Drawn Thread Work

I guess I should explain what drawn thread work even is. This is a technique where you pull out rows of threads in the fabric. Stitching is done along the edges and the remaining fabric threads may be worked together by hand to form patterns or create woven bars. In some areas, threads from both directions are cut away,  You can see an example of traditional hardanger in this photo snatched off wikipedia:

The reason we can’t take this approach with machine embroidery is because we just can’t hoop accurately enough. The process of getting the fabric between the rings of the hoop distorts the grain and it would be impossible to precisely sew the stitches where you wanted them and keep them exactly in line with the weave of the fabric.

Machine Embroidered Still Involves Hand-Work

With machine-embroidered hardanger, we can get the machine to do all the stitching for us but we still need to do the cutting. Yes, there are attachments for some specialty commercial machines and Bernina has one (I haven’t actually seen it yet) but with a good pair of scissors and some patience, you can do it yourself.

For machine embroidery, we treat the design like a cross between cutwork and free-standing embroidery. You’ll hoop a suitable fabric with a water soluble stabilizer (use the fiber type, not a film), and the design will sew the outlines of the area(s) you need to remove. Next, remove the hoop from the machine and carefully cutaway the fabric without cutting through the stabilizer. Finish sewing the design and soak out the stabilizer.

What About Fabric Dissolving Products?

In the past, I’ve also used a product called Fiber Etch. It came in a bottle with a nozzle and you could just draw a bead of it onto your fabric and it would dissolve natural plant fibers like cotton, linen, and rayon. If you accidentally squirted too much, or it ran over the “thread wall” defining your cut area, well then you were hosed. Also, you had to wait for it to dry before continuing the sewing process. If you’re using a water soluble stabilizer, you must make sure that the Fiber Etch does not soak through to the backing. Finally, it will limit your choice of embroidery threads to polyesters.

Why Can’t You Cut the Stabilizer?

In the example shown here, I’ve scanned the embroidery with a piece of blue paper placed behind it. The bars are sewn onto the stabilizer. The stitching needs something to form over and that’s the purpose of the stabilizer. This is the part of the design I referred to as “free standing” and if you’ve ever embroidered free-standing lace, you know how it works.

New Design  Collection from Lindee G Embroidery

To reproduce the look of traditional hardanger, I started by researching the styles and techniques used in hand-embroidered hardanger, including a sampler I worked back in the 1970′s. I wanted authentic looking designs. After about a month of research and sketching, I started digitizing and experimenting with the best way to get a traditional look that was versatile and would stand up to some use. While many of the designs in this collection can be used stand-alone, they are really meant to be combined. The sample shown at the beginning of this post is sewn on linen and combines two cutwork designs with 3 different elements. 36 designs complete the collection. Five designs require hoops larger than 4×4″ (100x00mm).

What to Do With the Designs

While the cutwork areas are certainly beautiful, they do add to the time it takes to sew the design and they can reduce durability. You don’t have to cut the fabric away, which would solve both issues. Another solution would be to hoop a second piece of fabric behind your stabilizer, perform the cutwork, and then when the project is done, you’ll have the other fabric show through for added interest and stability.

For the candle wrap shown here, I used designs #6, 13, and 26. Design 13 is simply a rectangle with a fancy inside edge that can be treated as an applique. Applique it to a sturdy water-soluble (I use fiber-based products not film), then add design 6 and finally pick an element to drop into the center area if desired.

Design 6 would also make a great front placket on a blouse (add a button hole design where I put the element) or cuffs for a woman’s blouse.

An abbreviated version of design 6 is included that would make great napkin rings to coordinate with the candle wrap.

Special Intro Price for July–Save $10

From now through the end of July 2010, save $10 off the price of this collection, which means you get each design for $1.38. The collection is available for immediate download and you can choose either Generations format (.gen) or multi-format.

Multi-format includes most common machine formats (except .art). The two groups are separated because the .gen format is huge and it would just inflate the download excessively for most users. Note that designs are only converted if they will fit the maximum supported sewing field for the format. Each download includes a full-color pdf flyer of all the designs plus an illustrated instruction pdf for the sewing and cutting process.

• Hardanger collection in multi-format (dst, exp+, csd, hus, jef, pcm, pcs, pes, sew, shv, vip, vp3, xxx). 36 designs, instructions, color pdf with color sequences, color flyer of designs. Regularly $59.95 on sale through 7/31/2010 for $49.95. Instant download available for lg003-mf.

Hardanger Collection Instant download!

• Hardanger collection in Generations (.gen)-format. 35 designs in native .gen format (not as building blocks) plus one dst file. Includes instructions, color pdf with color sequences, color flyer of designs. Regularly $59.95 on sale through 7/31/2010 for $49.95. Instant download available for lg003-gen.

Note that one design (#13, the applique border and the simplest one in the collection by normal thinking) is not available in .GEN format and is provided in DST format only. This is because after 3 hours of fooling around with it in the program, I was simply unable to get a suitable result. It took 3 minutes to digitize in Punto.

$59.95 only $49.95 Instant download!

Digitizing Hardanger

Even though I digitized these in Generations (I’m making myself learn the program and only use this software if possible), they were not auto-digitized. Nor were the designs digitized from clip art. For the most part, stitches used in hardanger are runs and satins. Theoretically it should be possible to do them in the most basic digitizing program. If you’d like to learn more about digitizing hardanger, I recorded a free webinar on the process on 7/8/2010 for the Generations Digitizing Workshop. Although I demo in Generations, the technique can easily be transferred to other programs.

Moving Beyond “Plop and Drop”

Aren’t you tired of all the tons of cutesy designs that proliferate on the net? Why not put a little time and effort into your projects and create something truly worthy of passing down? You got your embroidery machine to allow you creative freedom. Why not use high quality beautiful design that let you do it? Designs are inexpensive compared to your machine investment.

Want to More Behind the Scenes Stuff?

I wrote a little bit about the design process on one of my other sites. If you want to know more, hop on over.

Recorded Live!

All of the following sessions are recorded from a live workshop where I’m working right in the Generations software to demonstrate topics and answer questions based on viewer’s submissions. I’ll have to say, it was pretty scary at first because I barely knew Generations myself but writing the course, preparing for the webinar (one week I put in 70 hours of preparation!), and digitizing building blocks got me up to speed and now I feel pretty comfortable in the software. Well, as comfortable as a Mac girl can be in a Windows program!

10,000 Hours

The original concept of the webinars was that viewers could learn the program along with me. If you’ve read the book Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, he talks about the “10,000 hour rule” meaning that those who have become experts have 10,000 hours of practice under their belts. Well, I certainly have that when it comes to digitizing but Generations is a polar opposite to my “native” digitizing program, Punto, the one I “grew up with” and worked with for 15 years. I had to rethink how to do even the most basic things. You’ll see in the early sessions that I sometimes don’t have a clue what I’m doing! Fortunately, I have James to bail me out.

And while I certainly don’t yet have 10,000 hours with Generations, I’m certain that with the 12-16 hour days I often pull working on the Learn to Digitize Course, that I’m well on my way!

The point is, you may discover some tips watching the videos but you won’t really learn them until you put them into practice and you practice often. Fire up those neurons in your brain often enough and soon it will feel natural.

Since the webinars are not really structured for organized learning, if you need a less helter skelter approach, a better course of action is the Learn to Digitize Training Series. I’m just now finishing the videos for unit 3 so I hope to make my goal of a March 31 release date.

Open to All

You don’t have be a Generations owner or user to attend these sessions. In fact, a number of attendees have written and said they learned things that they never thought to do in their own programs and some people have been so impressed they made the switch from their old software to Generations.

Generations does take dongle trade-ins. There is no rule that states you must learn the digitizing program you have before moving on to something you can use. Why drag yourself down with a clunky program you can’t use? You got it to have fun and be creative. What’s holding you back?

How to See the Recorded Webinars

To watch any of the sessions, you will need to go to GenWebinars and log in (you need to be a member of embroidery.com) or create a free account there. Next, “purchase” a free ticket to one of the sessions, then sit back and watch. Unfortunately you can’t view them on a Mac; you can only view them through Windows Media Player (it’s a Citrix thing).

Schedule of Previous Sessions

Why I Love Building Blocks

Why do I love them? Let me count the ways…

1. They’re easy to access on the handy Building Blocks tool bar
2. They’re easy to organize – just create folders as you desire
3. Because they are recognized as native Generations files, you have full control over size, stitch type, etc.
4. They are perfect for learning to digitize because they are typically small, simple items
5. They make it easy to create unique and interesting designs quickly
6. They can add a custom touch to a purchased design
7. They can also be used to create frames for monograms

Legos for Embroiderers

I like to think of building blocks like Legos. Small elements that you can combine to build bigger designs. During last night’s webinar, I was surprised at how few people have even used them! Generations comes with a whole heap of them! Really useful ones like small, hand-crafted letters in both satin and fills and basting blocks should not be overlooked! And lots of fun ones as well.

Great for First Time Generations Users

Combining pre-made building blocks and using the various tools on the Object bar–especially the super-align tool–is a great way to get familiar with some of the hidden powers of Generations. This program is not just for digitizing, you know!

Great for First Time Digitizers

Learning to digitize can be overwhelming (I can help you with that!) so starting with small, simple designs can prevent frustration and overwhelm. Find some simple elements that might make good add-ons to other designs. Think in terms of icons on your computer. Not necessarily their size but their simple shapes and colors. Holidays and seasons are a great theme for starters

Great for Creativity

When I owned Cactus Punch, we digitized thousands of designs over the years. Some were very elaborate scenes and while beautiful, you can’t embroider them too many times. Over time, the designs I used the most were the ones that were small and simple that I could combine and recombine to make new compositions. Collections like that are worth their weight in gold and you’ll use them over and over. Those are the types of designs you want for building blocks.

Value of  Getting Native Files

It’s rare for digitizers to make their native files available. Generally, only machine formats are made available to the consumer. Why? For one, the native file requires the use of the same program that created it. Secondly, providing only stitch files provides a bit of protection for all the digitizer’s hard work because working with stitch files is not nearly as easy as working with a native format.

What is a Native Format

I go into depth on file formats in Unit 3 in the Learn to Digitize Training Series. For now, let’s just say native files are the files your software creates. Stitch files are the files your machine sews. For Generations users, the native file format is GEN. A building block is a special case GEN file and has an MNG format. Once made into a building block, you cannot double-click it to open in Generations; you must access it from the building block bar.

Where to Get Native Files

It is very hard to find GEN files available either for free or for purchase. Your best bet is to look for the few digitizers who create building blocks. I currently have 8 collections of building blocks, each composed of twenty related designs per collection (click to see images);

• bb001 – Florals 1
• bb002 – Leaves 1
• bb003 – Sports 1
• bb004 – Elegant Scrolls
• bb005 – Frames and Borders
• bb006 – Delicate Roses
• bb007 – Beachin’ It – just released!
• bb008 – Summer Fun- just released!

Try Some Out for Free!

Want to try out a mini sampler of  building blocks? You can have instant access to these designs, shown here are actual size.

To use use the designs , download and unzip the files and move the folder to Super Tech/Generations/Building Block. Additional instructions are included as a text file with the download. Multi-format standard machine formats also available.

Licensing Agreement: These designs are copyrighted by Lindee G Embroidery and may be used in any projects (sold or personal). You may not share the digital files in their original or converted formats or include them in digital files that you share or sell.

FAQs

When I double click the .MNG file it won’t open.

That’s correct. Building Blocks must be accessed from the Building Blocks bar in Generations.

I put the files in the Building Blocks folder but I still can’t see them on the Building Blocks bar in Generations.

The files must be in a folder in the Building Blocks folder and the folders cannot be nested.

How do I use these files if I don’t have Generations?

While you can’t use MNG files with other programs, these designs have been converted for non-Generations owners. Just use them as any standard design file.

Looking to put together a design for St. Patrick’s Day? This new Quick Project and webinar will walk you through all the steps you need to take to digitize this design from scratch in Generations embroidery digitizing software.

Use the Built-In Tools

Using tools on the Punch bar and Create bar you’ll digitize first the shamrock, then the hat, then the letters. You’ll learn how to turn the first two elements into Building Blocks that can be reused over and over. Finally, you’ll assemble the pieces into one design, eliminating excess layers of stitches.

Looks complex? Not when I break it down into easy bit-size steps. If you have a basic understanding of using Generations, you’ll be ale to digitize this design. And if not? In that case, the designs are included and you can work with them.

Project Webinar

The webinar for this project will be in the weekly free Generations Workshop on Thursday, March 4 at noon MST. If you miss it, don’t worry! All the webinars are recorded and you can watch them for free too! The full list of webinars is listed.

What You’ll Learn with this Project

Even if you aren’t Irish, you’ll learn all sorts of useful things you can do with Generations: