How to Customize Embroidery Software
Being able to customize embroidery software with customer's patterns, templates and in-house designs creates an expanding repertoire of options necessary to any graphic design business. Customization is not limited to digital files but to image size, stitches and hoop dimensions. Flexibility of software offers dynamics in embroidery creativity.
- Install embroidery-digitizing software into your computer.
- Choose "Customization" when prompted. Most software offers language options, such as English, Spanish, Chinese, etc. If language preference is not chosen during installation, you will have to re-install the software.
- Double click the program icon to access "Preferences.” This is the location where most customization of software functionality is programmed. Items such as ruler measurement standards--metric, US, picas, etc. Transparency grid background--white upon gray checkered such as used in PhotoShop. Color of layers, color of lay lines, levels of undo, etc.
- Choose preferred embroidery workspace screen size and default draw size.
- Define the default tool palate.
- Choose the file location to save your digitized work.
- Choose the file location for original graphic files.
- Define orientation of your work. Do you usually digitize in landscape or portrait? Portrait is taller than wide, landscape is wider than tall.
- Define stitch density. How many stitches per inch do you commonly output?
- Choose a file for scanned images to be edited in a graphic design software such as Photoshop or CorelDRAW!
- Once you are satisfied with your settings, click "OK" to initiate. NOTE: most program setting changes will not take effect until you close and open the program.
- Endless Hoop is a feature in many programs that is accessed through an icon on the “Tool” palate.
- Choose the thread colors you most frequently use through the embroidery-thread conversion chart.
- Carefully go through all settings until you are satisfied with the configuration of your digital embroidery program.