Turning Artwork Into Embellishments

What's New, Mar/Apr 2003

Put together three things that kids love - doodling, computers and clothing, and you've got a winning combination for classroom creativity. Nancy Goodrich, Life Sciences teacher in Farmingville, NY, found out just how much creative potential her students had when she introduced them to Brother's PE-Design 5.0.

PE-Design is an easy-to-use digitizing software program that turns original artwork into very personal embellishments. "First and foremost, I was looking for ways to keep my students interested in sewing and textiles," says Goodrich. "I also wanted to take their technology skills to a new level. PE-Design hit the mark on both counts. It opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for us."

Goodrich felt that her students were ready to go beyond the built-in embroidery designs of the machine or those on Memory Cards. Last spring she asked her school to purchase PE-Design 5.0, and even she was surprised with the results. "My students are a lot more enthusiastic about sewing now," reports Goodrich. "They are always thinking of new projects."

PE-Design 5.0 allows students to create their own designs, download them onto a disk, and then have their designs reproduced onto sewing projects. Customized artwork shows up on jackets, backpacks, jeans . . . anything at all, with very professional results.

Converting to Three-Dimensional Stitches

The essential feature of PE-Design 5.0 is that it converts two-dimensional drawings and pictures into three-dimensional stitch data. Any artwork can be used - electronic files, a digital camera or scanned material. Photos, for example, become true-to-life pictures with photographic depth in stitch format either in black and white, full-color, or vintage sepia.

PE-Design also manipulates already digitized files, changing color or size, combining files and adding text. It can even convert True Type fonts into stitch data.

Since bringing PE-Design into the classroom, Goodrich finds that her lesson plan possibilities are endless. Other Life Science teachers around the country report the same. PE-Design is a catalyst for all kinds of classroom projects - conducting logo contests, designing class quilts, organizing fundraisers or even creating a small business model. "Not only is there a great deal of creativity inspired by this software," says Goodrich, "there is the learning of a whole new technology. It shows students how technology grows and then how it can be adapted for use in their lives."

It may be new technology, but students find PE-Design easy to use. Turning favorite designs into a three-dimensional stitched format is as simple as using the familiar icons on a computer.

PE-Design 5.0 is available for use on all Brother Pacesetter ULT machines, the PC-8500D, the PE-400D, and the PE-180D and PE-150 embroidery-only machines. In addition, PE-Design software can be saved to multiple formats, making it compatible with a number of other brands of embroidery machines.

For further information on Brother's PE-Design, visit www.brothersews.com.

BROTHER INTERNATIONAL CORP.

100 Somerset Corporate Blvd.

Bridgewater, NJ 08807

800/284-4357

www.brothersews.com