To create a template, we must bring an embroidery design to the design screen. In the EasyEdit program, we use the term IMPORT to bring designs to the screen. We will import a design of flowers that comes with the Customizer Plus software.
To import a design, we can either click the Import icon
OR
we can click File, Import Design.
Either way will bring up the Open/Import Files dialog box.
The design we want is in the Flowers folder. To get to the Flowers folder, we need to point the Look in: box to where it is located on the hard drive.
When Customizer 10000 Plus is installed on your computer, it is placed under the Program Files folder on the hard drive, which is usually labeled the C: drive. Many software manufacturers place their software under the Program Files folder. Customizer places its software in this path:
C: Program Files\Janome\Customizer 10000 Plus\MC10001\
What this means is that a folder called Janome is placed under the Program Files folder. A folder called Customizer 10000 Plus is placed under the Janome folder. A folder called MC10001 is placed under the Customizer 10000 Plus folder.
If you installed Customizer Plus for the MC10000 version 2.2 or lower, then you would see MC10000 instead of MC10001. If you installed Customizer Plus for the MC9500, 9700, or 300E, you would see MC9500 instead of MC10001.
The rest of the folders are shown:
The design we want is in the Flowers folder under EasyEdit Designs. It is called Flower02. Click once on Flower02 to see it in the Preview window.
Click the Open button to import it to the design screen.
When the design comes on the screen, it has a box around it indicating that it is selected. This will allow us to move it, flip it, rotate it, and resize it.
Click on the boxed embroidery and drag it to the upper right corner.
Printing Templates
Template Mode
Templates can be in one of three forms or modes. You choose which form you want to print through the Print Setup dialog box.
Click File, Print Setup.
The Print Setup dialog box will appear. The Template Mode choices are in the lower left corner.
One of the choices, Color View, does not provide a crosshair, so we won't be using that choice as a template. The other two choices are:
· Outline Template, which provides a black and white outline of the embroidery. This helps you save printer ink.
· Color Template, which provides a color picture of the embroidery.
To create an Outline template, click the Outline Template radio button, then click OK.
Note: your template choice will show on your design screen.
To view the template, click File, Print Preview.
The Print Preview screen will appear.
You can print directly from this screen by clicking the Print button.
To see the Color Template mode,
Click the Close button to close the Print Preview screen.
Click File, Print Setup.
Click Color Template.
Click OK.
Click File, Print Preview.
Click the Print button to print the color template.
Paper Choice
Many EasyEdit users prefer to use a type of paper called vellum, which is semi-transparent. Creating a template on vellum helps you to better see how the embroidery will be placed on your fabric.
Vellum is available any office supply store.
Using the Template
To use the template, cut around the embroidery using a paper scissors. Cut it small enough to fit in your hoop.
What we REALLY want to do is have the embroidery sew so that it is straight across, not on the angle it is now. Arrange the template on your fabric so the embroidery is laying straight. Tape or pin the template to the fabric. Notice there is an arrow on one of the crosshairs. THE DIRECTION THAT THE ARROW IS POINTING IS UP!
Note: always prepare your fabric by adhering stabilizer, either by spray or by ironing, to the back of the fabric. Also, please view lesson #71 Proper Hooping under the Learn How to Plan category.
Clamp your outer hoop into the Clothsetter bracket.
Lay your fabric over the outer hoop.
ROTATE your fabric so that when you bring the arm of the Clothsetter down over the template, the red crosshair will exactly lie over the crosshair on the template and the arrows are pointing UP.
Insert the inner hoop into the outer hoop.
Because you rotated the fabric to match the crosshair on the template, the embroidery, which was actually on an angle, will now sew straight across, exactly as you placed it on the fabric.
Marking the Fabric
It is easy to lay the template on the fabric with small, single embroideries such as this one. When we create templates for multiple embroideries, it is usually easier to mark the fabric.
To mark the fabric, we cut holes at the ends of the crosshairs with an eyelet cutter.
Note: the holes in the drawing above may not be placed accurately.
Place a mark in the four holes using a removable marking pen. Remove the template. Connect the marks into a cross.
Make sure you always mark the arrow on your fabric, because when you start getting very creative with templates, it will be important to know which way is up!
