Embroidery Software and Fabric

Happy Thursday Friday! Sometimes it takes me a day or two to get a post up…  I am so excited to post about a “new” product I am now selling on the website!! No, not all of the cute and simple applique designs even though I AM excited about selling those too. I am now selling the wonderful, affordable, not really new, but easy-to-use embroidery software I have been recommending to anyone who asks or will listen for the past several years. SEW WHAT-PRO!

What do I use it for? Mainly I use it for merging a name or initials with an applique design. An example is below. I formatted the name “andrew” in Monogram Wizard Plus (font is Kazoo). I save it to my computer. I open SWP and OPEN the new fish design and then MERGE in the saved name. I then arrange it all and center the whole design and then put it on my machine to sew! There is a lot more you can do with SWP, but that’s my main use for it.

ALSO, I use it even when I’m just sewing an applique design with NO NAME. I like to *SEE* what I am sewing on my computer screen, so I open all of my files in SWP so I can see them. You can click on the thread chart on the right and see which step is next! You can also use SWP to delete parts of a design. A lot of people also use it to merge bought embroidery fonts together. When you buy embroidery fonts on the internet (NOT using a monogram software such as Monogram Wiz Plus), each letter is it’s own file, so you have to merge the letters together to form a name or initials. SWP can do that!

Please check it out on my website (Sew What-Pro) if you are looking for software such as this! It’s only $65 and it’s the best $65 I’ve ever spent. There is more info on the listing and also a manual you can download to look over.

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I had several people ask me where this Footprint design came from from a previous post. I did this design on some burp cloths for a local ministry so the design was sent to me. Thank you to my blog reader who reported where the design can be found! It looks like it’s part of a set, but maybe you could email the website and just get this design? You can find it HERE. (ps designs are a little pricey compared to American sites?)

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Now on to FABRIC! Last weekend the fam traveled to Destin, FL for a soccer tournament for my middle child. We normally take a route which leads us through Troy (AL), around Elba and someway here and there we end up at the beach. Well, there was road construction somewhere near Elba and we ended up NOT going the way we had planned. When I realized we were heading towards Opp, AL, I got excited b/c TJ’s Fabrics is in Opp! I had not been through there in a long time and was overwhelmed by all of the beautiful fabric that has now taken over the store! Last time I was there 1/2 the store was fabric and 1/2 was gifts and drug store type items. This time, fabric was everywhere!! Everything is arranged by colors and chevrons and I could have spent all day there had the kids and hubs not been waiting in the car. Lucky for you, they have an awesome website so if you aren’t in Alabama or traveling through the area, you can order online. If you ARE traveling to the beach (Destin, Panama City Beach, Seagrove/Seaside, etc) then DETOUR!! Plug it in the GPS and stop by, and tell TJ I said “HI”!! 🙂

My selfie for 2014! I will let the pictures speak for themselves…..

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See what I mean? This is just HALF of the store! They also have a studio room (right side of photo) where they do classes and quilting and all that. Oh, you can still get a prescription filled there too! 😉

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I’ll take one of each….

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Chevron for days…..

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Here’s what I left with! I can NEVER have enough polka dots! These are Michael Miller “Kiss Dots”. I may have kissed them…

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Sissy with some other pretties!

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Fat quarter bundles ready for you to grab and go!

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More chevrons….

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These are Susybee Bunny Dashes & Carrots. Easter is a little over a month away!

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Our Jellyfish 2 design! I believe they are also sewing and doing appliques & monogramming for customers!

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Michael Miller Diddly Dot Primary! So cute!!

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They also have gobs of blanks!

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More pretty colors…

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I’ve had my eye on these since I saw them on Facebook! These are Riley Blake, Summer Breeze.

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Again, if you are traveling to Florida this summer and coming anywhere near South Alabama, stop by!

I hope to get a more detailed post up soon on Sew What-Pro and how I use it! It’s been a busy week so stay tuned…

One last thing, because there is nothing more disheartening to post something and get no love!!

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Comments

  1. Thanks for being on line, Being in Alaska shopping on line is about all we have. Thanks Sue

  2. Stacey McKeown says

    Hey, I was wondering what you thought about PE Design software. I got it when I bought my machine. I use it to digitize. Is SWP better? Just wondering sometimes PE Design is not always user friendly. I have had it for 10 years but there is still things that I can’t do with it. Would love your input?

    • SWP is not digitizing software and I’m not familiar w/ PE Design, so I’m not sure if I can compare the 2? For minor editing (deleting steps, cutting out parts of a design, etc) and merging, it’s great and very affordable!

  3. Abbigale Joseph says

    Thanks for posting! I love your blog and have sew what pro. I recommend it to everyone also!!

  4. Thanks for all the help on your blog. I can’t wait to see when you have a new entry and refer to your older posts all the time. I have Embird which is similar to SWP, but any tips you have on Monogram Wizard Plus would be nice. I bought it but am a little scared of it. I saw your tips on spacing letters, and that was helpful.

    I’m due a trip to TJs soon, and I’m almost afraid to go in. It’s so beautiful and overwhelming that I have to take a deep breath and make myself be calm. Maybe it’s good to have someone waiting for you to make you ever leave!

    Thanks again for such an informative blog and for designs that I use a LOT.

  5. Love Sew What Pro been using for a couple of years now, great product. TJ’s unbelievable…. bookmarked site for shopping later…..

  6. Enjoy your blog,and your customer service is WONDERFUL!! Thanks for taking the time to inform us on the latest stuff!

  7. Is there a free trial for Sew-What Pro? I have Embird but would like to see what all I can do with Sew What before making a purchase. Thanks!

  8. Betty Ann Goss says

    I love your blogs! I just purchased a Brothers PE 770 and your blogs have been very helpful. Thanks for taking the time to share.

  9. Julie Every says

    So glad I have found you. I am a beginner when it comes to embroidering with a machine. I’ve bought some software (Pfaff) and I remember that it has to be saved as a special file. Here is my question: Will this software work with it mine. I am excited about my new adventure and I am thrilled to know that you are here!!!

  10. I Loveeeee Tjs Too. I Never Have Any Money Because Of That Place. 🙂

  11. Wow! That store looks like a dream! What brand blanks are those cute striped infant gowns? Wish I was close to this store!

  12. Hannah Lake says

    I am so jealous of your the fabric store you have access to! Oh I could spend lots of time and money in there!!!

  13. MISTY EHRET says

    New to the embroidery and applique world. Bought a Brother PE 770 and am interested in doing 3 letter monogramming, (with middle letter larger) just can’t figure out how to do it. I’ve seen you talking about Sew What Pro a lot and is it compatiable with the Brother PE 770? Also, what is monogram wizard plus?

    Thanks

    • Yes, Brother PE770 is compatible with Sew What Pro. Monogram WIzard Plus is a font software – you type in a name, chose a font, size, etc. It’s also $250. SWP is $65 available on my website. You use it to merge letters together – you can buy embroidery fonts from various sites. I also use it to merge initials in with an applique design. It really just depends on what you want to spend!

  14. I really enjoy reading your blog. I am so glad you posted about the Snag Nab It. I wondered what to do about those loops and I have been checking the local Joann’s store but they seem to be out each time I go. I can not wait to hear more about the SWP as I already have the Monogram Wizard Plus.

  15. Stephanie Ownby says

    It’s nice to see that fabric makes other people giddy too! My heart is fluttering over all those dots and chevrons and I just can hardly stand not to touch them! I seriously think I have some sort of disease that causes me to have to purchase cute fabric even when I don’t have a use for it and my storage bins are overflowing. (I was like that with scrapbook paper not too many years ago!) Surely there’s a support group somewhere! Anyway, I recently stumbled upon a fabric store in McKinney, TX, called Quilt Asylum, that is much like TJ’s. Just a little piece of heaven on earth! LOVE IT!!

    • I know what you mean! I bought some hot pink w/ white polka dot fabric today at Hobby Lobby just because I passed it and it was cute! Like I don’t have any of that!!