My Personal Projects
Embroidery
My journey making various embroideries
Machine
I'm using an Bernette b79. I like the model and can recommend it. However, my interactions with sowing machines are limited, so I dont have a lot of comparison :) But the machine works pretty great overall.
Tooling
I've tried two tools so far, StichBuddy on Mac and Inkscape with the inkstitch plugin.
| Feature | StitchBuddy | Inkscape with Ink/Stitch Plugin |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | macOS | Cross-platform (Windows, Linux, macOS) |
| Primary Use | Editing and managing embroidery files | Vector graphics editor with embroidery plugin |
| File Formats Supported | Common embroidery formats like PES, DST | Supports SVG natively; embroidery formats via plugin |
| Editing Capabilities | Basic editing, such as resize, rotate, flip, change colors | Extensive vector editing, plus embroidery-specific features like stitch direction, and density |
| Cost | Free version with limited features; full version paid StitchBuddy Pro via In-App purchase removes saving limitation to 1,000 stitches (USD 49.99) |
Free (open-source) |
| User Interface | Tailored for embroidery editing with a straightforward interface | Complex, suitable for advanced users familiar with vector graphics |
| Additional Features | Realistic 3D preview, thread color management, print templates | Broad capabilities for graphic design; advanced embroidery features like auto-fill, and custom stitch patterns |
Because Inkscape so far covered my needs, I'm using it for now.
Workflows
Get pre-created embroidery designs
There are various pages where you can get pre-made designs, so far I only used Etsy. The design I got there worked well and looked nice.
Creating own embroidery from image
You must have the inkstitch plugin installed .
I'm using this image as starting point: sloth-head.svg.
- Open the file in Inkscape (it has to be SVG, maybe you need to convert it)
- Click on "Extensions -> Ink/Stitch -> Params"
- Wait for the param config to run through
- Play around with the settings, so you like them
- Hit apply and quit to return to the main screen
- Click "File -> Save as.."
- In the file type, select i.e. PES or EXP depending on your machine, I'm using PES
- Save the file and copy it to USB
The output file is: sloth-head.pes
An advanced version can be found here sloth-head-colored.svg. With the created file as well: sloth-head-colored.pes
Working params
The Bernette b79 comes with 3 stitching hoops and hoop recognition. Use the smallest one that suits your need.
The above emroidery image can be seen applied in action here:
