Is Palette and PE design the same? Can you use the same reader for both? I found that the Instruction Books are the same. - Nancy

Will the USB card reader from PE Basic work for PE Design 7.0? My USB card reader was water damaged by my infant and my Brother store will not replace it, they want me to buy the software all over again. Any advice? - Mrs AJ

I have old PE design - 4.0 - and have been trying to open corel draw files (.eps) in design center to digitize.  They take a lot of work editing and I think there is probably a problem in how they are being saved.  Does anyone know how to save a file in Corel Draw so that I can open it as a vector file (Lines) in Design Center?

How do I use all these great fonts? I have PE V7 and I have tried to use the fonts I have. I put the first letter and then when I put the second letter it erases the first one. Can you help, please.
Thanks,

Bobby

I have PE Design 7 and have used your tutorials in the past and have just purchased the latest version. I have been looking at the info on Embird and am wondering if I would find it useful to have both programs.

The following information has been supplied by Carolyn Keber who writes Tutorials for both the programs.

PE Design is a software program created by the Brother/Babylock company. This program enables you to create your own designs which can then be used in your embroidery machine. There are two main design creation parts to the program - Design Center and Layout and Editing. Design center is a click and fill type of embroidery creation whereas with Layout and Editing you use the tools in the program and create the design yourself from scratch. You choose your own stitch settings, fill directions and much more. Layout and Editing gives you much more control over your design than Design Center. Although you can do a certain level of editing in PE Design it is not as easy as it is in Embird.

Embird contains a whole suite of programs starting from the editing software through to the Digitizing software where you create your own designs. Embird is wonderful for editing and you can do so much more in Embird than you can with PE Design. However if you already own PE Design then I would advise you to learn PE Design so that you can create your own embroidery designs but to buy Embird Basic to do your editing of designs. You will not regret buying Embird as it is wonderful and makes editing so easy.

If you do not own PE Design yet, and are just wondering if you should buy it, then I would say to you not to buy PE Design but to buy Embird instead. It is far better value for your money and the upgrades and updates are either free or approx $15 - which is far less than Brother charge for their upgrades. There is a tremendous amount of support on the internet for Embird - Yahoo groups etc - and you won’t have to rely on your dealer for support.

I have a number of tutorials available for both programs - including some free ones. Feel free to download these tutorials from Secrets of Embroidery and see what you think of the programs. I love Embird - I wouldn’t be without it.

Hi to everybody. I have purchased the Brother pr620 with the software pe-design7. Can someone help me to understand why it eliminates the lines of seam that are created by a point to the other above the embroidery rather than under on embroideries purchased on the internet or those that you can free download?
Thanks - Elena

Hello Elena,

Thanks for your query. We do have some tutorials for PE Design V7 written by Carolyn Keber, which may be helpful to you. They are written in a style which makes it easy for beginners and advanced users to understand.

Kind regards,

Margaret Hardwick-Smith
Customer Support
at Secrets of Embroidery

Hello Carolyn, I just bought (3) tutorials that you did - PE Design v6 & PE Design v7, and manual punch. They are very good, I just need more explanation on pitch and frequency, settings, when and how to use them. Would you have more in detail on this? Next, running path, this isn’t real clear for me. Is there a way to make a line stitch go gradual from small to large in width, other than manual punch? I have been away from this for a few years and seem to have forgotten all I ever knew, which makes it hard. I have kept up with the software even if I never used it, which is a mistake, it would have helped to at least try it.I would appreciate any help or suggestions you have. Thanks - JoAnne

Hi JoAnne

Step Pitch is actually just the length of your running stitches. You can set them to a longer or shorter length depending on what you require.  For instance if you wanted to make basting stitch files then you would lengthen the stitches so that they are easier to pull undone later. Or perhaps you wanted shorter stitches in something like triple bean stitch or even areas that are tiny and the normal length of stitches is too long. You then have the option to shorten the stitches. Does that make sense?

Frequency relates to the positioning of the needle in fill. A regular or default fill is created a little like laying bricks. The stitch points in every other row are placed mid way between the stitches in the previous row. This gives you that regular fill appearance. However, you can choose to create a different look fill by changing the frequency setting. Placing each stitch directly under the previous row will give you a lined type of fill as each stitch point is placed directly under each other in every row and will look like stripes or channels. By adjusting the frequency you can make the fill a more jagged look as well. Play with some of the settings and then stitch out little squares of each sample and then mark each one with the setting you used  so that you can refer to them when creating your designs.

No - you cannot gradually change the width of the line of satin stitching unless you’re using the Manual Punch Tool. The only program that I own that can do this is Embird Studio. This is possible using a Tablet combined with their Freehand Tool. The width can be changed gradually just by increasing the pressure on the Tablet itself. It’s very clever but sadly this function isn’t available in PE Design.

Kind regards
Carolyn Keber
Step by Step Tutorials for all Embird programs and for PE Design

I need information regarding the tutorials for PE Design Vs. 7 with reference to being able to use it for PE Design 8. If I order this tutorial, will it be applicable for vs. 8. I know absolutely nothing about this software since I just purchased my new Brother’s in December and this software came with it. Please advise what you may have that would “easily” teach me this program.Thanks - Joy Turner

Hi Joy

Yes, you will be able to use the V7 lessons (even V6) to learn Version 8. The program doesn’t change a great amount between versions and what they usually do is add little extras in (which you wouldn’t notice if you’re new :)) each time. If you ever run across any problems or notice any irregularities then you’re welcome to email me anyway as I do offer support for my lessons.

I hope that helps.

BTW, you should start with the Design center tutorial and then work from there. It will give you a good basic knowledge of the program and help you get familiar with it. All my lessons are “step by step” as I assume that you need help with everything.

Kind regards

Carolyn Keber
Step by Step Tutorials for all Embird programs and for PE Design

Hi,
I have just clicked on the hoop icon in the Embird 2008 program and saw they show a 200×200 hoop for the brother.

Could any one please tell me which brother machine it is used with?

Thank you,
Maureen Fresco

Hi Maureen, 

The machine that has the 200×200 (8×8) hoop that you are referring to is the Brother Quattro 6000D. Here’s a link to it if you would like to have a look at it or put it on your shopping list.

http://www.brother-usa.com/HomeSewing/modeldetail.aspx?PRODUCTID=NV6000D

Kind regards
Carolyn Keber
Step by Step Tutorials for all Embird programs and for PE Design

Query -

I have sewn all my life, but two years ago I bought a Baby Lock Ellure (Model BLR), primarily to monogram gift items for my two daughters and their friends. I purchased the Palette Software, which was updated to version 6.08, but I feel limited with fonts and layouts.

I think I know just enough about this program to use its monogram capabilities, and although I recognize that my Ellure/Palette is capable of a great deal more embroidery, it is the monogramming that interests me most. Can you please advise me on how to become more comfortable with this machine, and also direct me to software which will offer a better selection of fonts and lettering layout options?

Many thanks, Claire

Answer - 

Hi Claire

Sorry for the delay in answering but it’s that time of the year when we are all on holiday here as the days are glorious and the sun is forever shining. My family are still staying with us at the moment but I just had to sit down and do some work today otherwise I’ll be bogged down in my office for months to come…

I have checked out your Babylock Ellure that you wish to become familiar with and have come up with some suggestions for you.

I have some lettering/text lessons available for Palette V6 which could help you create your monogramming or lettering. You might like to check them out but this one I thought would be helpful to you. It’s called Creating Badges and Patches.

Here’s a little bit of information from the site about what’s in the lesson.

• Appliqué Wizard
• Changing the Sewing Order/Color
• Importing a Design
• Adding Text
• Fitting Text to Path
• Stitching the Badge or Patch

I think that will get you started on your software. Palette V6 is the same as PE Design V6. You won’t need any other software for now to get you started in the world of embroidery. It’s a great program and I would advise you to do as many of the lessons as you can in order to learn it. I am sure that you will find it worth your while.

Just remember that you have a limit to the size of your embroidery field (hoop size) which is 5″x7″. I have also included a link for the machine itself as there are some free projects on the Babylock web-site for this machine. It might be fun to download and follow the lessons as this way you will get familiar with your machine. Good Luck.

http://www.babylock.com/sewing/ellure/

I have also attached another link for you. It’s a link for a downloadable book which was written by Susan Hedeman and although it is titled “Love your Brother” you will find loads of very useful information in it which will help you with your machine. The Babylock and Brother machines are very similar and have a lot of the same functions and buttons so I am sure that you will find it very useful.

http://www.secretsof.com/content/2850

I hope this information is helpful to you. I wish you every joy with your machines and software. You have made a wise choice as there is always plenty of information available and people to help when you need it.

Kind regards
Carolyn Keber
Step by Step Tutorials for all Embird programs and for PE Design