diff --git a/docs/projects/project_diary/week07.md b/docs/projects/project_diary/week07.md index b16565782398360f325f6fceedabad45ccc0cac1..cb561cc3e507495d7eaa4d9504c55cda4b0f8ab5 100644 --- a/docs/projects/project_diary/week07.md +++ b/docs/projects/project_diary/week07.md @@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ A really fun thing you can do with these circuits is use your body as a resistor This week I also tried using the embroidery machine for the first time, with a lot of help from Cecilia! ## How we set up the machine -We have a Janome 200E Memory Craft embroidery machine in TextileLab Amsterdam, and here are my not 100% wonderful instructions on how to use it: +We have a Janome 200E Memory Craft embroidery machine in TextileLab Amsterdam. As embroidery machines, and their respective software, vary quite a bit, I'd recommend that you consult your machine's user manual or online resources. But here are my basic instructions (mostly for future Jessica to remember how to do this). Check out [this tutorial](https://www.embird.net/studio/manual/4000portrait.htm) also. ### Preparing the file @@ -67,24 +67,27 @@ We have a Janome 200E Memory Craft embroidery machine in TextileLab Amsterdam, a * On one computer in the lab we have a license for Embird, an embroidery program that can export to Janome's .jef format. It looks like it was designed in the 1990s and never updated. * On opening Embird, open the 'Sfumato' plugin. This allows you to convert images to stitch patterns. * Open the image you want to embroider. -* Use magic wand tool to highlight design, create stitches +* Click and hold on the magic wand tool, and select whether you want to do straight stiches or fill in whole areas (e.g. 'sfumato' stitch) with stitching. +* Click on the parts of the image that you want to stitch - for the design we were doing, this was easy, as it was just one continuous black line. You can adjust the tolerance if it's not catching enough of the pattern, or including too much. +* Click on 'Generate Stitches'. You can repeat this process multiple times if your design has different colours. * Export to .jef ### Formatting the USB stick +The machine will only recognise USB sticks that have been formatted. -* Place usb stick in machine. format -* Save designs to EMBF folder +* Here's a [tutorial](on formatting the USB stick) +* You also need to create a folder called 'EMB' on the USB stick. +* Save designs to EMBF folder that the machine will create within the EMB folder ### Setting up the machine -* release hoop and place fabric upside down. If using stretchy fabric, use backing -* Replace in machine -* thread machine according to instructions -* conductive thread as bottom thread - place fabric upside down -* USB - embf- file +* Release the hoop and place fabric securely inside it. If using stretchy fabric, use appropriate backing. +* Click hoop back in the machine, lifting the presser foot to make space for the hoop to pass underneath the needle. +* Thread machine according to your particular machine's instructions. In my final design, I used conductive thread as the bottom thread. But I wanted the conductive thread to be on top of the final design, so I just placed the fabric in the hoop upside down. +* Press the USB button and select your design. Your design will appear on the machine's screen. * Lower presser foot, and press start. * Stop and start at any time by pressing the start button to pause. -* Reduce speed to minimum when working with conductive thread +* Reduce speed to minimum when working with conductive thread, to avoid tangles. [Turtlestitch](https://www.turtlestitch.org/) is a great resource for coding designs to embroider on an embroidery machine, but unfortunately it's not possible to export to .jef format, which is the only format the Janome machine will work with. But I highly recommend it if you have a machine that accepts the formats they do support!