Going in Circles

Posted on October 18, 2015 by edges

Whipped up a little tabletop quilt with inspiration from Sylvain Bergeron, Bernina educator. One of his Software Inspirations tutorials included a couple of fun embroidery designs in circles. It was part of a much larger presentation, but I wanted to stitch the circle designs out for my students to see.

In this overview photo, it’s hard to see the detail inside the circles, but the effect of stitching them on vibrant colors offset by simple background fabric is striking.

The background fabric is 4 or 5 variations of Modern Background Paper by Zen Chic, one of my new favorite lines. I want to use this background fabric on everything….and I do. It’s so versatile, it looks great everywhere. Anyway, on this quilt, I just crazy pieced some variations together and cut them to fill the “on point” circles.

Sylvain called this one “Dragon Scales” and I guess if you think about it, that’s what it looks like.

The green one is called “Snake skin” for obvious reasons.

If you work in Bernina embroidery Software at all, these are very simple. You just digitize a circle and morph the fill. Of course, you’ll have to play with the settings of fill spacing and morphing, but that’s basically the way these are created. You’ll have to attend Software Sampler at your local dealer to get all the details.

I added another circle to the quilt, using the ripple fill.

All are mesmerizing to look at when you get close enough to notice the detail.

Up next, the first block for a disappearing hour glass quilt for my 13 year old son, who has requested it be made entirely of junk food fabric. Hoping to finish as a Christmas gift. Also hoping not to gain any weight while working on it.

Things that go bump in the night…

Posted on September 14, 2015 by edges

I have always enjoyed Halloween more than Christmas, or whatever mid-winter holiday you celebrate. Too much pressure, too many gifts, too much hype.

And when you work in retail, Halloween isn’t much better. Most chain stores start putting their Halloween decorations out July 5. But when that first crisp fall breeze rolls in, and those first few leaves begin to fall, I get inspired. Many people do. Once the kids are all back in school and the “official” fall season starts, it’s amazing how many of us turn to our craft, our hobby or our passion once again.

So this year I am teaching some students to use the cross stitch program in Bernina Embroidery Software 7. I am not a big fan of cross stitch..at least not actually DOING it. However, I love the way it looks, and I love how easy it is to get some things done in software (which I DO love to use).

I stumbled across some lovely cross stitch designs in Just Cross Stitch Magazine.

They always include many many patterns for people to use. I scanned a few of their Halloween “ornaments”, and brought the jpegs into the cross stitch software.

Then you can use the software to create stitches following the image in the background. I wanted to keep these very simple so I could make many, but not take a lot of time. The cross stitch program within Software 7 saves the file as .arx extension.

The next step of course, is to bring the cross stitch design into the actual embroidery software. I love this technique because it turns all those little x’s in the Cross Stitch program into machine-readable stitches. And then it’s just an embroidery design.

Once one file is in the software, you can repeat it multiple times. I also rearranged the color film, along the right, to stitch all of one color at once instead of all the colors in one pumpkin at a time. This is a huge step and really cuts down on thread changes.

At the end, I added a double run stitch around the outside of the ornament, leaving the bottom open, so the little critters could be turned inside out and stuffed. Before that last double run thread stitches, I added the backing, with right sides together. Under the backing I taped down some ribbon, so that they could be hung. As you can see, in the hoop, they look like little ravioli.

When all is done stitching, I cut everything out, clipped corners, turned it inside out, stuffed them with polyfill, and used the machine to stitch along the bottom closure.

Voila! Six or eight of them will fit into the jumbo hoop. I managed to create a cat, a witch and a pumpkin. I also made some larger ornaments with regular embroidery on them.

I bought a cheap Halloween tree for the house and one for the shop…these will be on display for awhile! And if I have time, I’ll make more…it’s a little addictive. And really pretty fast and easy when you make use of technology! Gotta love it.

Bag Obsession

Posted on August 27, 2015 by edges

I’ve been making these little cosmetic/chotchke/jewelry bags now for a couple of days. So easy and fun to make.

They’ve become an obsession.

All the ones I’ve made (8 of them in total, so far) are made from Art Gallery Fabric, Sketchbook. The look of the fabric is artsy and lends itself well to these small bags. They are approximately 6 x 8 in. finished.

These are all done in embroidery, by the way. I digitized the lines for the bags, and all the work is basically in the cutting of fabric.

First stitch is a placement for the zipper, then you lay down the zipper, then folded fabric with batting in the middle across the top of the zipper, stitch a line, same thing with the bottom layer of fabric, stitch a line, then lay the lining/backing down (a quilt sandwich) and stitch around the outside.

Voila! That’s it. You’re done. Trim and turn it inside out.

You use a sticky back stabilizer, so you end up picking that off the back at the end, but other than that, these bags go REALLY FAST. Use batting in between every layer to give the bags a nice hand.

I’m thinking these would make great holiday gifts. I have gone through my stash and have come across some old home dec fabric that I think would be fun. Denim would also be great. Who doesn’t have an old pair of jeans that need to be repurposed into new life? Add some embroidery or a little bling…anything is possible.

These in-the-hoop projects are great stash busters. Gotta run, I need more zippers.

Art and Art Only

Posted on March 27, 2015 by edges

“Art and art only can cause violence to be set aside.” –Leo Tolstoy

For anyone with a child in the school system within the last 15 years, you know what STEM stands for: Science, Technology, Engineering, Math.

Experts (MANY experts) tell us that’s what all our children must be trained in, in order to move the country forward, in order to get jobs, in order to be successful.

Do you agree?

As for me, I have mixed feelings. No doubt, STEM provides key strengths for our kids to make a living in the future. No doubt, we all need these skills to build infrastructure, cure diseases, and solve problems. No doubt.

Where, then, in society, do we learn more subtle skills? Things like anger management, empathy, caring for one another, caring for the planet and the rest of the world around us? Or even less subtle skills like critical thinking, decision-making, morality, justice and local and global citizenship?

In the last election, only 12% of 18-30 year-olds even bothered to vote. I wonder what percentage of them own a smart phone. My guess is somewhat more than 12%.

“Art and art only can cause violence to be set aside.”

Tolstoy had a wide vision of art: literature, paintings, music, poetry, drama. Soft skills to say the least. Don’t get me wrong. I love doctors, scientists and engineers…(I’m married to one). But STEM is only useful when it is accompanied and partnered with creative thinking, creative expression, beauty, appreciation, and acceptance of our common humanity.

My embroidered tablecloth and fabric tulip vase. I ‘ll teach it at a Software Inspirations class.

What Have You Done With Machine Embroidery Lately?

Posted on March 13, 2015 by edges

I ask myself that all the time.

My latest project is one I’m doing for work, which will be for a class in April. It’s a part of Bernina’s Software Sampler presentation. I am stitching out a ring of 8 designs to be used (ultimately) on a tablecloth for a round table.

It’s far from complete, but I promise to show you when it’s done.

But what’s new in the home embroidery industry? Well, that’s where this gets interesting.

I have a few favorite sites that I visit, but I’ve noticed some trends and thought I’d share some of the best with you.

Urban Threads, always on the cutting edge (no pun intended) of embroidery, has a new Look Book out. You have to take a minute to browse…very fun stuff.

You’ll notice that lettering, in many forms, has re-emerged as one of the most popular uses for embroidery. I see this trend at work very often as well. Everyone wants an item that is personalized, whether that is for a wedding, or just a simple monogram, the birth of a baby, you name it.

Bernina has just released new, inexpensive software that lets you add lettering to any embroidery design or just create your own lettering in any true type font that you have loaded on your computer.

This is a big deal. In recent years, Bernina’s software with lettering had an entry price of over $1000. The new software, called Customizer, saves to any machine format and is available for under $250 at any local Bernina dealer. But, as I say, anyone with any type of embroidery machine can use this software. Find out more about it here.

And all you techies looking for something new and fun for your machine embroidery?

I found just the thing.

Janome has introduced an app for ipad or android that is called AcuDesign. It’s a $49.99 app. But before you get nervous about the price, you have to see all that it does:

–Comes with 500 designs.

–Allows you to see animated stitch-outs.

–Edit your designs.

–Resize them.

–Send them directly to your email when you want to stitch.

–Save in any format, work in any machine’s hoop.

Might be hard to see on my ipad in this picture, but the way you scroll through the various designs is so easy, and the work screen is intuitive.

And if you ever need more info, Janome has created a webinar, over an hour long, that goes over all the features. (Love these gals in the webinar, they sound like people I should know!)

Finally, I am seeing a bump in interest in crazy quilting. The website mollymine.com has a lovely collection of crazy quilt designs, from quilt blocks to holiday-themed. And our friends at Designs in Machine Embroidery have featured crazy quilting on the front cover of their April issue, with a free crazy quilt design available.

Soooooooo…..what have you done with machine embroidery lately?

We have a world of opportunities in front of us. And we haven’t even looked at Pinterest yet.

(Yet.)

Zen Again

Posted on October 26, 2014 by edges

Don’t even tell me you don’t know what zentangles are. By now everyone has heard of a zentangle. However, in case you’ve been living under a creative rock…here’s a link explaining them.

In playing with Bernina’s Embroidery Software, I’ve been doing a few lessons from a book written by Sue Shrader: “Creative Sewing Machine’s Workbook for Bernina Embroidery Software 7.”

This workbook covers all aspects of Software 7, and can be purchased from their website. I have found it to be a valuable investment for beginners, and even for people like me who use the software on a regular basis, but still don’t know everything it can do.

One of her lessons involves creating a zentangle piece of artwork.

I had fun with this lesson as it changes every time I do it. I settled on one version and went through the motions of stitching it out. I used a heavy-weight cutaway stabilizer in my machine’s jumbo hoop.

After 30,000 stitches, I knew I’d be leaving the stabilizer behind the design no matter what I ended up making. Besides the white stabilizer would show if I cut it out behind the design.

Here’s the finished stitch-out. I spent a lot of time debating what to make out of the design and in the end I just finished it off with binding and did some quilting.

Not sure how much of the detail you can see in the design, but the various stitches actually form unique patterns. I’m always stunned at the number of things that can be done with the assistance of software.

It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, and I’m not sure it even suits me very well. Still, I’d rather push the envelope. It’s the only way any of us improve.

Multi-hooping Challenge, Part 2

Posted on July 31, 2014 by edges

The hardest part is done.

It’s not perfect, I realize that. I would do many things differently if I were to do this project over again.

I still want to add a couple more borders and then quilt it. I want it to be ready by the time I teach a multi-hooping class Aug 23.

Some tips on multi-hooping in machine embroidery:

–Start small. 2 hoopings would be great.

–Use light airy designs.

–The fewer colors the easier it is to follow.

–If you have a machine that has “perfect positioning,” rely heavily on that.

–Grid your fabric before starting so you know what is absolute horizontal and vertical.

–Practice, practice, practice!

I always tell my students that if you’re not making any mistakes, you’re probably not learning anything new. Mistakes, errors, booboo’s and unstitching are the hallmark of a learning curve. Ask me how I know.

Rare is the person who sits down and implements something new perfectly. And if they did, they probably didn’t try something challenging enough.

So get out there and push the envelope! Waste a little thread and a little fabric and a little time! (We both know it’s not really wasted, right?)

Who knows what you’ll be able to create once you move past the fear.

In Over My Head…As Usual

Posted on July 20, 2014 by edges

Silly me.

I thought I would try multi-hooping in machine embroidery.

But I didn’t start with a simple design that might require 2 hoopings. No. Not me.

I didn’t even start with a design (as recommended by Amanda from Bernina) with 3 hoopings. Nope.

My design requires 14 separate hoopings. What could go wrong?

The truth is, it’s a pretty nice design. I used some of the Sepia Petals collection, resized them, wreathed, mirrored and aligned them.

The effect is lovely. But the design is upwards of 157,000 stitches and measures about 2 ft. by 2 1/2 ft.

I used the hoop canvas in Embroidery Software 7. When I went to save, it asked me this question: Would you like the export to split the files-one file for every hooping–SHOW ME first.

The SHOW ME turned out to be the most critical part of the design. It displays a map of every hooping, in relation to every other hooping.

I am only 7 hoopings into this.

Needless to say, after about 2 hoopings I was about to abandon the whole project. The registration marks were pulling out. Nothing was lining up properly. But after about the third hooping I began to get better at facing the challenge.

I relied more on the precise positioning on the machine to help me line things up.

I got good at keeping the software open and showing the view of the hooping that I was stitching (was this number 6 or number 7??) Anyway, at this point I managed to get the second half of the tree stitched…not yet shown in the pic below, and I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

This pic is obviously a work in progress and I don’t have a final to show you yet. I am planning on adding some coordinating fabric and quilting before I am finished. But at least you can see where it’s headed.

Remember, its about a 2 ft. x 2 1/2 ft. design when completed. It hasn’t been pressed in about 3 hoopings. But I think I can make it work. What a learning opportunity this has been!

Stay calm and keep stitching. Amen to that.

I’ll share when it’s done.

Fresh Projects and Fresh Strawberries

Posted on June 16, 2014 by edges

This is a project I worked on at work and at home for the June Bernina Software Sampler, which I teach. The project involved learning techniques for machine embroidery applique. The bud of the flower is part of the tutorial, but I went ahead and incorporated other elements as well, adding the stems, leaves etc. to create a simple but “summery” table runner. Once again, I was inspired by something I saw on Pinterest.

No pattern available, but for those of you with embroidery machines and Bernina Embroidery Software 7, it’s a piece of cake….well, once you work out the dimensions. The flower panels are 8 x 8 inches finished, and everything else falls into place after that.

(How many pairs of glasses does one sewist need? Hint: At one point I used them both.)

One of my favorite times of the year is when the strawberries are harvested at the local farm. Here’s a shout out to friends at Norton Farm. They are an important part of our summer! We’ll be waiting for the tomatoes, broccoli and finally the fabulous corn! I’m growing a few tomatoes and cukes out back, but the weather has been a little cool, so they are taking their time developing.

Here’s to the sweetness of summer! May we always appreciate the bounty!

Christmas Embroidery

Posted on December 20, 2013 by edges

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.

It’s about 12 inches wide

In progress.

The view from the sewing room.

The 30 second sketch I used to start digitizing.

The 30 second sketch I created to start digitizing.

Edgestitch

Sewing is life. Life is art.

Category Archives: digitizing