Foolproof Embroidery Design Positioning

August 26th, 2010

“It is important to have the right tool for the job.” That was some great advice I received from my father.  A new essential tool in the embroidery industry is the snowman marker.

What is it that makes this little marker the right tool for the job?  The snowman marker works with the Brother Quattro Sewing/Embroidery machine.  It is a special marker because it works with the Innoveye™ camera to precisely, correctly position the chosen embroidery design in exactly the place it needs to be stitched.  WOW!  That means no more designs that are just a little crooked, or just a hair off center.

It is a simple matter to place the snowman marker exactly in the desired position on a garment, quilt block, or home dec item.  Then hoop the fabric in the embroidery hoop.  Install the hoop onto the machine.  Select the icon on the screen that exactly matches the snowman marker, then press “scan” on the machine screen.  The Innoveye™ camera will be activated and the camera will search for the snowman.  The design will be automatically aligned to match the position of the marker.  The design may be moved up or down, off center, rotated (even upside down) to make it exactly match the placement of the marker.

This incredible tool assures precisely accurate placement of every design and enables even a beginner will have perfectly placed embroidery.  It also makes it possible to use the unbelievable print and stitch technology that is built into the machine.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to see the magic of the snowman, take a minute and visit one of the Quality Sewing Center locations and ask for a demonstration of this amazing tool.   It is the right tool for the job when it comes to perfect placement of embroidery designs.

Carol

Live from Nashville – Brother Introduces a New 10 Needle Machine!

August 16th, 2010
Brother PR1000

Brother Entrepreneur® Pro PR-1000

A Perfect 10 in Nashville the introduction of Brother’s new PR1000 embroidery machine.

I attended this morning’s unveiling of Brother’s new embroidery machine and had a chance to sew on it as well. Being spoiled by state of the art embroidery machines from Brother like the Quattro 6000 and PR650, I naturally had high expectations but I was surprised and impressed by how far this machine exceeded those expectations.

This amazing new machine really takes embroidery to the next dimension. Even if you already own a 6 needle machine, haven’t you wished for a couple more colors? With 10 needles you can spend more time embroidering and less time changing threads. A 50,000 stitch 10 color design embroiders 30% faster than a single needle machine and 12% faster than a 6 needle machine! The PR1000 Entrepreneur features a first ever 10 thread eyelet threading system that eliminates tangles and and maintains perfect tension on all 10 needles, even as the needle bar moves. The lighting system is brilliant: 7 Full Spectrum LED’s give you the brightness of 35 light bulbs and eliminate shadows on the huge embroidery field.

Another embroidery first: InnovaChrome LED thread color system. Underneath each of the 10 thread spools is full color LED light which mimics the color of the thread that belongs on the spool for each design. Don’ t have the right thread color for your design? No problem. Use the InnovaChrome system to visually match the recommended color to the the threads you do have. In addition, these InnovaChrome lights flash to advise of thread color change, thread breakage and design completion status.

InnovEye Technology. Just like the Quattro 6000D the PR1000 features InnovEye technology with a built-in camera above the needle. Now you can use the snowman sticker to perfectly match the angle of your embroidery to the angle of your hooped fabric. Precise positioning of your center and starting point is easy with the new 200% actual size zoom and visual grid function. Broken thread? Use the InnovEye to view the breakage point, then select the grid function to determine the spot to restart your embroidery.

Did I mention size? With the optional 14″ x 14″ jumbo frame, the PR1000 can stitch huge jacket back embroidery designs without re-hooping. There’s also an 8″ x 8″ quilting frame and a 4″ x 12″ border frame for continuous borders. The cap frame allows you to embroider 14″ x 2.5″, literally ear to ear across the cap. It also has a cool rotating attachment jig that makes hooping your caps easier than ever.

With large designs like this, the PR1000 includes a very cool large worktable that folds away. You don’t have to remove it when you want it out of the way, you simple flip it out and down. This table will also be available all current 6 needle machines. PENext, Brother’s new software designed for the PR1000 offers 200 name drop templates, ideal for embroidery team jackets, hats or shirts Simply drop in the new name at the beginning of each embroidery!

I could go on and on, but it might be more fun to visit Brother’s website to see videos of this new machine in action. We hope to have floor samples in each store in about 10 days.

Thanks for reading my first “blog” post ever!

Paul

Live From PFAFF Convention: 5D Embroidery Part 3

August 5th, 2010

Today was a very fun 5D Suite day for sure!  In the 3rd in the series of my software Certification classes, I got to focus quite a bit on Design Creator.

I am not even sure that I can pinpoint one thing that is my favorite.  Everything I learned has been so great and these new features just blow me away!  Surely I will forget something, so I will just tell you about a couple of things that jumped out at me today;

Gradient Fills—the 5D Suite now allows us, in Design Creator, to fill an area with multiple colors of thread and they all blend together.  This is a great effect if you are wanting to have a shaded effect or very different colors in one area.  The thing that amazes me is how easy it is.  I have worked with several different brands of embroidery software. that can create a multi colored fill. but none have been this easy or turn out as nice.  With 5D you can even use as many colors as you like.  How cool is that?

Cutwork and Free Standing Lace—oh my, where do I start?  I never even imagined that creating your own free standing embroidery and cut work with Richelieu bars could be so easy!  This is one type of embroidery that I had just assumed that I would not make on my own.  Just to much to have to think about—that was then.  In reality, these features are just as easy and telling the software to fill in an area with a click of the mouse.

Another thing that I am truly appreciating about the new 5D Suite is that everything is just so much easier to use. It seems like the programmers have really listened to what we have asked for.  Even better yet, they have gone beyond and anticipated what we may want—even before we know that we do.  Simple things can make using the software so much more friendly and fun; such as, having the zoom bar accessible all of the time, being able to group selected designs together and move them all at once, being able to easily change your mind about a choice you have made in Design Creator, or just having the tools organized in a logical and easy to understand way.

It has been such a fun day full of great new things learned in 5D.  I can hardly wait until tomorrow when I get to take a class that is beyond the certification classes.  Then I will get to see so much more of what the program can do.  I can only imagine what the day will hold.

Reva

New Product: Creative Embroidery Cutwork Needle Kit

August 4th, 2010

Are you like me and just love fun toys?  I get so excited when there is something fun and new! Embroidery is wonderful and it just gets better all of the time.  At this years Pfaff Convention they introduced the Creative Embroidery Cutwork Needle Kit. See video demonstration here.

These specially designed needles and embroidery designs do your cutwork for you! Using the specially created embroidery designs and the cutting needles instead of regular needles, the fabric is cut while it embroiders.

Just above where the eye normally is, the needle is shaped into a knife like wedge that does the cutting for you. The needles are inserted into your machine just like a normal needle. The set comes with 4 needles, each with a different angled tip and 5 special cutwork embroidery designs to get you going. And all at a very affordable price!

Just imagine the all the beautiful things that you will be able to create! All without even picking up a pair of scissors! To see more of the fun new stuff that we saw at convention be sure to attend one of our Annual Tech Parties. You get a free $5 Gift Card to Quality Sewing just for attending!

Reva

Live from PFAFF Convention: 5D Embroidery Software Part 2

August 3rd, 2010

Now that I have had a chance to play with the 5D Suite—I am even more impressed!

One of my favorite features of the 4D Suite is Encore. This feature is even better in the 5D Suite.  You might be wondering what Encore is; This is a feature in the software that allows you to take an embroidery design and automatically repeat as many times as you like in a line or a circle.  You can also have it make a frame around the perimeter of your hoop using your embroidery design.

5D Suite gives us so many more options and can do so much more than previously imagined.  In addition to the basic line, circle, and hoop 5D Suite has added an additional 31 shapes and shaped lines that your embroidery designs can follow.

Another thing that I like about Encore in 5D is the ability to use more than one embroidery design in your new Encore design.  In the “Kendall’s Stuff” design that I created here, I chose a scallop and a daisy (both are built into the software).  Then in Encore I chose a star shape for the daisy and scallop to follow.  The software automatically added enough repeats to fill in the shape.

In the floral example, you can see the simple floral scallop that I used to create the beautiful frame to the right.

There are so many applications for the new features of Encore.  I can hardly wait to use them all. I just know you will have as much fun with this new software as I am! For a complete preview of this great new software, be sure to sign up for one of my free 5D Preview Classes that I am teaching next week at many Quality Sewing locations.

I get more hands-on time with this software tomorrow. Stay tuned for more!

Reva

Live from PFAFF Convention: 5D Embroidery Software Part 1

August 2nd, 2010

Finally I am in Minneapolis, MN at the annual Pfaff convention! I have just seen some of the things that the NEW 5D Embroidery Software can do.  Boy am I excited!  Some of the exciting changes are:

5D Embroidery

  • The screen appearance is fresh and large. It seems like the icons are easier to see.
  • There are new wizards that will assist in making planning and designing so much easier.
  • Measurements are given in both inches and millimeters without having to change any settings.
  • Fonts styles are easy to see and quicker to get to.
  • If you want text to arc over your design it will automatically do that for you.
  • Background images up to 72” (that’s quilt size) can be used for planning right in the basic screen of 5D.  Then those large embroidery plans can be split into sewable chunks without leaving the screen and going to a different program.

5D Design Creator

  • Multi Color Gradient—fill an area with a blending of different colors.
  • Real Time Editing—see the changes to your design as you make them.

5D Portrait Stitch  !!NEW!!

  • Create wonderful full color designs from photographs.
  • Even has a tapestry feature that will make your photo look like needlework.

The NEW 5D Embroidery Software looks so easy and fun to use and yet it has so much more than imagined!  Later today I will be able to get my hands on it and play. I will keep you posted.

Stay tuned!
Reva

New Product: Snap-Hoop in Action

July 28th, 2010

The Snap-Hoop system in action:

I recently had the opportunity to try out the new Snap-Hoop from Designs In Machine Embroidery. This magnetic hoop was really easy to use and worked quite well. The hoop has two pieces to it: a metal base and a magnetic top hoop. Since it comes in different sizes for different machine brands, you will need to pick the size that will best suit your embroidery needs.

Here’s what you do once you receive your Snap-Hoop set:

  1. The base of the hoop attaches to your machine as any normal hoop does.
  2. Simply place your fabric and stabilizer over the hoop’s base and then place the top piece over that to secure the fabric in place.  The set even comes with ruler stickers that can be placed on the top hoop to aid with the realignment of your project.
  3. When you put your fabric in the hoop, align the reference lines that you have drawn on your fabric with the same measurement marking on both the top and bottom of the hoop. The magnetic top grips the fabric quite nicely.
  4. When you are ready to continue on to the next design; just lift the top hoop off, move the fabric to the next location, make sure that you reference line matches the appropriate ruler markings.
  5. Adjust the needle to the correct location and sew. Simply perfect!

I found that the Snap Hoop worked well with designs of typical density and made it quite easy to sew larger continuous designs, quilts, towels, and even awkward to hoop items. Since the hoop holds things flat, not bending the fabric around an inner hoop, I found that it was great for decorative papers, wood projects and was less likely to warp the fabric.

If you enjoy embroidering on many different types of projects, like I do, you will like the ease of working with Snap-Hoop. Leave a comment below to share your experiences with Snap-Hoop. I’m eager to hear how it’s working out for everybody and what projects you’re attempting with it.

Have fun!

-Reva

PS (added 8/17/2010):

The Snap Hoop versions work with these machines:

Pfaff/Viking 260X200 Snap Hoop Fits These Machines:
Viking Designer Diamond, Viking Designer Topaz 20, Viking Designer Topaz 30, Pfaff Creative Vision, Pfaff Creative 4.0, Pfaff Creative 2.0

Pfaff/Viking 120X120 Snap Hoop Fits These Machines:
Viking Designer Diamond, Viking Designer SE & SE LE, Viking Designer Topaz 20, Viking Designer Topaz 30, Pfaff Creative Vision, Pfaff Creative 4.0, Pfaff Creative 2.0

Brother/Babylock Snap Hoop 4×4 and 5X7 Fits These Machines:
Baby Lock Ellisimo BLS0
Baby Lock Ellegante BLG
Baby Lock Ellegante2 BLG2
Baby Lock Esante BLN
Baby Lock Ellageo BLL
Baby Lock Ellageo Plus BLL2

Brother Quattro 6000D
Brother Duetta 4500D
Brother Innov-is 4000D
Brother Innov-is 2500D
Brother Innov-is 1500D

YouTube Sewing Channel Roundup

July 14th, 2010

Are you the type of person that likes to see how a project is done before attempting it yourself? I am. The other day I snooped around YouTube for sewing channels to follow and thought I would compile my findings on the blog. If you’re following any sewing channels that aren’t listed here please include your picks in the comments section below. Some of these channels are from businesses and others are just normal people, posting for the fun of it.

List of fun sewing channels on YouTube (yes Quality Sewing even has one):

BabyLockVideo

Brother Sews

Designs In Machine Embroidery

eSewing Workshop

Husqvarna Viking

Leisure Arts

Perfect Sew & Fit

Pfaff Official

Puking Pastilles Etsy

Quality Sewing WA

Rebb Sew

Sewing Republic

Sew Crazy

Sue Hausmann TV

Threads

Thread Banger

Let me know what you think!

Carmen

Embellished QSV Sweatshirts Show and Tell

June 25th, 2010

This is the 25th year of business for Quality Sewing & Vacuum Centers. To commemorate our anniversary we had Quality Sewing & Vacuum sweatshirts made. We love the creative embroidery and embellishing we have seen on them. If you have embellished your Quality Sewing Sweatshirt and would like to share, email a photo of it to carmen@qualitysewing.com and I will post it our blog. Show and tell is so fun, we love it when you share!

Happy Sewing, Carmen

Sweatshirt Jacket by Anne from Issaquah

Sweatshirt Jacket by Anne from Issaquah

Mary from Everett Sweatshirt

Quilted Sweatshirt by Mary from Everett

Quilted Sweatshirt

Quilted Sweatshirt Back by Mary from Everett

Embroidered Sweatshirt by Jenny in Issaquah

Embroidered Sweatshirt Front by Jenny in Issaquah

Embroidered Sweatshirt Back by Jenny in Issaquah

Embroidered Sweatshirt Back by Jenny in Issaquah

Update: 8/1/2010

Customer Midge made her twin Grandaughters adorable sweatshirts and I had to share the photos! Aren’t they cute?

Hoop Embroidery in a (Quick) Snap!

June 25th, 2010

I love having gadgets and gizmos to make my embroidery world easier. It is so nice to take advantage of great innovations to aid with hooping and speed up the process, especially when I am working on a project for profit. So many times I find my self taking these aids for granted.

Not long ago I had a request to embroider some bags and had assured the client that bags would be no problem at all. Once the bags had been delivered, I realized that the style of the bag was awkward and was not going to be cooperative. After a time of trial, error, pondering, and some head scratching, I pulled out the Quick Snap Hoops that are made for my Brother 6 needle machine. This system allowed me to effectively embroider an area of the bag that would not otherwise have been possible with conventional hoops. The bags were returned to a very happy customer, who was none the wiser to how their complicated job turned into an easy one.

The Quick Snap Hooping System works very effectively on a multitude of different types of projects. There are 7 different frames so I have been able to find just the right size or shape for so many different items. The clear windows (at least 2 for each frame) are designed to anchor the item to the frame, but I find that they make alignment and getting things straight an easy task.

I often get questions about the Quick Snaps so I thought that I would share some “need to know” info with you:

  • It is easiest to put the Quick Snap hoop that you intend on using onto the machine before the item to be embroidered is placed on the frame.
  • Before the item is on the frame, make sure that the design is located where you want it. With the frame on and empty, it is easy to see the machine’s needle location in the frame opening.
  • When the Quick Snap attaching bracket is on the PR650 (or previous models) the machine will think that the large frame is on.
  • You need to place the design so it will stitch inside of the Quick Snap frame. Warning: The Machine will not recognize your Quick Snaps.
  • Make sure to do a trace to confirm that the placement of the design is correct.
  • The flat magnet strips can be used to hold the stabilizer in place while you put the article on the hoop.
  • Use the Quick Snap Arm Extension to help aid in the support of these robust frames and the items you are embroidering.

If you want more information on what comes with the Quick Snap System, check out the video below to see how it works:

If you have Quick Snaps, I am sure that you love them as much as I do. I cannot even begin to think about all of the business projects that have become easier for me to do and how much my production time has sped up.

If you don’t have the Quick Snap Hooping System or the Quick Snap Arm Extension, they can be found at all Quality Sewing stores—Don’t forget to use your Sew Fun discount!

-Reva Flood