InkStitch

Objectives

• Understand the purpose of InkStitch
• Install InkStitch
• Run a InkStitch annotated SVG file

See also

• Computerized embroidery

• Quality: to improve

• Difficulty: beginner

Introduction

Ink/Stitch is an Inkscape extension for designing machine embroidery patterns and machine embroidery files. According to the extension page, “Select objects that you want to apply embroidery properties and using the extension, set the parameters for the desired object(s). Once all desired objects have embroidery properties, use the extension to generate the necessary stitch file.”

List of tutorials

You also can use the navigation menu to the right

• InkStitch - basic use‎‎
• InkStitch - satin columns‎
• InkStitch - tips and trouble shooting‎‎
• InkStitch - stitch files from Noun Project icons‎‎
• InkStitch - create stitch files from hand drawings‎‎

Print version

• EduTech Wiki:Books/InkStitch (either as free PDF or as PediaPress book)

Warnings and disclaimer:

This page is not associated with the InkStitch project. Please also read the documentation (including tutorials) in the official site. We just made a little tutorial while we were learning and testing this extension.

Features

As far as we can tell without much testing (May 3 2018, InkStich version 1.7) this extension seems to be the first usable open source program that allows creating embroidery files within an open source drawing tool. Summarizing:

• Ink/Stitch allows creating stitch files from particular SVG drawings, i.e. so-called path. Any SVG object can be translated into a path object.
• SVG fills can translate to filled stitch areas, SVG strokes can translate to zigzag (simple satin) and lines. Finally, there is a mechanism to create satin columns from path that include two sub-path lines.
• SVG path objects can be parameterized for all of these four stitch types (filled areas, simple zigzags, complex satin zigzags, or lines). Various underlays can be configured, e.g. satin stitches can have three sorts (a center line, border lines or a zigzag).
• InkStitch also supports thread color and project management.

As of May 30, 2018 the latest release was 1.8.1 We did most of the testing with version 1.7. We strongly encourage using the latest version and checking regularly for updates. E.g. PES users (Brother machines) must upgrade from 1.8.0 to 1.8.1 (or later). InkStitch is a live project.

See also:

• Computerized embroidery
• Embroidery glossary and Concepts of computerized embroidery
• Computerized embroidery in education

Installation

This extension software was tested with Ubuntu 16x and Windows 10 on May 3 2018. We managed to produce embroidery files for both Linux and Windows.

First time installation

Requirement

Install Inkscape if needed. This software runs on Windows (all version), MacOS, and Linux

• https://inkscape.org/en/ (home page of Inkscape, follow the download links)

• Windows users: Take the desktop version, not the app store version

• Linux (see below, use the PPA version)

(Optional) Verify existing Inkscape version

It is recommended to use the latest stable InkScape version, e.g. in May 2018 it was 0.92.3. Before installing Ink/Stitch, upgrade your Inkscape first, if needed. Ubuntu users may have to use Inkscape'ŝ official Personal Package Archive (PPA). E.g., by default, Ubuntu 16.04LTS distributes an old 0.91 version that lacks the object browser. So, open a terminal and add the repository, then upgrade

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:inkscape.dev/stable
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt upgrade

Download the Ink/Stitch extension files

• Download the latest release
• De-archive in the personal extension folder of Inkscape.

Installation under Ubuntu

• Extract files to ~/.config/inkscape/extensions

cd ~/.config/inkscape/extensions
tar zxf ~/Downloads/inkstitch-v1.0.0-Linux-x86_64.tar.gz

Installation under Win 10

• Unhide the AppData directory (go to c:\users\__your_home__\, e.g. c:\users\janet
• Unzip in c:\users\__you__\AppData\Roaming\inkscape\extensions

If this does not work, check where the extension folder is in Inkscape: Edit->Preferences->System

Once you installed the extension, restart Inkscape.

Upgrades

You may have to delete the old extension files first. The download page will tell you so if needed. Go to the extension directory and kill each embroidery* and inkstitch* file.

Then, proceed as above.

Copyright modification

Contents of this page including pictures and SVG files are also available under the GNU Free Documentation License and the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

The Inkstitch project can use any element (text fragments, SVG files, pictures) for the project's official docs without giving attribution (just copy and paste).