Christmas Embroidery

Maybe I’m feeling blue this Christmas.  Maybe I’m just inspired by all the recent snow we’ve had.  Whatever the reason, the other day, I was driving down Randall road and a small grove of trees (weeds?) against a snow bank caught my eye.

On a side road I can usually stop and take a picture to capture the scene and the light.  But not this time.  This time I was in a hurry, running around doing Christmas errands, etc. No time to stop and enjoy anything. No time to stop and take artsy pictures. No time.

But the little vignette stayed with me.

And eventually, I had to sketch it out.

Within minutes, I had embroidered it in my mind.  If I were using paints, it would be so much easier.  Mixing a paint color does not require hunting down the right fabric. When you paint, you don’t have to purchase 3 different colors of paint to help decide which is right.  You simply mix the colors yourself.

Besides, I wasn’t thread painting.  I was digitizing.  When you digitize you can start with a very simple sketch.  The rest is done in software.  I drew and assigned colors in software.

Here’s my little sketch.  Squeezed in during the holidays, because it simply wanted to exist. I had no time for it.  But it found its own way out.

Merry Christmas to all of you, and a happy and blessed new year.  May all your artwork find its way out.

snow embroidery

It's about 12 inches wide

It’s about 12 inches wide

In progress.

In progress.

The view from the sewing room.

The view from the sewing room.

The 30 second sketch I used to start digitizing.

The 30 second sketch I created to start digitizing.

 

The Problem With Starting Projects

Yeah.

The problem with starting projects…or buying fabric for that matter…is that you have to finish them.  You know what I’m talking about.  Every single one of you has a project somewhere that has been lurking for, um, years.  You’ve lost interest, moved onto something new and exciting.  Or maybe you just haven’t had the time.

Well.

I hearby declare January the “Finish a Project” month. And 2014 the “Get Out From Under” Year.  If, like me, you have projects waiting patiently for you to complete them, then let’s all agree to get one done in January.

We can’t do it in December and everyone knows why.  Even if you will be completing projects in December they are likely gifts and you are under a deadline and those don’t count.  We’re looking for the poor, neglected, procrastinated projects.  We’re looking for the ones you gave up because it became tedious, or boring or difficult.  We want to clear away that ever-growing stack of projects that get sidelined for a “higher priority”.  Usually for me, it’s work or classes, or housecleaning, as if housecleaning will be on my list of life’s accomplishments.

Let’s find at least one that’s worth completing.  I’m starting with the three shown below.  I have no idea if I will be able to get one of them done in January, but I’m certainly going to try.  The others will get incorporated over the course of the new year.

I know, without a doubt, that life will get in the way.

But that doesn’t mean I can’t try.

A fun Christmas Baltimore Album quilt.  Needs a bunch more blocks put together, but a good January project.  No chance I'll get it done this Christmas, so a good one to work on during Downton Abbey episodes.

A fun Christmas Baltimore Album quilt. Needs a bunch more blocks put together, but a good January project. No chance I’ll get it done this Christmas, so a good one to work on during Downton Abbey episodes.

Definitely want to get this one done by spring. Problem is that it's queen size. Won't be easy to quilt on my machine at home. Dreaming of a longarm.

Definitely want to get this one done by spring. Problem is that it’s queen size. Won’t be easy to quilt on my machine at home. Dreaming of a longarm.

This is a grown up quilt.  complete with instructions and history of each block. I'm ready.

This is a grown up quilt. Complete with instructions, history of each block and reproduction fabric. I’m ready.

 

Machine Embroidery Applique

I know you’re out there….all of you who have heard about applique using your embroidery machine, but have not seen a design created this way or have not had the courage to try it on your own.

No problem.

Last night I stitched out this design from one of the new Bernina collections called “Caravan”.  Now when I say “Bernina collections”, it just means that Bernina distributes the designs.  You don’t have to own a Bernina. The designs work on any embroidery machine, and come in all machine formats.

First start stitching out the design.  I chose a denim jacket to support all the craft stitches included in this design and I used 2 layers of poymesh cutaway stabilizer.

caravan1This embroidery machine applique collection contains designs for applique, cutwork, crystalwork, paintwork and a printable. The kit comes with a catalog of designs, as well as suggested thread colors, pattern pieces and even a way to get your designs back if you accidentally write over the usb stick!

 

Bernina embroider software 7Keep Bernina Embroidery Software 7 open nearby, or you can use any software or none at all. It just helps to keep track of the thread colors as you go.

 

 

placement lineBecause the design was originally digitized as an applique, one thread color will be used as a placement line. This is usually just a simple running stitch.

 

 

 

applique fabricAdd the fabric, then let the next thread color run.  It will trace the outline of the applique. Use applique scissors to cut away the fabric around the top running stitch.

 

 

 

applique scissorsI prefer to use these small rounded snips because they allow me to get into tight corners.  Because they point up, they’ll also prevent you from poking holes in the fabric underneath. You can find different types of applique scissors on the market.

 

 

caravan in progressTake your time with these designs as you will be stopping to lay down fabric, trim it away and the design will layer stitches on top to finish the look.  This particular design had 5 layers of applique.  Can you see them all?

 

 

Looks great on my denim jacket!

Looks great on a denim jacket!

I apologize for the darkness of some of these shots.  That’s what happens when I work at night!  Anyway, here’s the final design!  The detail on it is magnificent!  Machine embroidery applique is not difficult at all.  It’s just knowing when to lay down fabric.  Jump in and try this.  It will give your designs added dimension, color and complexity without adding more stitches.

I am grateful for…

…family.  Immediate and extended.  Functional and dysfunctional. Near and far.

…friends.  Old and new. Tried and true and even those who think I’m the crazy one. It’s OK. They may be right.

…work.  Getting paid to do things I love, to work with my hands, to teach.

…students.  Passing along  knowledge to those eager to learn. It’s lovely.

…a roof over my head. After recent storms I am reminded – it’s a gift.

…a warm bed. Enough said.

…more food than anyone at our house will be able to eat in one day on Thanksgiving.  The abundance is embarrassing, and I’ve done absolutely nothing to deserve it.

…snow.  Giant quiet flakes or howling blowing tiny ones that swirl on the driveway.  There will come a day in a few months when this will come off the list and all I’ll be able to think about is spring.  I am grateful for that too–that every season holds its own beauty here in the midwest.

…volunteer work.  Knowing that at least I tried.

…creative outlets. Photography, painting, sewing,.  Without them I would explode.

…good books. (If you like a good mystery, start with “Still Life” by Louise Penny.  Follow it up with “A Fatal Grace”.  Both perfect for the season.)

..nature.  All of it.  From the tiniest seed to the vastness of the stars.  I don’t get it and I don’t have to.  I’m grateful just to be a part of the mystery.

…faith.  Knowing that I know nothing, and that my puny mind is not the last word.

…hope.  “Sun follows rain. Peace follows pain.”  (yikes, what a time to quote a Marie Osmond song).

..love.  Without it of course, the rest doesn’t matter.

Wishing you and yours a blessed, abundant, creative Thanksgiving. Thank you for reading this blog.

 

Autodigitizing a Bitmap and a Vector

These are two VERY simple procedures in Bernina Embroidery Software 7.  I am not going into any real details because any software owner should have classes available to them.  However, if you need a quick refresher or some basic help on getting started, this will get you there.

Autodigitizing a Bitmap:

Open your software to a new file, click “insert artwork” up at the top.  Navigate to your c: drive and find the “Embroidery Software 7” folder.  Double click to open all the design folders.  Double click on the “artwork” folder.

insertembbitmapNext find the butterfly, and click open to bring the bitmap into the software.  All the designs in the folder entitled “artwork” are bitmaps and can be loaded the same way.

insertartworkDe-select the artwork by clicking outside of it.  Then go over to the left side of the screen under the heading “autodigitize’ and click on “autodigitizer”.  Then click on the image. So many people forget that step and then get lost.  Once you click on the image, you’ll see a dialog box confirming the number of colors. Click OK.  Next a dialog box will appear that allows you to omit some of the colors.  Since you almost always want to eliminate the white background, click “omitted colors”, then click the white box.  Click “OK ” and the butterfly will become stitches.  It’s that easy.  Now, obviously, you can make changes to the design and edit it an infinite number of ways.  But before you send it to the machine, be sure to click on the image in the background and delete it.

autodigitizeDigitizing a vector:

Vectors should almost always be brought into the software using “Artwork Canvas”.  But before we get too far, be sure to move your Corel Clipart into your Embroidery Software 7 folder so you’ll have access to it.  The clipart folder contains only vectors, so it’s a great resource for artwork.

(Here’s how to move it:  Go to your “start” menu under “All programs”, find Corel Essentials 6.  Click ONCE.  You will see a folder called “content”.  Click ONCE.  Then right click on the “clipart” folder and hit copy.  Navigate to your c: drive and find the embroidery software 7 folder. Click TWICE to open it.  Find a blank area and right click, then click “paste”.  The clipart folder should now appear with all your other design folders.  By the way, the Mastery Book for Software 7 has all these instructions.)

Back to vectors.  Open a new file in Software 7.  Click on the “artwork canvas” icon to get into the Corel part of the software. This may take a few seconds the first time you go into artwork canvas.  It’s a big program.  When it’s open, click the “load artwork” icon, shaped like a flower, usually the first icon on the left.  You’ll get a dialogue box to navigate to a file.  Head over to your c: drive and find the clipart folder we just added. Click TWICE to open the folder.  At this point you can choose any of the files to open.  Once you click “open”, be sure to hit enter on your keyboard to place the file.

vector1With the artwork selected, simply click the button at the top that says “Convert” .  If you hover, it will say “convert vectors to embroidery”.

vector2And that’s it!  You’ll end up back in embroidery canvas with digitized art. Now, you may want to edit colors, stitch types, density, pull compensation etc.  But for the most part, you are digitizing!

Be sure to get a copy of the Mastery Books for Software 7.  It goes into detail on all the features and you’ll want to work with your dealer to learn the specifics.

Then get digitizing!  Now that you know bitmaps and vectors, nothing can stop you!  (Except copyrights, of course..but that’s for another time!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vector vs. Bitmap — A Primer for Machine Embroiderers

One of the most frequently asked questions by machine embroiderers is how to handle graphics.  In embroidery software, vectors are handled differently than bitmaps.  But the first step is to understand whether you are looking at a vector or a bitmap.

The main difference is that a bitmap is composed of pixels.  Here is a (very) brief presentation that will help you to understand.  In the next post, I will offer a few options for auto-digitizing vectors and bitmaps in Bernina Embroidery Software 7.

slide1slide2slide3slide4

 

When Your Simple Project Aspires to Become a Magnum Opus

Projects have a life of their own, you know.  Once you are hooked, they know that it will be difficult for you to just walk away.

That’s when they set their plan in motion. They become difficult. Tricky.  More complex than you expected.  They create challenges for you to overcome. They set up roadblocks to test your patience.  Sometimes you are even physically harmed. (Yesterday I cut myself with my embroidery scissors trying to pry my project from the nest that had formed under the embroidery hoop.)

There’s no cure for this.

An unruly project cannot be beaten into submission.  You have to get in the saddle and ride it, until it, or you, collapses from exhaustion.  You must never, ever submit to the tyranny of a project with a bad attitude.

Here’s the glimmer of hope:

You will learn something.  Even if the only thing you learn is that you will not do this again.  But more likely, you will learn perseverance.  You will learn technique, born of necessity, fired in the kiln of frustration.  You will learn to push through.

And when you are done, you will be stronger, grittier, one step closer to accomplishing almost anything.

Bravo.

IMG_1697[1]

About 25% done.  Machine embroidery on a sweatshirt

About 25% done. Machine embroidery on a sweatshirt

Label Your Quilts to Preserve the Moment

Quilt label for my son's quilt

Quilt label for my son’s quilt

I have a confession.  I am not very good at remembering to make quilt labels.  Yet I know just how important they are and how much character they add to a quilt.

And the thing is, I love to make labels.  The one pictured above is digitized (I knew absolutely nothing about digitizing at the time) from a picture of my son when he was 4 years old.  He was blowing a dandelion.  I made him a quilt that year, from fabric that he loved, and I wanted it to be a remembrance of that time in his life.  It includes his name, the date the quilt was finished and of course, “Made with love by mommy.”

Right now, I have at least 3 quilts which need labels.  I can no longer remember exactly what year I made the quilts. (Sometime in the last 5 years).

I am especially guilty of not labeling anything that I make for myself or for our house.  When giving something away, I am a little better at the labels.  A little.

It seems irresponsible to make a quilt, put it out there in the world and not give it a label, an identity, a reason, a meaning.

At work, a customer told me she never puts on the binding of a quilt until after she adds the label.  I think that’s a good recommendation.  We all know that the last stitch of binding means we’re done. Complete. Finished. Put it away.  But making sure that label is in place before the binding is on, is a way to trick ourselves into getting it done.

So let’s agree to make the effort.  We never pass this way again.  My son will never be 4 years old again. But we can capture that tiny little season, and wrap ourselves up in it with a cup of hot chocolate on a cold October evening.

label2

Bernina Embroidery Software 7 – It’s Here!

sftware73I’ve been in training the past couple of days learning Bernina’s new embroidery software…Software 7.

Here’s the verdict.  I love it.

And believe me, if I didn’t love it, this blog would be about something else!

My first impression was that the new interface with its bright colors and larger icons made the software feel remedial — like entry level stuff — when we all know this digitizing software is probably the most complete consumer embroidery software on the market.

As I played around, I found all my “usual” icons in places that are far more intuitive than they were before.  I think beginners will have a much easier time understanding all the capabilities of this software.

A few general highlights:

–More single run lettering capabilities and fonts which will be perfect for quilt labels, recipes etc.

–Micro lettering, which will allow tiny satin stitch fonts

–A “Paint Bucket” which allows you to change colors in small parts of a design very quickly

–Easy-to-use, intuitive navigation…lots of little surprises here, but all good

–Improvements in slow redraw, including being able to redraw in artistic view

–Ability to change from Metric to US measurements with the click of a mouse

–Ability to add an article of clothing in the background of your design to calculate position, sizing

–“Quick trace” ability in Artwork Canvas (turning a bitmap into a vector)

–Stumpwork, trapunto, and raised satin stitch capabilites

Overall, the improvements were easy to figure out and to use.  That’s the hallmark of good design…when you “get it” right away.

I was able to load Software 7 on the same computer as Version 6, but most of you will want to simply update.

I can’t wait to spend a little time working on projects.  FYI, Bernina’s Software Sampler will continue to focus on Version 6 until the end of the year, at which point everything will be focused on Software 7.

Here’s a video provided by Bernina that will give you an overall idea of their new Software 7.