I want to learn how to digitize, anybody can help me with this? I need a cheap digitizer, my machine is a brother pe 700 and I don't know what to get. Thanks everyone!!!Love and flowers.

Sophie Sews is a freebie digitizing program someone mentioned on cute a while ago. I guess it's probably pretty basic. The tutorials are quite good. That's as far as I've got with it. Worth a look anyway I guess. :)

1 comment

by jasanne 03 Jul 2008

http://www.sophiesew.com/ oh dear i have such trouble getting links to stick!

good question and you got some good answers from the girls.s *4U

The only one I really know anything about is embird & I think it is wonderful since that's what I have. I do know if U listen to these girls they won't steer U wrong. Read all they have to say n answering your question then decide what would b best 4 U *4U maria

2 comments

by mariahail 03 Jul 2008

I think I will try to fin out the price and start saving for this one. thanks

by mariahail 03 Jul 2008

I'm sorry...I mean find out...

Hi Mariahail, I have the Embroidery Magic 2 program from Pantograms.com.It comes with 5 fonts which allow keyboard placement.It is a manual stitch program which means you have to set each point.It has monogramming functions as well.You can curve or respace or elongate or shorten text.It does not come with a tutorial though and you will have to purchase one.I recommend you look at the www.AuntyMdesigns.com site.They give excellent suport with all things related to the software.This program runs about$100(US)The tutorial is about$60(US)It is a great program for beginners.It took about ten minutes to get started with the text program.Mostly this is a fun program. I have no financial relationship with the website or the program other than I am PLEASED as PUNCH to be able to personalize gifts for my daughters and friends. Especially for the money I spent.

1 comment

by mariahail 03 Jul 2008

thank you for your help.

The cheapest one on the market is Embird. It's user friendly and there are a number of tutorials available on the net. Some are free, some other you would have to pay for. There are also a number of helpful discussion groups on Yahoo for Embird.
Secrets of Embroidery is a good place to buy the software as it is cheaper there than on the Embird.com website. You also get free designs and secrets point. Secrets has also Carolyn Keber tutorials that are quite good and worth the investment. I only own Embird 2006 for now and Carolyn Keber's tutorial and I love them. I also bought 4D Embroidery (Pfaff and Huskvarna) and I only know the basic stuff on how to use. I now prefer Embird because of the training and support I was able to get.
A comment from Larry Pikes (Arthistic thread Work) is that it is better to invest in tutorials on how better use a digitizing software than buy a new one than seems better or easier to learn.
Knowing that, my advise would be to buy a digitizing software that will fit your need (and budget)and for which you will be able to get support and training for. If you buy a software for which you can't get support and training (from dealer and/or elsewhere), you won't be able to use it to it's full potential and you will end up not liking it.

Good luck!

Danie

1 comment

by workbecky 02 Jul 2008

I agree 100% with that. I have Generations and hate it. I haven't even made it through the tutorials. No support from dealer in fact their response was "we don't sell that anymore" after telling me it was sooooo wonderful.

Brother do various PE design from 1 to 6/7 the new one. you can sometimes pick them up second hand if you want a cheap option in my sewing / patchwork magazine or EBay. To do anything too much you want at least PE 4 upwards. The new one in uk is about the same price as your machine £500+ which is alot extra, but opens up a whole new world of design fromclipart,scanned indrawings Etc. Hope this is helpful. Courses are often run at Brother Dealership which I would Reccommed as a starting place and then Practice as much as you can...............

1 comment

by mariahail 03 Jul 2008

Thanks, I like drawing that's whiy I'm so interested on trying to get a digitizer.

I use PE Design 5 with my Brother machine & it has digitizing tools. I am not very good at digitizing but the software lets you do it. I would like to upgrade to PE Design 7. Good Luck with your digitizing.

If you look in the Q&A's under the tag software you'll find a number of Q&A's on digitizing. I don't know much about price, but I do know that Embird and PEdesign, a Brother product, or often used and are quite good. Your Brother dealer can no doubt show you the possibilities of PEdesign. Embird can be found on the internet and there are good tutorials to be found as well. Look at the answers I mentioned, think about what you want to do with the software, buy what you need (some software gives you the choice to buy parts of the total package) and enjoy. Flower for you.