Coloring and sketching/doodling is now seen as being a relaxing meditative hobby that aids in overall health.  Who knew??  I wanted to see if I could actually ‘sketch’ an embroidered design.  This can be a little tricky as stitches are precise with a defined type, width, length and texture.  I was able to draw something that I felt was similar to a ‘sketch’ with stitches using my EQStitch.

Open the EQStitch program.

Click on the stitch worktable icon to open the stitch features.

Click on the tracing image tab at the bottom of the screen.

Bring in an image onto the image tab and size it to the size of the hoop you will be using.   You could also use a motif image from the block library if you wanted to.  The image is up to you.

Add the image to the sketchbook so it is available for tracing in this sketch lesson.

NOTE:  If you can freehand draw easily, you do not need to use an image in the background to trace.

Click on the artwork tab and you will be able to see your image to trace in the background.

Click on the drawing board options box and set the  machine embroidery settings to be a bean stitch with no fill options.  Click OK to save the drawing settings.

Click on the freehand drawing tool to select it. Click/hold/drag/release the mouse from point to point to get a rough shape that you want to create.

NOTE:  When I drew my flower I started in the middle and swept the line outwards to the tips of the petals on each side of the petal.  I did not want a perfect petal shape.

Continue drawing the lines you need to complete the design.

Since the lines are going to be rigid stitch lines, I wanted to add more interest by selecting the lines and cloning them a couple times and offsetting them to look more like loose sketch lines.

I then added a brush stroke for the stamen of the flower and a few circles with the oval tool  for the tip of the stamen.  Again, this is a very loose simple drawing without paying much attention to detail.

After completing the drawing lines, click on the stitch tab at the bottom of the screen to add the stitch properties with the set edge stitches tool .

I decided to change the stitch property of the stamen to be a very loose zigzag stitch just to add more definition.

Coloring all the stitch lines charcoal gray with the set thread tool will make it look more like a pencil line drawing.

NOTE:  Since this is a freeform line drawing without any attention to  pathing of stitches, there will be a lot of start and stop points.  Be prepared for multiple tie off stitches as it works it’s way around the design at the machine.