Effects..Stitching and Graphics

Photostitch..still popular for certain applications..Even Audrey would be proud.

There are numerous stitch effects in programs, from split satins, to advanced patterns. Like everything in embroidery, you do need to proceed with caution. Things that promise to happen in a click, seldom do in the real world. If you're thinking economics, then it will suit you to be practical. Sometimes, it can be great to attempt these things in-house. Your software may also have fantastic capabilities, but even F1 cars need really good drivers. You have to put in the experimental and practice time if you take classes, or all the tutorials on the planet will just be gathering dust.

 

There are various graphics effects possible today and differ from program to program.

 

Vectors, while becoming very popular are not always the simplest graphics to acquire, and even when you do get these, there is little chance of creating fluent embroidery, unless that was perhaps put together by an embroidery designer. Most people get carried away by the seeming 'ease' of creation of what they may see at a show, but when it comes to profitable productivity you do need to consider various factors. Some expensive options may lie idle, and in some cases may never be used at all.

 

Different combinations of effects can give you some stunning print options. These are just a few effects from Corel Photopaint. There are other programs that do more or less..Graphics like these can be used in combination with vectors, and depending on the sizes and resolutions can even be successfully vectorized themselves.

 

Knowing how to apply some effects can also improve your embroidery backdrop imaging at times..so, remember that digitizing is not just about paths and stitching. Just like many features go into a software package, the same will apply to your digitizing abilities..so take the time to broaden your outlook on such issues.

 

I very rarely comment on aspects that many have solidified in their minds to be true, and will not deviate from that because it is what they were taught. If I had to count the number of times I was told 'But I was taught...', I'd have a few collections to sell:)..

To be honest, most of the things I ever did regarding embroidery and its outcomes conflict with the norms. 

 

Soon as people say ' But I was taught...' I tend to just leave things at that. Sometimes it's best not to get into topics that bring down the house and conflict with all the tried and trusted knowledge, so I usually just do stuff and say less about the how, and why...

 

I did have many people ask how I 'see' things in embroidery..Perhaps someday I'll get an easy question:) I was just looking at the 9 images, and that may be a way to explain it. If I look at an image, I might see all of the 9 variations as embroidery all at once. Internally, I see all the layers, the possible fabrics and general outcomes all at once. I'm not good at math, and I may not be able to tell you what 15x 172 is, but my internal system can calculate a myriad of embroidery outcomes in a few seconds. Anyways..there is no possible way to explain all the variables, but I like to tell people to always keep an open mind on every aspect of their embroidery life, because every design has to be done on a case by case analysis, and what may apply in one , may be totally different in another.

 

So, these are among the reasons that you may see some technical differences in my work, whichever software I work on. If you limit yourself to only what some may tell you is possible or 'the way', you might miss the opportunity to learn new things. I do know a fair degree, enough to be fairly competent..and the reason I enjoy embroidery and graphics is because it does have an exciting learning curve that never really ends.