Has anyone tried Beaders Canvas software or Bead Creator Pro?  Any comparisons would be welcome.

Susanp

Hi Susan,

 I have Bead Creator Pro, but am not a big fan of it. I feel that it tends to be a bit difficult to use. Everytime i finally figure one thing out, there is a whole other thing to learn, therefore when I use it, I use it very little. The positives are once you can figure it out, you can make really good patterns from pics. I also had a problem with customer service. I wrote for help and in reply I got a whole story about why it took so long for them to get back to me, as so and so got sick, andso and so had to babysit for such and such and I got a bit angry and told her, I just want to know what I need to do to fix my problem.  Anyway, fixed my problem, but I still have problems with the software.

I now have BeadTool 3 which you can get less expensively than Bead Creator and awesome customer service from Chris, the designer of the software. He does consistent updates and helps through e-mail and I know a couple time I brain farted and asked him stupid questions, but he was so nice about it. The website is www.beadtool.net . I recommend it mainly because it does just about everything that BeadCreato Pro does, but easier to work. The price is cheaper and also, you can try it for free to see if you like it. Use your own pics to make patterns, brick, peyote, 2 drop peyote up to 9 drop Peyote, loom and tubular Peyote which I am sure you can use to create crocheted tube patterns with.

Anyway, I hope this helps.

Dorrie

I just tried the demo for Beader's Canvas and it seemed to be a bit on the difficult side, but I just tried for fun. One option it has that the other 2 don't is Right angle Weave. I am not sure if it works that well. I just personally don't like the RAW graph, the way it is setup.

Hi Dorrie,

Thank you for responding.  I haven't looked at BeadTool but I will now.  Thanks again.

Susan

Let me know what you decide on, I am curious.

I to wondered about soft ware for these purposes. I was reluctant to purchase the products until I had some real feed back. This was very helpful, thank so much! Now I am looking forward to trying out this bead tool 3.

froggies 

I have, and probably always will, BeadCellar on my computer.  Once I got the updated Delica colors loaded into the pallette I find it super easy to use.  It doesn't have all the bells and whistles that some of them do, but it sure does the trick for me.

Carrie

I am a bead store owner and have had numerous requests for good beading software.  I have used Bead Pattern Designer for many years but have had so many problems with it that I don't want to sell it in my store.  I decided to try Bead Creator Pro and ordered 5 copies, 1 to use myself and 4 to sell.  I have loaded it onto my computer, registered it and received my new serial number, but I can't get it to work at all.  I haven't had any luck getting any support from the manufacturer.  It is version 4.  Does anyone no what I need to do next?

 I say send 'em back where the came from and try something new - I use Bead Wizard - which is easy to use but prints way too small (if there's a way to PRINT BIGGER I haven't found it) and I have also been using the FREE TRIAL version of Beadtool and it's pretty cool - try it and check it out here: 

http://www.beadtool.net/

I, too, use BeadTool3.  It's a powerful tool and oh, so easy to use!!  The Delica palette includes the 63 new colors just added to the line in April.  Also palettes for Toho Treasures, pony beads, Miyuki seed beads in several sizes. Customer service is extraordinary.  The free companion program Palette Tool allows you to adjust bead colors (including AB finish colors) if they aren't just right for your monitor and lets you make your own palettes.  The other free companion program, Layout Tool, allows you to control how your pattern prints out.  Need large print??  No problem!  Just set it for a larger sized font!  Want only the color chart or word graph??  Just Add or delete the text boxes you want or don't want.  Need a copyright blurb on every page?  BeadTool does that, too!  Need text in your pattern?  Just click the text button, choose your font/size and type your text.  Available for both Windows and Mac computers.

LadyKas13

 like several here, i had beadcreator Pro and got rid of it. besides the fact that i couldn't figure out how to make it all work (NOT user friendly) the customer support was horrible. i had to jump thru a whole bunch of hoops to do it, but i gave my copy to a friend for her birthday who really wanted to try it. haven't missed it a bit.

this friend bought beadtool2 for me, and after watching the online animated tutorials once, i was having a ball. he's also added a layout tool and a color palette tool so you can make your own. i've upgraded to vs. 3, and will keep with it as long as christopher keeps putting it out there. it may not have all the bells and whistles of BCPro, but what it lacks there it more than makes up for in almost immediate response to your questions and a willingness to do what it takes to make it work for you.

the other huge upside to beadtool is it's a fraction of the cost of BCPro. <g> 

 hth,

hugs,

Jann in WA

http://stores.lulu.com/beadingforsouthpaws 

I also use BeadTool and it's really easy to figure out. And it works great. The patterns print up well too.

 I did a lot of research before deciding which program to get and decided on this one. I've heard way too much bad stuff about Bead Creator and I'm glad I did the research.

Lynda

I tried BeadPad.  Not good, hard hard hard to use.  Couldn't understand the 40plus page handbook.  Customer Service was so slow.  He only answered it late in the evening, so it could be a day or two before you got a reply.  I finally asked for my money back, and even though they said they would do it, I had to jump through hoops to get it.

 Then I tried BeadTool.  Love love love it.  Did you know he wrote it for his mother?  I loved it so much I did a critique  on it for the Bead Society of Greater Kansas City.  I've gotten all the updates, and love every one of them.  So easy to use, Chris is a doll, it's inexpensive, and did I say it was easy to use?

 Linn

 I have BeadTool3, the Palette Tool and Layout Tool, too. I love them!

 I am new to beading but am an art quilter, so I have quite a bit of experience with color and experimenting.  I wanted to be able to use some of my photos in beading projects so I looked around for a good program.
 

When I looked at the price and tried the BeadTool3 free trial, I decided it was the program for me. It did everything I wanted it to. I also had a question and Christopher got back to me quickly. Sounds like the other programs are not worth the money. This one certainly is!

Denise 

Hello!

I have also been looking for the right program. I searched high and low and had decided that BeadPad was the one that would do everything I wanted - which included circular designs. I'm totally addicted to seed bead weaving, and am ready to try my hand at creating patterns, but I never really found the one program for this that had all the regular graphs AND round ones too until I found BeadPad. Unfortunately, the programmer has passed away, according to what I was told, so that might explain why I can get it and why you couldn't get support.

At this point, I'm leaning towards easybeadpatterns.com for my beginning usage. Free is always in my budget!

Cheers to all -

Mary 

I bought BeadCreatorPro last month and have never been able to get it to work with my Windows XP computer (OK, it's 5 years old, but it should still be fine).  I never got a real answer from technical and she was always unavailabIe, husband working nights, etc.  I  wanted BCP because BeadDesigner doesn't have enough flexibility in bead sizes for me.  Does anyone know if B&B has ever done a comparison of all (or as many as possible) bead design programs?  Should include what stitches are covered, what colors are automatically supported, ease of use, cost of program, quality of techical support (or lack thereof), etc.  Sounds to me like the beading community could really use such an article.  I am going to look into BeadTool3 and BeadPad.  Thanks for the previous discussion!