Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Club Scrap June Technique Challenge

I am taking a break and doing some paper crafting instead of stitching.  Club Scrap's technique challenge this month is to use texture paste on the project.  
Since I did not have any texture paste, I 'googled' and found a homemade version on You Tube.  I played around with the Club Scrap stencils and decided to use this one from 2010.

This is one half of the stencil and some of my stash from my CS Valentine collection.

And this it the other half of the stencil.  The stamp is from the Blossom collection. I used ink to highlight the texture paste and it really does make a difference.


I hope my designs give you some inspiration as well.



Thursday, May 25, 2017

Vinyl Inspiration with the Patchwerkz collection

For my Silhouette class a few weeks ago, we worked with vinyl and the Vinyl Registrations marks in the Craft N Cut software.  I LOVE this feature as it makes it so easy to align the layers of the design for accurate placement.  Since I seldom cook today - my husband has taken over - SO this cutting board is perfect for me!


There are a few important steps to remember before you cut it out.
*Group the entire design together
*Mirror the design from left to right
*Add the Vinyl Registrations marks

Then SAVE 2 CUT and you will have all of the SVG files you will need for your Silhouette machine, (or whatever digital cutter you will need) including the saved WAF file.


I then open up the Silhouette software (4.0 update has been installed) and I dragged all of the files to my mat and select Cut around the edges and Vinyl for the material.  I cut as many as I can that will fit on the mat.

I then weed the designs and lay them out working from the last layer.  I adhere the vinyl to the BACK of the cutting board and it is for this reason that I mirror the image in the software.


I followed Hope's video on Layering Vinyl but I also like to burnish the design from the back.  I used the Silhouette Transfer Tape and I was pleased in how it held the design together and then released when I was ready to remove it.

I followed basically the same steps with the Hot Mama mug, except I did not MIRROR the image.  As you can see this extra mug is going to be used to store the heat tools so I don't have to worry about burning myself!

If you are having trouble printing and end up with one extra sheet, reduce the bottom margin and you will print only one sheet.


The cutting board is actually going to be used with the Heat Craft tool when i burn out my designs.  Pretty clever, huh?  Lastly I finished stitching both sizes of my Hot Momma Hoop Pads.  I can't wait to give these a try!




I hope you have been inspired as well and use your design collections to the fullest!









Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Threads and Vinyl - A Perfect Match!

Recently I was playing with the Patchwerkz Sewing Edition design collection by Hope Yoder.  I was really stumped with some creative ways to use this collection so I asked for help on Hope Yoder's facebook page.  I received several suggestions which helped jump start my creativity.






Sewing badges today are the rage but I was struggling with how I could use them.  My first instinct, of course was to add them to a project, but I wanted something a bit different.  I love these types of collections because they have both the embroidery files AND the SVG files.  A perfect match for me.

To embroider the patches, I first hooped two layers of Floriani No Show Mesh.  I followed the machine prompts and stitched them out.  I was able to fit 3 of them in my medium hoop. Yes, one is missing-you still can count! :)


I ironed Press and Bond by Floriani to the back of the badges and then  
used my Heat Craft tool  to remove them from the mesh.  I used a glass tile so as to not burn any surfaces.  *Hint* do this step quickly so you don't burn the threads....


I dug into my stash of canvas bags and found the perfect match for my idea.  I wanted a 'recycle' shopping bag for my favorite sewing store that I could leave in my car.

arranged the badges on my canvas bag and then ironed them onto the pocket from the back side. I used a press cloth to eliminate any risk of melting my bag. A teflon sheet works just as well.  Floriani Press and Bond is perfect for adding embroidery designs to bags and many other projects that are difficult to hoop.  Here is a link to additional Press and Bond information, you may find useful. Don't forget this product is perfect for Girl and Boy Scout badges, patches from events and more.

My bag lacked some pizzazz so I decided to embroider the name onto the bag. I scanned the bag into the Premier + software using the Background Wizard.  I played with the lettering until I was happy with the results.  This was so much easier with the scanned image in the background along with the visual of the Pfaff 180 x 130 Metal hoop to help me visualize how the stitching would look.


Embroidering bags is definitely a challenge with a single needle machine!  But with the correct stabilizer (Perfect Stick) and the metal hoop, it was not impossible!

*Warning* - 'babysit' your machine to make sure she does not go crazy!  You know what I mean.....



TaDa!  Here is my finished bag.  My machine sewed out the design like a trooper.  For all of my lettering projects, I always use the same thread in the needle as well as the bobbin. This eliminates some of the tension issues that may come up.


I have a few more ideas, but that is another day and post.  I hope you ave have been inspired to and give some of my ideas a try. 







Monday, May 15, 2017

Transferring Your SVG Designs to A Silhouette Cameo cutter

Since I own a Silhouette Cameo 2, I will use this machine in my blog posts.  If you have a Brother Scan n Cut machine or any other machine, you will have to interpret my information for your personal machine.

In order to read SVG files in the Silhouette software, you must have the Designer Edition software.  I understand there are other programs, but I am not aware of which ones they are.  If you do not have the Designer Edition software but the basic software that came with your machine, you need to save the files as a dxf file in the Craft n Cut software.

The first step that I follow is to open up both the Designer Edition software and the file folder where I saved my SVG designs.  I place them side by side and drag the files onto my mat in the Silhouette software.



Once they are on the mat, you must make sure that they are a Cut file that the machine can read.  In order to do that,  Select All and right click> Make Compound File or I select the Cut in the selection pane on the right.


I then saved the file in the Studio 3 format after selecting the vinyl options.  In my next post, I will demonstrate how I cut the vinyl and adhere it to back of the glass cutting board.



Stay tuned....








Creating a Split Image file using a Clip Art design.

Welcome to my first Craft 'n Cut Skill Builder.

"How to Create a Split Image”

A skill builder is a quick lesson to learn how to use the newest Floriani software called Craft and Cut. If you have been following my blog, you may have noticed that I have not been blogging recently and my life has been rather hectic.  I recently taught this class and I wanted to add this blog post to help the ladies and you to practice this quick and easy technique.

Here is the cutting board design that they used for their project.  You can find the free file here Free spoon and fork file




Here is the finished cutting board, a gift for my daughter-in-law for Mother's Day.


>Open the CNS software and start a NEW page.
>Open the Autowizard and >Select Image. Open the folder where you saved the Spoon and Fork clip art.png >Next


>Next -(we will change the size later)
>Next - 2 colors >Next
>Use the Default Tolerance - No background fill > Next
>Select Transform  The size is W=6.52  H=5.09 Save as Spoon and fork design.waf

>Draw a circle (or square) 7" in size. Hold the Ctrl+Circle/Square to draw an even shape.  You will see the design is too large for the round glass cutting board.

> Select the spoon and fork design and resize the design in the Transform window. Be sure to check the Maintain Aspect Ratio and size to H=4.5"

>Draw  a rectangle W=6.75" H=.25". Duplicate it and set it off to one side.  Notice the red circle around the Copy and Paste icon.


Center the rectangle over the spoon and fork.  Select both of these designs and then select >Trim  This action splits the design.


>Ctrl key and the up and down arrows on your computer keyboard to separate the design.  Holding the Ctrl key keeps the design vertically straight.


 >Drag the other rectangle and place it at the top of the bottom section. Remove the fill by unchecking the Fill box.




>Select the top part of the design and the rectangle using the Ctrl key.  Make sure the shapes overlap.  Select>Weld  Repeat for the bottom section.


Fill the design back in by checking the Fill box


Delete the circle shape and save as Final Spoon and Fork.waf




>Text >I added a name to the center of the design using the Dill Pickle font at .75". The font I used in the original design was Deanna.


Then Select All and Mirror the design.  The vinyl goes on the back of the cutting board so the cutting board is useable.



>Select the Vinyl registrations mark icon and decided where you want them  I like them at the top so I can accurately line them up from the top.


>Select Save2Cut and identify it with the name you selected i.e. Moms Kitchen. The software converts the design to a two part svg design because the file contains two colors.

Here is my print out for the design. I print these off and use the as a reference.


Why not give this lesson a try?  In my next post, I will show you how I transfer my svg files to my Silhoutte Cameo software.  HTH!













Sunday, February 19, 2017

On to the next holiday!

I may have mentioned that as a classroom teacher, my room decor seemed to revolve around the holidays.  Even though I was a high school teacher, the students enjoyed the decorations as much as an elementary student.  I do have a few projects that I am currently working on but I thought I would give you a sneak peek at my next lesson for you.


My grandson is a "wee bit Irish" so you can probably guess where this project is going.

Here are the highlights of this lesson:
>Clover Artwork from Hope Yoder Library
>Copy and Paste using the new feature from this weeks new update 3224
>Resizing and Editing the Artwork
>Remove Overlapped Artwork

I plan on adding a monogram but we'll see...


Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Happy Valentine' Day

Free today from Miss Kate Cuttables here




CNC New Update!!

Happy Valentine's Day.  Today Floriani software launches all of their free latest updates and I was excited to see that the Craft N Cut was also included.  What a fabulous company to be able to update all of my software without any cost to me. 

Open your software and go to the Help drop down on the Tool Bar.  Look for >Check for Updates.

This will bring you to the update page within the RNK site.  Follow the prompts to update your software.


Since I just updated my software this morning, I am still learning about the new features myself.  So the first step is to find the videos located in the opening screen. I was slightly confused because some of the videos said Build 3217 but the actual Build is 3224.  Perhaps it is just me, or not.



They are 6 of them and they are listed at the top and start with CNC.  If you can't find them here is the link to the software videos by Hope Yoder.

It looks like a busy day for me trying to catch up on all of my updates.


Monday, February 13, 2017

L-O-V-E pillow is finished, finally!

My goal yesterday was to finish my LOVE pillow.   This project was the January project for the Floriani FTC-U software.  I combined both the FTC-U software and the Craft N Cut software plus a bit of my own flair.



The 'how-to-create' the heart in the upper right was posted earlier and you can check it out here.


The "L" and "E" are vinyl cuts- EZPZ and the V is the file included with the lesson.  A added a few Hot Fix crystals to the "V" to bling it up.  The button in the center doesn't show up very well but it is design to give the pillow a tufted look.

Yesh!  Finished and on the sofa before Valentine's Day!