In a previous post, I wrote about the embroidered snowballs I made for some family and friends. I don’t know about you, but my time is limited to sew, so I’m always looking for ways to save time and speed up the results. All the thread changes while doing embroidery projects can be very time consuming, but I have some tips to share with you.
I brought the purchased snowball file into the embroidery machine; my Janome MC550E using a Flash Drive and the USB port built-in to the machine. All newer Janome embroidery and embroidery combo machines have a built-in USB port for this reason, though many machines also come with a cable to directly connect the machine to your computer, if you prefer to use that instead.
You can save time and stabilizer by combing designs to stitch out in one hooping. In Edit mode, I selected the Hoop icon to change the hoop size from the smaller SQ14b 5.5″x5.5″ hoop to the larger SQ20b 7.9″x7.9″ hoop in order to place more designs in the hoop. All compatible embroidery hoops selections are built-in to the machine, even the optional hoops, like the Hat Hoop and AcuFil Quilting Hoop, which are available from your Janome Dealer.
There are many time-saving editing functions built-in to all Janome embroidery machines, so you have lots of creativity at your fingertips. I could have used the Duplicate/Copy function on my Janome MC 550E to copy the design however many times I needed, but, to save even more time, Janome has the Corner Layout Key, which is the four hearts icon, pictured below.
At first, it looks like it didn’t work, but when you duplicate a design it places the design on top of each other in the centre of the hoop. However, with the Cornering layout function, if you move your design up the top right corner, then press the Cornering icon, the machine will copy and symmetrically place a design in each corner! You can then go in to select each design to continue editing as you wish.
You can mirror image them; flipping vertically or horizontally so that they are facing different directions. You can also rotate the designs on a angle, and you can select the individual degrees of the angle. All these editing functions give you more designs to play with!
To further save more time, the Colour Grouping function lets you combine the colours of duplicated designs so one colour stitches out in each design before moving ono the next colour.
It is easy to do with this design as there are only four colours used. So, instead of 16 colour changes, which resulted from duplicated the design, there are now only four from colour grouping, which is a real time saver. Your instruction manual has all the details!
There are so many beautiful threads available to us to use nowadays. I like using Madeira as there’s so many different types of threads and colours available. For embroidery, we typically use Polyester thread, like Madeira Polyneon, but also try using Madeira Cotona thread, which is 100% Cotton for a more matte look.
Though we typically use cotton for sewing and quilting, you can get some fun, interesting effects using these threads for embroidery. Madeira Cotona thread comes in an assortment of colours, but also in fun multi-colours. Check with your Janome Dealer as Janome Canada is a distributor of Madeira threads. Our friends at Sew4Home wrote a previous post about Madeira threads, which you can read HERE.
I used Madeira Cotona thread for my snowballs. Aren’t they cute?!
If you would like to have some fun in the snow without going outside, contact your local Janome Dealer who can supply the embroidery machine, Madeira thread and Madeira stabilizer; go to Embroidery Garden who can supply the snowball design, then you supply the added fun with your creativity!
Happy Sewing!
Janome Life 