I have a leather vest I would like to embroider on but do not want to ruin it. I have leather needles but have been unable to find any website that talks about any special things I need to do with leather. Any suggestions as to stabilizer, thread, etc? Thanks for any assistance.

Hello,

From time to time we get questions about embroidering leather. Here is what my friend, Rebecca Kemp Brent, book author and embroidery expert has to say on the subject:

Leather needles can indeed cut or permanently damage faux leathers and suedes, and they are not necessary for embroidering on leather. Instead, use a size 75/11 embroidery needle or, if thread breakage is a problem, a size 80/12 topstitching needle.

Here are a few other tips:

Use designs that are lightly digitized. No large filled areas or column satin stitches.

Fuse cut-away stabilizer to the back of the leather using temporary spray adhesive.

Hoops can leave permanent marks. Pad the top hoop with muslin strips or other soft material to prevent this.

Embroider at the slowest possible speed.

I hope this helps!
Evy
www.abitofstitch.com

Hello, I am very interested in making machine embroidered picture frames as gifts, not just the embroidery side of it, but the whole frame. I have no idea how to do this, any ideas on how to do this would be really appreciated. Regards, Mary

Hi Mary!

I love to embroidery photo frames! You are right…they make great gifts!

Starting with a purchased plain canvas or paper frame (found in most craft shops) is the easiest way to create a sturdy, long lasting frame. Then it is just a simple matter of covering the front of the frame with embroidered fabric or fabric paper. Painting the frame to match the color of your chosen fabric makes a nicer frame. You might want to check out the current issue of Paper & Embroidery at www.cmemag.com for three fabric paper covered frame projects. You can view those projects at www. abitofstitch.com

To cover a purchased frame you need to make a template of the frame first. Just trace around the outside, measure the placement of the inside window, and transfer those measurements to your template to complete the frame. Cut the template out, trace around it on the fabric of your choice, leaving hooping room. Embroider the frame. Cut out the embroidered frame, glue to the purchased frame using permanent spray adhesive or fabric glue and cover the raw edges around the outside and inside window with trim.

To make your own frame using cardboard, create a front and back in the desired size. Trim the back piece slightly smaller than the front. Cut the window only in the front piece. Trace around the front piece on the fabric of your choice and embroider. Leave 1/2″ selvage around both the inside window and outside edge when you cut out the embroidered frame fabric. Wrap the selvages around the edges of the cardboard front frame piece. (You may wish to add a layer of thin quilt batting for padding.) Be careful at the inner corners, clipping only as far as absolutely necessary to fold the fabric under neatly. Cover the back of the cardboard frame with a piece of felt cut just slightly larger than the cardboard and glue along 3 edges to the front frame. The photo will then slip between the two cardboard pieces for display. Other trimmings, beads, buttons or 3D embroidered pieces can be glued to the frame with fabric glue for added interest.

I hope this helps…good luck with your frames!
Evy
www.abitofstitch.com

Hi, I am wondering if it is possible to use Embird editor to make a design an endless design? I have a Viking D1 machine and would like to be able to do endless designs. I don’t have the hoop yet because I didn’t know if I could adapt designs in Embird to be endless ones. Thanks Fran D.

Hi Fran

Yes, you can use Embird to create designs for an endless design. In fact I have a small tutorial written especially for the D1 and the Endless Hoop as I have one myself. The lesson was written for Embird 2004 but it is still relevant. (It’s the third tutorial down on the page.)

Embird also can write the files to your floppy disc as well so you won’t even need the Viking software. I hope that helps you. Best of luck.

Kind regards,
Carolyn
http://carolynkeber.com
Tutorials for Embird 2006, Embird StudioV4, Sfumato, Cross Stitch, Font Engine and PE Design

Hi Carolyn! A few months ago I purchased the upgrade from PE Design 4 to PE Design 6. I also purchased your tutorial for 6 ( PE Design 6 tutorials) the same day. You really explain things well & the changes from 4 to 6 makes it worth every penny.
 
When I first got 6 everything seemed to work fine. Then within a month of using it, the icon for writing multiple designs would not light up & I got an error message instead. My son (who built my computer) has tried everything he can, but no success. I still am able to write the current design to card. Do you know what’s wrong?
 
Another question I have is: now that I’ve installed the upgrade to 6, do I still need to keep PE 4 on my computer? Can other, newer models of embroidery machines by Brother, use PE4?
 
Thank you for all your help & keep writing those tutorials.  I would be lost without them.
 
Take care,
Nancy in New Berlin, WI

Hi Nancy

I am sorry to see that you’re having a spot of bother with your PEDS V6 program. Lets hope we can get it resolved. I just want to double check the method that you’re using to write the multiple designs to the card for Version 6.

To write more than one design to your card you need to open Layout and Editing and then go to File/Write to Card/Other Pes Files. A screen appears in which you can navigate to the folder where your designs are kept. Select a number of designs by holding down the CTRL key on your keyboard and then left mouse click on each design to select it. Then click the Blue arrow to place a copy of the designs in the right hand white space. Once the designs you wish to use are on the right hand side click the blue button at the bottom of the screen to write the designs to your programmable card. This command Write to Card/Other Pes Files only works if you are writing to the programmable card. It does not work for writing to a floppy disc or a USB Data stick. You need to use File/Save as in Layout and Editing for those types of media.

Is that any help to you?

Regarding keeping V4 on your computer -

If your V6 is an upgrade version and your Version 4 is a Full version then I would keep Version 4 on your computer as well as Version 6. That?s because if you decide to upgrade again (maybe to 7) then you do need a full version of PE Design/Palette on your computer. If you remove the full version then you will need to re-install it before installing another upgrade. The reason is that you must have a full version installed before the installation process will begin for an upgrade version. Personally I would rather keep my full version installed on my PC and then I don?t have to go fishing around amongst my Cds whenever I purchase an upgrade version. The programs don?t take up that much space on your PC and really are worth keeping there. I currently have three versions installed on my PC - 5, 6 and 7.

Yes, the newer models of Brother Machines still use PEDS V4. It?s the PES format that the machines read and that still remains the same.

I hope this information helps. In case you?re interested I am just finished an extensive tutorial on Text for PE Design/Palette for both versions 6 and 7. Take care and please let me know if you are successful in getting those designs to your card.

Kind regards,
Carolyn
http://carolynkeber.com

Now you can have the convenience of having two of Carolyn Keber’s wonderful Embird tutorials (her Step by Step Guide to Embird 2006 Tutorial and the Embird Studio V4 Tutorial) printed for you and delivered to your door!

Each of these comprehensive tutorials has over 400 pages and is presented in a soft-cover, spiral-bound book that lies flat when open. Printed in black and white, the books are 8.5″ by 11″ and approx. 1″ thick. Order your printed copy of the Step by Step Guide to Embird 2006 Tutorial or the Embird Studio V4 Tutorial today!

Carolyn Keber has a new tutorial for PE Design/Palette V6 and V7 which takes you step by step through Creating Text. This easy-to-follow 67 page tutorial covers the creation of text, the editing of text and individual letters, the settings for text and how to use them. Carolyn also shows you how to how to download and install True Type Fonts on your computer, how to use the Fit Text to Path command and how to turn those Wing Ding fonts into designs.

By the end of the tutorial you will not only have learned about creating text, but also how to edit and split your text, and about using the editing commands in PE Design/Palette. If you would love to find out all about creating text and lettering in PE Design/Palette Version 6 or 7 then this is the tutorial for you.

Hi Myrtis,

Are you having troubles with Font Engine or the Embird Alphabets which you have paid for and installed? Some folk have had problems from time to time with Font Engine freezing but with the latest builds of Embird this has largely been fixed. I have never had a problem with the Embird alphabets freezing and I am wondering if its actually your Embird program that needs re-installing. First try turning your computer off and leaving it shut down for 60 seconds. Then re-start the computer. This will fix any memory issues. Try the alphabets again. If you still have trouble then I would un-install Embird and start with a fresh install.

I hope that helps

Kind regards
Carolyn Keber
www.carolynkeber.com

What do you do when the final outline stitch does not exactly match the design? Gaps are left with no color.

Thank you,
Brenda Olmi