Recent embroidery photos!
Dec. 18th, 2013 01:44 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
amethyst73Here's some of the stuff I've embroidered recently.
I'm planning on embroidering a sweatshirt for a friend for Christmas, so I figured I'd better practice first. This was the first bit of embroidery I've done that's for ME!
For my mom-in-law - don't peek, Jean!
A pattern off the machine. There are several colors I would have done differently if I'd had a good idea how it would come out: the green of the grass would be switched with the green of the distant shrubbery, and the way-too-pale "linen" of the ducks' bills and tail would have been something stronger.
After a bit of hand embroidery, the bills and tail look much better!
I haven't been as happy with the patterns that came with the machine as I have with the patterns I've bought off the web. Part of the problem is likely that the booklet that came with the machine only has REALLY TINY pictures of the big patterns, so it's really hard to see what they look like in any detail. Also, this particular set of patterns got printed out a shade or three too dark. Further, there's just color swatches next to each picture, without a written description of what each color is _for_.
What I would love, is to have embroidery software that can (1) read the .pcf files that are on the machine (and which are made whenever I put a combination of stuff together, like the Cthulhu text) and (2) has thread color choices that at least are pretty close to the colorset I've got. I've now had two patterns (the ducks and the palm tree thing) where I've been distinctly disappointed by the thread colors I've used, and I'd really like to have a way to simulate results without having to spending an hour or so using materials to stitch out a pattern.
I'm planning on embroidering a sweatshirt for a friend for Christmas, so I figured I'd better practice first. This was the first bit of embroidery I've done that's for ME!
For my mom-in-law - don't peek, Jean!
A pattern off the machine. There are several colors I would have done differently if I'd had a good idea how it would come out: the green of the grass would be switched with the green of the distant shrubbery, and the way-too-pale "linen" of the ducks' bills and tail would have been something stronger.
After a bit of hand embroidery, the bills and tail look much better!
I haven't been as happy with the patterns that came with the machine as I have with the patterns I've bought off the web. Part of the problem is likely that the booklet that came with the machine only has REALLY TINY pictures of the big patterns, so it's really hard to see what they look like in any detail. Also, this particular set of patterns got printed out a shade or three too dark. Further, there's just color swatches next to each picture, without a written description of what each color is _for_.
What I would love, is to have embroidery software that can (1) read the .pcf files that are on the machine (and which are made whenever I put a combination of stuff together, like the Cthulhu text) and (2) has thread color choices that at least are pretty close to the colorset I've got. I've now had two patterns (the ducks and the palm tree thing) where I've been distinctly disappointed by the thread colors I've used, and I'd really like to have a way to simulate results without having to spending an hour or so using materials to stitch out a pattern.
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no subject
Date: 2013-12-18 08:01 am (UTC)http://www.embird.net/index.htm
It's not restricted to any particular brand. I know there are preview modes in it where you can pick thread colors, and an animated preview where you can watch how a design will stitch out. (This might specifically be in the Studio version, which is meant for full digitizing. But I think the color preview at least is in the Basic version.)
Another big embroidery software suite is available from the Floriani brand. (This suite used to be called Click2Stitch until Floriani bought them out.) It's also non-proprietary, but it's WAY more expensive.
no subject
Date: 2013-12-18 03:56 pm (UTC)It looks like Embird can open .phc and convert it to .pes (and presumably work with the .phc file in the first place, so maybe I'll look into it!
The local shop sells the Floriani software (and all the other Seriously Expensive programs), and yeah, I'm not ready to drop another $1K+ on software yet!
Date: 2013-12-18 12:31 pm (UTC)Also, the Cthulhu tote was a huge hit at Anonycon! Everyone commented on how awesome it was. Thank you again!
Re:
Date: 2013-12-18 03:56 pm (UTC)(Everyone likes the kitty, including me!)