Embroidery Tool Shed: A Powerful Free Software!

If you don’t have basic design editing software or can’t print out a template, you will love Embroidery Tool Shed!

I recently tried out the free Embroidery Tool Shed (ETS) software and am quite impressed. There are so many uses for the program, you will want to try it, too!

Created by the talented team at Designs in Machine Embroidery, DIME (no affiliation), ETS is ground central for other DIME Inspiration software. You can try many of them for free before buying them or just use the free ETS.

The program is super easy to install and includes instructions. Here are a few of the things that you can do with ETS:

• Read and write popular formats
• Resize designs
• Cut, Copy, Paste
• Rotate and Mirror
• Re-colorize designs
• Print templates with image, color sequence and cross hair
• Convert colors between brands
• Design Analyzer
• Stitch Sequence Simulator
• Zoom, Pan, Realistic viewing options
• View Stitch Ends, Commands
• Adjustable Viewing Grid
• View and Create Hoops
• Junk Stitch Filter

When opening designs, the directory is user friendly. I used Bonnie’s Bunny Buddies, design 1, as a sample. 

Stitch view shows the design with color stops along the bottom.

The realistic view is exceptional.

You can also add your hoop. The thread palette shows at the bottom of the screen and you can change thread manufacturers or change colors.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of this free program is that you can print out design templates, which help with design placement. Print on plain paper or on Print N Stick templates. Templates include a cross in addition to the crosshair and if you added notes to the design, they print out below the template.

You can opt to print out the color stops for each design if you like. Color stops print nice and large and outline the area being stitched. (Note from Bonnie: Make sure to compare it against the designer's color chart if you want to follow the designer's colors. Colors don't always transfer the same between what the designer used for their software and the software you are using.)

If you don’t have any way to print a template or color chart, give this free program a try! It's a great way to start.

Debbie Henry
Sew Inspired by Bonnie