Ann The Gran Community

I am so very disgusted with a design I just did from your free site, Bear Rocking Horse, by Debbie Windham. It was the worst design I have used from your site. I was using it on a quilt block and needless to say I had to remove that block from the quilt..What a mess..Your designers have been all acceptable until this one and I would encourage you to take a serious look and perhaps sew it out before you post anything else from this designer.

Thanks for pointing this out, raebwhitlock. We're sorry to hear that your project was affected. Unlike the designs available for purchase, which have all been carefully tested, we cannot unfortunately test each one of our 6000+ free designs. We always recommend that you test sew any design, especially a free design, before using it on an actual project.

AnnTheGran Support

It is disappointing to set every thing up and have the design not be up to your expectations.  I tested this design after seeing your post and have to agree.  The stitch type used is too loose.  This could have been a very cute design to use on a baby quilt, but the stitches are such that little fingers could get caught.  Overall, not an appealing design.

I first stitch out all designs as a test.  It is much better to test and toss than to mar the project.  I do this regardless of where I get the design.  I have had more issues with purchased designs that I have had with those being shared "free".

Save the test designs - they may work out in an unexpected way.  Just drop them in a box marked "serendipity"!

I don't have time to do this sew out.  Would one of you post a photo?

Sometimes things don't work out for one reason on another.  After reading about digitizing, I have found that it can make a difference when you use one fabric or another.  What comes to mind on this one is that perhaps it was meant for a 'fluffy' type of fabric like fleece rather than a flat type like a lining.

I am not trying to defend the design, just think about possible reasoning behind an issue.

Pat, The Avid Embroiderer

I did stitch it out to the point of the "saddle" and quit. 

It was obvious that fabric choice or combination of fabric and stabilizer was not the issue.......the design is just not up to par. 

The stitches on the "saddle" are long and open, you can catch the stitches with your fingers. 

I have digitized a few simple designs and the wrong stitch type was used when this particular design was digitized.

Pattiann-You were very clear.  I was just offering another view of the same issue.  When  get a minute, I will try that design, if it has not been removed.  Possibly removal would be the easiest solution.

I think the 'free' area once was a place to put your efforts on, even when you were very new at digitizing.  If I ever digitize (wishful thinking), I will surely remember that this is a bad stitch plan.  Perhaps the digitizer thought she was using a different field pattern.   It appears that the digitizer did not do a 'test sew out.'  Who knows what happened? 

I would love to see some of your designs.  We all have to start somewhere.

Pat, The Avid Embroiderer