thinking about getting a membership, but am frusterated by the limits my machine has put on me and all the really nice dsigns I can not embroider because they are too large.

Great explanation by Meganne!!

My 'Design Shop Pro Plus' software will handle all that automatically and I am wondering about other software that might do it automatically too. Can anyone share the names of software they use and whether or not it will resize and make all the adjustments for you? I am very curious about it. This was a great question.

Marcelle
http://embroideryavenue.com/
http://embroidery.gotop100.com/

1 comment

by asterixsew 11 Jul 2011

PE design can be added to your list

Thanks for asking the question and to Meganne for her brilliant answer. If I alter I use my PE design and its usually OK

Thank you for the question and thank you for the great answers. *4 all.

My software warns that 20% either way is best. Mine does reduce the stitch count or increase it depending on which way I go.

S

It all depends on the type of design, but my personal opinion is no more than 10% either way and I'm going to tell you MY reasons for this.

To effectively reduce a design it is necessary for the original digitiser to go back to the "CREATION" file (for want of a better terminology), which does not have any true (machine) format until it is complete and the digitiser then converts the CREATION file into the different formats.

This is the only GUARANTEED way of resizing a design.

Because in the "creation" file the digitiser can change anything they like, they can even separate the design into all the little segments that make it up and they can make the adjustments, sometimes necessary, when altering the size, DEPENDING ON THE ACTUAL PROGRAMS CAPABILITIES.

Anything else is mostly sheer luck whether it works or not.

I, myself have seen some disastrous results from both reducing and enlarging, where reduced designs can become so dense the needle cannot penetrate the work and enlarged designs have turned satin stitch sections into jump stitches that most machines won't recognise so they just stop stitching. TRUE as God!

If you have a good program such as Embird, you can play around with the density in Editor until you find one that reduces the stitch count thus reducing the density,
but,
imagine if you will,
a gorgeous design,
lets say a Geisha.....
The digitiser has used different densities for say, her hair (4.3), her obi (4.5), her kimono (5.0), the little flowers in her hair and on her kimono (6.5).
You come along and want to downsize it with software, you try to find a density that will reduce the stitch count as well, let's say (5.5), just looking at the few segments above we can see that none of those segments had a density of 5.5 so when they stitch out some will be too dense, others won't be dense enough. Can you see why the design doesn't turn out as good?

With Enlargement, the problem is different because you are stretching the design, go and get a knitted garment where you can see the stitches, hold it up and look at one section of stitches, then stretch it between your hands and look at what happens to those stitches. Enlargement explained!

NOW,

Some digitising programs handle size alteration well, some programs suck at it.

Some machines handle size alteration well, other suck at it.

And remember machines have patents so what mechanics one machine has to do a job, will be totally different to what another machine has, because, no, hold -on, that's a different subject. LOL!!!

Anyway, in the end YOU have to test your machine's capabilities, with the emphasis on TEST.
And if you have digitising software, you also need to find out its capabilities, for yourself.

Here ends today's lesson in altering design sizes and why I say 10% maximum or take the old saying to heart, "Fortune favours the brave" and go for it!

Hugs and roses, Meganne

1 comment

by sewfrenzie 11 Jul 2011

Thank you Meganne for taking the time to explain all involved. What happens if you change the size of an applique design?

You have your answers. I just wanted to butt in and say it might be time for an upgrade. With all of the new machines coming out you may be able to get a trade in for a reasonable price. I can do 5X7 and still find I would like a bigger hoop, but I have software and can break up a large design and re-hoop but it's time consuming.

1 comment

by sewfrenzie 11 Jul 2011

Would love to upgrade, don't have the money to at this time unfortunately.

sewwhat program from sands will reduce size and number of stitches. It also has a stitch density tab to allow for that as well.
http://www.sandscomputing.com/
There is a free month trial.. well worth buying as well. They have a yahoo group for support.
Helen

It depends on if you're doing the downsizing with your machine, or if you have some software. Your machine will reduce the size of the design, but not the number of stitches, so it will become more dense. Software will generally (but not always) reduce the number of stitches as it reduces the design. I have Janome Digitizer Pro, and have pretty good luck with reducing, except with redwork types, it just makes the stitches smaller. I'm sure there will be someone along who can tell you if there's free software to do the reducing with. Such a shame you can't use larger than 4x4 and are missing out, hope someone can help! Hugs, Marji

1 comment

by noah 10 Jul 2011

yes and i had to learn that Marj.listen to her wisdom!!carolyn

in most cases can generally reduce the size of the design by about 20%. Hope this helps.
Alice.

Great question. Can't wait to hear the answer.