stitch it on clothes. Do you now such examples? I think this is unfair to people have not the possibility to look at the design before and trust the pictures in the net. I woldn't see it on that small screen on my embroiderymachine...

I almost never do a stitch out on my product that I haven't stiched out on a scrap first. Also helps me to decide on color choices and make little tweeks. Example of one design I was doing it had a stop and thread change to white. Then just 2 stitches. Decided the 2 stitches weren't necessary.

I know time is short sometimes but it maybe quicker and cost less to do the stitch out in the first place.

Also my software has a stitch editor and I take the design into it and it removes a lot of un-necesary and jump stitches. The other night it took out over 500 stitches in a 3700+ stitch design. If your software has a program similar you might want to use it.
Hope this is helpful.

1 comment

by ansalu 28 Jul 2010

I will look for this because I always like to cut the number of colorchanges too.
Just didn't trust embird all the times when I use the intelligent colorsorting (is that the right word?) sometimes it makes very weird things with the design and there are still many unneeded changes.

It has happened to me. Usually with free designs. I seldom have a problem with known designers.

Just a thought..
but a good digitizer would always show a photo of
an actual stitch out.. it does take time but they have already put a lot of time in to their design
when I share mine I want them to be purfect lol..
I personally would never use a design from a clipart picture..unless its a designer I know and trust..
you are right about collecting the freebies from everywhere when you first start.
buts its also amazing how fast you learn who it is worth collecting designs from free or for sale :-)
I down loaded some which looked fabulous when I first started.. and they were real nightmares I was so disappointed.. but now that I have learned myself
I have redone these designs myself just to see if I could do a better job lol
Mooie xx

One more reason to test stitch your designs prior to using them. *

oh dear as in image 2.. it shows jump stitches for the black thread which looks messy.. although they will be there they will need trimming and do not remain..
personally I think the colours in image 2 are very dull.. I'm also not quite sure I like the facial features in image 2.
I do a lot of digitizing and share many here in dbc..
I have terrible trouble with outlines staying where you want them lol.. so I tend to stay away from these intricate designs lol ..
I will look for a file to show you what I mean lol
Big hugs - Mooie xxx

2 comments

by ansalu 28 Jul 2010

my janome has a will of her own so I although stay away from designs with an outline because that is never where it should be. Creative freedom says my monster-machine ;o)

by mooie24 28 Jul 2010

oh dear I love the 'Creative Freedom' idea
so funny ....
Thats got to be my giggle for the day
thank you + big hugs from london
Mooie xxx

That is why you would test out a design. I know it takes a little time when you want to get something done quick fast and in a hurry but believe me it is worth the trouble, so as not to ruin a project. I but some inexpensive cloth at the fabric store and use it for testing. then it it turns out okay you can save ti for a quilt or another project.

1 comment

by ansalu 28 Jul 2010

Yes I kow test-stiching is always the safest way but sometimes you are in a hurry because your kid has forgotten to tell you that she got a birthdayinvitation and what does mummy do? Performs magic and makes a gift in shortest time ever ;o)

It happens when they post the artwork and not a stitch-out. That can be very deceptive. I never download when there is no stitch-out unless it's someone I trust. That's why you should always do a test stitch.

1 comment

by ansalu 28 Jul 2010

That is the tricky thing when you start with embroidery and are always on the hunt for freebies. That's why i wanna warn the newbies (I know how it is to be one ;o)

OOhh dear... depends if the photo on the net is of the actual stitch out..
sometimes the actual embroidery file will differ slightly to that of the actual stitchout
as the designer needs to take in to account the material ect the file is designed for..
always perform a test stitch..
also just to add.. if the image is of the design file some pictures look better then others depending on the settings uses..
for example if you have the thread jumps showing..
this can make your design look very messy :-)
Big hugs from London
Mooie xxx

1 comment

by ansalu 28 Jul 2010

yes the jump-thread changes the look a little bit but that fairy looks like she's having an accident. I think my daughter would cry when I stitch this on one of her beloved dresses :o(

This one is a good example for this difference. I really regard people sharing designs they digitize in many hours I know that is a lot of work. But if you give this away with a picture that is the original clipart and not what it looks when it is stiched that could cause dissapointment at the users. Some of them have no embird or an iconizer; could they imagine the face of someone little daughter wanna have a fairy on her dress and then it comes out like that?

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