Embroidery Software Answers

Answers to the most asked questions about machine embroidery software -

1. Can I use this software with my brand of embroidery machine?
   Answer - Yes, all the software that we sell can be easily used with any brand of embroidery machine.  Embroidery Magic 2, "Embroidery Magic 1" and Fancy works are "free standing embroidery software programs - ie - they work as a software program on your computer" and save designs on / to your computer in the dst format - dst is a standard almost universal machine stitch format that converts well to almost any format or can be used directly by most any software that sends a design to an embroidery machine via Magic Box, a memory card, floppy disk or even direct connect.  Most any software or boxes that send a design to a card and can use the dst format will work. If the software that sends the designs to the machine can use dst then conversion is not required, otherwise the design or font lettering file must be converted to a right format for the machine so it can be sent to a card or machine. There are several very good conversion programs available for free if you do need one. Just email us for the link after purchasing the EM 2 or EM software. (the only exception to the above is for the users of Artlink transfer software)  And if you want more features than EM 2 - We also sell FancyWorks software which saves in almost all machine formats. Still have questions > just email me and ask or Prove for yourself that you can use our embroidery software < click the link.

2. Does this software work like those expensive digitizers and fonts lettering software programs?
   Answer - Yes, the EM 2 software does do most of the things that much more expensive software can do.  Of course there are some features that only many more dollars can get you.  Some of the features of our software work even better than more expensive software, ie - lettering, monograms, database cataloging and it even digitizes better than some other software that costs hundreds of dollars more. EM 2 is very easy to use to make lettering, we have a free lesson that shows how to make lettering in 10 seconds. > Embroidery Fonts in 10 Seconds

3. Can I import a picture or clip art into this software and convert it into an embroidery designs?
   Answer - Yes, you can import many types of graphics files (such as gif or jpg) and digitize them with Embroidery Magic 2 on Fancy Works embroidery software.  And you can take pictures made in almost any image or picture software and digitize them.  Many other brands of embroidery digitizing software can do graphics but not pictures and those graphics must be specially prepared or the software won't work at all or very well.

4. Can I easily learn to use this software?
   
   See how easy it is to digitize designs > Watch the Videos < You may say "I can do that"
   
   Answer - Yes, almost anyone can learn to use this software, but how easy it is for you to learn to use it is another question, that no one can really answer that question for you.

   This question leads to other pertinent questions that you need to consider before the big question can be answered -

   1. What do you want to learn to do?

   2. What type of designs do you want to digitize - simple designs / logos, coloring book style designs, realistic, artistic or detailed ?

   3. How much do you know about embroidering in general?
      
      Here are some of my thoughts on the subject that may help you answer the question for yourself.

   Because I don't know how well that you can use your computer or even how easily that you can learn to use new computer programs, that question would be impossible for me to answer even if I knew these things and more about you.  However, here is some info about learning to use the Embroidery Magic programs -  I hope that this helps you to answer that question for yourself.

   It is easy for most people to learn many of the tasks that our software can do, however it is not so easy for some to learn all of the tasks and be able to do them well.  The lettering part is very easy to learn for most people, as the free Tutorial was made to show.

   For the digitizing of designs, I usually compare learning to digitize to learning to paint a picture -

   I compare learning to use the tools and features of the EM 2 software to learning to use the tools that one uses to paint a picture.

   Most anyone can learn to use a paint brush, one of the tools for painting a picture, and even a small child can learn to use a brush and paint to paint a picture as can almost everyone learn to use the tools that are available with the EM 2 software program.

   Most everyone can learn to paint a simple coloring book picture and most everyone can learn to digitize a simple embroidery design.  I call these simple embroidery designs - "coloring book style" designs.  Even these coloring book style designs can be done well or poorly.

   Is is fairly easy to learn to digitize "coloring book style designs" well -

   It is harder for most people to learn to digitize artistic, shaded, life like and 3 D style designs well.  Even after learning to digitize coloring book style designs there is a lot more to learn if you want to digitize realistic, artistic and shaded designs.  This can be compared to being able to paint a coloring book style or paint by the numbers picture very well and still you would have a lot to learn to be able to paint a realistic, artistic picture.

   At Thread Artist designs, we have many artistic, shaded, life like and 3-D style designs.  Please take a look at Thread Artist designs and compare them to some other similar designs or coloring book style designs elsewhere - Then, I think that this comparison may help you better understand what I am saying here.

   I hope that I have explained this well enough so that you can see that it is impossible for me to really answer your question - "will the EM 2 be easy for me to use....?

   EM 1, EM 2 and FWS are easy to use to make lettering, it is also easy to learn to use the digitizing tools of EM 2 and FWS software to make simple coloring book style designs.  But to digitize a good artistic, realistic design takes learning, skill and practice.  An example of what I am saying is that - for a artist to paint a picture, all it takes is some canvas, paint and brushes - these supplies and tools are easy for anyone to use but it takes learning, practice and artistic skill to paint a beautiful picture.

   By the way, one of the best ways to actually learn how to digitize a good design (not the same as how to use the software program) is to watch a well digitized design stitch out and see / learn why the digitizer does this and that as the design stitches - we have lots of good designs (learning tools) as you may have noticed or our web site.

   Our Tutorial makes learning to use EM 2 and Fancy Works a lot easier and faster. > embroidery software tutorial

5. What are the steps involved in digitizing an embroidery design?
   Answer - It is really fairly easy to learn how to digitize simple "coloring book style" designs -

   Here are the basic steps that are needed to make a simple embroidery design.

   • Import a simple clip art image, picture or coloring book style image file to use as a template or guide into your digitizing program.

   • Now Select a "stitching tool" (by Clicking a Tool Stitch Button or 2) and just click around a section of the artwork - kinda like making a "connect the dots" picture, only you put the dots in, even though the lines for each section are already there.

   • After completing (clicking around) each section or part, You need to set the Exit Stitch Point and the Stitch Direction. There are other properties that can be changed or you can use the same setting that you used the last time that you used this stitch tool or the default settings.

   • Now after completing all of the parts, Center, Name and Save the Design that you have made.

   Sounds easy, doesn't it?  Yes, it is fairly easy to learn to digitize simple "color book style" designs.  However, it is the quality of the finished design which shows your ability to do it well.  And many times the quality or lack of it only shows when the design is stitched out.

   It is harder for most people to learn to digitize artistic, shaded, life like and 3 D style designs well.  Even after learning to digitize coloring book style designs there is a lot more to learn if you want to digitize realistic, artistic and shaded designs.  This can be compared to being able to paint a coloring book or paint by the numbers picture very well and you still would have a lot to learn to be able to paint a realistic, artistic picture.

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embroidery embroidery designs by Thread Artist are artistic and unique - Our name says it all

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