I have a Janome 11000 memory craft and an MB4 janome.  I have a question about bobbin thread on these machines.  One of the people that sew indicated you were supposed to use bobbin thread to make your bobbin.  I have always used the thread I sew with in white or black.  Also do the prewind threads work on either of these machines?  Thanks

When you are just sewing you will use the same thread as you would on top in the bobbin.  If you are embroidering, you will want to use a bobbin thread.  Janome makes a Bobbin thread that will work with your machines.  The machines are calibrated for it and you will not need to adjust any tensions normally.  You can also try different types of bobbin threads from different companies.  I personally just wind mine using the Janome thread and Maderia burmillion 160 bobbin thread.  Though remember each machine may not like the Madiera thread.  Also yes prewounds will work on the machines.

Reneah Raffay
Janome Tutorials

Carolyn is asked:

How do I stop Embird from making a back up of each digitized design?

Carolyn replies:

You need to open Embird Manager and under Options deselect Create Backup Files (.bak) That will work for you.

Kind regards,
Carolyn Keber
Tutorials for Embird and PE Design

Carolyn is asked:

How do you mark thread you purchase in the thread catalog?

Carolyn replies:

To mark your threads for your Thread Catalogue you need to open Embird Manager and then go to Color Palette on the Menu Bar. Choose Thread catalogues. Then choose the catalogue you use and to mark the threads left click in the far right hand side column. This will mark your threads. Then you have an option to show only the marked threads as well.

Kind regards,
Carolyn Keber
Tutorials for Embird and PE Design

Hi, I am currently embroidering velour towels and using wash-away on top.  The problem is I don’t want to have to wash the towels to remove.  Is there another way to do this? Ta - Marg

Hi Marg,

Are you using a clear film wash-away on top? If so, there is no need to remove what remains under the stitching after you have ripped away the excess. Especially if the towels are for sale or to become gifts. The first washing will remove the remaining stabilizer…no need to wash it until it needs it! If you are using a cut-away fabric type wash-away you can try spraying the back of the towel lightly with water directly on the embroidery. The water will travel along the stitching line to the top of the towel and melt the stabilizer enough that you should be able to remove the excess cleanly from around the design. I wouldn’t suggest using a fabric type stabilizer for towels though. A clear film will work better…or a permanent vinyl topper such as DrycoverUp by Hoop-it-All.

Hope this helps!

Evy
A Bit of Stitch

Carolyn is asked:There are designs that I like to do in mono color  without stopping between the “old” color-stops. What do I use? I have the basic Embird program.

The simplest way to get a one colored design in Embird is to right mouse click on a color box in Embird Editor and use the command “Set all colors to this one”. Then select the design and go to Insert on the Menu Bar. Choose Insert/Remove Codes and then make your selection from the screen that appears. Click OK. That should work for you.

Kind regards,
Carolyn Keber
Tutorials for Embird and PE Design

The new Scraptacular Add Ons collection from The Purple Hat has an extra 9 panels that you can mix and match with the original Scraptacular Sewing Bag to create your own design combinations for different hobbies. These fun designs include a cute doll, flower and angel, plus panels for knitting, quilting, and sewing, and also a panel for you to frame your own monogram. Each panel is made in the hoop and has color change and appliqué instructions.

Re-purpose lace for an unforgettable silk camisole that will turn heads. The ingredients for this blouse include my Nashville Lace embroidery designs that are re-embroidered over lace fabric.  I will share a few of my designer details over the next few weeks.

Detailed instructions for this project will be published in the March/April issue of an embroidery magazine. We will let you know when the magazine is on the newstands.
 
I am a collector of lacy fabrics and trims and found this wide nylon lace in my “stash” of goodies. Another good source of lace might be old cafe curtains or lace from a wedding dress. Look in your closets to see if you have any lace that can be recycled for this project.
 
Blue silk batiste fabric is very lightweight and fragile and should be “prepped” with a backing before use. I ironed Dream Weave Fusible® to the wrong side of “blocks” of fabric before I cut out any of the pattern pieces including the bias binding. Use a 70 Microtex needle and a lightweight 100% cotton thread for construction.
 
Center Embroidered Inset Details
In a software program, rotate design “Apl 8″ 45°.

Appliqué Lace

Embroider the design on a block of cotton organdy that has a wide piece of lace on top. Hoop the two fabrics as one. No stabilizer is needed as cotton organdy is extremely stable. Use a 70 Microtex needle and Sulky #1071 rayon thread for all colors.

The appliqué fabric used is wide ivory heirloom lace (shown below).

Embroidering Nashville Lace Embroidery Designs over a lace foundation fabric, give a romantically elegant look to any project. Fabrics and laces can be found at Martha Pullen Company.

Hope Yoder
Designs by Hope Yoder

Big Problems with Husqvarna Viking Rose in Chile!!!

If anyone can help me will be amazing!!! write to me to semestere@hotmail.com

My name is Carolina Silva, I’m from Chile. I would like to ask you about some several problems with my machine - the model is Husqvarna Viking Rose, product number 957236141. My father brought it as a gift for me some years ago, this is my third time trying to use it, but I can’t. I think the problem is the external unit husqvarna viking reader/writer pro when a try to save my design on the programable card, always reading with troubles and cannot save anything inside the card. I’m using windows 98, and we never use the machine before. 

In conclusion I can’t save my designs into the card, I dont know if its the software installation or hardware but definitely could be my inexperience and also I couldn’t erase the information off inside it. 

I really appreciate your help, I’m spending lots of time trying without results.

Thank u in advance

Kind regards

Carolina
Chile

Carolyn is asked:I have had embird programs for some time now and have just decided to start trying to figure out how to use studio. I am going through your tutorial page by page and enjoying it tremendously but have a couple of questions so far. I hate to bother you with this but am one of those people who need to know why something is done rather than just being told to do it.

Setting fill in different directions not only adds interest and color variations to thread but it also helps with the compensation or “push and pull” of thread when stitched into fabric. If your embroidery fill all went in the same direction the fabric would pull inwards in the direction that the stitches are placed which in turn would cause any outlines to be possibly “off” in that area.

There are no hard and fast rules as to which way to set the angles of fill other than if you were working on an object such as the umbrella which is shaped in a curve then I would be inclined to try and follow that curve a little to give the best effect. But that is purely personal and it depends on how the design looks when stitched.

I am not sure what is causing your loop to the start node but you might find that things improve greatly about joining the nodes if you zoom right in on your design. Just turn the scroll wheel on your mouse and the page will increase in size until you can easily see all your nodes. Then just zoom out again when you have joined the nodes.

I hope that helps. But if you still have trouble with the node looping then email me back and even perhaps send me the design with the problem and I’ll check it for you.

Kind regards,
Carolyn Keber
Tutorials for Embird and PE Design

Thank you so much for your prompt response to my question!  I tried your suggestions and there was improvement.  However, I continue to have problems when I reduce the size of the print to around 1/2 an inch.  The stitches are so small and dense there’s an indention in the fabric (and a lot of bulk on the backside).  Any ideas on what else I can do?

Just make sure that any re-sizing you do of the Embird lettering is always done within the Text Menu and never re-size it on the Design Page.

Also make sure that you use a good quality underlay under your fabric. That should help. However some alphabets are better than others as well. Try another one and see if you get a better result.

Kind regards,
Carolyn Keber
Tutorials for Embird and PE Design

Carolyn is asked:

I have a question regarding the Embird alphabets.  I have purchased alphabets 11, 17 & 18.  All of them stitch out very densely and the end effect is so disappointing, to say the least.  I use a Janome 300E embroidery machine.  It doesn’t seem to matter what stabilizer I use or how loose I make the tension.

Carolyn replies:

You could change the density in the alphabet from 4.00mm to 4.5mm in the Properties screen and perhaps also increase the Pull Compensation from .1 to .2. That should help. You should also use a 40 or 50 weight thread as well - not 30 weight.

Kind regards,
Carolyn Keber
Tutorials for Embird and PE Design