Stitchboard Admin message #2
So confused I don't even know what to ask?
September 27, 2014 at 2:06:50 AM  (in response to sarahobear message #1)
 
Sarah,

I'm not technical, but I'll do my best to answer your excellent questions. 

Before I start, though, I noticed you'd mentioned filet.  Filet is grayed out because it's not available yet.  Unfortunately, it's one of the 100 features that need to be finished, and that's the reason for our Indiegogo campaign, so they can be finished faster.  Even if we don't raise a lot in the campaign, these features will still be finished...it will simply take longer, as our programmer works at other programming jobs to support the freePatternWizard. 

Now to your questions. 

1. When working with the freePatternWizard, the most optimal thing is to get your photo ready beforehand - e.g., make it look the way you want it to look before importing it into the freePatternWizard.  My suggestion is to use photo editing software for that, and luckily, there are two absolutely free and very powerful ones available, GIMP and Paint.net.  I'll give you the links here.
GIMP is at:
http://www.gimp.org/
and Paint.net is at:
http://www.getpaint.net/

With either of these programs you can manipulate your images so that they look the way you want.  If you'd like to put a different background behind the dog, you may want to make it a multi-layered image, with the dog on a separate layer, so nothing interferes with that part of your image.  (I can't give you exact instructions, unfortunately, because the program I use is an ancient Paint Shop Pro.  It's so old, it hasn't been sold since probably around the mid '90s!  )

2. Now you know about filet, but my guess is that you probably wouldn't want to use a filet option, anyway, if it's a picture of a dog because it's not going to be very detailed. 

3. It's really hard to say exactly what's going on as I can't see your photo, but also, I don't know how detailed it is to begin with.  You won't be able to get more than your original shows.  If you put through a blurry photo, for instance, the finished product isn't going to be all that clear.  It's very difficult when your photo isn't ideal.  Of course, if it is...then that's a different problem!

You had also mentioned the dog's color being too orange.  If that's the case, I personally would use one of those two software packages (LOL, in my case, ancient PSP) and mess with the values to force the color of the dog back to tan and white.  And perhaps that explains why your results aren't good.  If the freePatternWizard is seeing orange, it's going to give you orange!  (It's a machine...machines think like men...some men can't tell orange from tan...LOL! )

Also, take a look at the size of the dog.  Is she very small in the photo?  That's another problem...if you can't see her very well in the photo, she's going to be a small blob, unfortunately.  You can't take a tiny, tiny image in a photo and turn it into something large in a pattern.

4. I really don't think you're missing a thing.  My guess (though this is just a guess!) is your photo is perhaps out of focus or has too many close colors for the freePatternWizard to differentiate.  Or something else I haven't thought of. 

Also, another thing...which palette are you using?  Since you're talking about working with yarn, I would suggest using the Stitchboard Basic Palette.  Unfortunately, yarn colors just aren't available in hundreds of shades, sigh.  My guess is the palette isn't the issue at all...but I thought I'd let you know that you probably want a more limited palette, unless you're going to crochet with embroidery floss!  (Been there, done that, because I have a screw loose!  LOL.)

No worries, we're here to help, so just ask away whenever you have questions.    I don't know if this has been at all helpful...so please let me know if there's something I'm not understanding. 

BTW, if you'd like to talk ceramics, we'd be happy to open up an area for discussing ceramics! 

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Stitchboard Admin message #5
Re: So confused I don't even know what to ask?
September 28, 2014 at 2:44:45 AM  (in response to sarahobear message #3)
 
Sarah,

Awwww, drool, drool, drool!    What a cutie pie!  Love the video with the kids...or fids (furkids), LOL.    I'm so surprised you guys made it out of that alive!    That was harrowing! 

No worries...I also have trouble understanding a lot of things, sigh. 

I took the liberty of editing your message for the purpose of putting an "enter" between the two photos, as the second one was cut in half, oh, noes!    Had to see that pretty face!

My thoughts on seeing your photos...the first one does seem on the blurry side.  And poor Lola really is orange!  I did try playing around with it a bit, using the second photo as a guide to color...see what you think of this...she's still a little on the orange side, but she looks closer to the second (better) picture.  That was changing the values of H/S/L - Hue, Saturation & Lightness.  Also, the first one below is sharpened just a little, the second is sharpened with a "sharpen more" command.  The latter is more grainy, unfortunately...but not as blurry!


The color is not quite as close a match as I'd like, sigh.

As for the stray colors...off the top of my head, my guess is there aren't enough colors chosen.  Are you saying you're selecting 5 altogether?  I'll ask Terry (Support) for some advice on this, and get his thoughts. 

Your second photo of Lola is a really nice one...you could try cropping it a bit and even changing the color of the chair.    That look....so adorable!    Lola was a beauty, for sure! 

Listen, if you simply enjoy ceramics, that's plenty.  You don't have to be active in it, just have a love for it. 

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