Inkscape, Inkstitch and Turtlestitch

Introduction

Inkscape is open source and free software for vector drawing - it is a viable alternative for Adobe Illustrator.

Inkstitch is an extension / add on for Inkscape, which converts vector drawings to embroidery files.

Inkscape includes the facility to convert images into vector drawings, and thus provides a pathway to create embroideries from many kinds of imagery.

Turtlestitch has the ability to export drawings in SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) which is the native format for Inkscape. It is not uncommon to make a Turtlestitch drawing that is too large for the embroidery machine to use, but Inkscape can be used to scale such drawings and then Inkstitch can make a file that can be used.

This page is a step-by-step guide to scale your Turtlestitch drawing with Inkscape and export it through Inkstitch.

Links

Inkstitch project web site:

https://inkstitch.org/

Instructions for installing Inkstitch:

https://inkstitch.org/docs/install/

Index to Inkstitch tutorials:

Step 1

We start with this project by Richard Millwood of a butterfly:

Step 2

Once opened, and run, export the drawing as an SVG, by clicking the button "Export as SVG" under the drawing:

Step 3

Open the SVG file in Inkscape:

Step 4

Select the whole drawing by dragging around it all, and then resize by dragging a corner with the control key down to keep proportions, until it is the size that will fit your embroidery machine. You may need to change the units to mm or inches next to the display of width and height at the right above the drawing area. Then choose the menu item Extensions • Ink/Stitch • Visualise and Export • Simulator / Realistic Preview

Step 5

The simulator will open and then start to show you how it will stitch.

Note that the lines of your TurtleStitch drawing are interpreted as zig-zags since they have stroke thickness. You can quit and return to Inkscape to set the stroke thickness to zero to prevent this if it suits, or emphasise this by making the strokes thicker. Choose the menu item Object • Fill and Stroke… and then select Stroke style to adjust.

Step 6

Finally choose the menu item Extensions • Ink/Stitch • Visualise and Export • Embroider… to export a file to use with your embroidery machine.

There are many more adjustments and other ways to use Inkstitch (see the links at the top of this page), but this procedure should solve one TurtleStitch problem and get you started!

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