Automatic Punching (Auto Digitizing) Brother's PE-Design 5.0 has the capability to automatically input stitches into a graphic image. 1. Open PE-Design 5.0. 2. Open Layout & Editing. 3. Choose Option: Design Page Property. This gives you the ability to change the page color and background color, as well as choose the machine hoop size. For our example choose 5 inches x 7 inches or (130mm x180mm). Click OK. 4. Image: Input: from file (C: Program Files: Brother: PE-Design VER5: Data: Flower) Click OPEN. 5. If there are handles around the image you will be able to move it and size it. If there are not handles select Image: Modify. Resize and reposition the image using the arrows. 6. Notice in the lower left corner the Status Bar shows the dimensions of the selected pattern. There is also a measuring tool function to measure specific sections of the design. Size the image to approximately 4 inches wide and 3.66 inches high. 7. To select the type of stitches you wish to input into the flower image, click on Image: Image to Stitch Wizard. The Select Image to Stitch Method dialog box will appear on the screen. 8. Select Auto Punch. This will automatically extract the image boundaries in order to create the embroidery data. Click Next. 9. An Image Analysis dialog box will now appear on the screen. 10. Make sure the Result View tab in the upper left area of the dialog box. This will display the image as it has been analyzed by the software. Keri Morales Page 1
Let's cover a few of the options in the Result View tab: 11. You can zoom in and out of areas of the image by dragging the zoom slider up or down. 12. By selecting the Show Outline box the outline extracted from the analyzed image will be shown. 13. Omit colors: You can select the areas you don't wish to embroider. An X through the color box means that color segment will not have any stitches input into it. The image can be fine tuned by using the Analysis Parameters functions: 14. Noise Reduction: Noise reduction is the reduction of extraneous and excessive data or information. Translation: It will get rid of lines and marks that may not be needed in the photo or design such as light veining in leaves, or if it is a printed fabric, it will define the design of the print in the picture more clearly. 15. Segmentation Sensitivity: Will help set the color areas to be defined. It gives segments more definition. It will bring more colors into an area. Let's used a leaf segment for an example. If the sensitivity is set for low, the leaf will be one color. If it set for high, the leaf may be broken into 3 colors. It gives the picture more color options 16. Outline Smoothness: Will help define the limits of the design area colors. For example, let s say the image is a black and white cow; it will help define how smooth the black or white spots are on the cow. If it's set for high, the area around the black spots will be smooth. If it set for low, they color area may be a bit jagged. 17. Max. Number of colors: Sets the number of colors used. 18. After the necessary settings are selected, click Retry. This refreshes the screen and re-analyzes the image. If Retry is not clicked, the new settings are not applied. 19. Thread Chart: This allows you to select from numerous thread charts, depending on the brand of thread you wish to use. You can also customize your own thread chart. Keri Morales Page 2
20. In the image on the Result View tab, areas not set to be sewn are shown filled with a crosshatch pattern. 21. After the desired settings are selected, click Finish. 22. Embroidery stitches will be created and input into the image. The appropriate thread colors and stitch settings are applied, and then the data is pasted into the Design Page. The stitch settings of the created embroidery data can later be changed in the same way as the settings for other shape objects are. 23. Click on Display: Realistic Preview. This gives you a realistic picture of what the embroidery design will look like when you stitch it out. 24. Click on the Zoom icon located on the left tool bar. Click on the + icon then click on the design to create a larger realistic preview of the design. 25. Click on Zoom and 1:1 to return to the regular view. 26. Click on Display: Realistic Preview to exit out of the function. 27. To preview the order in which the color blocks of the design will be sewn, click on Sew: Sewing Order. The sewing order of each color block will be displayed. Notice when you click on a block the area is highlighted on the design. 28. To change the sewing order, click and hold down the left mouse. When you hold the mouse down you will capture the block. Drag the block to the desired sewing position. The destination location is indicated by the red line while the block is being dragged. There are many other functions of this feature too! 29. After you have previewed the design in Realistic Preview and have made any Sewing Order changes, you can then watch a simulation of the machine stitching by utilizing the Stitch Simulator. 30. Hide the image by going to Image: Display Image: Off. 31. Click on Display: Stitch Simulator. Keri Morales Page 3
32. Click on the needle to begin the simulation. You can see the design fill in on screen. The stitch count is displayed in the upper left corner. You may pause the stitch simulator, jump ahead a color or go back a color. The speed of the simulator can be adjusted by moving the bar on the left. Lettering Adding lettering to the rose design is fast and easy. There are numerous creative lettering functions built-into the Brother PE- Design 5.0 software. One of these functions is the ability to fit text to any shape. To create a shape as a guide, follow these easy steps. 1. Click on the Circle or Arc icon in the left tool bar. The shape of the curser changes to a + sign and displays together with a small ellipse. The arc shape selector allows you to select the shape of the pattern. 2. The Sewing Attributes bar now offers arc shape, line stitch, and region stitch. The shape that will be drawn is just for text placement not for sewing, so turn off the Line Sew and Region Sew options. Click on each icon to turn off these functions. TIP: To create a perfect circle, hold down the Shift key on the keyboard as you drag your mouse. 3. To create the circle shape click and hold down the left mouse button as you move the mouse across the screen. Start from the upper left corner of the rose and drag the mouse to the lower right corner of the rose. A circle will be created. 4. To size or reposition the circle click on the Select Object icon on the left tool bar. Handles will appear around the circle. Move or resize the shape. 5. Click the large "A" icon on the Tool Box to select lettering. Notice the shape of the cursor changes. 6. A new set of options appears on the Sewing Attributes bar at the top of the screen. These tools are for customizing the text. The style of font, text size, text color and text stitch type all can be chosen at this time. 7. Let's choose style 08, 5mm, satin stitch. Keri Morales Page 4
8. Once the attributes of the lettering have been chosen you can now select the letters. Click the left mouse anywhere on the screen. The text dialog box will open. 9. Let's type in "R e d R o s e" six times in the top text box. Click OK. (You can also select the letters one by one in the letters table.) 10. The words "Red Rose" will appear above the embroidery design. 11. To edit the text click on the Select Object icon on the left tool bar, then click on the text to select it. Then click Text: Edit Text Letters on the menu bar to open the Edit Text dialog. You may then edit your text as necessary. Click OK when finished. 12. If you want to edit the text color, font style, or size, click the Select Object icon on the left tool bar. The Sewing Attributes bar for the text pattern will show the current settings and allow you to change them. Let's leave these settings as they are. 13. The letters in "Red Rose" could be space a little farther apart to encase the circle more. To do this select Text: Text Attribute Setting. Then select 2mm/.08 inches for Character Spacing. Click Apply. The letters will be space farther apart on the circle. Click Close. 14. To form the text to the circle, make sure the select objects is highlighted. Hold down the CTRL key on the keyboard while using your left mouse to click on the circle and lettering. 15. A large boxed area will surround both the letters and circle. 16. Click on Text: Fit Text to Path setting. 17. A Fit Text to Path Attribute Setting dialog box will appear. Click on OK. The text will form around the circle. 18. Click on Edit: Select all to lock the lettering and design together. 19. The rose design and lettering is now ready to be sewn. Keri Morales Page 5
Digitizing True Type Fonts 1. Open Layout & Editing in PE- Design 5.0. NOTE: When Layout and Editing is initially opened both the Line Sew Type function and the Region Sew Type functions are so called open or on. 2. Select the text icon on the left vertical tool bar. 3. Select any True Type Font from the top font drop-down menu. 4. Select the text size from the menu option beside the True Type Font menu option. True Type Font List Font Size Line Sew Type Region Sew Type 5. Decide what Line Sew Type and Region Sew Type to be used. [Thread colors can also be selected at this time.] Keri Morales Page 6
6. Click the left mouse anywhere on the screen to open the Edit Text dialog box. 7. Click the mouse on the desired letter and click Insert or type the letter in the text box area. 8. Click OK. 9. The letter or letters now appear on the screen with the stitches. 10. To change the Line Sew Type, Region Sew Type or thread color; click the Select Object icon, the first icon in the left vertical tool bar. 11. Then click on the letter on the screen to select it. Boxes will now appear around the letter. Click and drag the letter to move it into the desired position. 12. Changes can now be made to the True Type Font stitches, such as changing stitch type. Cutting and pasting a duplicate will give you two sets of lettering, one on top of the other. Set the bottom set of lettering to Black and fill stitch. Set the top lettering for Blue coloring and satin stitch. Then off set the lettering to create a showed font. Keri Morales Page 7