Software Club 402: Create THREAD VELVET Embroidery

Software Club 402: Create THREAD VELVET Embroidery By Janie Lantz, Embroidery Software Specialist Create THREAD VELVET embroidery with its unique velvety plush texture, using 5D Design Creator in the 5D Suite. Alternate between several FreeHand tools in 5D Design Creator from the 5D Suite Software to build layers of Satin Stitches, locked in place at the edges with Running Stitches. Slash the finished Satin Stitch elements, and watch them bloom into beautiful THREAD VELVET embroidery with fabulous texture! Configure your Software Save the graphic image, Posy.4qb, into the folder: C:\Documents\ 5DEmbroidery\ MyPictures. 1. Open 5D Configure. 2. Click the Utilities tab. Click Reset All Modules. 3. Click OK to the message, All modules will be closed and reset to their default settings. 4. When you see the message, Please confirm that all modules except 5D Configure are now closed, ensure no other modules are open in the background. If they are, click on the module(s) in the background, and close after saving any work that might be in progress. Click OK to the All modules will be closed message when you have verified all other modules are closed. 5. Click OK to the message, All modules are now reset to their default settings. Resetting the Modules will make all menus appear as they first installed, will reset all browse windows to their default size and folder, and will make the Control panels and toolbars reset to default. No changes will be made in custom settings such as MyThreads, MyMachines, or MyHoops. 6. Click OK to close 5D Configure. Getting Started 7. Open 5D Embroidery Extra. 8. Click 5D Design Creator in the QuickLink toolbar. Any clip art that can be imported as a background may be used for designing THREAD VELVET embroidery. The clip art you ll use today was created from a MiniPic. Page 1 of 12

Additional guide lines were added using the Drawing tools in the Create toolbar of the Draw page in 5D Design Creator. 9. In ExpressDesign Wizard Choose Design Type, select Load a Vector Picture as Objects into the Draw Window. Notice the I for Information changes to give you an overview of the selected function. 10. Click Next. 11. In ExpressDesign Wizard Choose Picture, click View Picture. Browse to C:\Documents \5DEmbroidery \mypictures. Click OK to view the thumbnails. 12. Select the image, Posy.4qb. Note: If you hold the cursor over each image, the name will appear as a pop-up. 13. The image will automatically load into the wizard. 14. Click Next. 15. In the ExpressDesign Wizard Design Size, you may either choose a hoop size or an embroidery design size. Select Enter Design Size. 16. Enter 40mm in the Size. Select Width. 17. Click Finish. 18. Select Hoop. In Hoop Group, select PFAFF creative sensation. In Hoop Size, select the 120mm x 120mm creative 120 Square Hoop, Orientation Vertical. If a pop-up appears asking if you want to change the embroidery size to match the hoop, click No. 19. Click OK to Hoop Selection. 20. Click the + sign on the Zoom toolbar at lower right until you can only see about half the graphic in the work area. 21. Select the Overview Window in the Control Panel, and drag the Zoom indicator box until you can see the entire top center petal (with the multiple lines) in the Work Area. Overview and Design Planning 22. Our embroidery will consist of multiple layers of satin stitches. In order to counteract the push and pull of fabric and thread as the design stitches, we will create the satin stitch areas from the center of the petals outward to the ends. As they stitch from the center out, they will push outward and inhibit bunching-up in the center of the design where all the petals meet. Page 2 of 12

23. The clip art is centered in the Work Area, so we do not need to insert a Jump Stitch to begin designing. 24. We will create the first petal in layers. The first layer will be designed over the smallest section of the top center petal. The second layer will be designed over the next section from the center, and two additional layers will be added. We ll insert a color change between the second and third layers to add color value and interest to the THREAD VELVET embroidery when it blooms. 25. After we complete the layers in the first petal, we will select and Copy all the sections of the first petal. We will Paste in another petal section, rotate and move it into place. We will continue to Paste petals until our flower is complete. 26. We ll save the.can file, and then create an embroidery to send to your embroidery machine! Create a Petal 27. Select Preferences. In the Creating Stitches page, uncheck Run Design Optimizer, to ensure none of the short Running Stitches are removed when saving your embroidery file. Uncheck ColorSort as well. 28. Select the Screen tab. Set Grid Size to 5mm. 29. Click OK to Preferences. 30. Select the Create tab. 31. Click Color Change. Select Show All Thread Ranges. Change the Thread Range to your favorite thread brand and type. In the QuickColors Theme select the thread color of your choice. 32. Click OK to Color Selection. Create Stitches over the Small Inner Petal Shape 33. Select Single Stitch from the Command Menu in the top toolbar. Click once at the lower point of the inner petal shape in the top petal. Right click to release the Single Stitch. 34. In the Control Panel, Continuous Column tools, click Continuous Satin. Click the Options icon at the right of Continuous Column tools. Change Density to 12. Set Compensation and Pattern to 0. Make sure both Underlay options are unchecked. 35. Click OK to Continuous Column Options. Page 3 of 12

36. The end point of the Single Stitch we just made is where the next stitch will begin, indicated by a pink X over the last stitch, once the Continuous Column tool is selected. Click beside the pink X to place a point that becomes the second half of a pair of points. (The end of the Single Stitch is the first point of the pair). 37. Move the cursor up about ½ grid square, over the left side of the outline for the center section of the top petal image. Click to place a point on the left side that becomes the first part of the next pair. Move the cursor to the opposite side of the inner section of the petal image and click to place another point. A line will appear between these points, indicating how the stitch will form between them. 38. Move up about another ½ grid square and place two more opposing points on the right and left side of the inner section line. Continue placing pairs of points, moving up about a half grid square each time, along the left and right sides of the oval shape until you are at the top. At the top, place the two points next to each other to close in the end of the stitches. Note: Once you complete four pair of points, stitches will begin to form between the first several sets of pairs, as shown in the image at right. However, the Continuous column tool will stay active, and you can continue to place additional pairs of points to define the area of satin stitch. 39. When all the pairs of points are complete, right click to release the tool. This first satin element acts as a foundation on which we ll place a heavier layer of satin stitches. Adjust the Base Satin Stitch Angle 40. We need to tilt the angle of the stitches so they will sit slightly askew in relation to the next layer. If the subsequent layers are angled a bit differently, they will stitch more smoothly in our embroidery hoop. 41. We can edit the points in the Create tab, since we work with live stitches in 5D Design Creator. To edit a point, simply place the cursor over the point, click and hold the mouse button, and then drag the point to its new location. Only round points are needed here. However, if you needed a square point to make an angled corner or straight line, you could hold down the CTRL key while you selected and moved the point. 42. Click and drag to adjust all the points as shown in the illustration at right, so the satin stitches are tipped downward slightly to either the right or left. Adjusting the angle on every other layer of stitches helps prevent the needle from snagging the previous stitches during embroidery. Page 4 of 12

Secure the Satin Stitches 43. Click the drop-down menu attached to Tie Stitch, and select Auto. 44. We need to create a running stitch around the perimeter of the satin stitches to lock them in place. Click the drop-down menu in the Line tools and ensure Running Stitch is selected. 45. Click the Options icon to the right of the Running Stitch tool. Change the Stitch Length to 1.2mm in the Line tab, as a short stitch length will be more secure. 46. Click OK to Line Preferences. 47. Click FreeHand Point Line in the Line tools. The first point will appear by itself where the satin stitch area ended. 48. Click to place additional points along the edge of the satin area, but slightly inside the satin stitches, and moving toward the pointed bottom of the inner petal shape. Continue clicking points along the curve until you reach the bottom of the inner petal shape. 49. Right click to end the FreeHand Point Line tool. 50. Click and drag nodes for the running line to fine-tune their placement and smooth the curve. 51. Click FreeHand Point Line again. Create points for a running line all the way around the edge of the satin stitches, ending back at the pointed bottom of the inner petal shape. 52. Right click to end the FreeHand Point Line tool. 53. Click the drop-down menu attached to Tie Stitch, and select Auto. Add a Dense Satin Element 54. Click Continuous Satin in the Continuous Column toolbar. Click Options to the right of Continuous Satin. Adjust Density to 2. 55. Click OK to close Continuous Column options. 56. Click the first point beside the pink X, then click pairs of points opposite each other, and right along the edges of the previous layer of satin stitches, as before. 57. Right click to release the Continuous Satin tool. 58. Click and drag to edit the pairs of points in the Satin Stitch column so the stitches go straight across the petal, rather than at an angle. Stitches that go straight across the petal will produce a more even bloom when slashed in the finished embroidery! Page 5 of 12

59. Click the drop-down menu attached to Tie Stitch, and select Auto. 60. Ensure Running Stitch is selected in the Line tools. Select FreeHand Point Line. Click points around the petal to create a Running Line to the bottom of the inner satin area. 61. Right click to release the Running Stitch Tool. 62. Click FreeHand Point Line, and click points to make a line all the way around the satin area, slightly on top of the edge of the satin stitches to secure them, and ending back at the bottom of the innermost element. 63. Right click to release the FreeHand Point Line tool. 64. Click the drop-down menu attached to Tie Stitch, and select Auto. Move to the Next Petal Layer 65. Click Single Stitch. Click a point on the bottom of the next petal shape, out from the center, within the top petal (below your last tie stitch). 66. Right click to release the Single Stitch tool. 67. Select Options in the Continuous Column tools. Change Density to 12. Click OK. 68. Click Continuous Satin. 69. Click pairs of points to create a Satin Column from the bottom of the petal shape to the top, as before, but making this second layer of Satin Column the width of the second ring from the center of the graphic. 70. Right click to release the Continuous Satin tool. 71. Click and drag to adjust the Satin stitches so their angle slants sideways, as you did in the first layer. 72. Click the drop-down menu attached to Tie Stitch, and select Auto. 73. Click FreeHand Point Line, and click points to the bottom of the Satin element. 74. Right click to release the FreeHand Point Line tool. 75. Click FreeHand Point Line, and click points all the way around the Satin element. 76. Right click to release the FreeHand Point Line tool. 77. Click the drop-down menu attached to Tie Stitch, and select Auto. 78. Click Options in the Continuous Column tools. Change Density to 2. Click OK. 79. Click Continuous Satin. 80. Create pairs of points for a satin column, as before. 81. Right click to release the Continuous Satin tool. 82. Click the drop-down menu attached to Tie Stitch, and select Auto. Page 6 of 12

83. Ensure Running Stitch is selected in the Line tools. Click points around the petal to create a Running Line to the bottom of the inner satin area. 84. Right click to release the Running Stitch Tool. 85. Click FreeHand Point Line, and click points to make a line all the way around the satin area, slightly on top of the edge of the satin stitches to secure them, and ending back at the bottom of the innermost element. 86. Right click to release the FreeHand Point Line tool. 87. Click the drop-down menu attached to Tie Stitch, and select Auto. Insert a New Color and Add an Additional Layer 88. Click Color Change. Select the thread brand and color of your choice, in a lighter or darker shade than the first color. Click OK. 89. Click Single Stitch. Click a point on the bottom of the next petal shape, out from the center, within the top petal (below your last tie stitch). 90. Right click to release the Single Stitch tool. 91. Select Options in the Continuous Column tools. Change Density to 12. Click OK. 92. Click Continuous Satin. 93. Click pairs of points to create a Satin Column from the bottom of the petal shape to the top, as before, but making this third layer of Satin Column the width of the third ring from the center of the graphic. 94. Right click to release the Continuous Satin tool. 95. Click and drag to adjust the Satin stitches so their angle slants sideways, as you did in the first layer. 96. Click the drop-down menu attached to Tie Stitch, and select Auto. 97. Click FreeHand Point Line, and click points to the bottom of the Satin element. 98. Right click to release the FreeHand Point Line tool. 99. Click FreeHand Point Line, and click points all the way around the Satin element. 100. Right click to release the FreeHand Point Line tool. 101. Click the drop-down menu attached to Tie Stitch, and select Auto. 102. Click Options in the Continuous Column tools. Change Density to 2. Click OK. 103. Click Continuous Satin. 104. Create pairs of points for a satin column, as before. 105. Right click to release the Continuous Satin tool. 106. Click the drop-down menu attached to Tie Stitch, and select Auto. Page 7 of 12

107. Ensure Running Stitch is selected in the Line tools. Click FreeHand Point Line. Click points around the petal to create a Running Line to the bottom of the inner satin area. 108. Right click to release the Running Stitch Tool. 109. Click FreeHand Point Line, and click points to make a line all the way around the satin area, slightly on top of the edge of the satin stitches to secure them, and ending back at the bottom of the innermost element. 110. Right click to release the FreeHand Point Line tool. 111. Click the drop-down menu attached to Tie Stitch, and select Auto. Add the Last Layer of Satin Stitches 112. Click Single Stitch. Click a point on the bottom of the next petal shape, out from the center, within the top petal (below your last tie stitch). 113. Right click to release the Single Stitch tool. 114. Select Options in the Continuous Column tools. Change Density to 12. Click OK. 115. Click Continuous Satin. 116. Click pairs of points to create a Satin Column from the bottom of the petal shape to the top, as before, but making this last layer of Satin Column the width of the fourth ring from the center of the graphic. 117. Right click to release the Continuous Satin tool. 118. Click and drag to adjust the Satin stitches so their angle slants sideways, as you did in the first layer. 119. Click the drop-down menu attached to Tie Stitch, and select Auto. 120. Click FreeHand Point Line, and click points to the bottom of the Satin element. 121. Right click to release the FreeHand Point Line tool. 122. Click FreeHand Point Line, and click points all the way around the Satin element. 123. Right click to release the FreeHand Point Line tool. 124. Click the drop-down menu attached to Tie Stitch, and select Auto. 125. Click Options in the Continuous Column tools. Change Density to 2. Click OK. 126. Click Continuous Satin. 127. Create pairs of points for a satin column, as before. 128. Right click to release the Continuous Satin tool. 129. Click the drop-down menu attached to Tie Stitch, and select Auto. Page 8 of 12

130. Click FreeHand Point Line, and click points to make a line all the way around the satin area, slightly on top of the edge of the satin stitches to secure them, and ending back at the bottom of the innermost element. 131. Right click to release the FreeHand Point Line tool. 132. Click the drop-down menu attached to Tie Stitch, and select Auto. You have just digitized a THREAD VELVET element! Part 2: Create Additional Elements Copy, Paste, Rotate and Move Additional Petals We could create each satin element in our THREAD VELVET flower using the steps above. However, Copy and Paste will greatly simplify our task! 1. First, save the.can file so we don t lose our work to this point! Click Save As. Browse to the folder of your choice in Save In. 2. In File Name, type ThreadVelvetFlower. Notice the Save As Type is.can, the working file for 5D Design Creator software! 3. Click Save. Now, if you accidentally close your software, you won t lose the work in progress. All you have to do to reload in the ExpressDesign wizard is choose Load Design File! 4. Select the Edit tab. 5. All the elements for this embroidery appear in the FilmStrip. We want to select all the elements! 6. Click the first frame in the FilmStrip. Scroll to the bottom of the Filmstrip. Hold down the SHIFT keyboard key, and click the last frame in the FilmStrip, so all the frames are highlighted. 7. Click Transfer FilmStrip Selection to Work Area at the bottom of the filmstrip. All the sections of the FilmStrip are selected with a single select box. Alternatively, you could select Make Block from Visible in the Select tools in the Control Panel. 8. Click Copy to place the selected stitch objects on the Clipboard as they are selected. 9. Click Paste. A set of stitch objects forming a petal will paste in at the end of the FilmStrip, and will be selected in the work area with a select box. 10. Click the + to Zoom In with the Zoom Toolbar, then adjust the view with the Overview Window. Page 9 of 12

11. Click and drag the petal until the tip of the selected petal is over the pointed tip of the next empty petal in the graphic, being careful NOT to click OUTSIDE the select box. If you accidentally click outside the select box, click Undo one or two times, just until the color changes for the second petal element disappear in the Color Select box, then Paste again. 12. Click and drag the Center of Rotation until it rests over the point of the selected element. 13. Click the Rotation handle on the right of the select box, and rotate clockwise until the petal is aligned with the second petal clockwise in the graphic image. If you need to rotate an additional time, remember to move the Center of Rotation first, as it will recenter in the select box when your release the cursor! 14. Nudge with the keyboard arrows if needed to fine tune the positioning. 15. Click Paste to place another petal. Click and drag to move it until its point over the pointed end of the next empty petal line in the flower graphic. Move the Center of Rotation and then Rotate as before. 16. Click Paste to place another petal and position additional petals until you have a total of 6. 17. Click the Create tab. 18. Click Save As, and resave the.can file. 19. Click Save Embroidery. Browse to the folder of your choice. Leave the Name as Thread Velvet Flower. Ensure File Type is.vp3 to save all the special thread information and any Notes. 20. Alternatively, you can change Save As Type to the proper format for your embroidery machine! Almost Finished! Sort the Thread Colors and Add Trim Commands 1. Click Copy in the Create tab to place the embroidery design on the Clipboard viewer. 2. Click 5D Embroidery in the QuickLink toolbar. Page 10 of 12

3. Click Paste. 4. Click the Edit tab. 5. Click Change Order of Color Blocks. Click and drag the lower right corner of the box until you can see all 12 of the color changes. 6. The colors need to be grouped first, then merged. 7. Click and drag color 3 up below color 1. 8. Click and drag color 5 up below color 3. 9. Click and drag color 7 up below color 5. 10. Click and drag color 9 up below color 7. 11. Click and drag color 11 up below color 9. 12. Click on color 1. 13. Click Merge Colors 5 times, until 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 are all merged into color 1. 14. Click on color 2. 15. Click Merge Colors 5 times to merge colors 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 into color 2. Click OK to close Color Order. 16. Click the Design tab. 17. Click Save As. Browse to the folder where you saved your other files. Change the File Name to ThreadVelvetFlowerSorted.vp3, or the file type of your choice. Click Save. Add Trim Commands 18. Click 5D Organizer in the QuickLink toolbar. 19. Browse to the folder where you saved ThreadVelvetFlowerSorted.vp3. 20. In the Preview pane, click ONCE on ThreadVelvetFlowerSorted.vp3. Do not double-click or you will open the file again in 5D Embroidery Extra! 21. Click Add Trim Commands. 22. In Add Trim Commands, browse to the folder of your choice. Click OK. If you saved back to the original folder, you will have to click OK to replacing the file. 23. Touch F5 to refresh the embroideries in 5D Organizer. 24. Click Send and you will send directly to your PFAFF embroidery machine through the USB Cable, or to a USB stick. Tips for Stitching 1. THREAD VELVET embroideries are stitch intensive. Hoop and stabilize well. Page 11 of 12

2. Try fusing the back of fragile or flimsy fabrics with INSPIRA Fusible No Show Mesh 140000937, then hoop the fashion fabric over one or two layers of INSPIRA Tear-A-Way Light stabilizer 140002938. For washable projects where the back will be exposed, try INSPIRA Aqua Magic 140000667. 3. Attach the Dynamic Spring Foot 820991096, and the straight stitch throat plate. The Dynamic Spring Foot s hopping action will rise over the built-up stitches required for THREAD VELVET embroidery to produce a quality stitch-out. 4. When the embroidery is complete, slash with a surgical-style seam ripper. 5. Steam heavily with an iron held above the slashed threads, or mist with warm water. As the THREAD VELVET embroidery dries; it will bloom into a beautiful, plush embroidery! 6. Enjoy your new custom THREAD VELVET embroidery! Page 12 of 12