The five best tips for beginners in Ink/Stitch are:
Trace Bitmap: This is the best way to get started for people who want to take a simple JPG or PNG file and turn it into an embroidery project. You can use Trace Bitmap by selecting an image, going to Path < Trace Bitmap. You can choose to convert the image to black and white or colors, and there are several settings you can use to get the perfect result. It will create a vector design that can be embroidered, unlike an image file that cannot be embroidered. Trace bitmap is especially useful because many people start by importing images they want to embroider instead of drawing their own designs.
Text Tool: This is a function for creating custom satin stitches in letter format, which is useful for monograms or adding custom lettering to your designs. You can find it under Extensions < Ink/Stitch < Lettering. Unlike the regular text tool in Inkscape, which creates fill stitches in the form of letters, the text tool creates satin stitches. There are many different fonts to choose from, including some created by other users.
Params: This is a function for customizing embroidery stitches. You can adjust the settings for fill stitches and outlines. It's not necessary to change the params unless you want a specific look, angle, or distance between stitches, but it can be a good place to start troubleshooting. To access params, you must select the object, go to Extensions < Ink/Stitch <Params. In Params, you can adjust settings for outlines, fills, and underlay.
Simulator: This function provides a better check on how the design will actually be embroidered. With the simulator, you can pause, play, go forward and backward, jump to the beginning or end, change the speed, and zoom. You can also display different commands or choose a realistic view that shows detailed stitches. The realistic preview gives you a realistic picture of how the design will look, and you can organize colors and see how many stitches there are. To use the simulator, select the object, go to Extensions < Ink/Stitch < Visualize < Export Simulator Realistic Preview.
Save in the correct format: It's important to save your design in the correct format for your embroidery machine. Inkscape and Ink/Stitch allow you to save in many different formats. For example, you can save as a zip file to save in multiple formats at once. To save, go to Save as and choose the desired format.