Becky J Designs

Becky J Designs

Old Fashioned cross stitch the easy way Volume 1, Issue 7

April 2007

Back from Time off and Surgery Houston Quilt Show was my last show of last year and had some much needed rest for December and January. I was fortunate enough to get my husband to take some time off in February and we took a cruise and spent several weeks with my kids and grandkids. I was unable to stay in Florida the entire time I planned to due to severe back pain. After returning home and an MRI I found that I had a cyst in my lower back so ended up have somewhat emergency neurosurgery in March. I was really disappointed to have to cancel teaching at the American Embroidery Conference in Marietta, GA. I am very grateful to Holly Pike for teaching my classes for me. She is a very dear friend and did a great job! I feel like I have really had my wings clipped as I am in a back brace and will be for about three months but I continue to improve. I am trying to get back to work and make good use of the time. Hopefully when I go back to the doctor he will allow me to drive.

What's new with Hobbyware and Pattern Maker: There is a new maintenance release available, version 4.06. It adds quite a bit of new features.

Pattern Maker Software - Version 4.06 New Features

• Added new hoop types for JEF and PES. (ME Add-on)

• Added support for stitch-out of petite stitches (ME Add-on)

CCrossing Threads with Becky J Becky J Designs

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Becky J Designs

• Changed to allow stitch limits for Tajima file type.  (ME Add-on)

• Changed anchor stitch method. (ME Add-on)

• Fixed problem where backstitches sometimes did not connect exactly along hoop boundary. (ME Add-on)

• Added layout option for deleting the current layout. (Layout)

• Fixed problem where layout table would duplicate the notes field when a usage column was used. (Layout)

Still waiting for the new sampler packs. Hopefully we will have them soon. I did get good news from Scott Horton, the programmer: Pattern Maker does work with the new Vista operating system.

My "Pattern Maker Toolbox" 2 CD-ROM set continues to be a popular tool for people using the Pattern Maker software. This tool addresses all of the new features in the software, incorporated into my classes but not included in the tutorial CDs.

Questions and Answers 1. Did you know that you can create your own designs and print a thread change list with color blocks and alternative thread type, like embroidery thread, using the Layout feature in the View menu? I use this all the time for my own designs. The Color list gives you a block of color, DMC type thread, alternative thread family and the color description. This can all be customized to your specifications.

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Becky J Designs

2. Did you know you can create your own designs from clip art very easily by importing your graphic and first let Pattern Maker create the design to create your palette? Import the graphic in again and this time let it create an underlay or template at the size you would like the design to be. Using the Palette menu, save the palette of the first pattern and name it. Click on the underlay or template and open the palette. Delete the first pattern and simply color over your template using the palette you saved. You can add colors or change colors are you need to. Normally I will add black to the palette and, under back stitch symbols change the color of thread to an alternative color which is easier to see, like red or green. Change the view of the pattern to symbols with color behind the symbol and color in

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Becky J Designs

all of the outlines first. With the alternative color it will be much easier to see. Once all of your outlines are completed use the flood fill tool and fill each section with color. This goes very quickly. You can also create a new window or another view of your pattern so you can see the entire design as a whole while you are working on it.

This shows you the imported pattern to create the palette, the underlay or template and the finished design. You can see I added black to the palette and then changed some of the colors for better blending. This is just a matter of coloring with stitches and you see the results immediately.

3. Did you know that you can create instant red work designs by simply removing the fill colors in a design?

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Teaching Schedule and Events I am planning on attending the Indiana Embroidery Conference in in Columbus, Indiana for the 10th anniversary celebration July 30-August 3 2007.  I will have a computer and information to answer any questions you might have on Pattern Maker software, as well as samples.

More events will be added as scheduled

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