September 11, 2012 · 2:35 pm

Machine Embroidery – Registration Issues

Whale Stitching – density 4, pull compensation 0.1

I’ve been working on my digitising tutorials. I wanted to stitch something out and get an idea of what works on my machine. As you can see it is quite puckered and the black out line is quite off.

I reduced the density and increased the pull compensation in this one …

Density 5, pull compensation 0.3

 

The changes haven’t really made much difference. In my third (and final for a while) attempt I changed the angle of the fill from 90° to 80° and used the Create Outline from Fill tool.

Density 5, pull compensation 0.3, fill angle 80

 

The registration is still off (the outline is not exactly outlining the shapes). Things are improving, but I am not a fan of the densely stitched design, so I shall move on and come back to this later.

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September 6, 2012 · 3:22 pm

Digitising Practice

I’m quite keen to create my own machine embroidery designs – more because I can’t find what I want. In November last year I bought Embird Studio and although I have mastered straight line designs (like this), I haven’t  ventured into more complicated territory or taken advantage of the software’s feature.

I decided it was time to learn. I read the tutorials that came with Studio and that was quite a help, but I still felt a bit lost – it seemed that I would do something and it would work, but when I tried it again it wouldn’t work. I needed more instruction. In the end I bought Carolyn Keber’s ebook. I baulked at this at first – it is 770 pages long and quite expensive, but it is exhaustingly comprehensive and it is obvious that Ms Keber expended a lot of time putting it together.

The image above is my attempt at one of the early exercises (I haven’t finished yet). This is what it is meant to look like …

I’ve only read 60 pages, but I have already learnt quite a bit (like how to alter the direction of the fill) and I feel quite positive about the whole process.

 

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September 3, 2012 · 1:26 pm

Progress

I’m still working away on the Jane cardigan and I’ve decided I need to break things up and get on with some of the other half finished projects – like this quilt …

or this quilt (made from the girls’ baby clothes) …

I’ve also got a bit of digitising to do …

 

 

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August 24, 2012 · 4:50 pm

Jane Progress (Knitting)

I’ve been working away on the Jane cardigan – I think I’m past all of the difficult bits. It’s coming together nicely I really like the way it is designed.  I’ve been watching The Pallisers while knitting – all I can say is ‘were there no handsome actors in 1974’? I’ve read Phineas Finn so I know he is meant to be very attractive, but that doesn’t seem to be the case in this adaptation.

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August 20, 2012 · 2:36 pm

A Bit of a Splurge

Not only did I hurt my finger last week, but I came down with what felt like the plague (some kind of virus) – I couldn’t even read I felt so bad.

Anyway, I’m on the mend. A few weeks ago I decided to have a bit of a splurge and I bought this knitting needle set.

From here – there was a 20% discount when I bought them, but I am still not prepared to say how much I spent on knitting needles!

Here’s the inside

Apparently I can use this set to make 500 different combinations. As I love using addi circulars, I’m sure this will get lots of use – I just need to learn the magic loop method for knitting socks.

 

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August 13, 2012 · 1:10 pm

Knitterly Progress

Progress on the Jane Cardigan

I have finished the increases. Next up is putting the arm stitches onto waste yarn and picking up stitches for the front.

I’m a bit nervous about picking up stitches. I do it all of the time for socks, but on the front of a cardigan it will be very obvious if I stuff it up.

There won’t be any knitting happening for a while because I have hurt my right index finger – it is a lovely shade of blue at the moment. I fill in for a few netball teams and today in my rush to be on time I didn’t tape my fingers and within five minutes I had hurt myself.  I’m feeling very frustrated.

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August 9, 2012 · 1:44 pm

New Addition to the Stash

I bought more sock yarn – it is Madelinetosh sock from here. It’s beautiful and I can’t wait to start knitting.

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August 6, 2012 · 1:28 pm

Patchwork Cards

Patchwork cards pieced using an embroidery machine

My stock pile of cards was depleted. I quite like to have a few stashed away – they are time consuming and I might not have enough time when I need one. These five took about an hour. I piece them using my embroidery machine – the design files can be found here (free for individual use, but don’t sell my designs). One of them is blackwork embroidery that I adapted from a 17th century embroidery book.

 

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August 2, 2012 · 10:14 am

Raglan Shaping

I am intrigued by the raglan shaping on this cardigan – it just seems so ingenious. I’m not sure how clear it is in the image, but if you click on the image you will see a larger version. I know this is probably a common technique in top down knitting, but I think it is so clever – it is like magic.

The yarn I am using is Paton’s Zhivago. It feels lovely and the fabric it produces is great, but I’m not enjoying knitting with it. It keeps splitting and I’m having a hard time getting my needle through the whole loop.  This is a bit of a shame because I bought more of it to make something for Miss P!

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July 30, 2012 · 11:00 am

Decision Made

I decided to knit Jane for Miss A. I spent a bit of time switchety swatchety as the girls call it – my third choice of needles finally worked.

I like the way this cardigan is constructed – from the top down and seamlessly.

I’m trying to concentrate on one set of instructions at a time

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