When May rolls around, the requests for graduation gifts and celebratory projects can’t be far behind. Our own Lisa Shaw answered the call, providing you a “Class of 2023” design in 2 versions. The first made for 4×4″ hoops and the second for the larger 5×7″. More than just a freebie, she’s offered some solid information about design sizes and how to use the multi-position hoops built-in to Embrilliance Essentials. Though we love the larger pieces, if you want to make notebook cover, mug rug, or even a smaller gift bag, the 4×4″ version of this design is a quick-stitching and stylish embellishment for those tighter spaces. Read on for more information and to download the project files!
The backstory: Lisa’s friend wanted a “Class of 2023” design for 140 canvas gift bags. This friend has 3 embroidery machines and wanted them all stitching simultaneously. She said, “All of my machines have to work; we have no freeloaders here!” With one multi-needle machine, one 5×7 single-needle machine, and her original SE-400 machine with its 4×4 stitching area, Lisa had to get creative with setting up the design. Her friend got out a 3-position hoop for the SE-400, making it possible to stitch the same large-sized design as the other two machines, provided Lisa could get the design split. With a “Challenge Accepted”, Lisa pressed on, knowing by digitizing the design in StitchArtist with the size requirements in mind and using the tools in Embrilliance Essentials, she could make magic happen.
A simple solution would have been just to use a 4×4″ design on all the bags, but Lisa’s friend felt the look wasn’t as impressive as the larger rendition. It’s easy to see the difference in the above photo. Luckily, with a split file and multi-position hoop, the larger can be stitched on the venerable Brother SE-400 as it was for this sample photo.
Lisa digitized the “Class of 2023” design in StitchArtist with the overall 100mm x 172mm maximum design area of the multiposition hoop firmly in mind. Though it is a bit smaller than the single 5×7 hoop can stitch with its 130mm x 180mm design area, no machine could be left behind if this project was going to get done.
Lisa sent her friend the original Embrilliance-native BE file. Once she had opened the file, her friend chose the 100 x 172mm multiposition hoop in her software by going to the ‘Edit -> Preferences’ menu, and selecting the Hoops section under ‘Environment’ as shown in the above image. She then got ready to save the file to her machine’s format, paying attention to the hoop orientation so she could set up the deign in the correct direction at the machine. With the design properly laid out, all she had to do was select File > Save Stitch File As in the menu to create 2 PES files and a TXT file with stitching instructions. The stitching instructions tell you how to attach the hoop to the machine for each design file, including whether you use the top, middle or bottom set of hoop connections.
The picture above shows the split files displayed in the operating system’s folders courtesy of Embrilliance Thumbnailer as well as the instructional TXT file. Lisa’s friend loaded up the designs and got to work. She offered this tip for stitching in a multiposition hoop: “You should actually hoop the item; don’t try to float it.” For consistent stitching across all the totes, including the 10 stitched on the SE-400, secure hooping is a must. The totes had a wide opening and were flexible enough to turn inside-out, allowing access to the sides marked for embroidery. Said Lisa’s friend, “I have two multiposition hoops for my trusty, dusty SE-400, so while one is stitching, the other hoop is prepped and ready to go. I started my business with this machine and I still like to use it for one-color projects like this.”
Included in the project file below are both sizes of this versatile “Class of 2023” design, ready for your grad requests and formatted for any machine you want to put to work.
This design is provided in our native .BE format, enabling you to save a stitch file for any embroidery machine. If you aren’t already an Embrilliance owner, we provide a free method to use our software called Express Mode that will not only allow you to use any of the wonderful free designs found in our project blog, but also enables you to install and create basic text treatments with fonts distributed in our popular .BX format produced by many embroidery design creators.
To learn more about Embrilliance Express and for the instructions and links you need to download, install, and use our software with our free project files, please see our Express Mode instructional guide.