Embroidery Digitizing Victorian Boot Part 1

I designed this boot for a hand embroidery piece that I did a few weeks ago and named it An Elegant Victorian Boot. As I was working on the piece I thought that it might be a good design to transfer over to a machine embroidery design. Using the jpeg of my original design I imported it into my Creative 4D* digitizing software. This software is very versatile and allows you to create from your own design or purchased designs, which you can then manipulate.


Once I had the basic design digitized I went back and used more decorative stitches to give the design a bit more texture. I also chose the colors of sulky threads that I wanted to use to sew this out. This is all done on a PC (unfortunately there is not an Apple version). The software also allows you to choose the machine hoop size and shape that you want to place the fabric in.


Once you are satisfied with the design on your computer, you then transfer it over to your sewing machine. I have a Pfaff creative 2144, but there are many other embroidery machines that this software interfaces with. As you can see, the design is up on the screen and the hoop apparatus is ready for the hoop and fabric.


A closer look at the design on the sewing machine. You can save quite a few designs to the sewing machine and only need to go into the folder to get your designs. Once up on the screen, you can still make some minor adjustments. While I chose the sulky thread colors that I wanted to use, it doesn't mean that I always have to use that color combination. I could do a blue, red, pink...any color of boot that I want. Once I sew this out I will post part 2 of this process.

*I have owned both of these products for a long time, this is not a sponsored ad.

Off-Roading and Embroidery do go together!

Not only do I enjoy off-roading, but I also enjoy creating cool things to wear or use that feature the Toyota FJ and off-roading. This design was drawn by a friend, based on my DHs idea, to create stickers for our group/non-group of off-roaders. I thought it was so cool and would be perfect as an embroidery design on shirts. Up to the point of seeing this design and imagining it for embroidery uses I had never digitized anything to be turned into a sewn patch. I have a Pfaff 2144 and at that time 3D Creative Suite. The software is for the PC and allows you to take your original designs and create embroidery that can be transfered to your sewing machine to sew out on shirts, bags, jackets....whatever you can imagine...

When I first loaded the art (from a jpeg) into my PC and started creating the digitized artwork I ended up with about 35,000 stitches over a size of 100mm x 90mm. If you do machine embroidery you know that is a lot of stitches in that amount of space. So I had to start fiddling with it to reduce the number of stitches. I reduced the number of colors and some of the detail. I finally got it down to 15,000 stitches and it comes out perfectly on polo shirts. I stabilized with a stay in stabilizer on the wrong side and a water soluble stabilizer on top. I used all Robison-Anton thread. Initially I had issues with thread breakage, but found some titanium needles at the sewing shop in JoAnns and I have to say that I can sew just about anything with these needles. The FJ comes in many different colors, so when I get to the body color I just use whatever color thread needed for the FJ that I'm making.


See embroidery and off-roading do go together!