The problem is with machines like mine (Janome 350 )where the screen is not too clear and you never know where it will sew first....I need to make a lot of guessing....I can,t use the colors that are recommended since I don,t have them.....but somehow the final results are always very good........ I once changed all the colors to another theme and it came out great.....after all its about fun...

Since you all were so generous in answering my last two questions, I can't resist asking you another one (maybe two): How does one embroidered on velvet? Does anything change if the velvet is stretchy?

I've committed (gulp) to making Christmas stockings for my first two grands, both born in the last 4 months. My (probably unrealistic) goal is to make them lovely enough to serve these little guys for their entire lives.

Many thanks in advance for your much-needed and much-appreciated advice!!!

Sushi you need to put a Fusible No Show Mesh Stabilizer or iron on interfacing on the back of velvet first. Make sure that the straight of grain of the velvet and the straight of grain of the interfacing are going the opposite of each other This is so the velvet doesn't stretch out of shape. You still have to use the stabilizer for the embroidery. This works for all fabrics that are stretchy. The Fusible No Show Mesh doesn't have any stretch it's a embroider Stabilizer you buy at a quilt/ embroidery machine shop. Hope this helps you.

I use the sticky stabilizer in my hoop--do not hoop the velvet as it will leave marks. Press the velvet fabric to the sticky...Then you must use the wash-a-way stabilizer on top so the stitching will sit on the 'plush' and not sink into nap. Ore you can use bridal tulle on top if you have it, but the 'W-A-S' is my preference. You can remove most of it before rubbing the rest away with a damp wash cloth.
I would never iron onto velvet!

JuanitaBean, love the Sunbonnet quilt! I have used those designs for monthly kitchen towels. They are a little wrinkled because they are several years old. but you get the idea - these are October and November.
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Maggie Sue, I agree that it can be hard to find. I have it listed as one of my "subscribed threads" (I think I did it using those thread tools at top of main page or somewhere) and I can go there and check to see if anyone has posted lately.

Rennie love your towels. They were one of the first Embroidery designs I did Love them

Rennie, They are wonderful..I love them too...very cute...

Thanks for the tip about putting grain lines in opposite directions, Juanita Bean. Makes perfect sense, but I never heard that before.

OK, I've hooped (using the hoop size called for in the design I purchased) my minky, complete with polymesh underneath and WSS above, threaded both needle and bobbin of my Bernina 635, started sewing the design ... but I keep getting a "!" message on the screen after the first ~85 stitches. The manual says that "!" means the user is supposed to do something ... but it doesn't tell you what and I haven't a clue. I've pressed OK just to find out what would happen, and it starts sewing the design over again from the beginning, stopping in exactly the same place and giving me exactly the same message. Any suggestions?