Monday, September 28, 2009

***UPDATE - I tried to post this last night but Blogger was not cooperating. I'm trying again this morning. ****

I finally sit down to update my Izoralee Blog... and Blogger is having major issues. Won't save or publish, and generates random error codes. Everyone is having the same error but all are getting unique codes. Sounds fucked up to me. I've c&p'd my post below so I can copy over when Blogger finally is fixed. Arrggghhh.

Getting Over My Fears
Rather getting over being intimidated by the embroidery machine! I've figured out how to sew regular stitches, fill the bobbin, thread the machine, how to use the pre-programed fancy stitches, and how to set it up for embroidery.

Yesterday I stitched a one color decorative design, then managed a FIVE! color pattern. I think I may invest in one of those thread stands that sit behind your machine and hold several spools of thread at once.

Yesterday I also downloaded a bunch of free designs thus leading to my next set of challenges. The first being how to use the ATA PC card! Took me a bit but I figure out how to pull up the stored files.

It wasn't until this morning when I went to unzip the new freebie files that I realized they were in the wrong file format. A quick Google search and I have a freeware program that will convert the different machine formats. Woot!

My sweetie Doug is coming over this afternoon to watch 'Westworld' (can't believe he hasn't seen this fabulous early 70's Michael Crichton staring Yul Brynner, Richard Benjamin, and James Brolin! it's the cheesiest!) so I'm putting my aside my shiny new toy to tidy up house and myself.

After his visit I'll probably play with the machine some more. I think I want to try embroidering on a piece of chiffon, with the appropriate stabilizer. Creating 'appliques' may be the best way to get designs onto the hats. But I won't know until I've tried both ways.

Off to be domestic :)

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Getting over my fears

Rather getting over being intimidated by the embroidery machine! I've figured out how to sew regular stitches, fill the bobbin, thread the machine, how to use the pre-programed fancy stitches, and how to set it up for embroidery.

Yesterday I stitched a one color decorative design, then managed a FIVE! color pattern. I think I may invest in one of those thread stands that sit behind your machine and hold several spools of thread at once.

Yesterday I also downloaded a bunch of free designs thus leading to my next set of challenges. The first being how to use the ATA PC card! Took me a bit but I figure out how to pull up the stored files.

It wasn't until this morning when I went to unzip the new freebie files that I realized they were in the wrong file format. A quick Google search and I have a freeware program that will convert the different machine formats. Woot!

My sweetie Doug is coming over this afternoon to watch 'Westworld' (can't believe he hasn't seen this fabulous early 70's Michael Crichton staring Yul Brynner, Richard Benjamin, and James Brolin! it's the cheesiest!) so I'm putting my aside my shiny new toy to tidy up house and myself.

After his visit I'll probably play with the machine some more. I think I want to try embroidering on a piece of chiffon, with the appropriate stabilizer. Creating 'appliques' may be the best way to get designs onto the hats. But I won't know until I've tried both ways.

Off to be domestic :)

Getting over my fears

Rather getting over being intimidated by the embroidery machine! I've figured out how to sew regular stitches, fill the bobbin, thread the machine, how to use the pre-programed fancy stitches, and how to set it up for embroidery.

Yesterday I stitched a one color decorative design, then managed a FIVE! color pattern. I think I may invest in one of those thread stands that sit behind your machine and hold several spools of thread at once.

Yesterday I also downloaded a bunch of free designs thus leading to my next set of challenges. The first being how to use the ATA PC card! Took me a bit but I figure out how to pull up the stored files.

It wasn't until this morning when I went to unzip the new freebie files that I realized they were in the wrong file format. A quick Google search and I have a freeware program that will convert the different machine formats. Woot!

My sweetie Doug is coming over this afternoon to watch 'Westworld' (can't believe he hasn't seen this fabulous early 70's Michael Crichton staring Yul Brynner, Richard Benjamin, and James Brolin! it's the cheesiest!) so I'm putting my aside my shiny new toy to tidy up house and myself.

After his visit I'll probably play with the machine some more. I think I want to try embroidering on a piece of chiffon, with the appropriate stabilizer. Creating 'appliques' may be the best way to get designs onto the hats. But I won't know until I've tried both ways.

Off to be domestic :)