You guessed right! We could not do an apple-a-day-with-Janome without also creating a brand new APPLE decorative stitch in STITCH COMPOSER. The following Janome & Elna machine models come with the ability to make as many new 9mm stitches as you wish: JANOME MC 12000, JANOME MC15000 & EL860.

one green apple & one red apple ……or stitch a whole row if you like as I did here.

The software required to create additional 9mm stitches for these machine models is called STITCH COMPOSER. It is surprisingly easy to operate and there is TONS of information included in the software package to help you learn how to make your own stitches. Not only is it pretty easy once you have familiarized yourself with the icons & process, it is one whole lot of fun!!!

I REALLY ENJOYED MAKING THIS LITTLE APPLE especially for our apple-a-day-with-Janome month. Here’s how I went about doing it:

I googled “images of apples” and chose a relatively simple one to use as my backdrop for clicking around the shape to make a new stitch. I saved the image where I know where to find it on my computer (I have a file in My documents called, not surprisingly, Stitch Composer with a sub folder called images)
I then opened the Stitch Composer software in HORIZON LINK SUITE and brought the apple image in under the VIEW Tab> backdrop image. I like to click all the little boxes next to this: lock, show & transparent. This way the apple image is there but won’t accidentally move and is also like a silhouette which is all I need for making the stitch. (Horizon Link Suite is for MC15000, Horizon Link is for Mc12000 – find Sticth Composer under the TOOLS tab; and Stitch Composer for EL860 – install applicable CD which came with the machines)
Wrap you head around the graph on the computer screen so that you know where the start point is in relation to left, center & right needle position.
Utilize the whole screen so that your stitch is the full 9mm wide. Adjust the size of the image to fill this space if necessary.
Also important to figure out the actual size your stitches will be by realizing that each large grid block is 1mm. If you think that a normal sewing stitch is approx. 2-2.5 mm, you need to factor this in when dropping the stitch points. If you have them too close, you may never unpick the stitches and it may just be way too dense & get knotted up. I try as much as I can to click stitch points allowing 2 full grid blocks between each stitch point. This is NOT always possible when you are trying to get a smooth curve, for example, around the apple. Many times I do end up having the stitch points closer. But bear this mind.
Avoid very fiddly & intricate designs as they will more than likely not turn out well. A SIMPLE design or image is the key for success.
Remember that each apple (or whatever stitch design you are composing) needs to be connected to the next one. This is NOT a design for an embroidery hoop where it can jump from one to the next! No, you need to connect them so that the feed dogs can move the fabric along to the next apple or whatever. In this case, I connected the apples along the far right needle position. In another recently created stitch, I made Christmas tree ornaments & I had them “hanging” from a line along the far left needle position. Looks pretty good ……I will share that one nearer Christmas!
Once you are happy with your apple, click FINISH, save the stitch & bring into the applicable Janome or Elna sewing machine. You MUST import the stitches into the CREATED STITCHES folder in the SEWING MODE of the machine. Do not try to open the USB stick ….it does not work that way……….ask me how I know?!

This may be printed out when you have completed your stitch composing and are ready to transfer the stitch to the machine and sew it out

HAVE FUN……I KNOW I DID & STILL DO…….IN FACT I’M HAVING SO MUCH FUN I JUST CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY MORE OF OUR JANOME STITCH COMPOSER OWNERS ARE NOT USING THIS GREAT SOFTWARE INCLUDED WITH THEIR MACHINES?!?

I asked all the owners of Mc12000 & MC15000 at our VIP Master class events earlier this year if they had used Stitch Composer. I was quite shocked that only 2 ladies had made any stitches. WOW……so much fun being missed. I hope this post encourages some of you Stitch Composer owners to getting composing. Please bring your new 9mm stitches to our next VIP Master class events…..I WANT TO SEE!!