Having had success with getting my Bow templates into the software , I decided that I didn't want to use the Bow shape after all. I wanted to add too much text, and couldn't see how to fit it on that particular shape. I decided to use a heart shape instead.
So, I made up a heart in black fabric, scanned it, copied it, flipped it. I then set up the Cameo, very carefully, to cut 4 hearts. One of the pieces of fabric had a specific pattern on, so I had to be very careful to make sure I got the fabric in exactly the right place.
At this point, I tested using freezer paper and Filmoplast as interfacing (to keep the fabric rigid for cutting). The Cameo manual indicated that the interfacing should go down with the fabric uppermost. My wealth of experience with the machine over the last few days has shown me that that isn't right. It all works much better if you put the fabric on the cutting mat, and the interfacing on top of that.
My hearts cut out beautifully, and the one with the special design was perfect.
I used my Janome editing software to add text to the design, and off I went. I had decided to add some wadding to the heart and it seemed best to do this on the side that had the writing, the side that was uppermost n the embroidery machine. It went well enough. I put the back on, and finished the item.
I had bits of stuffing poking out of the side stitches, and my attempt to trim them off ended in disaster - I cut trough some of the edging stitches.
Undeterred, I decided to try again with the second heart. This time I used not only vinyl as the stabiliser, but I hooped in some Filmoplast on the underside and floated some Filmoplast on the top. Not only that, but I had learned enough to know to pre-score the Filmoplast before putting it anywhere near the vinyl.
The fabric placement stitch went down, securing the top level of Filmoplast. I painstakingly removed the filmoplast from the centre, and stuck down some wadding I'd prepared. It was cut into a heart shape and was smaller than the heart. I trimmed it, and then I put on the fabric. I stuck the fabric where possible, and added some Magic Tape to secure it. The tacking stitch went down, perfect! I removed the MagicTape.
Next, the candlewicking stitch. All looked good. I changed the thread and bobbin thread, and the text went on. Then I unhooped, turned it over, unpeeled the centre of the bottom Filmoplast and secured wadding, put the fabric on, put Magic Tape on. Put the hoop back on. Tacking stitch. Then the edging stitch. It all looked great, I started to clear up my work area ready to tackle the other heart again.
I got back to my machine and my happiness evaporated.
Part of the fabric had been missed by the edging stitch (you can just see the white showing above the edging stitch in the photo. It's much more evident on the real item.). All the padding had made the fabric that bit too small (or I should have put some Magic Tape on, perhaps). I stopped the machine, tried using MagicTape, and made it re-sew the edge. A little better, but still missing parts. :-(
I let it finish, including the buttonholes, as at least then I could keep it as an example. When it was finished I unhooped it and found that the other side was in a really bad way.
I definitely should have cut the fabric a couple of mm bigger, and/or put MagicTape all the way along the edge at the second tacking step (removing it before the edge stitching happened.
Or not padded it. But it's much nicer padded.
Never mind. It's all good learning, and a good opportunity to work with the Studio Design software and the Cameo cutter again.
