So starting with what can we do with the Morphing Effect tool?

When using the Morphing Effect, there is a recommendation to increase stitch spacing by about 20%. The default stitch spacing is usually 0.40mm, so an increase of 20% gives you a new stitch spacing of 0.48mm.

There are 8 different morphing effects, which can be used individually, or more than one can be applied to an object. For all, select the object or objects that you wish to morph. And then click on the desired effect in the Morphing Effect panel.

The real subject of this post is all about the new Morphing Effect tool. But you have to start out with something to morph, so in preparation for morphing, let’s check out the new Art Canvas and create a star.

Picture View is no more! It has been replaced by the Art Canvas. Art Canvas is no longer “just” a place to import a picture. It is a fully functioned vector editing tool – using CorelDraw Essentials 4.

Creating a star is easy! Click on the Star tool. Click and drag to create a star. Holding down the Ctrl key while clicking and dragging will create a symmetrical star. Holding down the Shift key while clicking and dragging will create a star that expands from the center. Holding down both Ctrl + Shift while clicking and dragging will create a symmetrical star that expands from the center.

Select the star and you can change the number of points. You can also change the sharpness of the points – to make them short and fat or long and slim.

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Having created some shapes, you can now select one or all of them and “Convert to Embroidery” at the touch of a button! A simple outlined shape will create the same shape as an embroidery object, with a single running stitch outline.

A shape with a thicker outline and a fill will create an embroidery object with a thicker outline and a fill!

And now we are ready for Morphing Effect!

New in version 6 of the Bernina Embroidery Software: to zoom out (to make more of your embroidery fit on the screen), press F10!

Quick and easy!

Artistic View Toggle

Bernina Embroidery Software v5 has a tab for Design View and a tab for Artistic view. Most of the editing takes place in Design View. But if you want to see what the embroidery is “really” going to look like, you have to switch over to Artistic View.

Bernina Embroidery Software v6 has an Embroidery Canvas. No more switching between tabs. Simply press “T” to toggle from one view to the other. You can edit in either view!

Quick and easy.

Carving Stamps

Go into any arts and craft store and chances are there will be a section devoted to stamps. What if you could create your own stamps and use them in your embroidery? Bernina Embroidery Software version 6 has given us a way to do just that!

Start out with a filled object. Satin fill works for smaller obects, but you will run into problems if your stitch length gets too long. Step fill has dozens of variations and can give you all sorts of different effects. The example on the left is the default step pattern #1 with default stitch spacing and length.

Select a stamp. Click to set the anchor point. Click again to set the guide point. And there is your stamp!

Top left is the basic stamp using basic stamp letters, giving an outline to which ever shape is stamped. Top right the stamp has been softened.

Bottom left is a raised stamp – the inside has been changed to a satin stitch. Watch the size of the stamp – if it get’s too big the satin stitch will be too long. Bottom right is a raised and softened stamp.

Don’t like the stamp that you have created? Select the object and Clear All Stamps so that you can start again!

Just about any digitized object can become a stamp. Version 6 comes with lots of embroidery samples, many of which make great stamps. On the right is part of one of the floral samples, basic stamps on the top row, raised stamps on the bottom row.

What if you want to change the size of the stamp? Easy to do! Click to set the anchor point. Then hold down the Shift key and drag to the required size before clicking again to set the guide point.

If you have a specific idea for a stamp in mind but can’t find the right object to stamp with, create your own! Version 6 gives you everything you need to digitize your own stamps, using all the functionality of the open curve tool.

The following simple digitized stamp was created and then used to create the following design.

Each quadrant was stamped 3 times, using the Shift key to re-size and rotate the stamp as necessary.

The 4 quadrants were then selected and raised stamp was checked.

Got questions about how to use this tool? Drop me a line in a comment and I will be happy to provide an answer to the best of my ability!

The last two days I have been at the Fiesta Resort Conference Center in Tempe, AZ, participating in a 2 day training for Bernina dealers, learning all about the new Bernina Embroidery Software version 6. About 50 people from the Southwest – Arizona, California and New Mexico were all represented – came together to find out what’s new and improved and take it back to their home stores.

There is so much that is new, it’s really difficult to know where to begin! Since so many people love to personalize their projects with a name, how about some fun with fonts?

Version 6 contains 11 new digitized fonts. But that’s not the most exciting thing. It’s what you can do with them that I love!

First of all, when you are choosing a font to use, you can see a preview of what the font looks like right there in the drop down list.  No need to refer to the online manual anymore.

What about being able to change the color of individual letters, while maintaining the integrity of the word? Easy to do with the new lettering tool: Using the Select Object tool, click on the lettering object to select it. Now click on the Lettering / Fill Values tool. A cursor will appear at the end of the lettering object. Use the cursor to select which ever letter or letters you desire and choose a new color from the thread color list. Repeat for as many letters and colors as you wish. Hit Enter to fix. Watch the colors change right before your eyes!

How about different sizes and shapes for each of the letters in your name? Using the Reshape Object tool, click on the lettering object to select it. Click on the purple diamond in the center of a letter – various handles will appear around the letter. Click and drag on the top right handle to proportionately resize the letter. Click and drag on the top center handle to increase or decrease the height of the letter. Click and drag on the right center handle to increase or decrease the width of the letter. Bottom right is a tiny circle – click and drag to rotate the letter about its center. Top left is a tiny diamond you can click and drag to skew the letter to the left or right.

We’re still not done with fun effects for letters! Still using the Reshape Object tool, click and drag the purple diamond in the center of a letter – you can move it to the right or to the left of it’s original position. Hold down the Shift key and then click and drag and you can move the letter up and down. Hold down the Ctrl key and then click and drag and you can move the letter in any direction!