Renata and JoJo, that bat looks professionally digitized!
I tried digitizing many years ago, with a very crude program, it was hard! So I know what an accomplishment your design is.
Well done!!

Kathy

loise98 wrote:
Nah, Lois! I was too convoluted in my explanation excited as I was for finally being able to complete my design. Sorry about that! But I am so glad you think the bat is very cool! Thanks!!!

BJ, thanks for the comment! Yes, one problem fixed, now I have to decide whether to add more to the block now or leave it for FMQ...

Renata, I got lost somewhere in the explanation probably because I don't have the equipment to do that kind of design work. Never-the - less, the bat is very cool. Keep up the good work!

Renata, So glad you got it solved. It's beautiful. I had not seen this thread earlier.

Nancy, thank you for your help in doing this without digitizing. I'm hanging on to your guidance for when I don't digitize and go the other way in doing an applique' block.

Renata - Your final bat is SO amazing! Congratulations!! And thanks for sharing the journey. I don't have an embroidery machine, but find it very interesting to hear about how things are done. JoJo is simply wonderful!!

Nancy

Thank you, Terry and Norma. JoJo is absolutely amazing and I am so grateful!

You did a fantastic job. Isn't it awesome that other quilters just jump in to help? Hooray for Jo Jo who was able to get you back on track

Wow, Renata! That bat is too darn awesome! JoJo is a treasure! Thanks for sharing your journey with all of us.

As you all may recall, I started this posting because I had made a design of a Chinese good luck bat to replace the block for month 6 of my Sedona Star 2012 BOM but did not know how to get it from tracing paper to the actual fabric block.

Nancy and JoJo jumped in to help me and JoJo, in her posting, mentioned the word "digitizing" not knowing that I had already gone into my Bernina V6 software to try and digitize the design failing miserably at it and that is why I was back to asking how to get the design onto fabric… So, I mentioned that fact and JoJo instantly encouraged me to contact her which I did immediately. In a few phone conversations she set me straight on what some of my digitizing tools could do for me and how I could integrate multiple tools in one design as well as filling me in on my misperceptions regarding principles of digitizing. With that in hand, I went back to the drawing board and produced my first Chinese good luck bat digitized design and sent my homework to JoJo for evaluation, after which, I stitched it out and decided where I wanted to make more changes. With renewed confidence, I set out to fine-tune my design and I am now sharing it as promised!

I used OESD fusible tearaway stabilizer on the back. On the stabilizer I traced the outline of the paper-pieced portion of the block for ease of piecing later; however, since there was little-to-no pull from the fabric, I can just as easily piece the entire block before embroidery, as Nancy suggested.

I used two different threads with this design. The first was Isacord for all the satin stitch work. I am wondering whether it is too thick for satin stitch… if anyone has ideas on thread weights for this portion of the work, please let me know. The second thread was King Tut Metallic thread #25 for the flowers embroidered (yes, that is not the fabric design!) as a fill design in the lower portion of the wings. JoJo gave me the idea of adding metallic to give the design a little sparkle, and it does!!!

Since I had never taken a class on digitization, the limit of my experience in preparation for this project was reading the appropriate portions of the Bernina V6 software manual, working through the digitization exercises Bernina offers , watching a few YouTube videos (Carol Undy YouTube videos did an outstanding job in helping me understand the individual tools), lots of trial and error and then almost giving up because I could not integrate the process into a more complex design than what the training is designed to do… but, then along came JoJo and in a few phone conversation I was back on track and am very happy with where I'm at.

So, a huge public thank you to JoJo for your help in getting me over a major stumbling block--without your help, I might have put my digitization attempt on the back burner again. Now, there is probably little stopping me…

What I have learned is that digitizing a design is not easy but does not have to be overwhelming: it takes a step-by-step approach in analyzing the design before actually doing the digitization process; it is very helpful to document EVERYTHING you do as you do it or you'll forget what you did and in what order and will make it a lot easier to reproduce or modify the design later if you want to use it again; and be willing to stitch out your design and refine it on the computer a few times before you go final, especially if it is a complex design with many overlapping (known as partial) applique parts so that you can modify the stitching to make it as beautiful and perfect as you want. In the end, there is nothing more rewarding than seeing your own creation stitched out in embroidery! Do I sound happy???

{!-- ia0 -->Bat 2 1.JPG{!-- ia0 -->

ladyquilter wrote:
I used the Glide and it has become my favorite thread for quilting with solid colors. Strangely, one of the judges comments was that for a traditional wholecloth the thread color must match the fabric color, even though I used white Glide on white muslin. But I think it was a confusion because my backing fabric had red lines on it. Whenever I get back around to making another one of these, I'm planning on trying #100 silk thread to see how I like that. I quilted mine on a domestic.

Nancy

Yes, I had a wonderful time creating the design. It was great fun playing with all of Karen's templates. And I did the same thing and made it the Max size! It was a challenge basting the top because of all of the puffy trapunto. What type of thread did you use?

PosyP wrote:
Toys, toys, more toys... I want one too!!!

Hi JoJo - I'm certain that yours will be quilted infinitely better than mine! Like you, I started large because I can't help myself. The class materials list had specified a piece of cloth no larger than 60"x60", so I of course made mine exactly that. Don't you just love Karen? Wasn't it fun doing the design? I can't wait to see how yours turns out!! I know it's going to be incredible!!

Nancy