Sprite Stitch Board!

So I've been using KG Stitch because it was free, but I feel like its color palette is extremely limited. I'm collecting all of DMC's thread because I'd like to have the complete collection, and with coupons, it's not too expensive of a project. DMC apparently has 454 solid colors, and KG Stitch has something like 150. I don't mind if one piece has a whole lot of colors, so I want a program with the most extensive color palette. I don't even necessarily need it to make perfect patterns since I can do that on Photoshop. Does anyone have any suggestions?

I have been told that programs you pay for provide a greater range of colours. To be honest, I would probably still pick out my own colours by comparing screen shots or pictures while I am at a store. There is one person on deviant art who makes amazing x-stitch pieces who actually works by using at photoshop or gimp. She would reduce the number of colours in the photo to however many she was willing to use and then use a zoomed-in picture as a chart. It isn't as easy as using a chart with symbols but it would not restrict your colour choices in the way that a x-stitch program would.

See, I used to do that-just use Photoshop, but I couldn't figure out how to restrict it to a palette <I made a swatch of all the DMC colors>. I guess I should put a little more effort into that. I also used to drag my whole computer to craft stores, which was not really ideal.

To make a swatch for shopping I will usually make a transparent layer, select a colour from the image, then doodle a little blob on the transparent layer. I put a blob of every colour on the transparent layer. Afterwards I will print the transparent layer and take handy colour blobs to the store with me. This way I get to save on coloured ink. (I admit that I've never tried this with more than 40 colours)

There is a way to make a colour map/swatch/whatever in GIMP but I never remember how to do it right.

Ok I figured out how to make Photoshop use the swatch I made of DMC colors as an indexed color table.
Here's the original picture


Here's where I changed from RGB to Indexed


And finally, here's indexed with some tweaks to make it less green <DMC really doesn't have many shades of gray, it seems>


What do y'all think? If this works, I could upload my DMC swatch if someone wants it.

red_scout wrote:DMC apparently has 454 solid colors, and KG Stitch has something like 150.

KG Chart actually uses the full DMC palette of solid colours, it's just that the free one is limited in the amount of colours it can use at once. Which is 214, I think. PCStitch can use up to the 454 per pattern, but it's not free.
If you are happy using Photoshop and choosing your own colours, why not stick with that?

Lalina wrote:use a zoomed-in picture as a chart

I used to do this and the only problem I ever encountered was distinguishing similar colours on screen. My answer was to temporarily replace that colour with one that wasn't in the picture and follow it like that. Symbols are real time savers!

blackmageheart wrote:If you are happy using Photoshop and choosing your own colours, why not stick with that?

That's the plan now! I wasn't happy with it yesterday because I couldn't figure out how to make it use my swatch as the table with which to select indexed colors, but I got irritated with it today and decided to spend as much time as it took to figure it out!

Wait never mind...the index only allows 256 colors. Guess I'll have to buy a nicer program...