Category: Embird Blog

Today while making a doll face in Embird Studio from an image that my daughter drew for me I used a command that may come in handy for you sometime.

I was creating the following face for a doll that my daughter wants to make for her baby girl who is due in February 2011.

I created the lips using the Column Tool. It was really easy to get the top lip and bottom lip created as one object.

Using the Column Tool, Edge Mode B, I selected the Sample Number 9 – the one with the stitch points running through the middle of the column stitch.

I just created the column in the normal manner and the division for the top and botom lip formed when I generated the stitches.

Lastly I used the Auto Outline feature to add an outline around the lips.

So that’s something for you to consider when you are creating mouths – or any column shape that needs a division in it. Check out the Sample patterns in the drop down box first to see if any of them suit the project that you are digitising.

In my last blog I mentioned that I would show you some Embird Cross Stitch designs that I quickly created in the program. From time to time I hear negative comments about Cross Stitch and I just wanted to dispel any myths that Cross Stitch is either hard to do or not interesting. Years ago I probably thought along those lines, to be fair, but that was before I used Embird Cross Stitch. You see, I had never been a cross stitch fan particularly either – particularly the hand stitching variety.

That was until I used Embird’s Cross Stitch. I had tried some other brands of electronic cross stitch but was suitably un-impressed with the results. Probably the best many years ago was a program created by a gentleman called Uli for his mother – which was, for a long time, free to download on the internet for anyone who wanted the program. But as free things go (as we all know) they are likely to be abused and some unscrupulous people downloaded and on-sold Uli’s program. As all good things must, the free downloads ended. And the program – so I am told – was purchased by one of the big machine companies and re-branded.

However all was not lost and Embird eventually developed their own cross stitch program. That is when I decided to teach myself the program. I suddenly took an interest in Cross Stitch magazines and discovered that there was a wonderful world of patterns out there just begging to be stitched. That was the beginning of my Cross Stitch magazine and book collection. (otherwise known as addiction!!)

Here’s a little sample of a design I created yesterday – Pretty isn’t she?

Along the journey of my learning curve it was pointed out to me by a very close neighbour ( a lovely Australian lady) who happened to have a passion for all things Cross Stitch, that you could also do Blackwork in the program. So there became another branch to my learning – and more expense – as I started buying books on Blackwork as well. 🙂 I dont think that I have ever had so many magazines and books on my credit card!!

Anyway – just to demonstrate to you that you can do nice designs and photos and Blackwork in Cross Stitch I sat down at my computer and had a little relaxing play with Cross Stitch with no other purpose in mind but to show you how “cool” this program is. The designs that I created did not take me very long to make – in fact thay are actually quicker ,by far, than digitising in Studio (after you know what you are doing, of course – but you also need to know what you are doing in Studio in order to create a design as well. :))

 

All of the above designs have been created by myself in Embird Cross Stitch in my “leisure time” (what is leisure time – LOL!!) between yesterday and today. The designs were created in between looking after my two young grandsons while their mum was sick for the day. Now, as anyone knows, looking after two little boys between the age of 2 years and 4 years is no picnic on a wet day when you are confined indoors! I mention this only to demonstrate how easy it is to use Cross Stitch and do other things as well. Pick me up after a day with the 2 year old though! Goodness, I felt my age!!

Anyway – Embird Cross Stitch is a very impressive program. I highly recommend it, as I do all Embird programs. It’s not hard to learn and is very relaxing to use. By the way, the photo of Mishy (the dog) is auto-digtitised from her photo in Embird Cross Stitch.

What are your thoughts now? Impressed? I hope so!

Until next time! Carolyn

This week I have been working on updating my Font Engine tutorial so that the tutorial is current once more with the next Embird when it is finally  released.

As always I cannot resist playing around with Font Engine and making embroidered objects that aren’t lettering objects. It all started when I downloaded some fonts from fontgarden.com. They have a lot of free fonts – and especially Ding Bat fonts.

Ding Bat fonts can be used for making little  designs. Most of the time I need to manipulate the design a little but it is not hard to do. So I made myself a Bookmark.

The bookmark – shown above – was created in Embird Editor using Font Engine.

I downloaded a font to my fonts folder called Ornamenter 3.

In Font Engine I directed Embird to this folder and then selected the above Ding Bat. Once selected I chose the size and stitch type (Auto Column with Pattern in Parameters/No Outline) in the Properties TAB and clicked OK.

The stitches generated and I had a plain object on my Design Page.

Next I returned to Font Engine once more and, using the same Ding Bat, I created the same object once again but with the Negative shortcut selected on the Insert screen of Font Engine.

 I used Plain Fill, No Outline and then changed the Parameters to Wave -35 and -35, 90 degree fill, density 15 and deselected any underlay.

 I clicked OK to place the object onto the Design Page. This was the result after I split away the outside border and changed the color of the object to pink. It doesnt look up to much does it? But wait…….

Next I used the Free Hand selection tool and split apart the pink objects and changed their colors to those shown in the first image. I changed the Sewing Order so that the inner objects stitched first.

Then I opened Font Engine once more and choose a Font that would work for a satin border. I deselected the Negative option im the Insert screen. Join all the objects, save and stitch! This is the final result. A quick and instant bookmark.

This design took such a short time to make. It took me far longer to decide on the Font than it took to actually make the design.

If you own Font Engine don’t just think of it for creating lettering. Font Engine is so much more than that. You can make some great little designs for yourself very quickly and easily.

I highly recommend Font Engine, if you do not already own it  – as I do all of Embird’s fabulous programs.

Some time soon I will show you some great stuff from Embird Cross Stitch as well – as soon as I have the time!

Now I had better get back to my work…..