Software Lessons

Assigning Stitches to an Image

Assigning stitches to an image only works with bitmap outlines.

 

What you'll learn
Assigning stitches to an image only works with bitmap outlines. If you are working with a regular bitmap, a color bitmap or color clipart, the graphic must go through a preparation process to prepare it for stitch assignment.

Image 
EasyImport comes with some bitmaps that have already gone through the preparation process. You can obtain them by clicking on the down arrow next to the Open icon, and then clicking on the 3rd entry in the drop-down menu, Bitmap Outline (.bmp). 

Import Bitmap Outlines

  1. An Open dialog box will appear. 
    Image
  2. The "Look In" box may need to be changed to EasyImport Designs. There are .bmp designs in three separate folders. You can open designs for the Large "B" hoop in the Large Hoop folder, for the Standard "A" hoop in the Standard Hoop folder or from the old *.Sew files in the Sew folder.
  3. When you double click on one of these folders, you will see "prepared" bitmap outlines.


Prepare the Design

  1. We will now bring in a design that has not been prepared.
    Image
  2. Click on the down arrow in the Open icon
  3. Click on the 2nd entry in the drop-down menu, "Import Clipart (.wmf)."
  4. An Import Clipart File dialog box will appear.
  5. Click once on Boat to see it in the preview window.
  6. Click on the Open button.
  7. Click on the Outline icon on the Standard toolbar.
    Image
  8. The cursor will turn into an hourglass while the color is removed from the graphic. The resulting picture will be an outline. The picture has been prepared.
    Image


Fill in the Outlines

      We can fill the outlines with color by choosing stitch types and thread color. The thread colors represent the Janome Embroidery thread color palette. There are two ways of choosing stitch type and thread color.


Image

  1. The first method is to use the two icons, Fill and Line, on the Standard toolbar.
  2. When either of these icons is clicked, you will get a dialog box that contains stitch types or widths and thread colors.
    Image    Image
  3. Simply click on Horizontal, Diagonal, Vertical, Cross or Satin to choose a stitch type. The type of stitch chosen will show in the stitch type window.
  4. Click on a thread color to choose the Janome Embroidery thread color for the stitch chosen. The color chosen will show in the Fill Color or Line Color window
  5. Click on OK.
  6. The second method allows you to choose thread color and stitch type separately.
    There are two icons on the Color and Stitch toolbar, which is on the bottom left of the graphic screen.
    Image
  7. When you click on the Thread Color icon, a thread color dialog box appears.
    Image
  8. Click on the thread color you choose.
  9. Click on OK.
    Image
  10. When you click on the Stitch Type icon, a stitch type dialog box appears.
    Image
  11. Click on the stitch type you choose.
  12. Click on OK.

Assign Stithces

      We are going to assign stitches to the boat!

 

  1. Choose a thread color for the left side of the sail.
  2. Choose a stitch type. Since the sail is a large block of color, you need to choose a fill pattern. You have a choice of three types of fill patterns that are suitable for this area of the design: horizontal, vertical or diagonal.
    Image
  3. Once the stitch type and thread color are chosen, click on the left side of the sail. It will turn gray.
  4. Click on the mast flag with the same color. It will also turn gray
    (Note that if you wish to remove the color from the area you chose, right click on the area.)
  5. The two selected areas now must be registered to create them into embroidery.
    Image
  6. Click on the Register icon on the Standard toolbar. Image
  7. Easy Import will create embroidery in the thread color and stitch type you've chosen for the design areas. It's that easy!
    Image
  8. Let's continue with fill stitches and different colors for the rest of the sail and the boat hull. We chose yellow for the right sail in a diagonal fill, and green for the boat in a horizontal fill. Image
  9. We are going to give the boat a brown mast in a satin stitch. Satin stitch is a good choice for the mast and the ocean waves because they are small in width. Satin stitch will create fewer stitches than the other fill patterns, so there will be less needle penetrations in the smaller areas that may cause thread breaks and fabric puckering.
  10. When we register a satin stitch, a separate dialog box will come up asking us to indicate the start and stop points for the satin stitch.
    Image
  11. There will be a dark green dot and a dark red dot in the upper left corner of the white area in the Setting Satin Stitch dialog box.
  12. Click the green dot with the mouse pointer and drag it on to the point of the embroidery design where you want to start the satin stitch. It will turn bright green ("green light").
  13. Then click the red dot with the mouse pointer and drag it to where you want the satin stitch to end. It will turn bright red ("red light").
  14. When you have set the beginning and end points, click OK.
  15. The satin stitch mast will be created on the design screen.
  16. Continue filling the two water areas in different color blues and using satin stitch.
  17. Make a note of the direction you are starting the two wave areas.
    Image
  18. For the first wave area, start the satin stitch so that it will sew left to right. For the second wave area, start the satin stitch so that it will sew right to left. You will have less hoop movement if the design is planned out this way.
  19. Now, let's outline the boat.
  20. An outline is normally done in a dark color.
    Image
  21. Choose Black (002) for the thread color.
  22. Choose Straight stitch for the stitch type.
  23. When you choose straight stitch, you have the option of changing the stitch length. A smaller stitch is usually nicer looking for an outline than a larger stitch.
  24. Click the check mark on in the box next to the straight stitch.
  25. Click on the down arrow until the stitch length is where you want it.
  26. Click OK. Image
  27. When you choose one of the line stitches, the All Lines icon will activate on the Standard toolbar.
  28. Click on the All Lines icon.
    Image
  29. The entire graphic will be covered in a fine line pattern.
  30. Click on the All Lines icon again.
    Image
  31. A message box will appear. To continue creating the outline, click the Select button.
    Image
  32. Once you click Select, the graphic side of the design window will show you in red all areas that will be outlined.
  33. Click on Register.
    Image

You're done!

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