Best Free Embroidery Software

While Ink/Stitch is arguably the best free embroidery software, it’s not always the best fit for every embroiderer.

Below, I’ll provide all the options, starting with the programs that offer the most functionality–but are more difficult to learn–and move on to easier-to-use programs that fulfill a smaller niche, such as thumbnails, basic editors, and embroidery file format converters.

After that, I’ve summarized programs with free trials, which is what I recommend if you seriously want to learn embroidery digitizing. (Or, if you want to digitize a few images and never digitize again.)

You also do not have to use the software brand that matches your machine’s brand. For instance, when I looked for free embroidery software for my Brother machine, I did not have to stick with just Brother embroidery software.

Lastly, if you don’t have a computer, there are many free embroidery editing and digitizing apps you can check out for iPads, tablets, and mobile phones.

1. Inkscape and Ink/Stitch

The most complex and best free embroidery digitizing software is the Ink/Stitch extension of Inkscape.

Inkscape itself is an open-source vector graphics program that rivals Adobe Illustrator, a premier program for graphic designers.

I own a Cricut Maker and enjoy creating SVG files to use when cutting. SVG files are “scalable vector graphics” files, which contain more information than a regular JPG file.

The awesome thing about Inkscape is there’s the Ink/Stitch extension to help you digitize SVG files and create embroidery designs from scratch.

Ink/Stitch doesn’t have many built-in fonts, and there is a limit to what you can do with the software. However, it works with Macs, which is a huge plus, as that’s not the case with most software that only work for Windows-based computers.

The downside of Ink/Stitch is that if you have no idea what an object, path, or node is, you’ll have a tough time learning to use this program.

Ink/Stitch Pros

• Ability to create SVG files and embroidery files in the same program
• By far the most extensive free digitizing software, and it allows users to split embroidery designs easily
• Works with Mac without too much hassle.

Conclusion

Readers, now you know how to use SewArt Embroidery Digitizer to create beautiful designs. With the right tools and a bit of practice, you can become a master in no time! Start with a simple design and begin to get creative.

Experiment with colors and shapes, and you’ll be stitching away in no time. Have fun and enjoy the process – you never know what unique creations you’ll come up with! So, what are you waiting for? Start creating and let your imagination run wild.

57 Comments

Pamela Lee Moore says:Aly says:Thanks! Hope you have a wonderful day as well!Abi says:

Thank you…this has been a great help. I need to practice so I need all the help I can get to become familiar and competent with the various software available.

Sandy says:

This information was incredible and I appreciate the time and energy it took for you to review these different programs. I will never be a commercial embroiderer, but do have big plans to do lots of monogramming.
Monograms and Greek letters for the sororities! Yay, so it looks like there probably are too options that will work the best for me and thanks to your information you probably have saved me hours of needless running around. Thanks so much again, Sandy

Aly says:Thanks, I’m glad it was helpful 🙂 Best wishes on your monogramming!Katie Keeble says:

Hello Aly,
I have a 9700 MC Janome that I bought years ago when pregnant with my son. I don’t want to get rid of it but can’t find a version of customiser software anywhere. I love this article but wondered if any of the software you mentioned I could use on this fabulous old machine.
Thank you, Katie (really appreciate any advice)

Aly says:

All the software that I mentioned in the post are software for a computer, tablet, or phone. So, with them, you would be able to create and edit designs using a device, and then you could save them in a Janome-compatible file format.
As for then getting the designs to your embroidery machine, that’s something I’d chat with Janome or your dealer about. Newer machines use USB or WiFi design transfer, which is simple, thanks to current technology. However, if your machine only has a card reader or a transfer method older than that, none of the software I mention will install on your machine and thus can’t help with the transfer.

Paula says:

Great information. I am 100% new to embroidery and not quite familiar with all the terms, but cannot understand if Stitch Buddy for Mac is capable of splitting designs so I can use the larger repositional 4 x 6 on my Brother SE625 4×4 embroidery machine. Am I misunderstanding due to terminology? Thanks for your help!

Aly says:

I’m not as familiar with that program since I’m a PC/Android user, but I don’t *think* it has a function to easily split designs for you at this point. That being said, it’s free to download the software and play with it, so you can test it out to confirm. (Also, maybe someone else with more familiar with Mac OS and this program may chime in on this question to help you more)

Designing for SewArt

Designing for SewArt can be a fun and creative experience! Start with a blank canvas and use the grid to determine the size and shape of your design. Then, select from the built-in shapes or create your own. Make sure that each shape is one solid color before defining stitches within it.

Starting With a Blank Canvas

To create your own unique embroidery designs, start with a blank canvas and unleash your creativity to produce stunning works of art! SewArt Embroidery Digitizer is the perfect software for making custom creations.

You can add color, select shapes, adjust size, or change stitches by using the stitch guide. After creating frames and other elements, you can save them as a TIFF file and then convert it into a.

Using the Grid

Unlock the full potential of your creative designs by taking advantage of SewArt’s grid system. It is an easy and efficient way to ensure accuracy in your embroidery projects. You can adjust grid shapes, color selection, stitch details, and design limitations using this powerful digital embroidery software.

The intuitive UI allows for easy selection of stitch types, making it a great choice for those who want to create stunning sew art files without spending hours on a complex design program.

Selecting Built-in Shapes

You can easily select from the built-in shapes in SewArt to add a unique touch to your embroidery projects, while still enjoying accuracy and precision. With its snapping shapes feature, you can quickly adjust size and color selection, as well as preview settings for your creation.

You also have the ability to create intricate patterns with just a few clicks of the stitch picker or simply use the patch guide of a Brother sewing machine! For added convenience, there is even an intuitive circle shape builder that allows you to customize each part of it at will!

Make sure each design looks perfect before stitching by taking advantage of all these features.

Making Shapes One Solid Color

With SewArt, you can easily make shapes one solid color by adjusting the size and color selection using the snapping shapes feature. You can also control contrast manipulation for a more defined stitch and reduce colors with tools like Image Wizard, Merge Colors, Color Reduction, and Posterize.