StitchBuddy 2.0 - Edit Embroidery Designs

[marndt]

StitchBuddy is an editor for design files which are used by embroidery machines, e. g. from Janome. Besides a free Quick Look and Spotlight plugin to preview and search for these files in Mac OS X, the application itself allows modifications of embroidery designs: editing (delete, rotate, flip, resize, ...) down to stitch level, color assignment, basting, template printouts, USB export ....

Supported are the following file formats: Janome JEF (rw) & SEW (r), Brother PES (r), Melco EXP (rw), Tajima DST (rw), Pfaff PCS (rw) & KSM/VP3/PCD/PCQ (r).

In the last year I received a lot of ideas for feature enhancements, and most of them found their way into version 2.0:

• designs, selected parts or single stitches can be modified (deleted, moved, resized, rotated, flipped)
• designs or selected parts can be copied and pasted into the same or a different design (merging designs)
• a basting can be added
• different hoops can be selected (JEF and PCS embroideries)
• all modifications can be undone
• the underlay of a design can be displayed (with rulers, first / last stitch, center etc.)
• the background color is selectable
• printing supports all display options plus a template printout (1:1)
• thread colors can easily be identified (point & click)
• Marathon and Poly-X40 thread charts were added
• USB export for Janome embroidery machines
• Quick Look and Spotlight plugins are included

Both StitchBuddy plugins (Quick Look and Spotlight) can be downloaded from its website and used for free!

At www.stitchbuddy.de you can not only find the complete feature list, download links and screenshots, but a detailed version history, FAQ and some video tutorials. Don't hesitate to comment in this thread or email some feedback.

I hope you'll enjoy the software, Matthias

[daileyaidan]

I'm not so much replying, but asking for clarification. My granddaughter's embroidery machine must hook to a computer, as I understand, using an usb cable, (I think,) in order to do embroidery. When she purchased it, she had a laptop, which has since died--she replaced with MAC, then discovered the connection does not click. Someone told her there was something that could be purchased as a go-between a Mac and her machine, if Mac equipped with INTL, which newer ones are. Might this be THAT thing?

[marndt]

Originally Posted by daileyaidan

Someone told her there was something that could be purchased as a go-between a Mac and her machine, if Mac equipped with INTL, which newer ones are. Might this be THAT thing?

Sorry, it's not.

Some embroidery machines just appear as an additional drive when connected to a Mac, e. g. Brother's Innovis 900. Other use standard USB pen drives or CompactFlash card for file, e. g. Janome's MemoryCrafts. Then it's easy to transfer designs straight to the machine.

Others require specific drivers which are mostly available for Windows, only. Then it is necessary to either start the Mac with a Windows installation ("Bootcamp") or run a virtual PC like Parallel Desktop, VMware Fusion or Sun VirtualBox with Windows inside. Both methods require an Intel-based Mac, and I think that's what you are referring to.

[marndt]

Embroiderers of you might know Jim Stutsman, Janome guru and owner of "The Sewing Room" in Frisco, Texas. These days Jim wrote a review about the Mac software StitchBuddy in his blog "Online Sewing":

"...If you only work with purchased designs, then StitchBuddy is all you need for the Mac. It's the single best tool I've ever found for working with Janome embroidery designs, and that includes all of the ones available for the PC...". - Thanks, Jim!

Look at the original article in Jim's blog for the complete review!

[marndt]

Some more user comments on StitchBuddy:

Review of StitchBuddy published in a Janome user forum
Bloggin about StitchBuddy usage with a Brother LB6800

[marndt]

I'm happy to inform about a new version of StitchBuddy (v2.1):

This time I decided not to wait for more feature enhancements before releasing a new version of StitchBuddy: On one hand I'd like to spend the next days with my family celebrating Christmas, on the other hand I want you to benefit from new developments as soon as possible. I hope you feel comfortable with this decision!

Feel free to download version 2.1 from StitchBuddy's website including the following new features:

• Support for different measurement units (millimeters, inches with decimals, inches with fractions)
• Auto conversion of thread colors to a preferred thread chart when opening a design
• Selected stitches can be moved by Drag'n'Drop
• New function "Measure" to measure distances in a design
• Designs can be copied as images or text by Drag'n'Drop, even to Mac OS X Finder (creating JPEG files)

For registered users this is a FREE update.

[marndt]

I've just released a minor bug fix of StitchBuddy, mainly addressing wrong jump stitches when reading PES files.

Details and updated versions of the app and both plugins can be found on StitchBuddy's website.

[marndt]

And again I released a minor version of StitchBuddy:

• 3D effects improved (using gradients): Much better visualization at higher zoom levels
• Jump stitches are ignored when marking the first stitch; until now it was always at (0, 0)
• JEF export corrected: Files were corrupted if a color change happened to be a jump stitch (rare situation with Janome Digitizer 3.0N)
• Alignment of PES files corrected: Offsets to the design's origin were ignored
• Export function supports devices with a smaller capacity (max. 16 MB), formatted with MS-DOS (FAT12)

[marndt]

I just released a minor update of StitchBuddy (v2.2):

• Write support for Brother / Baby Lock / Bernina PES v1.0 files
• Read support for Brother PES v9.0
• Read / write support for Brother PEC files
• Additional thread charts: Ackermann Isacord, Floriani Polyester, Fufu Rayon
• Minor enhancements and bug fixes

[marndt]

New features:

• Support for Janome Horizon Memory Craft 12000:
  • Additional hoops: FA10 (100 x 40 mm), SQ14 (140 x 140 mm), SQ23 (230 x 230 mm), GR (230 x 300 mm), ASQ22 (220 x 220 mm)
  • USB export like the Memory Craft 11000
• Some minor Bugfixes

[marndt]

Version 2.3 added:

• Stitch simulator to virtually embroider designs
• Full-Screen mode (requires OS X 10.7 "Lion" or above)
• Resume of open windows (requires OS X 10.7 "Lion" or above)
• Some minor Bugfixes
• PowerPC is no longer supported

[marndt]

Apple has just approved a new version of StitchBuddy HD, and I have updated the Mac version, too: Version 2.4.4 is now available for both platforms and supports Coats Rayon and Trilobal thread charts. In addition the iPad app has a feature to highlight a selected thread, which makes it easier to identify where a specific color was used in a design.

[marndt]

This week I released v2.4.5 of StitchBuddy, adding Janome JPX read support and WonderFil's Splendor thread chart.

As a Black Fridy Sale and to celebrate StitchBuddy's 5th anniversary I offer a 70% rebate Nov 23 - 30, 2012!