Several programs that offer an incredible amount power for free...that's right I said free!

Inkscape a vector drawing program available for Windowws and Mac OS comparable to Adobe Illustrator or CorelDraw. This program can revolutionize your stitch patterns.

gimp a photo editing and manipulation program with most of the functionality of Photoshop, Corel PhotoPaint, or PaintShopPro. Supports layers, curves and levels.

paint.net an upgrade for MicroSofts Paint program Supports layers...basic photo editing. Resizing photos made easy.

Jpegger Image cataloguing, viewing and some rally basci editing. Resizing made super-easy. Useful even with any of the others.


Tight Stitches
DWFII--HCC Member

here are two screen captures of resizing operations with Jpegger, and an image almost 40"wide in the original that has been downsized with jpegger:

Note that with Jpegger, you have the option of viewing all your photos in a specific loaction as thumbnails or selecting an image and viewing it in a larger format. When viewing the larger format, right click on the photo to bring up the first menu which allows you to select "quick downsize" (note the highlighted item and the cursor)

Click on "quick downsize" and select "640x480 from the next menu and you are done. Perfect for posting to the forum.









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DWFII--HCC Member

The third image in the above post--the little needlepoint tapestry (15" wide in real life)--was taken with my new Fuji s6000. The camera boasts 6+ megapixels and I was in macro mode (there is a super macro mode that allows for shots at a distance of one cm). When the image is opened in photo-editing software, such as Corel PhotoPaint or Gimp, it fills the screen (and then some) and reports as being roughly 40 inches wide at 72dpi.

Detail at that resolution is very sharp, allowing for individual fibers of wool to be clearly seen. Colour is very close to the original, if not exact.

No post processing on this shot except resizing.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--HCC Member

Here are two images that illustrate what a drawing program such as Inkscape or CorelDraw can do.

The first is a computer generated tracing of an original sketch (by me). When the rough tracing is completed, the sketch is discarded and the lines "regularized"--made an even thickness--and re-shaped in accordance with the principle of "fair curves." And shapes and lines repositioned to make cutting and stitching possible, as well as easy.

Then the whole thing is "mirrored" across a central guideline and everything combined into a whole.

Other "pieces" are traced, mirrored, and brought into the larger composition and filled (to create the colour ) and the result is the second image which may be sent or shown to a customer for their approval.

Components of shoes or boots...such as collars. toe caps and heel scabs, any part or pattern...can be handled the same way and then the finished pattern is printed out for both storage and cutting.





Tight Stitches
DWFII--HCC Member

Here's one more screen cap of resizing...this time in Paint.net



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DWFII--HCC Member

And this one's just for chuckles...here's a screen cap of my whole desktop. A little big but it was the only way to show detail. Note the task bar and start menu...WinXP sp2



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DWFII--HCC Member

Here's a quick stitch pattern that I created in Inkscape.

The first line--either the outline or the "inline"--is created as one half of the pattern, it is mirrored then combined and offset lines or inset lines are created to yield a four line stitch pattern.

It's not nearly as sophisticated an algorithm as is implemented in Corel Draw or Adobe Illustrator, and some clean up work is necessary, but with a little practice it could be done in nearly the same time as sketching it out by hand...maybe quicker.

The usefulness is in being able to see what a pattern would look like on a piece of...black or brown or green...leather; to see what different thread colour combinations would look like (both of these items could also be used to inform a distant customer); and finally, to refine the intial line so that all subsequent lines will embody the same grace and fluidity as was envisioned without having points from one side of the pattern running into points from the other side.

There's lots of uses for a program such as this and it is free...and open source--which means that it will get better and better.



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DWFII--HCC Member

DW,

For the ISO setting, depending on your camera it is very likely recorded in the original picture info and sometimes even in the sized image.. Us a program like Picasa (free download) and go to picture properties it will tell you a bunch of info on the picture.


Rob

(Message edited by relferink on July 19, 2007)

(Message edited by relferink on July 19, 2007)

Hard to read, let's try that again

For those interested in extracting EXIF info from photos...if you are minimally interested in photography or improving your shots...here is a little program/extension (Opanda EXIF)that will show the EXIF in photos on your own computer, as well as photos taken by others and posted on the Internet:

http://www.opanda.com/en/iexif/index.html

This is what I'm using. All I have to do is right click on a photo in SeaMonkey or Firefox (works in IE too but I'm not sure if right click is the opening) and choose from a newly installed menu option. Up comes the window displaying EXIF.

I like it.

PS...Robert, Just saw your post. Do you have to download the photo from the Forum and open it in Picassa? I have three or four image programs that will do that also (I have heard good things about Picassa), but Opanda is great because you can see the info right on the forum without having to DL it.

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DWFII--HCC Member

(Message edited by dw on July 19, 2007)

DW,

That's even easier. For Picasa you have to download the image as far as I know.

Thanks for the link.

Rob

All,

Something I found out today when taking another close look at Marcell's video that may be helpful since he's moving so fast.
Download the file in .mov format to your computer and play it in Quicktime player, pre-installed on many computers or a free download from the Apple website.
Make if full screen and pause the video. By using your left and right arrow key you can go through it frame by frame and get a good look at all the details.

Enjoy!

Rob

This is totally OT (off topic) but I saw this on a photography forum and couldn't resist sharing it.

Seem there is a new digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera--the Nikon D300--that is all the talk although no serious reviews have been done on it simply it is so new and hasn't been released yet. One of the main advances the D330 promises is superb photos at a high ISO (roughly...film or sensor sensitivity). However, a Japanese photowebsite has released a review and readers have responded. But being in Japanese presents a problem so the English user must resort to a translation:



Now, if the Nikon D300 would only kill the celastic as well as the bedspread the world would be a better place. But, that said, I might use "hemp cloth of all kindness" for lining shoes...if I knew where to get it.

Careful with Babelfish...

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DWFII--HCC Member

(Message edited by dw on September 10, 2007)

All,

Thought you might get a kick out of this...

It's a right brain/left brain challenge. Time yourself.



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DWFII--HCC Member

Just finished an “Excel” spreadsheet which converts Koleff’s ”Last Designing & Making” points to X and Y coordinates from any origin. Nothing new--Just input the foot measurements, then plot the points in inches or metric and connect the dots. This is particularly useful if you are using any sort of CAD program. The oblivious next step is to make the CAD program read the spreadsheet and draw the picture. Think AUTOCAD scripting feature will do it, but don’t know how right now.

If you will E-mail me, I will attach a copy and reply for personal non-commercial use. Commercial use will require permission. I will need a statement in your E-Mail that you have purchased or otherwise legitimately acquired a copy of Koleff’s ”Last Designing & Making Manual”. (Support our suppliers.) The spreadsheet is useless without the book.

The spreadsheet has been tested to a limited extent, so there are no warranties. If you find errors, let me know and I will try to fix them. There are small errors (less than one millimeter) due to increased accuracy and rounding. (1/2 of 25 mm heel height is 12.5mm not 13 mm), Not sure I am in love with Koleff’s points for boot lasts, maybe for shoes, but admire the work and originality that went into the book.

Chuck chasdeats@yahoo.com

All,

I just upgraded to the latest version of SeaMonkey--my preferred browser--and lo and behold! it has a built in spell checker that works with the "Add a Message" window in the Crispin Colloquy.

When you enter text, if the word is unrecognized or misspelled, it will be underlined in red. All you have to do is right click on the word and you get several options...among which should be the correct spelling. Or you can also add the word to you dictionary.

I used to compose all my messages in my email program and then cut and paste. Just because the email proggie had a spell checker. But I don't have to go through that extra step now.

It's a good deal...and I bet Firefox has the same function.

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DWFII--Member HCC

DW,

Yes, Firefox has the spell-checker feature in it- those red underscores follow me around.

Good feature.

Erick

Erick,

I have had requests to add a spell checker to the forum, but in the past it was not available and now that they do have it built into the software, I am of the understanding that it doesn't work all that well--as much as because it has to access a web-based dictionary, as anything else.

Either the spell checker in Mozilla/Firefox is part of the software or has the ability to access a net based dictionary is optimized as only a browser could. Meaning no significant delay. I suspect the former because you have the option to add spelling of words that are not recognized, such as "Crispin."

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DWFII--Member HCC

BTW, Microsoft Explorer seems to have the Spell Check and the "add" feature, as well...although it is not automatic--you have to activate it on the toolbar.

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DWFII--Member HCC

DW,

Who neds spelchecking her? I thiyht we weras alkk greey typists

Al,

Of course you "thiynt" so. But for that spelling, it's not a spell checker we need. It's a way-back machine.

Pk

A survey of sorts...

How many people are using Internet Explorer and if you are, do the emoticons (smilies) move and perform other feats of wonder on your browser?

I am out of town until Sunday and working off my brother-in-law's computer. He has the latest version of Internet Explorer. But I can't see any animation on this computer--the hands don't clap, beer mugs don't clink, and the smoked turkey burns because the little guy can't take the lid off the WSM.

Anyone else have that problem? Is it IE itself or is it the settings on this computer?

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DWFII--Member HCC

DW,

I dusted off and cranked up IE. When it came to life I did see the beer mugs clink and the turkey ends up just right as the little guy gets the lid off just in time.

IE version 7.0.5730.11 running on XP home.
If memory serves there is a way to restrict the gif images to one cycle in stead of looping. Maybe that's what's happening on your brother-in-law's computer. Don't ask me where that setting is located. My memory does not go back that far.

When I travel I have a USB thumb drive with a portable version of Firefox, I plug it into any windows computer and have all my bookmarks and preferences. When done take it out and you leave no trace on the host computer. Any cheap USB drive will do and the download is free at www.portableapps.com

Just in case it helps you out.

Rob

Firefox rules!

Firefox must rule...not many responded to this question.

In any case, I figured it out. Initially I didn't want to mess with my brother-in-law's settings but then figured it wouldn't hurt to at least look. So I went to Tools:Internet Options and then chose the Advanced tab. There, under the Multimedia section, is a check box to "play animations in webpages."

Getting brave, I checked it and restarted IE. That's all it took. 'Course I had to go back and uncheck it so that I wouldn't leave a nasty surprise for my BIL.

But FWIW and if anyone is wondering...that's the answer and it might be unchecked by default.

Thanks Rob and Rick...I am definitely going to look into portable Firefox.

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DWFII--Member HCC