A terrific feature of DigitizerPro is the ability to create a motif run line. This lesson will cover how to create a motif run line by using one of the motifs available, the buttonhole stitch.
What you'll learn
A terrific feature of DigitizerPro is the ability to create a motif run line. This lesson will cover how to create a motif run line by using one of the motifs available, the buttonhole stitch. It will allow us to create embroidered appliqu_s that look as if they were done by hand.
To create the appliqu_, we will use the Heart from the Love letter bitmap in the Embroidery Album.
We plan to use Hoop ST (Standard Hoop). To choose your hoop, click the down arrow in the Hoop Selection box to see the choices.
Click on the hoop you want to use. It will appear in the Hoop Selection box and will appear on your design screen.
Note: The MC11000 Hoop ST has the same dimensions as the MC10001 Hoop A/F.
To insert the Love letter bitmap on the design screen,
Click Image, Insert Image...>
The Open dialog box will appear. If necessary, change the Look in: box to the Embroidery Album, which was placed on your C: drive when DigitizerPro was installed.
Click Love letter once to view image in the Preview window. Click Open to bring the bitmap to the design screen.
Note: If you do not see the bitmap on the design screen, click the Display Images icon.
Love letter is a small bitmap. We can enlarge the bitmap to fill the hoop area.
If the bitmap is not already selected (having 8 black boxes around it), click on the bitmap to select it.
Double-click on the bitmap to bring up the property, Dimensions of the image. Increase both the width and the height of the bitmap to 500%.
Click OK to set the new size.
Magnify the screen so you can see the bitmap well.
Note: each time you click on the Zoom In icon, the magnification will double in the Zoom box.
When we create an embroidered appliqu_, we first create placement lines for the fabric placement, and then create the appliqu_ cover stitches. Our digitizing sequence will be as follows:
- Sew placement stitches for the heart.
- Change thread color, which will create a stop when sewing the embroidery.
- Create the appliqu_ cover stitch.
Create Placement Stitches for the Heart
Several of the icons on the Digitize toolbar have flyout toolbars. They are indicated by a black arrow on the lower left corner of the icon.
Click the flyout arrow on the Run Line tool. The three run line options will show as icons on the flyout toolbar.
Click Single Run Line to activate it.
Click the Current Color icon to bring up the thread palette.
Choose a thread color by clicking on it.
Note: The color name and number will show as you hover your cursor over a thread color box.
Note: The placement lines that we will digitize first will be covered by the appliqu_ fabric. We are choosing contrasting thread so it can be seen easily, but any color can be used.
Begin digitizing at the upper left area of the heart. We start digitizing here because when the run line stops sewing, the majority of the hoop will be in front of the needle. This will make it easier to place the fabric over the placement stitches.
Click reference points around and just inside the heart. Make sure you make the last point close to the first point so they connect to create the heart shape.
Press the Enter key to generate the embroidery.
Creating the Cover Buttonhole Stitches
Click the flyout arrow on the Run Stitch icon. The flyout toolbar will appear.
Click Motif Run Line to activate it.
To choose the buttonhole stitch, click the Object Details icon located at the bottom of the screen.
Click the Line Stitch tab. Click the down arrow in the Stitch Type: box. Click Motif Run Line.
Click the down arrow in the Pattern box. Click pattern Des010 to get the buttonhole stitch.
Note: The size of the depth of the stitch and the spacing between the stitches are preset to approximately two tenths of an inch. If you would like your stitch to be smaller or larger, or you would like the spacing between to be smaller or larger, you can change either of these two factors. We have changed the Size parameter to .10 of an inch to make a smaller "bite stitch."
Click OK to set the stitch parameter.
Click another thread color, this time choosing the thread you want for the appliqu_. (We will again show a contrasting color for clarity.)
Note: it is important to choose a second thread color, or the embroidery machine will not stop in between placement step and cover step.
Click reference points around the heart, beginning at the upperleft area again. Click as close to the edge of the heart as possible. Make sure your last point is touching the first point.
Press the Enter key on your keyboard once to set the motif line.
Press the Enter key again to generate the motif embroidery.
When you digitize, try to click your points as close as possible to the shape of the heart, but don't worry if it is not exactly to the shape that is on the bitmap. We will take care of that in a minute.
When you sew out the appliqu_, it will sew in this sequence:
- Touch the Start button. It will sew the placement line and then stop with the needle at the uppermost left part of the heart.
- Place your pre-cut heart over the placement line. Adhere it in the manner you generally use, such as a bonding agent and a mini-iron, or spray adhesive.
- Touch the Start button. It will sew the buttonhole stitch all around the appliqu_.
We suggest threading the machine with the color thread you intend to use for the cover stitch and use the same color for both steps. When you open the design on the embroidery machine, it will show as two colors, one for the placement stitch and one for the cover stitch.
In step 2, we indicated that you will place the fabric, already cut into the shape of a heart, over the placement lines. We can pre-cut the fabric using the Design Information Sheet as a pattern for the heart.
Click File, Print Preview
OR
click the Print Preview icon.
Either way will bring up the Print Preview dialog box.
Click the Options button to see the print options.
Click Template Mode. Click OK.
Note: The template can be in Landscape or Portrait view. It won't matter, since you will be using the template as a pattern to cut your heart shape.
Click the Print Now button to print the actual size pattern.
Click the Close button to close the Print Preview function.
It is because of the pre-cut heart shape that you don't have to be exactly precise about digitizing around the heart. The template is a print out of your digitizing, not of the heart shape on the bitmap, so when you go to cut the fabric, it will be exactly to the shape you digitized.
