Sue E. Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 I am just so excited that I have to tell all CQ users. For the past week I've been using a new-to-quilting software package for digitizing. It is so easy to use and you don't need to use AutoSketch at all. The software is called Pre-Design by Loes (pronounced like loos - Lucy without the Y) van der Heijden of the Netherlands. I've had this software for years for drawing/tracing designs for embroidery. Now Loes has added an export to .dxf feature. This program is extremely easy to use for tracing your design, exporting the file as a .dxf, and then bringing the .dxf directly into the CQ conversion program (bypassing AutoSketch). I have been struggling with AutoSketch for quite some time and now I don't need it at all! Last night I used it to digitize a repeat design that worked perfectly the first time I converted it - no jump stitches and my x,y 0,0 coordinates were pecfect without fighting with the program. Loes has joined the CQDigitizers board and we are discussing this program there. Loes has also posted several tips for creating designs and using the program. Everyone who has tried it seems to love it. Loes is working with Stan and Dee Dee to make it work even better and she has just completed a tutorial for creating corners. Another exciting happening is that there is another software package being developed and is now in the beta testing mode. It is scheduled to be released the end of May. The "tech support and guru" for this program is also a member of the CQDigitizers and she says that Pre-Design and this new program will work in conjunction with each other. Things can't get much better than this. Stay tuned for more exciting news and info as it becomes available. Digitizing for the CompuQuilter is getting better and better all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltingtina Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 Sounds very exciting! Thanks for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 I struggled with auto-sketch until I took the class with Suzanne. It is quite easy to use once you know how. This new program sounds great too. How does it aline the the vertices for the repeatables if you are drawing it in this program? Chery Mathre Stone Creek Quilting Sandy Hook, VA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue E. Posted February 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Chery, it is simple. You just move the design over the 0,0 coordinates on your grid then move your start and end points by snapping to the grid. It is so accurate you don't need to struggle to get the points to align at the proper spot. Everything about this program is simple. The problem with AutoSketch is that it is a huge program really created to be used by architects and engineers. We only use a tiny portion of the program and because of this, it is more difficult to use. There are too many features of AutoSketch that are wasted on digitizing a continuous line drawing! Even with this new program, we are only using a very small portion of it because we are not concerned with closed spaces to be filled in with stitches that are needed for embroidery design. I absolutely love this new program (as if you couldn't tell)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grammie Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 I like Autosketch too Chery since I too took Suzanne's class. Snapping to xyzero is the easiest task of all now. I have some more complicated drawings and pathing them is what I am working on before I can get the digitizing completed. No problem at all when dealing with simple repeatable shapes and such. I like very intricate and dense designs myself. I look at things alot differently than I did before with regard to design ideas in my head and drawings I already have. PS. Chery I want one of those beautiful feathers of yours!!! lol Keep on Digitizing!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Grammie, Glad you liked my feather. It was really intense to digitize...but so much fun and I loved the way it stitched out. I still can't believe that I did it. Did Suzanne stitch it out in class? How are the puppies? Sue, Does she have a website for that software? I would just like to look at it...not that I need it now. I am thinking I might want a tablet for drawing even though I can do it on Autosketch. I should probably go and google it. Cheryl Mathre Stone Creek Quilting Sandy Hook, VA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grammie Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 http://www.pre-design.eu/index.htm This Software has been around for a while. I have used it when doing Embroidery Digitizing. She has a demo Chery. I haven't seen your feathers stitiched out but I just know how beautiful you can draw them. PS. The puppies are a Hand Full. lololol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 I just went to the site for the pre-design and watched the demo. I cannot see that much difference between using autosketch and her software. Just different tools, but almost the same identical steps. It seems to me that if you understand autosketch there is no need for this program because they do the same thing. It is a matter of understanding what you are doing on each of the different pieces of software as to where you will be most comfortable. Autosketch has so much potential that is not utilize which is true...but why pay more for something that does the same thing when it comes with the system? The main difference is the point of orign...that is simple on autosketch...editing the vertices to x/y zero is the same for a repeat. I have never struggled setting the x/y to zero in autosketch once I knew what I was doing. It is a snap...just like pre-design. I guess I can not see the me investing in her software when I know how to work autosketch...it would be a repetitious program. Again, we are entitled to our own opinions and if it works great for others that is wonderful. Have fun digitizing with the method that works best for you. Cheryl Mathre Stone Creek Quilting Sandy Hook, VA PS...I have digitized 6 repeatable designs and 3 motifs since class in January with absolutely no problems. Thanks to Suzanne!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoAnnHoffman Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 I played with Pre-Design and it is a lot of fun. A lot less intimidating to newbies than Autosketch. Ellen Munnich's software PCQ Designer will be wonderful too, I think it will be out in June. I also found CabinLogic. There's some exciting things going on in the digitizing world. Here are some links. http://pcqdesigner.com/downloadsframe.htm http://www.pre-design.eu/trial.htm http://cabinlogic.com/helpfiles/patterncadhelp_dir/patterncadhelp0_main.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue E. Posted February 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 I agree with you Chery. Having a choice is wonderful. I was never comfortable using AutoSketch even after taking several classes, although the more I used it the more proficient I became. I still struggled with much of it. However, I took to Pre-Design immediately. Everything I've done with it has been very easy for me. I think all these new programs coming out is very exciting and will allow everyone to choose the program that works best for them. I'm glad you like AutoSketch and can now use it. That is what choice is all about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grammie Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Thank you Joann, This QuiltCad is new to me. I'm going to check it out. I noticed it mentions a Pro version and it specifies Statler and PcQuilter but not Compuquilter. That will probly change soon. I think your right. Many new things happening this year with regard to digitizing. We are all going to have many choices. Probly too many as we do with Embroidery. Like embroidery we will probly have so many Computerized designs available its unbelievable. Also I think they will be sending them in all the formats like embroidery digitizers do. This way you get the format you need regardless of system you own and this is good if you own more than one computerized system. I own more than one embroidery system but I only purchase the design once. That's the way it should be. I'm really looking forward to creating some really wonderful Layouts that are cool on the computer. I like planning things out and visually seeing the completed quilt on paper. Thanks for sharing the links. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 I took a look at QuiltCad...it looked good too. I found it more intriguing than the pre-design software. Eventually there will be so many choices for people that everyone can find a system that works best for them. Thank goodness for computer nerds who can simplify software for us who have trouble. Thanks, Joann for letting us know about this software and the other one you have mentioned. I haven't checked out that sight yet. Cheryl Mathre Stone Creek Quilting Sandy Hook, VA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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