Create Beading Patterns with Inkscape (free software)

Welcome to the free software Inkscape beading diagram tutorial! You can download Inkscape for free from inkscape.org. If you have any difficulty following this tutorial, please post a comment at the bottom of the page on which you are stuck, and I'll do my best to help!

Final product - our Inkscape beading diagram!

Things to know ...
I have no affiliation with the developers of Inkscape. I merely stumbled upon their program through a link on another website that specializes in vector designs.

This program is freeware and has no adware associated with it. We are very fortunate that the authors have generously provided this program to all for their free enjoyment. Download Inkscape for free from inkscape.org.

To explain the lingo, I will use double arrowheads ">>" to refer to a menu item at the top of the screen, followed by a submenu item within that menu. (e.g. File >> Save, or Effects >> Modify Path >> Add Nodes)

Part I - Setting up Inkscape: Installation and Preferences

1) First we must install the program. Visit inkscape.org and click on "Download Now" in the top right-hand corner of the page. Simply select a folder on your computer where to save the setup file for the program. Save the file onto your computer. The download should take about 2 minutes on high speed, or maybe half an hour on dial-up. Once downloaded, double-click on the setup file you saved on your computer. You may wish to exit other open programs, but I doubt it matters much. Follow the instructions in the setup screen until the program is installed. The setup program will create shortcuts and will add Inkscape in your start menu programs list. It will start up the program for you when you are finished installing, if you so desire.

2) Once the program screen is open, you'll find it's not maximized on your screen. This would make working with it inefficient, so resize the window. Simply drag the four corners of the program to the four corners of your screen. You could also click the maximize button, but you'll find that everytime you minimize the screen, it will revert back to its original size. If you drag out the four corners, it won't resize again. In the next few steps, I will teach you how to make this permanent in your Inkscape settings so that Inkscape opens full screen every time you launch the program.

Inkscape Preferences Button

3) Now we want to set up the program preferences to match our needs. Do one of the following:
-- Either go to File >> Inkscape Preferences...
-- Or click the button that looks like a wrench and screwdriver, which is on the top row of buttons, second from the right

I recommend that you make the following changes to the preferences:

Remember Window Size - Inkscape Preferences

A) In the left list, click "Windows": select "remember and use last window's geometry" under "Saving window geometry (size and position)". This will cause the window to be the size you last set it to when you resized the window. In other words, for us, this makes our full screen size permanent until you decide to change it. It will always remember what your most recently chosen window size.

Default Grid Settings - Inkscape Preferences

B) In the left list, click "Grids": select the following options from the Default grid settings for "Rectangular Grid":
-- Grid units: px (unchanged)
-- Origin X: 0.00 (unchanged)
-- Origin Y: 0.00 (unchanged)
-- Spacing X: 15.00
-- Spacing Y: 15.00
-- Grid line color: click the blue colour box and drag the sliders to select a colour (I selected light blue as seen in the photo)
-- Major grid line color: click the blue colour box and drag the sliders to select a colour (I selected black as seen in the photo)
-- Major grid line every: 4
-- Do not select show dots instead of lines

If in doubt, the photo shows you what your settings should look like exactly.

Setting the grid size is very important because we will be making heavy use of the grid to position our beads very easily.

Tool Settings - Use Last Style - Inkscape Preferences

C) In the left list, click on the [+] sign beside the word Tools. Then click the [+] sign beside the word Shapes: Make sure that for all shapes listed (Rectangle, 3D box, Ellipse, Star, Spiral) as well as for all other tools (Pencil, Pen, Calligraphy, Paint Bucket, Text), "Last style used" is selected rather than "This tool's own style".

This will ensure that when you use a tool or shape, it will remember what you last set the colours, stroking colours, gradient, etc. for that tool or shape. This is very important for us because when we type all our numbers on each bead, we want the program to remember the style from one number to the next without having to reset all the text properties again!

Document Properties Button

4) We are now going to edit the Document Properties for our document, and then we are going to save the settings we set here as our default template so that we don't have to change them again. To open the Document Properties box, do one of the following:
-- Either go to File >> Document Properties...
-- Or click the button that looks like a wrench head on a piece of paper, which is on the top row of buttons, on the very right

I recommend that you make the following changes to the document properties: (Go to page 2)

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Beader Comments:
Jacqui on August 17, 2010:
I have downloaded the program but it does not work. What have I done wrong? Please help
SondraRoach26 on June 17, 2010:
It is great that we can get the lowest-rate-loans.com and this opens up completely new possibilities.
susan on June 16, 2010:
hobby loom beads great fun
Michelle on June 8, 2010:
I was looking for a beaded hat pattern and came across this - thank you very much - I will keep looking for the hat pattern as well.
Gloria on March 27, 2010:
Can this program be used for netting stitch? I have graphed out designs that I have beaded and would like to be able to print these.
Kathy on February 22, 2010:
The main design I am looking for is a Fleur de Lis. I am a major Saints' fan and would love to be able to bead one. Thanks
Kathy on February 22, 2010:
Iam having a fit trying to install this in windows 7 and Internet Explorer 8. Has anyone else had these problems? Please help !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cruellad on January 17, 2010:
Lets give this a whirl...
Jax on December 12, 2009:
Lulia, it looks like the page we linked to has changed. You can still get the program through www.cnet.com click on Downloads (the tabs near the top center of the page) then type in Inkscape. It will pull up the download link for you.
Iulia Diana on November 26, 2009:
ok....i can`t download the program....what can i do?
Sherry on November 20, 2009:
I am working with your tutorial right now and I love it so far. I am having a problem with duplicating though...the gradient doesn't seem to copy with the bead....I get a solid blue color. Am I missing a step?
Dana Bakke on October 12, 2009:
This is an amazing program and thank you for the tutorial! It would have taken me a lot longer to get this far without your help. I am having an issue with printing, though. When I try to print it locks up the program. I don't think it is due to lack of space on my computer. Do you have some helpful hints about printing?
JDC on September 3, 2009:
Inkscape is note Freeware, it is Free Software or Open Source, this two are a complete diferent thing than Freeware
Ginn on August 18, 2009:
I couldn't download the program from the inkscape site, had to search other sites. Finally found it, now I hope it works the same.
Rachel S on August 7, 2009:
Allegra - you really are a life saver... I've been looking for software and instructions for creating beading patterns and after hours and hours of searching and coming up with nothing, I finally found this tutorial and Inkscape. You're instructions are so clear and informative, I too am something of a perfectionist, so I appreciated all the little extra details that you provided. I needed to learn how to do this very quickly and thanks to you I have managed to get the basics down in just a few short hours, fewer than it took to find the software! Many, many grateful thanks once again.....
Seydell on June 18, 2009:
Allegra, You have a gift to explain the important things well. I do not know how I visited your tutorial, not a beading person myself, but have found it to be among the best tutorials on getting started in Inkscape anywhere. Excellent work.
Dorrie on June 18, 2009:
To Ginn, A low cost awesome program for creating peyote and other stitches is the BeadTool. www.beadtool.net . Chris, the creator of it, has a really good customer service. You can download a free trial, but you can't print out what you make unless you buy it. Can't remember what it costs, but within the $30 range. Give it a try.
Dorrie on June 18, 2009:
Ummmm...I just reread my last comment and I am so sorry for my grammar. It stinks and some of my words are mispelled. I am keyboard looker typer and do not always check what I write, therefore, it comes out whacked, sometimes. LOL As long as it is understood, I guess I am all right.LOL
Dorrie on June 18, 2009:
I downloaded and set up the program as you recommended and the only problem I seem to be having is the color of my text in the beads. For whatever reason, my mind isn't comprehending it. I printed off yur instructions and take them step by step, but I lose something that messes it up. However on a good note, I appreciate your willingness toteach this program. I have een wanting to design my own patterns and I do use BeadTool for Peyote, square, loom and other stitches. I am so glad I found this one as I can now create the designs I have been envisioning for a while. I assume the directions you gave us will also work when using squares and such. I did run into a problem trying to freehand draw triangles, hexagons, octagons and other type beads. Is there other ways to create them? Thank you so much for your unselfish want to help others. What comes around, goes around and you will surely being getting lots more good back. Dorrie
Jane on June 17, 2009:
I am amazed! Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. I have been looking for this type of thing for months and didn`t believe it existed. Now all that is left is for me to figure it out. That will probably take more months. But at least you seem to have written this with someone like me in mind. Thank you again. I iwll be downloading and trying to learn.
Ginn on June 14, 2009:
well this work for making peyote patterns?
Ruth on June 7, 2009:
Hey. In all recorded history there has not been one economist who has had to worry about where the next meal would come from. I am from Latvia and learning to write in English, give true I wrote the following sentence: "Antiallergic drug cromolyn. Inhibit histamine secretion by regulating phosphorylation of a mast cell protein.If you have had any allergic reactions to medicines in." With love ;-), Ain.
Jen on May 10, 2009:
Tanya, there's a few listed in the forum, see it here http://3dbeading.com/forum/index.php?mode=thread&id=941
Tanya on May 9, 2009:
Can somebody help me design a pattern for a cancer ribbon PLEASE. My brother in law and sister have a foundation to raise money for brain tumor research and I would like to make a cancer ribbon to sell with all the money going to the foundation. You can email me at "Tanya L at bellsouth dot net" Thank you! I don't even mind paying a small fee for your troubles.
Allegra on April 6, 2009:
Lei, I totally don't understand what you're asking!
Lei on April 2, 2009:
Could you help me. By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher. I am from Central and learning to write in English, give please true I wrote the following sentence: "Offering discount airline tickets, cheap airline deals last minute vacations, luxury party cruises star hotels at star hotel prices and the." Thank :D Lei.
Wilma on March 6, 2009:
The beading diagrams don't appear when I print out the patterns. Do I need to install Inkscape for the diagrams to appear? Thanks for your help!
D on February 20, 2009:
Thanks
Sesems on February 12, 2009:
I also would like to say "thankyou" for taking the time to write this tutorial for us. It is a tremendous help in learning how to use the Inkscape, not sure I could have managed to get the better of it with out your help :-)
Hummer on February 2, 2009:
Thanks for this tutorial. I now have it bookmarked.
ShadoKat on December 24, 2008:
I just want to say THANK YOU for taking the time to write this tutorial for us. I draw a lot of patterns, usually in MS Word, and Inkscape is far superior to that. This is very much appreciated! Since I'm writing this on Christmas eve, I'll say happy holidays! :-)
Allegra on November 2, 2008:
Okay I see what you mean. Do you have snapping turned on? Turn on snapping by pressing the % key on your keyboard. This should snap the bead into place on the intersection points of the grid. As long as your bead and your grid squares are 60 by 60 pixels, and your minor grid lines are 15 by 15 pixels. You should have no problem centering the beads on the intersection points. If you pay careful attention to the screenshots on the next pages of these instructions, you'll see that there is a 4 by 4 square around each intersection point (only the borders aren't dark). I hope I'm being clear. Just give it a try! Let me know what happens when you try. As for the default file, it opens by default for me with no problems. One thing I can think of is to make sure it's saved to the right folder. It must be in a very specific folder for it to be active. Did you save the file to the templates folder? You can email me the piggy or post it on the forum for everyone to enjoy! Look forward to seeing it!!
Kirsi the Troll on November 1, 2008:
It doesn't open automatically for me... But as long as I use it every time, it should appear in the latest documents. With crosses I mean the points when x & y-lines of the grid intercept. In other words, on top of the corners of each square. So that the bead is "cut into four". I can't think of more phrases :D The rotating didn't help, but for this design I decided to just let go of the symmetry a little bit, the main purpose is to make an understandable pattern anyway :) Just finished my little piggy, I'll try to remember to e-mail a picture to you.
Allegra on November 1, 2008:
Hi Kirsi! I'm glad this will help you!^^ The default file doesn't need to be opened. It opens by default when you launch the program. That's why it's called default. LOL! Once you've saved the default file, you don't need to ever think about it again. The program will take care of the rest. For the crosses, I don't know what you mean. Crossing a bead with two ends of string, or an actual cross shape that you're making out of beads?
Kirsi the Troll on October 31, 2008:
I'm in Finland appreciating my a** off! You're saving so much time for so many people with this tutorial. Now I can make tidy thread paths, and maybe finally finish the pattern I started working on last spring ;D I have one question though: how do I find the 'default' file? I can only find it when I'm saving something, not when I'm trying to open. Ok, two questions... Have you tried placing the beads on the crosses? I could use this with my pattern, it has diagonal parts that are with odd number of beads. Maybe the rotating feature could be used for this... I'll give it a try...
Celeste on October 21, 2008:
Trying this program out now, hope I can figure it out, lol!
Allegra on October 20, 2008:
Before you print, do you go to File >> Print Preview in your browser? What you do in print preview is click on "Options", then you specify to shrink the page to fit the width of your paper. Hope this helps! If you're still having problems, try switching to landscape orientation instead of portrait.
beady on October 19, 2008:
having trouble printing without missing bits out,any ideas?
Allegra on September 23, 2008:
Hehe, it wasn't that hard, just a matter of typing the words to explain rather than just doing it, and saving all the screenshots. This is only installment 1!!! I'm planning to do a whole series.. First inkscape for right angle weave patterns, then this other free software for peyote stitch (called easy bead patterns), then a powerful free software called Gimp for editing photos. You may wonder what photo editing has to do with beading, but it's actually quite crucial, especially if you ever sell your pieces... the picture is the only sales pitch you have!
Jennie AKA The Bead Doodler on September 23, 2008:
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I'm sure bead designers everywhere will appreciate your efforts to document this!
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