SOFTWARE TITLE: PC Stitch Version 6

PUBLISHER: M & R Technologies, INC.

REVIEWED BY: Rose Miller

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Windows 95 or higher, 8MB free RAM, 15 MB free disk space, CD-ROM drive.

Review:

PC Stitch is a wonderful program for designing cross-stitch patterns from virtually anything. You can use your own scanned or digital camera photos, pictures and clipart from the web and even design your own pattern. It only takes a very short time to transform your image into a pattern and the colors are matched to the closest floss color.

You don’t have to worry about being totally computer savvy, even a beginner can use this program. It’s that easy. All you need to do is bring your photo into the program and the step-by-step instructions make it so easy from there to create the pattern you want. You can choose size, add text, change colors and background, crop or clone portions and choose how many different floss colors to use. There is even a free-hand drawing tool. You will be able to see how the pattern looks before you start your project.

There are several options for printing out your project. You can print it with or without grids. It can be in color or black and white. It also prints out the symbols and color key.

The program includes a lot of great features. It has pattern sizes up to 999x999 stitches with up to 200 colors per pattern. You can design using full, three quarter, half, quarter, outline stitches and French knots. There is also a library with 100 patterns. It also offers free internet updates.

The only thing I wish was different about the program is the inability to change the pattern size. There was too much resolution lost when trying to scale my pattern down from an 8x10 to a smaller size. Other than that one minor detail, I really love this program. The possibilities are endless!! Create quick to longer term projects. Great for very personalized and unique gifts. I recommend this program to all cross-stitch lovers. You’ll never run out of pattern ideas and it saves on buying all those pattern books!

Ease OF INSTALLATION RATING: 10

EASE OF USE RATING: 10

DOCUMENTATION: 10

OVERALL RATING: 9

REVIEWER INFORMATION: Rose Miller lives in Maine with her husband and two children. She works as an ad scanner. She enjoys reading, crafts and creating web pages and graphics.