Pre Design or Pro Design

[sewingjunky]

I am confused. Pre Design is the program you are all talking about, but I have also heard of Pro Design? Are any of you using it? Is it harder or do more?? Is it thru the same company?

Any insight would be nice.

Brenda:cool:

[Grammie]

Hi Brenda

Are you a computerized Quilter and if so what system do you use? Are you wanting to do just some simple things for yourself or possibly sell designs? What professional Quilter or pattern designer do you know using these two softwares to create their designs with? They are both fun to use but again what is your goal? I want to sell designs so I want a software that the majority are using so there is support when I need it or have a problem with something. The one thing about the Statler folks have going for them is that they all agree on Autosketch for digitizing. That is why they have such an enormous following and support group to share ideas and creativitity. If Compuquilter owners all get on the some page some day we too can develope such a group.

I own both these products but not for the purpose of digitizing my designs. I find I\'m not using PreDesign for my Computerized Quilting but may for my embroidery at some point. I also have Pro Q and I like it but before my purchase I had many hundreds of dollars in designs already purchased and they are digitized in 3 point arcs. Not all dxf files are the same. ProQ will let you open your Native CQ file though. II am able to bring in my dxf or wmf into AS and work with it from there for layouts and such. Also I must have a trim joined version of my designs. They must trim join as I do many layouts with these versions. Designing wholecloths is becoming addictive to me so those are things I look for.

I\'ve learned so much about Autosketch that I cannot believe how easy I can do most things in it I do in Pro Q that I didn\'t know at the time of purchase. Many of the same things in it. Now I can even create my Statler DXF files in Autosketch so converting isn\'t an issue.

It is great fun doing my quilt layouts in ProQ for those designs that will work that is and I love making motif in the circle array too. So it does some fun things. I like the alphabet features also for special projects. As for as the color I can do that in Autosketch also now. The more I learn the less I\'m using other programs not that they are not fun.

I also like to digitize with 3 point arcs so I cannot even use my own designs in this program many times.

I hope I dont\' sound like I\'m knocking it as I\'m not. Just know all you need to know so you are clear on whether it will work for you for what you want to do. It also converts designs to Statler for you. I had all I needed in my $99.00 program which came with my CQ all along. The more I learn the easier it gets and the more creative I get. So fun. I\'m not even purchasing too many designs these days. I\'m enjoying my own. Most professional Designers for Statler who have the majority of designs available for us at this time do use 3 point Arcs . If your like me and just want to spend some money just to have the latest and greatest then go for it. I cannot help myself when it comes to the latest invention. lololol Both creators of the software you ask about are incredibly talented so good luck deciding. It all depends on your expectations and what your digitizing goals are.

If you get a chance take a look at Tammy Finkler,s all computerized quilts on her website. She does it all in Autosketch. They are absolutely stunning to say the least. ALL COMPUTERIZED. When I see a quilt done like this in another Program other than Autosketch then I will be the first one in line to learn the techniques used. I want to see a Finished Quilt done this way using these other programs. That would be too exciting to see. Her Red wholecloth is large and I saw it in person. Just Beautiful.

I also like working with a wacom tablet so I don\'t have to click click click with every design I do. Just depends on the design.

Please feel free to contact me if you wish for further explanation. It\'s much easier than putting it in writing. I can arrange an online visual so you can see for yourself and make an informed decision. It will give you confidence in your decision. Just let me know. Happy to help.

409-794-3148 (I have free longdistance and can call you back)

409-749-0764 cell

Beaumont Texas.

Best wishes Brenda

Sorry I didn\'t mean to be so long. (Passion does that to me)

Grammie Tammie

[Sue E.]

Hi Brenda, these two programs are really quite different. Pre-Design is a drawing program. Drawing and tracing designs that need to be brought into other programs is what Pre-Design does. Once you have drawn or traced your design, you can export it to several embroidery machine formats as well as dxf format which is used to convert into the .cmd file needed to run on the CompuQuilter. The dxf format can also be converted to run with the Statler, IntelliQuilter, and I think others. You can also take your Pre-Design drawing and print out a paper roll panto if you are not computerized.

I am not presently a Pro-Q user, but as far as I understand, Pro-Q Designer does not do a good job of drawing. You can trace a jpg or bitmap, but I understand - all you Pro-Q users please correct me if I\'m wrong - that many Pro-Q users draw their designs in other programs such as Pre-Design or CorelDraw. Pre-Design and Pro-Q work hand-in-hand in this regard - draw in Pre-Design and do all your designing and layout for your computerized system in Pro-Q.

I have been using Pre-Design for many years - I started with it for embroidery designs and last year started using it for drawing my quilting designs. I love this program because it is a simple, easy-to-use program. I also have AutoSketch and I use that primarily to fine tune some designs. I always seem to fight with AS and I personally find it too cumbersome. I know that many people love AS but I find it does so many things - mostly in the architectural and engineering arenas - that it is cumbersome for me. Everytime I try to use it, I get frustrated. I have taken several classes but they have barely scratched the surface of this program and if you don\'t use it regularly, you forget how to do things:P

I have tried to create several wholecloth layouts using AS. I spent hours creating them on the computer and they looked great. My problem developed when I tried to save the files (rows) for stitching on the CompuQuilter. I thought I had them done and when I went to stitch them out, none of the rows aligned properly and it was a nightmare. I gave up on one of the designs - the more creative one - and finally created the second one by manually placing the blocks on the quilt. From what I have seen with the demos of Pro-Q, this should be much easier utilizing that program but since I don\'t yet have the program I can\'t tell you first hand.

This past summer I took a class on using EQ6 to create a quilt pattern and then importing that design into AS. Then in AS we took dxf files and using the layer feature we overlaid them on the quilt pattern to create our quilting designs. This was rather cumbersome and if you didn\'t have a dxf file of your quilting design, you couldn\'t use it. With Pro-Q you can bring in a picture of your quilt and then overlay your quilting files (cmd, qli, etc.) on top. Then you can save your quilting layout to files to be stitched out by your computerized system. This does the same thing with one program that I was learning to do with two programs. The demo I saw doing this in Pro-Q seemed much easier and faster than using both EQ6 and AS.

So, all I am saying is that you need to determine what your needs are and how you want to use the programs. I am all for easy and for programs that target my needs. All these programs are great - AutoSketch was originally created for the architectural and engineering fields and Pre-Design and Pro-Q Designer were created with embroidery and quilting in mind.

I hope I haven\'t confused you too much but just gave you more to think about.

[Grammie]

I\'m not an engineer not even close. I did feel that way at first. The more my Autosketch instructor has taught me the more I love the program and the better I get and certainly the more creative.

I do all of my work in Autosketch to include DRAWING, Editing and Laying out my Whole Quilt. The conversion program is what creates your digitized pattern.

I do own both programs and I like something about each. I guess my point is you will still need Autosketch Knowledge as it is there that you make your WMF and SKF files. So it is just an additional cost to you.

Sue you might can help me understand. Do you trim join the dxf files that you bring into Autosketch or do you not feel you need to. I have to have a trim joined version. I can be more creative things with it and of course I want it be to available for my customers when making purchases once I begin selling my designs. That way they can go into AutoSketch and be as creative as they wish with their purchased designs.

Again everyone has something they like to do more than other things. Again show me an Award winning quilt done in either of these programs exclusively and I will want to learn MORE.

I will be so happy when Compuquilter owners unite in the software of choice as we could gain so much from another and all be speaking the same language as the "Statler Sister" do. I envy that about them. I respect it.

[Sue E.]

Tammie, you can create WMF files using Pre-Design. They are a little different than the ones in AS, especially if you use Stan\'s template, but you can still create WMF files. You don\'t need a SKF file unless you are working in AutoSketch. This is strictly, as far as I know, an AutoSketch file.

The only files you need to trim join are those created with 3-point arcs. Since Pre-Design does not use 3-point arcs and Stan has always said to use the fitted curve tool instead of the 3-point arac, you don\'t need and you can\'t really do a trim join. It won\'t work. If you are using 3-point arcs, I can understand your need for doing a trim join - it is a must with 3-point arcs.

I only create designs for my own use. I have no intentions of selling my designs - I also only quilt for myself, not as a business. I am doing this strictly for myself and Pre-Design works best for me.

It is my understanding that at one time, the Statler people said they could only run designs that were created with 3-point arcs. I now believe that with the new program they will be getting shortly, this is no longer true.

I think it is good to understand that the Statler has been around for a lot longer than any other computerized quilting system. There were no choices for digitizing. AutoSketch was it. The Statler people had to use AutoSketch. There are now choices and I personally feel that what happened with digitizing for embroidery will eventually happen with digitizing for quilting. At one time all the different embroidery systems used different ways to digitize and different file types. I now see that with the more sophisticated embroidery digitizing programs - even those for the home sewer - the files can now be converted to other systems and dst files (commercial-type machine) can be converted for the home embroidery machine. I believe that eventually we will see the same thing for quilting. No matter what program you use for digitizing, eventually all systems will be able to use the files.

Choice is good. It keeps things interesting - if not always easy!

[Grammie]

Thanks Sue.

I understand that Skf is an Autosketch file. It is my Resouce file. It is the untouched version for me to do other things with it.

Regardless I must have an EDITABLE form of the design regardless of the format it comes.

It is easy to take a Trim joined version and stamp and line it up perfectly in a layout and create even MOTIF panels in AS and bring into conversion and stitch the entire Pass on Compuquilter.

The bottom line is an Editable Design so I can be as creative as possible. Not just a Pic of what it looks like.

Thanks again.

[sewingjunky]

I used to digitize in Palete (Embroidery) but am just waiting for the Millie and CQ to arrive. I do not have either the pre or the pro designers. I think autosketch comes with my package.

Maybe I should wait for a little while and see what happens in 6 months and I am more familiar with my machine.

I was hoping to only have to buy one not two..

thanks

Brenda

[smorris]

Hi Brenda

These programmes are from two separate companies and both have videos you can download before buying so that you can decide which programme would suit you best, or whether you need either. They vary greatly in cost and in capabilities.

I find that digitising is easier with some programmes than others but all take a little time to produce a design, time that I could be spending actually quilting.

Best wishes

Sue in Australia

[Loes]

Hi Brenda,

Sounds like you only need Pre-Design

Play a little and do the following:

Download the free trial of Pre-Design (fully functional for 21 days) from http://quilters.pre-design.eu (button Free Trial).

Download the free Snowflake design from page:

http://store.pre-design.eu (tab Quilt Designs).

Unzip the free download file and open the original Pre-drawing in Pre-Design.

Choose menu File > Export PEM pattern.

Open the pem-file in your Palette Design Center: it will skip the first tedious stages. Change the Hoop Size in Stage 3 to the max size for your machine and resize the design. Then go to Stage 4 and then import it into Layout & Editing. Save as pes and embroider: it will embroider as continuous line, no jumps.

Then go back to the Pre-Design file: copy and paste the file and align to the original. Repeat another time.

Choose Pre-Design\'s menu Edit > Select All. Right click the selection and choose size: choose the size of a quilt you want to use it on. Click OK.

Choose menu File > Print Pattern. It will automatically be divided over multiple numbered pages. Tape together and you will have your first panto

This step by step is a nice way to get familiar with Pre-Design and see how easy it is to use it.

Have fun!!

Loes

[Loes]

Grammie Tammie,

From Pre-Design you can export to DXF file. This DXF is fully editable in AutoSketch and can be saved there as SKF if you like.

Loes

[Stagecl]

Brenda,

I think you are making a wise decision to wait and be comfortable with your machine and CQ.

I also would suggest that you take the Autosketch class offered at CompuQuilter headquarters. The reason I feel that taking a class is advantageous is...how do you know what you will want in the way of a design program if you don\'t know how to use what you have. Yes, autosketch was designed for engineers and architectures, but that doesn\'t mean it isn\'t useful or a very powerful program that we can use very successfully.

I am the un-nerd of computers. I am computer dumb, dumb and dumb to put it plainly. My girls laugh at my inability to do things. I have trouble creating a new folder, BUT I can use Autosketch very successfully. I design my own motifs, pantographs and borders...and whatever else I want to quilt on my CQ. I did take the class offered at Compuquilter. It taught me what I needed to know. I figure if I can do it probably most everyone else can too.

I am not saying that the other programs don\'t have their place, because for some people they are the perfect solution. Learn about what you have first, then figure out what is best for you.

Have fun.

Cheryl

[Nadia Wilson]

Thanks for the above discussion. I too have been thinking about these two different programs and wondering what the differences are between them and Autosketch, and/or how much they would be used in comparison to Autosketch.

I am all for having a support group for "Autosketch for CQ users". I use Autosketch and would love to be a part of a group - like the Statler Sister - that uses Autosketch for CQ to digitize. Just imagine how much brainstorming and sharing of ideas could be done, everyone gains in the long run! We would all be able to continue learning and growing in our businesses by being a part of a group like that. Grammie, how do we go about starting one? Would there be enough interest?

I would also like to see Autosketch for CQ workshops happening during some of these big quilt shows. I don\'t mean just 2 or 4 hour classes, I mean 3 or 4 day long workshops. I would also like to see some intermediate or advanced classes, not just beginners. Once there is more training available, I think things will fall into place for CQ users using Autosketch.

Again, I am all for being part of a bigger group of CQ users who digitize with Autosketch, I think it is time for this as there are more and more new CQ users around (and those of us who have been around for a while). I love quilting and I love quilting with my CQ.

Nadia

Millennium with CQ

[Sue E.]

Originally posted by Nadia

I am all for having a support group for "Autosketch for CQ users". I use Autosketch and would love to be a part of a group - like the Statler Sister

Nadia, I started CQDigitizers on Yahoo just for this purpose. The group is still viable but we do discuss other programs as there seemed to be an interest for it.

When I started the CQDigitizers, I tried to emulate the Statler Sisters group - which was started by a friend of mine. However, it appears that CQ users weren\'t as open to free discussions of techniques, tips/hints, and sharing of files. I would love to see the CQDigitizers grow to be as viable as the Statler Sisters list. However, it takes members who are willing to share and help each other and not always tell you that you are doing something incorrectly and to call them for help. I begged members to post photos, dxf files, tips, hints, etc. Very few photos were ever submitted and even fewer tips, hints, dxf files, etc. were posted.

When I started the CQDigitizers, I was allowed to be a member of the Statler Sisters for several months to get a feel of how the group operated - by the way their membership approved me and when I had to leave wished me the best of luck. I never saw the backstabbing that we had on the CQDigitizers - which by the way has long been stopped. I also saw members who freely gave advice and help to others. They also freely shared designs they created and asked for help in fine tuning them. They posted their creations for others to try. They have designers who share. The Statler Sisters - who now call themselves Siblings because they have so many men on the group - get along.

Several CQ users wanted all the glory and were not willing to share freely. I keep trying to get the group to grow but since S&D Stitches started the CompuQuilter_Users board where people discuss all topics and systems on their site, it has been extremely difficult to get discussions started regarding digitizing on the CQDigitizers site. I know that one person has her own board which is restricted to people who have taken her classes. This is fine, but it shows the differences in the attitudes and mentality of the CQ users vs. the members of the Statler Sisters group.

It is up to the CQ users as to what kind of chat group they want. One of the main problems I see with the CQDigitizers is that everyone who bought a CompuQuilter wanted to digitize. However, because most people were not familiar with longarm quilting and their CQs, it became overwhelming to them to even think about digitizing.

Brenda, I believe you need to learn how to use your Millie and your CQ before you even think about digitizing for it. There is a lot ot learn and I personally found taking baby steps was the way to go. Trying to learn everything at one time is just too overwhelming and frustrating. I tried to do it all and found I became frustrated and gave up trying to digitize for many months. Now that I know the systems, things are easier.

If anyone who owns a CQ and wants to become a member of the CQDigitizers, please visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cqdigitizers

You must already own your CQ in order to become a member.

I don\'t mean to sound harsh, but after reading this back I guess I do. I do not mean to offend anyone. I am just telling it the way I see it. I will not post any more comments regarding what I have stated here and I don\'t expect others to either. This is a statement of fact whether you agree or not - I don\'t feel it should be open for discussion on this board as it really has nothing to do with the purpose of this chat board.

[Grammie]

Sue you are so right about the Statler Group. They do work well with each other. I have seen it myself and I want that for CQ users too.

The one thing though that we must acknowledge is that they AGREE on what software to use and therefore there is no room for discussing anything else more knowledge is gained by all members who participate and speak the same Digitizing Language. That\'s why it works.

It gets old hearing the same old debate on what is the best to use. I\'m ok with that as I\'m doing some beautiful things with my CQ and loving Autosketch. I wish there were more to join me in using this software. You can do so much in it.

[Nadia Wilson]

Originally posted by SueinScottsdale

I don\'t mean to sound harsh, but after reading this back I guess I do. I do not mean to offend anyone. I am just telling it the way I see it.

[Nadia Wilson]

Wel, I messed up that post above...here is the rest of it....

Sue, absolutely no offence taken, we are discusing CQ as it pertains to other programs available out there and the thread has lead to a discussion about a group hopefully forming for people who want to work with Autosketch to digitize for CQ. Thanks for talking about your list, once I received my CQ I did join it, however, on my very first post I talked about my experience with Autosketch to digitizing for CQ and my post was edited by the group moderator. Once that was done I felt that group was not for me as I was not able to talk about my experience with Autosketch as it pertains to me and my CQ. I wanted to learn more about Autosketch to digitize, not about the other programs available. I agree with Sue, let\'s keep this discussion on this thread focused on digitizing for CQ and how those of us who choose to use Autosketch as our digitzing tool can learn from each other.

I agree with Grammie Tammie, in her last post, word for word. That is the kind of group that I want to belong to so I can increase my knowledge and be able to share what I learn in Autosketch with others and use on my CQ. Grammie Tammie, I will join you in using Autosketch to digitize for CQ, what do you propose?

[Sue E.]

Originally posted by Nadia

I agree with Sue, let\'s keep this discussion on this thread focused on digitizing for CQ and how those of us who choose to use Autosketch as our digitzing tool can learn from each other.

Nadia, this thread never had anything to do with AutoSketch. The topic is Pre Design or Pro Design. Nowhere is AutoSketch mentioned in the original post.

Once again, the topic has been "hi-jacked."

[sewingjunky]

Obviously the "perfect" program hasn\'t come out yet. So I think I am going to learn as much about the machine as I can and I saw on the APQS webpage a new booklet? that explains the computer digitizing that comes with the machine. I will learn that first and then move on. Maybe as an idea we could have one main group of APQS CQer\'s and sub groups for each software. I got to join in a presentation as I was considering a gammil, and the whole group was invited to a dinner and then they got together back at the innovations room and watched a video of what is "the new" release. They had time to talk and get to know each other. I met probably 5 or 6 ladies that were really cool.

I would love to have a group like that, that actually met at some of the big shows. CQ has our addresses. They could arrange something and they don\'t have to buy the dinner, just reserve, post and invite. I would sign up in a minute!

I appreciate the fact that I posted a question, and so many of you wrote back. I think we have a pretty great group of ladies and men right here in the present, and I would love to be part of that. I count my blessings for your answers, you all saved me some money and helped me hold in my reins a little while I get me feet wet.

Thanks

Brenda

I would also love to join to learn, I know this is a business, but everyone I have talked to is as busy as they want to be, so what do we have to loose?

[digisuz]

I don’t think the thread got hi-jacked at all. We have newcomers to CQ who are hearing incomplete information about “Digitizing” software. Mis-information about AutoSketch is influencing new people coming to computerized quilting who just want some truthful information . . . and they have a right. They are trying to decide if they should make additional investments after making a huge investment in their quilting machine and CQ.

Brenda, AutoSketch is included with your CQ purchase, and it is the mainstay program used by most professional and recreational digitizers. With AutoSketch, you have drawing tools that are easy to use and give you rich options for drawing quilting designs. It comes down to learning the tips and techniques to using AutoSketch tools and functions so you can get professional results in a short time. You can easily progress in your skills to learn beautiful over-stitching techniques, understand and digitize all the design categories that CQ stitches, and know how to edit and create a large variety of design layouts. AutoSKetch is recommended by the engineers that created Statler, CQ and IQ because it’s highly compatible for computerized quilting programs, and it’s remarkably inexpensive. Don’t be fooled into thinking that AutoSKetch is hard to learn. We do not learn the entire AutoSKetch program. To go from beginner to advanced, my average Digitizing student spends about 15-18 hours with me training. Along with their course book, that’s written step-by-step and homework exercises to make them confident with their skills, this is not a lot of time to learn the professional skill of digitizing quilting designs. As a bonus, your understanding of digitizing and design concepts will make you a more creative and able computerized quilter.

There are compatibility and editing issues that cascade from using either Pre-Design or Pro-Q Designer. We have none of these problems using AutoSketch. Throughout years of digitizing and converting designs for CQ, I have documented everything I do in AutoSKetch and put it into my course book and materials. I love teaching others. Brenda, I would be happy to answer any of your questions without obligation if you will contact me. Take time, learn more about digitizing specifically for CQ, good luck to you, and most importantly have fun with your amazing quilting system.

Warm Regards,

Suzanne Moreno, Digitizing Instructor

Digitizing for CompuQuilter Course Book and Lessons

cqdigi@charter.net

541.660.8053 in Grants Pass, Oregon