Description

2024 Schedule

Class #1: February 6th 9:30 AM Pacific Time: We will start with the Stitch. Then show how that Stitch is used in each of our basic groups of stitches. Next, we will take a Design apart looking at the role the Running Stitch plays and its construction.   HOMEWORK: Valuable Lessons in the Length of the Stitch, the Density of the stitches, the forming of the Satin or Column Stitch, the role of the Underlay, as well as tie-offs and pathing, puckering and push-pull, and a Design containing problems that can be corrected using techniques that you have learned in this Class!.

Class #2: February 20th, 9:30 AM Pacific Time: We will take the same Design apart looking at the role the Satin or Column Stitch plays and its construction.   HOMEWORK: Valuable Lessons in the Length of the Stitch, the Density of the stitches, the forming of the Satin or Column Stitch, the role of the Underlay, as well as tie-offs and pathing, puckering and push-pull, and a Design containing problems that can be corrected using techniques that you have learned in this Class!.

Class #3: March 5th 9:30 AM Pacific Time: Taking the same Design, we will examine the role that the Fill or Tatami stitch plays in the design as well as its construction.  HOMEWORK: Valuable lessons on the length of the stitch in the Fill, the density of the Fill, and the texture and pattern formed by the needle penetrations, as well as pathing and underlays, and push-pull, and a Design containing problems that can be corrected using techniques that you have learned in this Class!

Class #4: March 19th 9:30 AM Pacific Time: Underlay, not just manual, and not just part of the object. Learn which Underlay to use with each stitch type, and where and when to use it, as well as why!  Learn how to hide your underlays…and create knockdown bases when doing terrycloth.   HOMEWORK: Valuable lessons in density, length of stitches, pull compensation, column width, and… learn how to create a custom underlay to customize your Fonts…and we will have a Design containing problems that can be corrected using techniques that you have learned in this Class!

Class #5: April 2nd 9:30 AM Pacific Time: Design Analysis and Set Up. Taking the same Design, we will analyze it, looking at where to start, and what stitches to use, where to place your Underlay and where to eliminate it.  HOMEWORK: Valuable lessons on Design Analysis, Where to begin and how to end!… and a Design containing problems that can be corrected using techniques that you have learned in this Class!

Class #6 April 16 th 9:30 AM Pacific Time: Today we will look at lettering, first setting up stock lettering, then custom lettering.  HOMEWORK: Valuable Lessons on Density, Length of Stitch, Underlay, pathing, trims, and tie-offs, as well as forming Tatami Lettering…and you will have a Design containing problems that can be corrected using techniques that you have learned in this Class!

Class #7 April 30th, 9:30 AM Pacific Time: We will examine Small Lettering and unlock the Secret to clean crisp letters that do not get lost. Learn new techniques for those letters smaller than .22 inches!  HOMEWORK: Learn valuable lessons on density, length of stitch, underlays, pathing through your letters both running stitch letters AND Satin Stitch letters, tie-offs and trims, and we will have a Design containing problems that can be corrected using techniques that you have learned in this Class!

Class #8th May 14th 9:30 AM Pacific Time: Color selection, the difference it can make. Turn a Ho Hum Design to one that Pops with the simple use of color! Develop volume and shape using simple rules from Art 101  HOMEWORK: Valuable lessons on choosing your Colors, what pops, what blends and softens, what will appear fresh and what won’t, and a Design containing problems that can be corrected using techniques that you have learned in this Class!

Class #9 May 28th, 9:30 AM Pacific Time: Pathing, a major part of any Design that makes the difference in how the Design looks, as well as your time on the machine. Learn to travel through your design using Color. and/or your stitch types.  HOMEWORK: Valuable lessons on connecting each part of your design to the next, how to avoid extra trims and how to map out your Design, and… you will have a Design containing problems that can be corrected using techniques that you have learned in this Class!

Class #10 June 11th, 9:30 AM Pacific Time: Blending your colors.  Learn effective ways to create new shades and tints of colors in your designs! Minimize the colors you use by blending as you travel through your design!  HOMEWORK: Valuable lessons on mixing those Colors in your designs, see how simple artistic principles will allow you to give that design the perfect shades of color that you need, and you will have a Design containing problems that can be corrected using these blending techniques that you have learned in this Class!

Class #11 June 25 th 9:30 AM Pacific Time: Shading: Using your Blends of color to Shade your Design and give it realism and depth.  HOMEWORK: Valuable lessons on placing your colors throughout your Design, using densities to enhance the colors or to soften them. Then try these techniques on a Design that contains problems that can be corrected using techniques that you have learned in this Class!

Class #12: July 9 th 9:30 AM Pacific Time: Repeating Patterns…Motifs. Learn to evaluate your design, What do you see that is a duplicate? Learn how to save it, make it a motif, or an object that may easily be repeated at different sizes..Learn how to see that your connection between each motif or object is part of the design. Then do a running stitch and turn that running stitch into anything from a Border to Bricks to Waterfalls!  HOMEWORK: Valuable lessons in density, length of stitches, push-pull, and pathing and texture! … and you will have a Design containing problems that can be enhanced using techniques that you have learned in this Class!

Class # 13 July 23rd 9:30 AM Pacific Time: Creating a Design from a stitch out. We’ve all had it happen. The only art for you to use is a stitch-out of the design…AND the reason the customer has come to you is that the stitch out is not good! We will take the art, clean it up, and make it better!  HOMEWORK: Valuable lessons in cleaning up your art, where to start, densities, stitch length, underlay, color, and push-pull, and you will have a stitch file of a faulty Design containing problems that can be corrected using techniques that you have learned in this Class!

Class #14 August 13th, 9:30 AM Pacific Time: Working with non-native Designs. We will address the fixes needed for each of the stitch types, the Fill, the Column Stitch, and the Running stitch. Look at the angle of the fill, was it changed when the formats were changed?, Look at the Satin Stitch, should it be a Fill? Then the Running stitch. Was it changed to Manual? AND…were your Fills changed to Manual Stitches. We will change those manual stitches back to running stitches for control and scaling.  HOMEWORK: You will have a Non-Native design to work the new “Magic” you have learned! See what your limits are, and what may still need to be trashed to allow for complete control.

Class #15 August 27th, 9:30 AM Pacific Time: Appliques! Not just a substitute for stitches! Learn to use the applique to add beauty to your Design! Learn to use this technique to add function and Effect. Learn to use “Trapunto” as a tool for texture. (appliqueing an embroidered “Trapunto” piece to the background adding running stitches to define the design)  HOMEWORK: Valuable lessons in using automatic applique programs, different ways to finish off your applique using borders, made from Motifs!, using fills to shade, and using a running stitch leaving the fabric “Raw”., use of auto-applique for Athletic Designs, and creating movement before stitching down the material.

Class #16 September 10th, 9:30 AM Pacific Time: Borders and finishing stitches, Tie off your design with style, create design blocks using textured backgrounds, and mix your mediums by bringing your prints into your design.  HOMEWORK: Valuable Lessons in Creating Borders, background textures, and using the tools that you have to add printing to embroidery! A chance to create a border or background to enhance your design. Make it a print, or a light-density pattern, or use your running stitch!

Class #17 September 24th, 9:30 AM Pacific Time: Copyrights!  That’s the Law! Learn what this body of law can do for you, and how to use it to your benefit. Learn why we have it, and embrace it…Don’t fear it!  HOMEWORK: Fill out your own Copyright form in both  TX and VA

Class #18 October 8th 9:30 AM Pacific Time: Pricing your Work.  Learn who your market is. Learn to work within your marketplace. Add Perks that bring them back. What is there locally, what does the national/international market offer? How to set up your product so that you do not lose it,,. AND, Make sure you are making money!HOMEWORK: Analyze your market, and look at how you can expand it without doing extra work. What opportunities do you have locally, and nationally?

Class #19 October 22nd, 9:30 AM Pacific Time: Back to the Business Designs: What can you do with an existing Logo to make it more Beautiful? How to get through to your customer. Give him what he needs, not what he wants!  HOMEWORK: Look at colors and techniques that will enhance the design in front of you. Look at perceived value versus costs!

Class #20 November 5th 9:30 AM Pacific Time: Review of some of our Techniques. How to sell it to a customer who has no imagination! How to make a picture worth 1000 works. Take that LOGO and make it POP, you know how. Show that customer more than he or she ever expected!  You have the tools, tools that will make this customer yours forever. Use them!  HOMEWORK: Take that hum drum logo. Set it up as tone-on-tone using the garment that works! Look at colors and techniques that will enhance the design in front of you. Look at perceived value versus costs!

Classes #21 and #22 November 19th and December 3rd, each at 9:30 AM Pacific Time: Our Christmas Cleanup. We all have that Design that we run year after year for a valued customer. One that you say you will edit before using it again. That editing gets put off and you battle through too much density and multiple thread breaks, making the design take way too long to run.  We will take 2 designs that are sent in, one could be yours, and we will clean that up and get it ready for the Rush!  HOMEWORK: Take Your Design and do our step-by-step Clean-up, and Enjoy your Holiday.  Be ready to submit your Design, if it is chosen for demonstration, you will have Your work done for you. If not, you will see how to do it.

HOMEWORK: Take the time to finally try the techniques that you have learned on your own design! See how much time you will save, and enjoy your Holidays with your family and friends!