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HOOPING YOUR FABRIC (without hooping!) USING A BASTING BOX

HOOPING WITH A BASTING BOX      DOWNLOAD THE PDF

Hooping is a tricky process for someone new to machine embroidery  A common method is, of course, to hoop the item directly into the hoop on top of the stabilizer. However, this isn’t always necessary or even the best option. Quite frankly, I rarely hoop the item in the hoop but instead use a Basting Box to surround the design. The Basting Box is the first sequence then and will anchor your item to the stabilizer. This is an easy & functional addition even if you are hooping your item, because it gives some extra stability. The Basting Box is easy to remove at the end of the embroidery since it’s just a long machine stitch. Clipping the bobbin threads every few inches makes it easy to pull the top thread all the way out effortlessly.

Many machines give you the option to add the Basting Box right on screen.

If you don’t have that option, embroidery software also gives you that option. You will need to open the design in your software and add the box, save the design to your computer or USB stick and then bring it into your machine via whatever method you use. You will need to make sure you save to your stick the design with the box. When you open the design in your machine the basting box should be the first sequence.

To center your item in your hoop you will first need to mark the vertical and horizontal centers. Doing this on the back of the item will enable you to see the markings. If you do it on the front it will be more of a challenge
Most hoops have a horizontal and vertical center marking which makes it easy to follow. If necessary, draw the cross hairs on your stabilizer in order to match the crosshairs on your item to be hooped. Using a little temporary fabric glue or a short burst of temporary adhesive will keep your item on the stabilizer while you take it to the machine.

Once you have your hoop attached to your machine, it is a simple process then to start the design and if you’ve saved the design with the Basting Box or you’ve added the Basting Box through your machine the first sequence will be the Basting Box, which will attach the item to the stabilizer. Then, just continue with the embroidery. Once finished you can remove the Basting Box.

Embroidery by EdytheAnne

Copyright     2018    https://inthehoopembroiderydesigns.com   Embroidery by EdytheAnne

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FACEBOOK GROUPS

We need to have some support of others who share our interest in sewing and particularly machine embroidery,  since our hobby usually consists of us working alone.  That was the original reason for starting our Facebook group several years ago. Social media is an excellent way to keep in contact with others while we plug along with all those designs we just can’t seem to ever get finished. Anyone relate?! ( I do want to point out that the interaction with members can be general in nature pertaining to machine embroidery, but when discussing a design it does need to be one of ours.)  While we’re on that subject I want to help reduce confusion about our name. Embroidery by EdytheAnne IS In The Hoop Embroidery Designs.com. The first is our name & the 2^nd is our website address. I know there has been confusion about this & hope this clears that up.

Our main group In The Hoop Machine Embroidery  is a private FB group that requires you to ask to join. Once approved you can post and read posts from others.  This is an ongoing group. You only need to ask to join once.

Our HoopAlong groups are of a more temporary nature. We start a new one each month and name it for the project we’re working on that month. The projects are always In The Hoop Projects & are structured to not only be able to interact with others, but to also add to your skills in the machine embroidery world. They typically start around the 2^nd week of the month and run 2 -3 weeks, depending on the complexity of the project we’re working on. A discount code is given to you once you join that allows you to purchase the project at 30-35% discount if you plan to participate. You are encouraged to post your work in progress and then your final completed project in a creative display. There are 3-4 selected as runners up. These are put on a ballot for you to anonymously vote for your favorite. The winner gets to pick out any design from our website at no charge! It is so fun to see the differences our talented group members come up with. You will get new ideas for your projects, just as I do!

You need to be a member of our main Facebook group first in order to join our HoopAlongs. These announcements are made through our main FB group, email announcements and a banner that runs on the home page of our website.

Below is the cover photo of our main FB group.

Below is an example of our HoopAlong cover photo. This changes each month with a new group & new project.

I look forward to seeing you join our groups!

Please leave feedback so we can know if this has helped!

Embroidery by EdytheAnne

Copyright     2018    https://inthehoopembroiderydesigns.com   Embroidery by EdytheAnne

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COLOR ANALYSIS DOCUMENTS

 COLOR ANALYSIS DOCS All of our designs include a Color Analysis Doc. This is in PDF format. PDF is a standard readable document used across most browsers and operating systems. Your computer should come with a copy already installed. If not, click the link to download free from Adobe website. https://get.adobe.com/reader/

After opening a color analysis doc, you will see numbered sequences. These are the steps your machine will take to create that beautiful embroidery you bought the design for. You do not have to use the colors shown on the sheet. Each color change will cause your machine to stop. This allows you to change the thread color if so desired. Sometimes you will not have to change it, but we have added the color stop just in case you want to.  In creating In The Hoop designs, it’s necessary to have the machine stop more often than if it’s just a basic design. There will be placement lines, tack down lines and, of course, the embroidery itself. Placement and tack down lines will show color changes, but it typically isn’t necessary to actually change the thread color. The change of color is just making the machine stop due to batting needing to be place or fabric needing to be placed. Sometimes it’s so that the machine will stop allowing you to trim excess fabric from around an appliqué that was just stitched down.

Below is an example of the color changes in one of our mug mats. Sequence 1 is showing the placement line for all 6 crayon appliqués. Each of the color sequences 2-7 make the machine stop in order to lay the felt on top of the placement line. In this instance the color changes are the primary crayon colors, but if you wanted to use another color instead of one of these colors you would be able to do that. You just substitute that color in your machine. Sequences 8-10 are not only making the machine stop, they are also showing you the direction the machine is going to stitch.

Please leave feedback so we can know if this has helped!

Embroidery by EdytheAnne

Copyright     2018    https://inthehoopembroiderydesigns.com   Embroidery by EdytheAnne

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FLOATING STABILILZER

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DOWNLOADING AND BACKING UP YOUR DESIGN FILES

DOWNLOADING AND  BACKING UP YOUR DESIGN FILES

When you make a purchase through our website, you receive an email with links you can click to download. Save that email and you can reuse the links anytime to re-download! Of course if you lose the email, you can always ask us to resend it to you, but it's so much easier if you just save the original email we send you. Then you always have it at your fingertips!

When you click this link the download will begin and typically you’ll see it at the bottom left of your screen with a drop down box giving you some options.  You can just left click and the zip folder will automatically extract and open in a new screen. Note that we try to make this helpful by naming the zip folder the same as the extracted folder. For instance a zip folder called “BY THE BEAUTIFUL SEA. ZIP” will have the name “BY THE BEAUTIFUL SEA”  as the extracted folder  name. We also don’t use a confusing numbering  system and instead name the folder as to what it actually is.

You can then drag and drop the entire extracted folder to a folder you have created to save your Embroidery by EdytheAnne designs in.

Tha following is the step by step instructions for keeping track of your designs.

1. Create a new folder and call it something like “Embroidery Designs”
2. Create another new folder INSIDE the first folder and call it “Embroidery by EdytheAnne Designs”
3. Drag the folder you just downloaded and extracted into this new folder created.

Periodocally back up this folder to a USB stick, CD or off premise back up server (cloud)  My preference is a paid cloud and not one of the free ones, but a lot of people use them. My preference is IDrive, which is a paid subscription service, but I feel it’s safer to use.

If you have a computer crash and need to reload your designs you can refer back to your original email which you saved if you use a web base email platform. If you use Outlook & emails reside on your computer then you have lost your emails, but most email services also have a web based version where you can locate your emails in case of a computer crash. If you have your files backed up, it’s amazingly easy to retrieve all of them either off your Flash Drive, CD’s or your backup cloud service. You will be very glad you took a little extra time to back them up and it’s one less headache to deal with in case of a computer crash.

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FINISHING OUR TURNED MUG MATS

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