National Craft Month

Craftsy is going to make a donation to some lucky Craftsy class owner.  You will be entered if you purchase a class through an instructor link during the next two weeks.  Ok, so what is Craftsy and why in the heck would I be interested??? Right??? Craftsy is an online learning platform that has an amazing amount of classes to choose from.  The wonderful part is that you own the class for life.  You can watch it in the comfort of your own home (in your jammies if you want).  If you don't like it, Craftsy refunds your money.  No risk whatsoever!  I am proud to have a class on their platform, it is wonderful to meet people from all over the world who take the class and to see their amazing projects.  However, it is also a learning platform for me as well.  I am testing out classes this week, focusing on the classes I think will be most helpful in learning about embroidery.  Today's class recommendation is Stabilizer Savvy.  This is a class that can benefit most everyone.  Successful stabilization is the foundation of good embroidery.  Terri is a wonderful instructor and is full of information.  I think you will really enjoy the class and find it very helpful.  #affiliate



http://www.craftsy.com/ext/CynthiaHogan_4253_CP

Spliting a design for a multi-position hoop

Carol asked a question about splitting a design for the multi-position hoop in PE-DESIGN NEXT.  The multi-position hoop has a hoop in PE-DESIGN NEXT.  It is the 130-300mm hoop.  The multi-position hoops are listed with an asterisk next to them in the hoop pull down menu.

The design elements must fit into one of the dashed line areas.  The software doesn't automatically split for this hoop unless it is a text element.  If the design is too large for one of these areas, you will get an error message.  This hoop is really a way of combining multiple design elements into one space so that you can use the multi-position hoop.  The three images below illustrate this.  In the first image, there is only one design element, but it is larger than a 5x7 hoop segment and is in fixed stitch format.  The design can't be broken up automatically, therefore the error message that is seen in hoop 2 will appear.  The only thing this hoop splits automatically is text created with the text tool or individual design elements that fit into each of the hoop segments.

 

This image shows the motorcycle in one hoop and the lettering all the way across.  It will split the lettering automatically.  There is a workaround that you can try.   This is to use the split stitches tool found on the Stitches attributes tab.

This image shows the motorcycle is in one hoop, but the lettering goes all the way across the multi-position hoop.  The  software will split the lettering automatically, but it can't split the motorcycle automatically.  There is a workaround you can.  Click on the motorcycle, click on the Stitches Attributes tab at the top of the window and choose the Split Stitches tool.

With the Split Stitches tool, draw around part of the motorcycle.  Make sure the part you surround fits into one hoop.  Double click and the design will split into 2 parts.

I have moved the right side away so you can see the split.  The  software does feather the edges, but it doesn't add any extra stitches to keep it from having a gap when it is embroidered.

 



This design would split automatically because there are 3 separate design elements that make up the design.

The custom hoop option may be worth a shot, but you would have to make sure you keep the finished size of the design to 120 x 300.  Otherwise, you will have to hoop a second time as that is the section size of the 5x7 hoop in the Custom hoop area.  I haven't tried the custom hoop feature with a multi-position hoop.  I no longer have a machine that needs that hoop, so I don't have it.
For more information on the Custom hoop feature, look at pages 824-827 of my PE-DESIGN NEXT workbook.
Enjoy!
Cindy
©Cynthia Hogan 2016  all rights reserved.  Images in the screenshots are of designs in the PE-DESIGN program

The Knowing in Seiwng December 2015

Hi Everyone,
I just sent out this month's newsletter.  If you don't receive it, please let me know and I will forward it on to you. 
Enjoy!
Cindy

Gift any class winner

Congratulations Pat!  patcoleth1005067,
You are the winner of my Craftsy gift any class giveaway.  Check your email for your free class link.  Thank you to all who entered!
Cindy

Class pick of the day!

There are a few days left to enter in to win my Craftsy class giveaway. Purchase a gift any class using my link by December 12 and you will be entered to win a free class. This is a great way to share your love of learning and the best part is the recipient gets to learn in their jammies!

http://bit.ly/GiftAnyClassCindyHogan


‪If you are looking for a class for yourself for last minute gift ideas, I have been watching more classes this week and I think you will... like this pic. Sue O'Very has a great Craftsy class called In the hoop gifts. Perfect for those last minute projects! Purchase during the Craftsy 12 days of Craftsy sale.

 http://bit.ly/12DaysofChristmasCindy 

For the 12 Day's of Craftsy, here is my next challenge. The perfect cookie for the holidays. I have never really tried icing cookies, I have stuck to the tried and true traditional chocolate chip. My husband's favorite. What are your favorite cookies or traditions for the holidays?

Gift any Craftsy class by using my link through December 14 and you be entered to receive a free class of your choice.   This is a perfect gift, the receiver gets to pick their class and you do too!  The winner will be picked from the entries and be notified on Dec. 14, 2015.
http://bit.ly/GiftAnyClassCindyHogan

‪

Also, Craftsy classes are all up to 50% off.
http://bit.ly/12DaysofChristmasCindy

12 Days of Christmas

Ok, so I totally missed out on days one and two...... So this morning I was working on a sample and ran into an issue. I didn't want to take the PR 1000 into the shop, but for the life of me I could not get the tension correct on the machine. Here is a little something to keep in your back pocket. When the bobbin case has been used quite a bit, it may have lint in it. Take a piece of floss or a straight pin and clean it out. Worked like a charm and now I am a happy camper.

 Craftsy has a 12 Days of Christmas promotion going ...this week and I thought I would share a class that I think you will find very handy. Lindee Goodall's 20 Things Every Embroiderer Should Know is a great way to learn about stabilizer, hooping and tons of other information. Here is a 12 Days of Christmas Link for discounted classes ‪#‎affiliate‬.
http://bit.ly/12DaysofChristmasCindym

Purchase a gift card for your loved one today and be entered to win another class of your choice! A randomly drawn winner will be notified on Dec 14th. Use my #affiliate link below.
http://bit.ly/GiftAnyClassCindyHogan


Have fun!
Cindy

Happy Thanksgiving

What are you thankful for this year?  For me it is the time I get to spend with my family.  This year I was blessed with having my dad, brother and sister in law, my Aunt, nieces and 2nd cousin, travel to visit with me in my home in TN.  This is the first time in quite a while that we have hosted this event.  Usually we are traveling to one of their homes.   It is always wonderful to share the family recipes with my nieces and bond as we cook a wonderful Thanksgiving meal.  I learned from my mom and dad and have tried to pass on the recipes to my nieces.  My mom and dad made killer stuffing (southern style).  Since my mom passed away, my dad and I try to keep up the tradition.  My mom always had to take a taste of the stuffing before she put in in the turkey.  She'd put it in her mouth and make a funny tasting sound.  My dad and I continue that in her honor to this day!
The turkey was beautiful and tasty as was everything else.

Maybe there is something you want to learn before the next holiday.  Craftsy's Black Friday Sale is the perfect time to find that perfect class!   Follow my affiliate link below!

Cindy



Craftsy Black Friday Sale

Learn in your Jammies

LAST CHANCE! Enroll in online Craftsy classes for Up to 50% off and learn from expert instructors who don’t mind if you pass notes!   Sale ends at midnight tonight.
‪#‎affiliate‬ link below
http://www.craftsy.com/ext/CynthiaHogan_holiday

Craftsy Labor Day Sale

 

 Ready for learning that feels like recess?

• Watch your classes in your pajamas- it's totally acceptable (and encouraged!)
• Go ahead, cut class! With lifetime access to your lessons, you watch when it's right for you 

Shop Up to 50% off ALL online Craftsy classes for your best back to school ever! Finally, learning in your pajamas that's actually encouraged.
 

Click on the my link below for 1/2 off ALL Craftsy classes.  This is one of the biggest Craftsy sales of the year. #affiliate

 

http://www.craftsy.com/ext/CynthiaHogan_holiday

 

 

 

The Knowing in Sewing Newsletter

Hi Everyone,
I just sent out the newsletter.  I meant to send it the last day of August, but I thought that was Tuesday.  LOL.  Got my dates mixed up somehow.  Anyway, if you are signed up for the newsletter, it should be in your inbox.  That's it for now...have to get back to writing.  Have a wonderful Labor Day!

Craftsy Sale this weekend

Kickstart your creative adventure with these Craftsy perks! A 100% money-back guarantee. If you don't love it, leave it! Anytime, anywhere access, so you watch when it's right for you. Personalized instruction for those "special" creative blocks. Shop 400+ fresh online Craftsy classes, $19.99 and below with my affiliate link, this weekend only.

Happy 4th of July

I hope the weather is much better where you are than where I am right now.  We are having a lot of rain.  Bummer for the 4th of July, right?  I received a notification from Craftsy today that there is a sale going on this weekend with classes starting at 19.99. 

I have been working on samples lately with a tight deadline, so I have been very quiet on all social media.  I have kind of disconnected with the net so no shiny things could distract me.  While working on the samples, I found another use for Sullivan's Spray Stabilizer ( I am not affiliated with them in any way so this is an unbiased opinion).  I was working with burlap,  I don't know if you have ever had the pleasure of working with this fabric, but it is a bear.  The Sullivan's tame's the bear!  Before I put it on, it was moving all over the place and couldn't cut a straight line to save my life.  After the Sullivan's was sprayed on and ironed in, I gained control of the fabric.  It was great!  So besides using it for the Scan N Cut, I like using it with difficult to control fabric. 

Have a great 4th!
Cindy

Last Day of Craftsy's Make Magic Sale

I remember when I started embroidering....what challenges there were. We didn't have the internet to learn from, no YouTube videos or anything. The only stabilizer and thread that we could get for the Home market was Sulky thread and at $4 a spool (and a small spool at that) we would use every last morsel of the thread It was totally overwhelming. My how things have changed....We now have stabilizers and embroidery needles for almost every fabric and yes they do make a difference. A variety of thread with more than 300M on them and a world of knowledge at our fingertips on the computer.

I was browsing Craftsy today to see what classes I would want to take if i were new to embroidery. I came across one that I think would be perfect for everyone because it is so crucial for getting good results.

20 Things Every Machine Embroiderer Should Know - by Lindee Goodall

I really think this is a must for an embroiderer. It is amazing how much of a difference the appropriate stabilizer and thread combinations in your embroidery make in your finished projects.

With Craftsy's Make Magic Sale, Start something your loved ones will remember forever. It's easier than you think to get the results you deserve. Give it a try and help to support our crafting habit:

Craftsy Make MAGIC sale

Good Morning everyone,
Have you been waiting on a sale to take a special class?  From Cooking to Knitting to Photography, Craftsy has classes for all skill levels.  I love the fact that I can watch the classes in my on home without getting out of my PJ's.  This weekend, they have all their classes on sale.  If you have been waiting to get a class, now is the time.

Newsletter - The Knowing in Sewing May 2015

Hi Everyone,
I have sent out a newsletter today.  Check your inboxes and spam filters if you didn't receive it.  If you need me to send it to you, email me at cindyhogan@cynthiasembroidery.com.

There are a few spaces left for my Kick Start Seminar in Modesto, CA next week.  This is my only California PE-DESIGN seminar that I have on my schedule for this year.  It is actually the first time I have gone to California to teach PE-DESIGN.  So, if you are in CA and want to learn more about your software, sign up for this 2 day Kick Start ASAP.  It is June 9 & 10 Modesto Vacuum & Sewing Center, Modesto, CA (209) 577-2411.

Have a great rest of the week!
Cindy

Knowing in Sewing.

I forgot to post that the newsletter went out on April 2.  If you didn't receive it, contact me @ cindyhogan@cynthiasembroidery.com.  It has information about the new SNC feature for the 550 model using pes files.
Cindy

How to add an outline to lettering and Craftsy Webby Award Voting

The voting is now open! 
Craftsy has been nominated for the Webby Awards.  I had the pleasure of working with this wonderful organization for a year now.  They are so dedicated to making instruction available to crafters all over the world.  Please click on the link below to vote for Craftsy.  The Webby Awards are like the Oscars for the Internet, and nominees are chosen by a 1000+ member judging panel from the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Unlike the Oscars, the Webby Awards have a People's Voice Category that lets the public vote on who should win.  Please show your support for Craftsy!
http://pv.webbyawards.com/2015/online-film-video/video-channels-and-networks/how-to-diy-channel

On another note.....There was a comment posted quite a while back that I didn't receive notification of until I looked tonight as I was about to post.  The Anonymous posted didn't give an email address for a response, so here you go.  The question was how do I get an outline around fonts.  The process is pretty easy.  Click on the Text tool.  Select your font from the pull down menu.  On the Top of the page you will see a text attributes tab (this is where you selected your font).  You should see Satin stitch with a zigzag looking icon next to it and above that a blank space and a grayed out wavy line (when you hover over it you should see Line Sew).  If you click on the wavy line, this turns on the outline.  Click on the design page to activate the text tool, type in your text and then press Enter on the keyboard.  Your text should automatically be selected by the Select tool (it will have black squares around it).  You can select a different font from the pull down menu or change the outline style from the Line Sew Pull down menu.

For the person who wanted the Little Black Dress files from the It's Sew Easy Show, those are on my website on the free designs page.

Enjoy and please vote!
Cindy

Satisfy your Savings Sweet tooth

When the weather outside is frightful, Craftsy is so delightful.  And as long as you can't be on the go....Let the classes flow, let them flow, let them flow!

The weather this morning in Jackson, TN.  Freezing Rain and Sleet.  I plan on staying in and shopping for Classes.  You know we southerners don't like the cold or snow!

Now that I have given you a good chuckle this morning....

Up to 50% off ALL classes!
Act fast to satisfy your savings sweet tooth!
Don't wait, offer expires tonight at 11:59 PM MT.

 

Craftsy Flash Sale

"What do you want to create in 2015? Get better at what you love to do and save up to 50% off popular online Craftsy classes for this weekend only. (35+ new classes included!)"