custom size Automatically splits large designs to fit hoop Alignment stitches Displays jump stitches Several machine thread color palettes We have recently purchased this software to further expand our design capabilities. While we haven't begun to fully understand and use all of the program's capabilites, early indications are that it works quite well. At a later date we'll try to give you a more in-depth look at Pattern Maker. If you simply love cross-stitch patterns, or would like to expand your digitizing capabilities to include cross-stitch designs, visit Hobbyware's web site for a closer look at Pattern Maker. © 2006 R & M Crafts - All Rights Reserved Back  Home