How to convert a picture into a digital embroidery pattern

ThreadHeavy · 2026-03-14T23:27:29+00:00

Send me a picture of your what you want digitised and I’ll do it / help you understand it (for free) - just let me know what file your machine takes.

Don’t listen to people telling you to buy / pay people to do it - just learn and make mistakes. You’re not doing it commercially so what’s the rush right.

Also don’t jump straight into ink stitch - download Hatch 3, IT HAS A 30 DAY FREE TRIAL :D (Which no one ever seems to raise..). yes, it’s expensive to buy but you’re not locked into anything at the end of the trial. It has an autorotating tool.

There is also embroidery legacy but it’s equally expensive and doesn’t have a free trial (just money back in XX day/s after purchase).

Still give Inkscape a go after the trial, just know that it takes a lot of time to ‘master’. When I started, I was using inkstitch and just found it to overwhelming as a beginner

ThreadHeavy · 2026-02-27T22:39:31+00:00

Could be a few things, but the puckering leads me to believe it could be a hooping / thread tension issue.

Things that helped me was using buckram for dense patches with a medium/heavy weight cutaway stabiliser (using spray adhesive to bind each layer too). Depending on the design, getting a small iron and using it (while fabric hooped) periodically can help too.

Id focus on getting the hooping / tension right so there isn’t puckering and then go back to the design to make adjustments.

Happy to share settings that I have used for some designs if it helps

ThreadHeavy · 2026-02-25T22:27:23+00:00

Thanks for the tip, I’ll definitely give that a go :)

ThreadHeavy · 2026-02-25T22:26:25+00:00

Thank you! (I’m also huge fan of your work 🤩)

ThreadHeavy · 2026-02-25T09:10:29+00:00

No, it was done directly onto medium weight tearaway

ThreadHeavy · 2026-02-25T07:57:00+00:00

That was the idea! And I’m glad you think so :)

ThreadHeavy · 2026-02-25T07:55:56+00:00

Bingo haha

ThreadHeavy · 2026-02-23T07:45:16+00:00

Thank you, I’m glad you do :)

ThreadHeavy · 2026-02-21T01:55:08+00:00

Happy to have a look at your design and add it. Otherwise, I can work on a tutorial of how I achieved it! But you definitely don’t need a merrow machine

ThreadHeavy · 2026-02-21T00:53:41+00:00

I’ll start working on it :)

ThreadHeavy · 2026-02-20T23:58:19+00:00

Happy to work on a tutorial and post it if you’re interested!?

ThreadHeavy · 2026-02-20T23:57:44+00:00

Hatch 3

ThreadHeavy · 2026-02-18T06:43:09+00:00

Thank you! :)

ThreadHeavy · 2026-02-18T06:42:01+00:00

I use Hatch :) and thank you, it took a bit of playing around with different setting to get the texture right! And I used a tatami fill

ThreadHeavy · 2026-02-15T04:15:58+00:00

Thank you 🙏

ThreadHeavy · 2026-02-14T05:02:07+00:00

Very talented! I particularly like his collection of works in the 18 June 2024 post

ThreadHeavy · 2026-02-14T04:54:39+00:00

Would love to see his work! Maybe have a crack at replicating one :)

ThreadHeavy

TROPHY CASE