As more and more people move to Apple, more and more people are on the lookout for cross stitch software on a Mac. However, there simply isn’t much choice out there.But that doesn’t mean there isn’t some great choices out there.– 9/10($52 ( ))We start with the behomoth of cross stitch software, on Mac or Windows.
Jump to MAC - We will cover the most used software on PC (Windows), Mac, entirely Online, afor iPad or Androids. Jump to Best Cross Stitch Software for. Dana Batho Blog: ‘From a painting to cross stitch’ And now, access to hundreds of downloadable free and commercial.PAT files (PC Stitch format 4 through 7) available on the web, from your MAC! Note: although there is a program with a similar name (mcStitch), our program is for hand crafting, and is not something to drive a sewing machine.
MacStitch is simply the Mac version of the ever popular WinStitch, a full service cross stitch software that not only competes than the likes of PCStitch.It has over 30 different brand of threads, including select options, such as DMC grey scale, has an inbuilt print to pdf (unlike some, PCStitch), and runs without strong demands on RAM. As a result, its the first place to look for a Mac software option.MacStitch Screenshot with example Pikachu patternBut it does come with some drawbacks. The first, is of course the price.
Whilst the initial outlay of $52 seems steep, its comparable to the price of any Windows options, and is BY FAR the cheapest Mac software option.Secondly, thanks to its full service option, it comes with a learning curve. However, the same can be said with any software, regardless of platform, and as confidence grows, the extra options will become invaluable.As a final point, if the time comes you wish to move away from Mac, all your saved patterns and files are compatable with the Windows version of the software, and whilst you’ll have to buy that copy, it saves you a serious headache if that time comes.– 9/10(FREE)I hear what you’re saying, do you NEED to pay?
Well, if you want a full suite of options you need a paid bit of software. However, if you want, there is a free option. But instead of software, its online.StitchFiddle has long been our favorite online pattern maker, and or good reason. Its simple to use, has fantastic image creation software (see below) and most importantly, is free.Nothing in life is truly free though, as StitchFiddle is very limited in what it can do. It only has DMC or Anchor treads, it has very simple size selection (but does go up to 2000×2000), and even more simple image editing ability.
However, for a quick image conversion, its the bees knees, offering a great print to pdf option.– 5/10($191)Here’s where we start getting into some pricier options. For a long time Jane Greenoff pattern making software was the only one around, and over time she got quite a following. However, the first of our pricy Mac options, and the very first Mac software, has been lifted directly from the old Jane Greenoff software, which means its complicated, has a limited selection of threads, and limited in many of its features.Its a higher cost that the likes of MacStitch, and has considerably less features. Its only real positive is its ability to work with very old Macs (MacStitch works with XP onwards).– 5/10($199/FREE)Stitch Painter is a fairly complicated program, with a similarly limited set of features that DP Software Cross Stitch Pro has. However, it does have a free demo, which despite various prompts, doesn’t seem to run out.– 5/10($155)Our final pattern creator for Mac is StitchCraft, and whilst it isn’t pretty at all, it does get the job done.
Considering its cost, there is simply no reason to go with something this hard to use.
There are lots of reasons to own a software program that can help you create or design charted images for counted cross stitch or any other counted technique. The major reason for me is the convenience of being able to work out a stitch chart in an easy-to-use program and print it in a clean format ready for use. I use software to create filet crochet patterns for my mom, to work out monogram placement, to sketch up blackwork designs, to work out drawn thread edges or Hardanger ideas, or to work out patterns that I find on a vintage linens or on old samplers or what-have-you.On Sunday, I posted a photo of some. I received an e-mail from a reader, and this is what she asked: I LOVE the design on the Ukrainian cloth you posted today and I want to stitch it sooooo bad!
Beside drawing it out on graph paper, how could I make the pattern for it? Do you use software for that, or do you draw it on graph paper? Do you know if it’s easy to use that kind of software? Any suggestions are appreciated!So that question prompted today’s article.
There’s no affiliation here – I’m simply passing on information about a product that I use that I’m happy with. You may know of other good cross stitch software that you might want to recommend, and that’s fine. If you’re looking for this type of software, I suggest you shop around, read reviews, download demo versions and try them out, compare prices and features, and then make your own informed decision.So, for working out any patterns that involve counted embroidery techniques, I use. MacStitch is written to be used on a Mac, but if you don’t work on a Mac, you can always look at their PC version, which is called. The current version for both of them is 2012, but I haven’t upgraded yet, so I’m still using 2011.Right off the bat, I should tell you that I don’t do a lot of counted design work. But what I have done in MacStitch has been very easy to do. In looking at the Ukrainian cloth, I drew up this element, which is the main motif of the design.In MacStitch, I work in color blocks, but before I print a design or export it as a PDF, I can opt for color blocks or symbols or both.
I can also coordinate block colors with colors of thread from many major thread brands. And I can add beads, French knots, backstitches, half and quarter cross stitches, and so forth to my charts, too. I can chart text, using whatever fonts I have on my computer, and do all kinds of other charty stuff.Using the cut and paste feature, I created the corner. That took about a whole second.Then I worked out the trim around the corner. Since I couldn’t see exactly what was at the corner of the outermost outline, I worked out my own version.Then I just cut and pasted the elements to fill in the whole design on the corner.Making sure the corners all worked out and the design matched up took a tiny bit of fiddling, but all in all, I was able to produce the whole design in MacStitch in a short time, using mostly cut and paste and a little bit of fiddling.
The design above isn’t quite finished, but it’s nearly there.Now, this is designed for 28 thread count fabric, and if stitched over one thread, it would produce a design about 6″ square, so not very big, and definitely not large enough to line an Easter basket! But to enlarge the design, I just have to cut it in the center and add repeats to achieve the length and width I want.
If I were making a very large cloth, I might design an element for the center that coordinates with the edge.Once the design is finished, I can choose all kinds of options for printing. I can choose at what size the chart will print, so that I don’t have to strain to see the pattern.
If the chart runs over onto more than one page, the “overlap” will print with a shadow, so I can clearly see what was on the previous page and find my place. I can print the stitch key, I can print different types of graphs, I can preview the piece rendered on “cloth” (well, as much as a computer can do that, anyway) pretty much anything you’d want to do with a cross stitch chart, you can do.The program is easy to figure out, as long as you have a little bit of computer experience (just like any program, really!). MacStitch has a pretty good user guide, which is helpful. I’ve used other software for this type of work – Jane Greenoff’s Cross Stitch Designer, PC Stitch, and Stitchcraft are some programs that I’ve used on a PC (they don’t have Mac versions). Compared with those programs, I found MacStitch to be more user-friendly, and my guess is that Ursa Software’s WinStitch version for PC would be equally as user-friendly (though it’s only a guess – I haven’t used it).So, to answer the question about software for counted cross stitch and other counted techniques, I use. If you’re in the market for this type of software, you should try out the demo versions of cross stitch software out there, and then compare features and prices.As for the Ukrainian cloth, I don’t know if I’ll ever stitch it or not! But I suppose if I want to, it’s just a matter of pushing the print button, right?
And that’s really the nice thing about having this type of software on hand.What about you? Do you use any cross stitch software to work out designs?
Any recommendations you want to share? Any problems you’ve had with various software? Or any questions you might have for me about this software? If you do use this type of software, do you use it for anything other than cross stitch? Looking forward to your feedback! Just if you want to discuss!Tomorrow, I’m giving away another beautiful book!
The next day, we’re talking threads and organization (very excited about that!), and then an update on the – it’s creeping along slowly, but at least it’s creeping. I am very happy using the software from the Royal School of Needlework. In addition to the features you have mentioned, it is possible to add ‘custom stitches’ if you wish, and there are blackwork fillings provided.There is a Tutorial, on the CD-ROM. This covers History of Blackwork, Canvas and Samplers.
Then there is a section on stitch types. The section on techniques is also informative.Selection of colours is from DMC, Anchor (Coats) or Madeira floss, Appletons, Paternayan or Paterna tapestry wools, Kreinik of Rajmahal silks, Mill Hill Beads, and Offray ribbons.I find it useful to import a picture or design, using only a few colours (maybe 12 or 15), and then buld up the number of colours, rather than do it the other way round, and end up with a very bitty design. Dear Mary,I, too, loved the Ukranian egg design.
In fact, I have already started working one one. Silly me, however, I never thought of using the computer to chart it. I used the design already charted in a Dover book, Charted Peasant Designs from Saxon Transylvania. Then, I went online for a picture of Ukranian eggs to choose colors. I am about halfway through the first block.
The border is simple enough that I will not chart it. I will just look at the picture and wing it. Thank you for the idea for this project.
You have also inspired me to try crewel again, which I have not done in thirty years.Marny. Well, surface embroidery designs are a whole different question. The nice thing is that you can just trace them from a sketch on paper. But if you want to clean them up into line drawings on the computer, it’s helpful to know how to use vector software, like Adobe Illustrator or Inksacape. That latter is free ware that you can download online. Using layers, you import your design and basically just trace it.
To get it really smooth, there’s a lot of tweaking you usually have to do. Depending on the size and complexity of the design, the whole process can go very quickly, or it can take hours of work. I use PC Stitch 9 and have used it for many years. I run Windows on my computer and PC Stitch works very well.
There is a newer version out now – PC Stitch 10, but I haven’t upgraded. From your description of the Mac product you use, Mary, it does all of the same things. I like it a lot for charting text – it’ll allow true font or backstitched text. You can also copy and paste a photo or other design directly from a photo on your computer or scanner onto a chart.
The program will let you print it in color, using symbols or color blocks. I like the program a lot and it’s not outrageously expensive. My favorite is PC Stitch 9 and 10 especially for making patterns out of photographs. I have done several portraits using it.
You don’t even have to have a portrait picture. What I did, in each instance, is select a photo that had the person in it, download it into PC Stitch, crop the person out and, after selecting size, thread count and number of colors to apply (all of which are questions built into the program) I printed it and was ready to stitch. Great way to personalize a gift. My grandchildren are my favorite subjects. I’m the old fashioned kind of girl. I still draw stuff out on graph paper, then color it in.
I don’t always use the colors I’m going to use in the patters, I use colors like symbols on a B&W chart. Because I have dyslexia, I frequently color similar shapes very different colors.Years ago, in the early 1990s, I bought some software that was supposed to graph your design in colors you wanted or with some symbols. The first problem was that I didn’t have a color monitor nor a color printer, neither at home or at school. I just never got into using the program and have not bought a newer one.
Good review!I do mostly linear stitching rather than block unit (think double running rather than cross stitch). I’ve tried most of the commercial stitching programs and found that most of them are perfectly good for block unit work, with the capabilities you illustrate all being highly valuable. But line unit work is at best covered an afterthought, mostly as an outline tool.I’ve got a bunch of software reviews specific to line unit patterns at my blog, and offer up a tutorial on using GIMP – a general use freeware drafting program – as a solution for complex linear patterns.
Hi mary, i bought macsticth last year specifically to help me work out some text for a pillow, it was perfect for that. Next im going to try to import a simple illustration from adobe illustrator. I was wondering if youve heard of any way to get the finished image onto the canvas? I now know why hand painted canvases are so expensive. Its pretty hard to do. Ive tried iron-on transfers but did not like the results at all.
Any cool products or methods? Thanks for the great newsletters, loraine yolles. Mary I have been looking for software for my MacBookPro that I can use to design counted cross stitch. I have looked at two software programs, MacStitch and Stitches for Mac. I don’t know anything about either of them. Have you heard of Stitches for Mac? In MacStitch, do you know if you can scan pictures into the software?
Anymore information you can share with me to make a decision would be helpful! By the way, I read your article about you and your niece doing a counted cross stitch project.
I love counted cross stitch, and just recently finished stitching a Long Dog baby sampler, ‘Bienvenue’. I stitched it on 40 count Ant. White linen with NPI and Gloriana silk.
It came out just beautiful! After I read your article, I ordered ‘Angel Pavement’. I love Long Dog designs. They are among some of the best designs available to us stitchers.I am interested in learning other kinds of needlework. I want to learn needle painting.
What is the difference between crewel and needle painting? I will continue to spend time on your website. I have ordered Inspirations. Maybe I will get some ideas for learning needle painting and other types of needlework. Do you have any suggestions for books, etc., that I might read to learn about it.
Thanks for any suggestions Kay Lynn. Hi, Kay Lynn – I’m afraid I haven’t used MacStitch to its full capabilities, so I’m not 100% sure what it can do as far as importing images / scans is concerned. I know you can import a picture and convert it to a grid, but I don’t know if you can import a scan.
I’ll play with it when I get a chance, to see what it can do in that regard.Needlepainting is a term for long and short stitch shading, done in such a way that the finished piece resembles painting. There’s lots of shading and contrast and color involved. Usually, needlepainting is done with silk or cotton. Crewel embroidery involves lots of different stitches (long and short stitch among them), and is usually worked in wool. For needlepainting, I’d suggest this book of Trish Burr’s: For crewel embroidery, there are LOTS of books out there on the subject. You might want to take a look at my Books page, where you can click on the title of a book and read my review of it: There are several good crewel books there that you might find helpful.Hope that helps!MC.
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