# What Digitizing software for Adobe Illustrator background?



## rzarekt (Jan 17, 2011)

Hi,
I'm very new to embroidery, just got my own household machine to have a play with, I've been looking into digitizing my own designs and have found through research Auto- Digitization is basically a big no and doesn't ever work well

I was wondering what are some good software to use for digitizing for someone with an adobe illustrator background.

I currently have the Janome Customiser 11000 that came with my machine and it seems very outdated and unintuitive.

There seems to be alot of small software on the market but I'm wondering what would be best for me?

Also Am I right to assume creating vector designs on illustrator wont make a difference if I'll be redesigning them (tracing over) in the digitizing process?


Thankyou,


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## Wildgoose (Mar 5, 2013)

I'm in a similar situation and have struggled to find something that would let me utilize skills I already have. I have scoured the internet and picked a lot of brains. There is a program called Embroidery i2 that is a plug-in make by Pulse specifically for AI but as near as I can tell it doesn't really turn anyones crank all that hard. If they at least had a free trial I would have tried it out but they want a pretty hefty months fee to give it a whirl so I didn't. Very poor marketing strategy IMO. 

Anyway, there are several programs that will let you import vectors so look for those. Obviously Wilcom being the big boys on the playground. They aren't mac compatible (the i2 plug-in is which was another draw to it). I can tell you from the work I have done on my own to date (since about last November) there is not much carry over from regular design work or in other words there is SO MUCH more to digitizing, that the tracing part pales in comparison to the other mountain of learning. Fortunately the actual trace is less finicky than something you would build for a vinyl cutter which is my background. So you can get there reasonably quickly with that part of the job but understanding the nuances of good digitizing has been a painful process for me at least. I am getting to where I can produce a stitchable file but if it's very complicated I either spend literally days playing with it until it runs good or I just hire it out to the pro's. I don't mind outsourcing but I like to be self sufficient so I keep at it. Good luck with your endeavor. Embroidery is a blast!


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## Pyroshouse (Mar 4, 2008)

I am to came from a signage back ground. Wilcom will be the closest since they are build on a Corel draw platform. I have been running it for the last five years. Coming from ai into corel there is a minor learning curve. But Wilcom has always performed well for us.


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