Embroidery Designs Guide

Dakota means “friend” and is the name of a native American people of the Northern Mississippi Valley (USA). The people of Dakota have had a passion for embroidery over generations. Dakota embroidery designs is the name coined by embroiderers giving strength to the popularity of this special style of embroidering appliques which you can view in these resources.

Check out this Dakota collectibles resource at GoNuts. A really cute set of dakota embroidery designs. All the patterns are perfect for kids wear. The picture you see next to this post is the Turtle applique. This has been stitched using 5 colors - tackdown, white, dark charcoal, lime and green. The size is 4.64 inches wide by 5.13 inches height. The total stitch count is 16721.

I happened to hear of cutwork embroidery designs through one of my close friends almost a month ago, but I couldn’t really figure out what it was until I read this definition: “Cutwork embroidery is a beautiful form of needlework where portions of the background fabric are cut away and discarded, with the edges worked over in buttonhole stitches.” Sounds a bit difficult to understand…. It will unless you see it.

Cutwork embroidery is a form of hand embroidery. The most interesting definition is undoubtedly the one in the Encyclopedia of Victorian Needlework: Dictionary of Needlework by Sophia Frances Anne Caulfeild and Blanche C. Saward. According to this source, cutwork was a term first used by English writers when referring to the earliest known laces known as Point Coupé, Opus Seissum, and Punto Tagliato. The method for making this cut work begins with fastening a certain number of threads in a frame, crossed and interlaced, tack them to a piece of lawn, and finally do the buttonhole stitch around the edges. The lawn is cut away leaving the buttonholed lace, which may or may not have picots.

If you really want to learn cutwork embroidery designs, you could go through Embellishments A to Z : An Embellishment Idea Book. This to my mind acts like an excellent tutorial although actually it isn’t one. A School-like teaching of Cutwork is available in Lessons on Cutwork. This starts from the basics quite methodically beginning from the basics giving step by step instructions with intermediary images to help you.

Do you know of any good resources or examples of cutwork embroidery designs? If so, please let me know (using the “Contact Us” link at the bottom of this page).

How does one upload PC machine embroidery designs from Machine to Internet?

You have created that beautiful embroidery design that you would like to upload onto the internet. You would either want to use it as a sales promotion or a freebie for your visitors. How do you do it? Very simple. PC Machine Embroidery Designs is the answer. Just the reverse of what we did for downloading. I do not want to repeat everything in detail since you might get bored. Suffice to say that you need to insert the blank card to get the design transferred to it, then transfer the card to the reader/writer box of the PC to save it in your file. Finally upload the file onto to your website.

 

Now another important question comes to view : “What is a magic box?.”

· The Magic Box is a device that is used with a personal computer to transfer designs from one card type to another or to transfer a design file from a computer to a Magic Card.

· The Magic Box converts all embroidery cards so that they can be used on any sewing machine in the marketplace. It will allow you to take a design card for most any make of machine and convert it so that it will work on your sewing machine.

· You purchase the Magic Box so that it matches your machine. For example, if you own a Pfaff, you will purchase the Bernina Magic Box that is configured to work on a Pfaff. Then you can convert any design card from any other manufacturer so that your Pfaff will recognize it. This means that Pfaff owners can purchase Bernina or New Home or Brother cards and use them. Bernina owners can purchase those cards and use them on their Artista or Deco Machines.

· The conversion process consists of putting the disks into the Magic Box and then saving them to a blank disk which you then insert into your machine’s embroidery unit.

· An empty serial port is required for the Magic Box to be connected to the computer.

· You cannot size or edit designs with the Magic Box software

· The Magic Box cannot be used with the Viking Designer 1.

· Reads and writes most all embroidery machine card formats.

· Import designs stored on a computer’s hard drive, a floppy disk, or CD- ROM.

· One Magic Card (blank card) compatible with your embroidery machine is included in the price of the Magic Box.

· A Magic Card can hold up to six (6) designs at a time.

· Works with most all embroidery machines and existing embroidery software. Works with the following embroidery file formats: PES, PCS, HUS, SEW, CSD, XXX, PCM, EXP, and DST.

The Magic Box can READ the following compatible design cards:

· Babylock,Bernette Deco,Bernina artista,Brother,Elna

· Janome/New Home 8000

· Janome/New Home 9000

· Kenmore

· Pfaff

· Simplicity

· Singer

· Viking

The Magic Box can WRITE to the following compatible Magic Cards:

· Brother/Babylock/Deco/Viking compatible Magic Card

· Artista/Pfaff compatible Magic Card

· Janome/New Home 8000/9000/Elna/Kenmore compatible Magic Card

· Singer compatible Magic Card

Magic Box Overview

 

 

What is the amazing box?

· Converts embroidery designs from format to format.

· Expand your selection of embroidery designs & utilize memory cards which were once incompatible with your system.

· The memory card reader/writer box allows you to read compatible designs off your hard drive, most other memory cards, floppy discs & CD’s making them compatible with your home embroidery machine.

· The Amazing Box writes to an Amazing Box Authorized Card made specifically for your machine format.

· The Amazing Box Authorized Re- writable Memory Cards allow you to save up to six customized designs.

· Before you sew your designs, edit, size, and add lettering with the advantages of all Amazing Designs software (sold separately), such as, Smart-Sizer Gold, Size Express, and Lettering Pro. Compatible with all Amazing Designs Disk Packs and Memory Card Collections, too.

· Amazing Box is compatible with the following home sew formats: Baby Lock, Brother, Bernina Deco, Simplicity, Viking 1+, Rose, 605, Elna, Janome, New Home, Kenmore, Artista, Pfaff and Singer XL100.

How does one download PC machine embroidery designs from Internet to PC ?

Many websites give free embroidery designs that you can download OR you could download the same at a given price. Some of these programs allow you to import these PC machine embroidery designs in the specified format like pes, hus etc (more about this later) and some others allow you to convert it into the type your machine understands. The PC Design software allows you to Import some other software designs into your Layout and Editing.

Once you target the particular free machine embroidery design OR you have paid for the particular embroidery design, you will get an option for download. All you have to do is to click and download the file in whatever is the specified format. Do not try to change format, while you are in the internet itself. Please copy it verbatim onto the particular folder that you have earmarked in your PC.

 

How does one download from PC to Machine?

Here is the matrix that you need to know before we move ahead.

Machine Format Brother, Babylock, Deco —- PES, PEM, PEL, PEC

Pfaff —- PCS, PCQ (maxi) PCD (9 mm), VIP

Bernina Artista —- ART

Bernina —- PES, PEC

PE Design, Deco Wizard and Palette —- PES

Husqvarna Viking —- HUS

Viking Designer —- SHV

New home, Janome, Elna —- SEW

Janome 10000 —- JEF

Singer —- CSD, XXX

Melco —- EXP

Tajima —- DST

Wilcom —- EMB

Great Notions —- GNC

 

 

Voila! Now things are self explanatory. Once you have downloaded the particular zip file from the internet, either you directly connect your machine to the PC (your machine manual will have all this in detail) or you use the format convertor software to convert to the particular machine format that you need. On the machine front, all you need to know is that you will need a blank card which will be inserted into the reader/writer box. This will transfer the data onto the blank card, which once inserted into the machine sews the necessary pattern. There you are. That is all there was to it.

Whoever thought that computers were for software professionals alone!! In today’s world, one cannot really do away with the humble PC (Personal Computer). What to say, it has infiltrated into the pure crystal world of embroidery designs. Anyway, your guide comes to the rescue, as always. We will present to you in easy terms, what exactly is pc machine embroidery designs and how does one download from Internet to pc to machine, all in layman language.

The first question is “What is pc machine embroidery designs“

The computer era enabled users from all over the world to access and pass on information to each other. This also included users like you, embroidery fanatics. Each user had different types of machines and each machine could save embroidery designs into the software form in a particular form type. So there existed a matrix of popular types of machines and the corresponding software program associated with it. Hence now, you could upload your favourite embroidery design into the PC and upload onto the internet. Your friend from far away could download the same onto her PC and then finally connect to her sewing machine to get the final output. Sounds simple, doesn’t it.

So in a nutshell, PC embroidery machines designs work with special machines that have been designed to work with data from a computer. The machine gets its instructions from the particular data that is given for stitching of a particular design. What is noteworthy is that the correct stitching order, trimming of thread and other functions are accurately recorded by the machine from the PC, thereby making it a foolproof and perfect embroidery design. In only a few minutes, the computerized embroidery machine will stitch a design that would take you days to understand and weeks to do by hand.

 

In the ensuing pages, we will guide you through the process of

a) Download of machine embroidery designs from the Internet to PC to machine: This page focuses on how do you transfer the embroidery design from the internet to your Personal computer or laptop and then through your reader/writer box to the embroidery machine.

b) Upload of machine embroidery designs from the machine to PC to Internet: This page focuses on how does one transfer the machine embroidery design (that you have made on your machine) to the personal computer and then transfer to the required website for demo or sale.

So now, we come to the third of the machine embroidery design essentials, namely the humble stabilizer. Humble, because not much attention is generally paid to it, but it again becomes an essential ingredient in the success of your machine embroidery design.

What is a stabilizer?

This is an added piece of fabric that will work along with your master fabric during the process of machine embroidery designing. The function of this fabric is to ensure that the design is successful by keeping the master fabric in its place. To avoid the puckering and slipping a backing should always be used. The fabric must be stabilized so that it can be embroidered well. A good stabilizer allows you to achieve proper fabric tension in the hoop. There are many types of stabilizers available in the market. Both light weights and heavy weights. Different stabilizers work better with different combinations of fabrics and threads. A stabilizer is needed for all types of machine embroidery.

Hooping the fabric in such a way so that the fabric will not move during the machine embroidery is a critical feature of the stabilizer. The correct stabilizer is determined by the fabric on which you embroider. An unstable fabric needs to be stabilized a great deal more during the process of embroidery. In general rule, with woven fabrics a non-adhesive tear away stabilizer is used. Lighter weight fabrics require additional layers or heavier weight stabilizers. If the end result is not satisfactory, one layer of the stabilizer must be hooped with the fabric. If the combination of fabric and stabilizer is too bulky to hoop entirely, strips of stabilizer can be cut that criss-cross the embroidery area and are long enough to allow the ends of the strips to be hooped with the fabric.

Iron-on tricot stabilizer on the wrong side of the knit fabric along with tear away criss-crossed can be used for good results. Materials hooped or placed on top of fabric. It provides a smooth surface so that the stitches can be laid down properly. Includes a variety of substances, such as plastic wrap, water-soluble “foil” and open-weave fabric that has been chemically treated to disintegrate with the application of heat. Also known as facing. We will now study the various types of the stabilizers.

Temporary Stabilizers

Tear-Away Stabilizers

Tear-Away stabilizer is available in several weights and can be used in single or double layers. It is used with medium to heavyweight fabrics and densely stitched embroidery designs. After completing the design, it can be torn away. It should be removed carefully in order to not disturb the stitches in the embroidery design. It is not recommended for delicate fabrics.

Iron-On Tear-Away

Iron on tear-away stabilizer is good for medium to heavyweight knit fabric. For best results when ironing on, avoid stretching the knit.

Adhesive-Backed Tear-Away

While using adhesive-Backed Tear-Away in your hoop, peel away the protective paper, then lay the fabric to be embroidered over the hoop and smooth in place. It works well for collar, velvets, napped fabrics and embroidering on baby bibs. Water soluble Stabilizer

Water soluble stabilizer is used for delicate, washable fabric It is made of a gelatin sheet that dissolves in warm water. For a terry fabric, place stabilizer top and bottom and place in hoop. Heat-Away® Stabilizer

Use this stabilizer for fabrics that can tolerate heat but can not be washed. This type is good for designs not dense enough for Tear-Away stabilizers.

 

Permanent Stabilizers

Cut-Away Stabilizers

Cut-Away stabilizer is meant to remain with the garment. After finishing the embroidery the extra part of this stabilizer can be removed. It washes well and is excellent for jobs where the stabilizer comes in contact with the skin, such as golf shirts or sweaters.

Poly-Mesh Cutaway

This is a woven and semitransparent stabilizer especially designed for extra stability on lightweight fabrics and knits. Unlike regular Cut-Aways This will not show through white garments.

Lofty

This is an extra puffy permanent stabilizer which is mostly used for an applique design to give it an extra raised or quilted look.

Fusible Cut-Away

This is an iron-on Cut-Away stabilizer, which is soft, lightweight and can be washed well. This permanent stabilizer is used on knits and unstable stretchy fabrics.

 

 

 

 

< Previous : Needles

The second important essential in machine embroidery designs is the Needle. Embroidery needles are designed to be used with embroidery or decorative thread. Their tips are rounded. They are made to tolerate the higher temperature produced by embroidery machine and decorative thread thereby producing accuracy in machine embroidery designs. Titanium coated needles are stronger and have long life; they are best suited for multi-layered embroidery work. Some times a needle needs lubricant while using the metallic threads. In order to make perfect embroidery designs we need to use the appropriate type of needle.

Rule number one. Always use a new needle for every new project. Buy branded and good quality needles. If the thread breaks frequently or the needle is not going smoothly in the fabric change the needle. Select the size of the needle according to the weight of your fabric and the size of the thread you are using. A thicker fabric needs a higher sized needle. Higher the number means thicker the needle. A finer thread needs a smaller needle. Specialty needles have larger coated eyes and deeper scarfs to handle the thread more easily.

Rule number two. Pick the needle type to accommodate both the thread and the fabric. It is not always the best choice to use a larger universal needle to avoid thread fraying and breakage. The larger needle may produce unsightly holes in the fabric or cut the fabric causing gaps between the embroidery areas in a specific design. Topstitching needles can also be used with most embroidery thread needles, designed for metallic embroidery thread, have an elongated eye and a special shaft to reduce friction.

Before selecting the needle you should know the parts of the needle which will help you in choosing the appropriate needle for your machine embroidery designs.

Parts of the needle

Shank - Shank is the upper end of the needle, which is held by the needle bar. It can be round or flat on one side.

Blade - Blade is that part of the needle which is extended from the base of the shank to the point.

Scarf - Scarf is the intentation on the back of the needle just above the eye. This scarf allows the hook of the bobbin case to get close to the ey of the needle to catch the thread and form a stitch.

Long groove - Long groove of the needle provides the protected channel for the thread as it drawn through the fabric.

Eye - Eye is the hole at the end. It carries the top thread in to the bobbin case for the formation of the stitch. The size of the eye of needle varies with the size of the thread.

Point - Point is the end of the needle that pierces the fabric. For different types of fabric different type of point are designed.

 

 

 

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