For Christmas, mom gave me Pattern Maker Pro by HobbyWare (as of 2024, it seems the company website is defunct). Previously, I had been charting simple designs in Excel using tiny cells filled with color. While Excel had its appeal in ease of repeating patterns and printing options, it was also limited in changing colors universally and flipping designs any which way. Since I am new to the Pattern Maker software, I thought it might be easier to work from an existing chart as a first trial. I did read through the manual to familiarize myself with the button icons and the basic functions, but sometimes it’s best to just dive in! :]
I found a needlework image on Pinterest and tracked it back to a Russian website then finally to a book on Ukrainian embroidery. I think this version was charted from a photo in the book. I don’t speak (or read) the language, so I am not sure what the caption indicates as far as origin.
I changed the colors and made some minor modifications to the design. I was able to do this chart in an evening. On 32ct fabric, the rug will be approximately 7.5″ square. I’m not sure if I will stitch this rug, but it was a good exercise in learning the software. I love the ease of changing colors universally in the Pattern Maker software.
