Take up arts and crafts with your PC

A stitch in time
Whether you’re starting out in the world of embroidery or cross-stitch, or are experienced in the art of needlecraft, your PC can add another dimension to your creations.

There are plenty of cross-stitch patterns available online, such as those at Freepatternsonline, but trawling through the internet for patterns and materials may seem like trying to find a needle in a haystack. For the keen cross-stitcher, creating your own designs will add that certain edge to your craft.

PM Stitch Creator converts digital images into stitch patterns, creates designs from scratch and is suitable for the novice computer user, with wizards to guide you through each step. The program costs $49 (around £34) but there is a 15-day full version trial available. Type in your email address and you will be directed to the download screen.

There are also plenty of tutorial websites to get you started stitch by stitch: Mismatch offers advice on many subjects, including selecting your materials, and Craftdesigns4you explains how to follow a pattern with a step-by-step tutorial to creating your first cross-stitch.

For the enthusiastic embroiderer, the computer also holds the key to creating hundreds of designs, using patterns downloaded from the internet and connecting your PC to a USB sewing machine. These machines include at least one USB port to connect to a PC directly through a cable or using a memory key.

Prices for USB sewing machines vary according to what each can do. For example, the Singer CE-150 (£549) connects directly to a PC using a USB cable, is Windows XP and Vista compatible and transmits patterns to the machine from your PC. The Brother Innov-is 900 (£635) is suitable for novice and professional embroiderers and contains a CD with 100 designs.

At the top end of the market, the Pfaff Creative Vision can connect to a wireless network and comes with software to organise your pattern files and convert Truetype fonts into embroidery fonts. You can even use your PC’s mouse to navigate the machine’s high-definition touchscreen to change patterns. At £4,695, though, this product is not for the occasional embroiderer.

Get the picture
Mention art and you might immediately have visions of portraits in The National Gallery or an abstract sculpture in the Tate Modern. But what if you are no Rembrandt or Hepworth and simply want to create some personalised artwork for an invitation, for example? There is another medium available to help you produce artwork, all you need is your computer and a digital artwork program.

There are many digital artwork programs on the market ranging from professional packages, ­ most notably Corel Draw and Adobe Illustrator, ­ to programs aimed at novices. In fact, there’s a program already installed on your PC to help you create simple artwork.

Microsoft Paint allows you to draw lines, shapes, add colour and even includes screenshots to create logos or clip art. Each file can be saved in a variety of file formats, including TIFF and JPEG, and printed or inserted into a word-processing program, such as Microsoft Word, to add a splash of colour to your documents.

To launch Microsoft Paint, go to the Start menu, then Accessories and select Paint. In Vista you can simply type the program’s name into the Start menu search window. Launch the program by clicking on the icon, select a tool from the left-hand toolbar and get drawing.

If you find you need more functions than Paint offers, the internet has a host of freeware programs available to download.

The pen is mightier than the mouse

For the ultimate electronic canvas, why not use a graphics tablet as an alternative to a mouse. This peripheral consists of a tablet and a pen, which mimics the cursor on your monitor when it is moved across the tablet’s special surface.

Some people prefer using a graphics tablet when creating digital drawings or paintings. The natural feeling of holding a pen and the responsiveness of a tablet makes this tool ideal if you are serious about creating your own digital art.

At the cheaper end of the market is the Trust Slimline Tablet TB-5300 (£26), which has a transparent sheet for tracing images, 28 programmable buttons and is XP and Vista compatible.

The Wacom Bamboo Fun (£64) is designed with the hobbyist in mind and has a pen stand, pressure-sensitive eraser and intelligent paintbrush.

At the more expensive end of the market, the Wacom Wireless Pen Tablet (£153.43) includes Bluetooth technology, a transparent photo frame for tracing images and battery-free pen technology.

And if you can’t draw with a mouse or tablet, consider creating a digital scrapbook ­ – an ideal way to preserve your precious memories.