Amazing Designs Blog

Stabilize It!

Posted by Tori on April 25, 2013 | No Comments

Our new Fusible Applique Stabilizer provides great support without the bulk, and since it has a sticky back, you’ll get perfect placement every time! Check out the photos below to see how it works:

Purchase Stabilize It! Fusible Applique Stabilizer here.

Light Up the Night with Spooky and Bright

Posted by Tori on August 8, 2012 | No Comments

One of our newest collections, Spooky and Bright, came just in time to get ready for Halloween season. All of the designs in this collection can be embellished with Fabric-Lites and Hot-Fix Crystals for a “spooktacular” effect.

Learn more about adding these embellishments to your designs with these project instructions!

Edit N’ Stitch 2.0 What’s New!

Posted by McKenzie on May 20, 2011 | No Comments

This easy customizing software will inspire you to turn every design into something unique and fabulous! Edit N’ Stitch 2.0 goes above and beyond  by offering the following new features:

1. Automatic Color Match: Adjust the colors in your design to any of nine included manufacturers´ thread palettes with one click!

2. Envelope editing Re-shape your design to 11 included shapes.

3. Split´N Stitch Wizard: With just a few clicks, the wizard splits large designs so that they can be sewn out in small hoops!

Click here to learn more about Edit N’ Stitch 2.0 including system requirements and formats!

Click here for the Edit N’ Stich 2.0 upgrade.

** Please note that lettering shown requires Personalize N’ Stitch.

Tips for Embroidering on Minky

Posted by McKenzie on November 15, 2010 | No Comments

Minky, or microfiber plush fabric, is quite popular. It’s great for babies, children, tweens, teens and adults. When it comes to minky, everyone loves the soft texture and the happiness it brings (how can you not smile when snuggling a minky blanket or pillow?).

Another plus for minky is the variety that it now comes in — plush, ultra plush, rasied dots, raised rows, etc. The new variety makes me want to use it more, becuase I can mix and match the different types in my project, making it fun and more creative.

The down side to minky — it can be a bit pricey. So, when I purchase it for a project, I want to be sure I don’t mess it up. Here are a few tips on achieving great embroidery on minky fabric:
• Needle — use a sharp 75/11 embroidery needle to help achieve a crisp sew out
• Design selection — you want a design with solid areas of embroidery (a redwork or running stitch design can disapear into the mat) and designs with open spaces will allow the fabric more flexibility
• Embossed embroidery — these designs look great on minky, the plush fabric really pops off the embroidery part for an amazing affect
• Stabilizer — since minky has a little bit of stretch to it, you should use a medium-weight cut-away stabilizer; this will give the fabric the stability it needs for the embroidery
• Topping — to keep the mat down while embroidering, keep the fabric from poking through the embroidering and to achieve a stitchout with less gaps, use a water-soluable topping while stitching

Happy stitching!

Embrilliance Thumbnailer Software

Posted by McKenzie on November 13, 2010 | No Comments

Have you ever lost a design on your computer? Wouldn’t it be nice to easily see your embroidery designs? Now you can!
 
This is not a complicated software program to learn. This software reads your embroidery designs and creates the pictures for your computer to display as thumbnails. Easily view these thumbnails the same exact way you view images on your computer – in your browser window. And, it works with virtually every home embroidery format

Here are more details about this great, inexpensive program:
• For PCs, view the thumbnails in folders or through Windows(R) Explorer(R), also know as “My Computer”
• For Macs, view the thumbnails though Finder(R)
• Compatible embroidery formats: ART, ART42, ART50, ART60, CND, CSD, DST, EMB, EMD, EXP, GNC, HUS, JAN, JEF, JEF+, PCM, PCS, PEC, PES, PHB, PHC, PHD, SEW, SHV, TAP, VIP, VP3, XXX
• Software requirements: Windows(R) requires XP (32 bit) or Vista / Win 7 (32 or 64 bit) and 10Mb of disk space Mac(R) requires Mac OSX v: 10.4 and up and 10Mb of disk space

Compatible with both PC and Mac computer systems!
Mac users, please note that this hybrid CD installs a separate program version written for Mac, and does NOT need Windows.

Fabric Marking Pens

Posted by McKenzie on October 23, 2010 | No Comments

With fall here, we are knee-deep in the crafting and sewing season and probably didn’t realize it. It starts with costumes, moves to ornaments and then to handmade Valentines. This year, give your ornaments and Valentines a personal touch using Fabric Marking Pens.

Nancy’s Notions carries Standard Dual Tip Fabric Markers (FDMB6) with an MSRP of $24.00. These marking pens are great; each acid-free marker has two tips. The bullet tip is ideal for adding names and dates to embroidered ornaments as well as other fine details. The brush tip works great to color in embroidery outlines like a coloring book image. These are perfect to use when you want to bring the kids into the annual ornament making!

These have been in my sewing room for quite some time and get used frequently. Check them out, there’s still time to get them to use for your ornament this year.

When Should You Replace Your Needle?

Posted by McKenzie on October 19, 2010 | No Comments

While working on an embroidery project this weekend, I, once again, became frustrated when the thread started to break frequently. Before reaching my wits end I checked my needle. Sure enough, that was the issue. My embroidery needle had become dull. With a quick change I was back in action, but it got me thinking: How often should you change your needle?

Amazing Designs recommends inserting a new needle at the start of every project, or after about eight hours of sewing. Also, be sure to change your needle whenever it becomes bent, dull or develops a burr.

Damaged or worn needles result in:
• Broken or shredded threads
• Skipped stitches
• Puckered fabrics
• Damaged fabrics
• Uneven threads
• Hearing the needle hit the machine’s needle plate or hook

Remember, replacing your needle is an inexpensive way to prevent potential stitching problems and lots of frustration.

At Sewing and Craft Club you can purchase Klasse needles at club prices – buy 2 packs, get 1 FREE!

Stay Organized in Your Sewing Space

Posted by McKenzie on September 21, 2010 | No Comments

Watch Nancy Zieman demonstrate a colorful way to keep your sewing, quilting, and crafting supplies organized with a mobile organizer. Brought to you by Nancy’s Notions.

Selecting the Perfect Thread Color

Posted by McKenzie on September 19, 2010 | No Comments

My friend and embroidery business owner, Jan Page, has this tip for selecting the right shade of thread for a project:

Even with the myriad of colors available today, it’s sometimes impossible to match your fabric with a thread. The Rule of Thumb in thread selection is to pick a shade darker than your fabric because threads sew in lighter than they look on the spool. This Rule of Thumb works every time!

Don’t Forget to Backup Your Design Files!

Posted by McKenzie on September 13, 2010 | No Comments

What fun would embroidery be without our computers? I love all the editing and cataloging capabilities software allows me. I love knowing that I can open “My Designs” folder and see all the glorious categories of designs I’ve “hoarded” over the years. And, I would be completely devistated if something happened to my computer and I lost everything!

This brings me to my point — don’t forget to backup your design files! There are several ways you can do this (they’re all easy and pain-free). You could burn your design files to a CD-RW (if you have a large collection, you may need to burn them to several CD-RW).

Another option is purchasing an external harddrive and backing up the files on it. An external harddrive works like a thumb drive, all you have to do is plug it into your USB port and drag-and-drop the files. They come in all different sizes, shapes, colors and storage capacity and are easy to find at your local electronics store, big-box store, or office supply store.  How easy is that?

Regardless of how you choose to backup you files, it is important to do so. You never know when you might spill a cup of coffee on your computer and zap everything. So, make a date of it (such as the first of the month) and backup your files reguarly!