Don’t delete me! I am not calling you a dummy. We all start somewhere and this is just my best, simplest explanation of some very powerful and capable software. I, too, once Googled feverishly to decipher the difference in all of these terms in machine embroidery to figure out, “What in the heck do I need to just embroider a dang onesie??!”
As you probably know, I use Embrilliance software.
The first question I ask when someone says, “What software should I get?” is, “What do you want to do??” I’m not being snarky: Embrilliance software allows you to successfully tackle a range of machine embroidery skills, using different modules that you can purchase as you need them.
In my own machine embroidery career, the two modules I use most often are Essentials and StitchArtist, which each perform specific tasks.
CUSTOMIZING purchased designs to your liking is different from CREATING (digitizing) a design from scratch. If you purchase a 🍔cheeseburger from a concession stand, you are stuck with the cheeseburger they hand you. If they offer a condiment kiosk, you can use those ingredients to edit your cheeseburger. But you can’t make the cheeseburger into a chicken sandwich.
Essentials is the condiment kiosk; merge and customize what’s already there. StitchArtist gives you an apron and transports you to the kitchen to make whatever kind of entree you’d like. Higher levels of StitchArtist add a better knife block and more ingredients, if you should desire those. The best part? When you’re dealing with Embrilliance software, it’s like having your own sous chef in the kitchen, in the form of their myriad FREE educational platforms like YouTube, excellent customer support team, and affiliates and individuals all over the world who teach from their own expertise.
Using Essentials, you can harness the power of BX fonts, which type out on your keyboard as if you were texting a friend. No more drag-and-drop letters! Rejoice! Essentials was the first Embrilliance product I purchased, and I was hooked instantly. Essentials also allows you to sort projects into a hoop, merge designs to create a unique embroidery project, and you can even use the Stitch Simulator to “hack” embroidery designs to your liking.
Embrilliance StitchArtist is the digitizing module of Embrilliance software, available in 3 levels. At less than $200 and powerful enough to do the basic digitizing newbies commonly ask about, StitchArtist Level 1 is a no-brainer for the digitizing-curious. NO! It does not “auto-digitize.” NO! You do not want to deal with auto-digitized designs, anyway. YES! There is a learning curve to digitizing but if you’re already an experienced stitcher, in my opinion, it’s not hard to learn, as you already know basic terminology, functions of different stitch types, order of applique steps, etc.
StitchArtist makes digitizing as easy as 1-2-3:
1. Select how you’d like to draw.
2. Select the stitch type you’d like to create.
3. DRAW! Plot the points on your screen and adjust them to take the shape you desire.
💥BAM💥 All done!
One of my favorite features of Embrilliance’s suite of software is that you can purchase what you need, when you need it. None is needed to use another, but they work seamlessly in the same window on your computer if you need to use more than one for a project.
Do I sound like a fangirl? Embrilliance software has enabled me to put food on the table for my family for over a decade. 🍲 Yeah. Big fan.
What’s my secret? I’m not afraid to ask questions, push buttons, or look stupid. If any of those are not comfortable for you, find yourself a good teacher. 😯 Surprise! I recommend me. Find my digitizing and embroidery education options here.
And the playlist of your choice on my FREE YouTube channel here.
Here are some other links I highly recommend to explore the features and functions of Embrilliance Essentials and StitchArtist!
Favorite Features of Embrilliance Essentials
Using Embrilliance Essentials for BX Fonts, and Enthusiast for Knockdown Stitching
Finally, my own personal affiliate link for Embrilliance, if this information has excited you to buy RIGHT NOW!
Font pictured below is called Lillian.
