Entries for the ‘Articles’ Category
A Bumper Crop of Baby Bonnets
These two darling baby bonnets are quick and easy to construct. You can easily whip one out in less than an hour (minus embellishing time) and more than likely with supplies you already have in your stash! Each of these bonnets uses designs from the Building Block series of design that were then customized to [...]
Why Do Designs Cost So Much?
I’ve been asked this question rather frequently lately. This question is generally followed by, “it’s just a digital file. It can’t take that long to digitize and besides, digital files don’t cost anything.” Huh? My question is just the opposite, “Why are designs so cheap?”
The Truth About Redwork Designs
I recently posted a question on my Facebook fan page asking how embroidery designs should be priced. Several people replied that stitch count was a good way, that “low stitch count designs like redwork” should be priced lower. Any of you digitizers who have manually digitized even a reasonably complex redwork design probably just experienced [...]
Sewing Continuous Hoop Designs
Endless or continuous hoop designs are specially digitized for creating borders and other long connected designs seamlessly. Some collections may have corner connectors included to permit easier continuous borders around a corner.
Art Deco Floral Designs
I love designs that offer creative potential. By that, I mean that I can change their colors to suit my project or combine and use them in creative ways. I also like designs that let me edit out coordinating pieces. And finally, I don’t want to spend all day changing threads or sewing a bullet-proof [...]
What Do I Do With It?
I remember early on in my embroidery career when I got a call from a new embroiderer who excitedly proclaimed, “Your new collection arrived today!” The next words out of her mouth were, “What do I do with them?” I was totally unprepared for such a question because I didn’t understand why you’d buy something [...]
Top 8 Things You Need to Know for Machine Embroidery
The other day I was asked by an acquaintance who was considering the purchase of her first embroidery machine if embroidery was difficult. “Difficult” is always such a subjective word. If you’re stuck in your ways, aren’t interested in learning anything new, dread the idea of anything less than a perfect outcome, then you will [...]
How to Create A Swatch Chart
Swatch charts, which are discussed in Anatomy of a Design, are an invaluable aid to any digitizer. They’re great for determining suitable densities, verifying pattern fills, and testing motifs. Now you can watch how to set one up in a series of 3 YouTube HD videos. Although I demo the technique in Generations, you should [...]
New Must-Have Embroidery App!
If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know I love my Mac and I love to digitize. And even though I run XP on my Mac to access several embroidery programs and using Windows has become infinitely more convenient than when I had to use another computer, I still drag my feet [...]
Could You Benefit from a Coach?
In a recent newsletter, I briefly mentioned the value of having a coach. Why have a coach? What are some of the benefits of having a coach? How would you even find one for embroidery?
Discover The Truth About Embroidery Business Success!
On a recent flight from Tucson to the east coast, I read a new book by Joyce Jagger, Truth About Embroidery Business Success! 7 Elements To A Highly Proftable Home-Based Embroidery Business. Before I touched down in Atlanta, not only had a read the book, but I had underlined, highlighted, and added a number of [...]
So You Want to be a Digitizer
If you’ve been embroidering for a while, you may be looking at expanding into digitizing. You’ve seen what collections sell for at your local dealer and maybe digitizing software came bundled with your new machine. How hard can it really be? Wouldn’t it be nice to make a few extra bucks? Maybe you already have [...]
Labor Day Sale!
As many of you prepare for the last holiday of the summer, Labor Day, it’s time to think about the next season. No, not fall (or spring for my friends down under)–embroidery season! Now is when we start coming back to our passion and begin making projects for the home, holidays, family, friends, and our [...]
New Shopping Cart System FAQs
The last three weeks have been hectic, working on a brand new shopping cart system, which just went live today. The primary purposes of the new cart are: Provide an easier mechanism for downloading the free designs. Provide an unrestricted number of products to allow individual design downloads Provide the ability for an affiliate program [...]
Free Hardanger Machine Embroidery Design
For this month’s free design, I thought I’d give you a taste from the hardanger collection plus use it in a sample project to give you an idea how it might be used. I’ve chosen to make a ring bearer wedding pillow out of white linen and use a golden yellow chiffon behind it to [...]
