Hi....just thinking there are some 'crafty' folks here......I have been wanting to graph a family saying to cross-stitch.....and I know there are programs out there to help design them.....is anyone handy w/ that kind of thing? I was thinking that maybe even one of those fancy sewing machines w/ programs might design or lay it out as for embroidery and that I could graph out....

I have graph paper and have started graphing it but I am not good at coming up w/ 'the whole picture'...like a border etc...to make it look good...

Just a thought....as if I don't have enough 'projects' started and not finished....!!!!
Diane

I found some software that does the designs but it was $99.00...I googled computer software + cross stitchery.

I've done that before Diane, the trick is to bring in a border from another pattern and improvise from there. I did a family tree, after which 4 more grandchildren were born, and I was able to continue the pattern to accomodate them without too much of a problem. My eyes don't work together well enough since cataract surgery on close up work even with nose glasses - it's frustrating, so I don't do any xstitching any more. You can do it!!! :wub:

.....I know I Can....thanks....but....was looking for a 'shortcut' as it is so time-consuming doing the graphing .....and I don't always 'trust my taste' on the borders etc.....
I did buy myself a self-healing mat and good x-acto knife...and am finishing this dancer paper-cutting project for a grad gift for someone...and I am very excited that it has turned out so well......still need to finish the framing part but hope to today....a good craft for couch days......and feels good to do something more creative than hsework etc etc.....all that routine stuff......

Jo....I have also priced some programs and it isn't worth the cost to me....they are expensive...!! but it would be worth my while to 'commission' someone who already Has a program to help...!!

Diane

That would be a good deal...I thought the programs expensive myself...tried to find something "free" but nothing looked promising.

I have a cross stitch program that designs can be done on. I have to do the design on the computer, write it to a memory stick and then put it in my embroidery machine. I haven't used it much as I do more of the regular embroidery designs that I can put together and make larger designs. I could play with it a bit if you want me too....and see what I can do. I have lots of fun "playing" with my machine...now you make me want to get out my computer and try a cross stitch design...I go in and out of moods of sewing and have been in the mood since doing wedding stuff...Just saw a new embroidery design on the site of the brand of my machine that I want to go down and buy...blast! My grandson did his name on my computer and we wrote it to the memory stick, put it in the machine and he took it to school for show and tell. His teacher, a guy, sews so I told him it might be fun to take. Sewing is a great stress reliever for me. It makes me take my mind off tummy pain....cuz I'm concentrating on something else. Anyway, I'll play and see if I can do a name and design in cross stitch.
Maybe I could try??? I can print out designs that I do on the computer so that I have a color chart to follow, but I don't know how I would send it to you, (that is if I figure it out...I think it might convert...but please don't be disappointed if I don't figure it out....LOL...I do have lots of fun.

Wow!! This sounds complicated..! Is this the new machine you just won? How fun for you....
I used to like to sew and still will make my curtains and things like that cause I get really mad at how expensive they are in the store and aren't even lined well etc....well the result of that is that I have not many curtains up and bins of fabric just waiting for me..!! I had an old sears machine bought secondhand a million yrs ago.....the thread started not catching....you know that common problem ...well costs more to get it fixed than the thing costs in the first place....how dumb! Now I have a brothers machine couldn't be more basic...that I bought at a garage sale type thing...( I am such a scavenger..) for 5 bucks.....haven't tried anything except practice stitching on it......

A machine like yours would be too much for me.....my cellphone and computer are almost too much!!

It is a really pretty simple 'blessing' .....if you like I can mail it to you....?? that would be great....
Thinking of just making it a bell pull....so it would be long and narrowish.....

Also had the idea that if I make it up just on a word doc in a font I like...if I can get it to lay out the way I want in the size I want...then I could use tracing paper or graph paper etc...to get it ready to stitch...does that make any sense??

Since I can't even get a letter form printed correctly w/out all the margins moving on me....I will have to ask my son for help....

Ok...that is my morning rambling....I am even having some caff coffee rt now as I did not even wake up til 7:30 today ....took meds and then just up at 10....very very loggy.....don't know why...I am Always awake at 6 and like to be up by 8..??
my bod must know it is going to go out of the 70's today....I don't 'do' 80's and up......just 70's....!!

Diane

I played with it today...I scanned in a photo of my grandaughters wedding, but there was sooooooooooooo much color in the photo that it looked like a jumbled mess. I have lots of predesigned frames etc. I did your name in cross stitch. I can scan in pics and convert to cross stitch. My grandson was only six when he drew a design in the sketch program. I just haven't used cross stitch much. I wish you lived close so you could draw in your design. You'd have fun with it. It's easiest to draw it in the computer program and write to a memory stick. I can't put brand names on here, but look up embroidery machines and then look for the designer programs that you can buy to go with them. It's tons of fun creating your own designs....

I am feeling really good today...this morning and hope the tummmy pain doesn't get me too bad this evening...I've upped my HC a little bit and that seems to help. The only problem is I need to lose about 20 pounds. We did sooooooooo much hiking when we were camping that I felt it in my legs. I need to quit being a recliner babe in the winter and either get the exercise mat for the tv game I have. It's lots of fun. I knocked out Chuck in the boxing. LOL...can work up a sweat just playing the games that come with it, especially boxing. It has a place that has a workout to tell what age your physical being is...I was 80!!!LOL Does that tell you I sat around too much all winter? LOL! I do fine getting enough exercise in summer when the sun is down (early morning or later evening or where there's lots of shade), but I don't lilke going out in the rain and we had plenty of it this past year.

Patti.....I have forgotten once again why your hc dose is so low?? As far as the wt....do you try to avoid carbs? Or maybe try the protein power diet/way of eating??

I think the whole disease process and hc makes us incredibly 'wt stable'...meaning that it is very much harder for us to drop wt.....
After all...it is a 'glucocorticosteroid'.....and greatly affects how we metabolize and use glucose.....

Diane

Dianne, do you have publisher on your computer or another art style publication program? If you do, just do the design on that and convert to cross stitch using the graph paper (or print it onto the graph paper) It would be the simplest and least expensive way. I often use different fonts this way for stitcheries or applique/stitchery projects.

Hmmmm I don't know...I will have to look or have my son see....it is a second hand computer from my sister and so I don't really know all the things loaded on it.....my son just found powerpoint on it in some weird place....??

thanks for the suggestion...
D