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Tips for learning from the JoyOS Advisor

Tips for learning from the JoyOS Advisor

by Elaine Theriault

What did you think about the tips for remote learning from yesterday? Who knew you had so many tools available to you without having to go anywhere or sign up for anything?

For some, it might be hard to get excited about learning, but there isn’t a day goes by that I don’t learn something. Sometimes it’s earth-shattering information, and sometimes, it’s just a tidbit.

There’s so much to learn with the built-in features on the Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 2 I could easily learn something from the sewing machine every day for a long, long time.

Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 2 sewing and embroidery machine

I’m showing some additional tools for remote learning by using the JoyOS Advisor. The JoyOS Aadvisor is like having a Home Ec teacher sitting beside you for every project you want to make. There’s so much information within this feature it’s hard to know where to begin.

Access to the JoyOS Advisor resides on the Home Screen which is easy to get to by touching the HOME SCREEN button at the top of the screen. It’s the large button at the top of the screen in the photo below – the one that’s bluish in color.

The top left-hand side of the Home Screen shows how much time I’ve spent with the Designer EPIC 2. Not nearly enough! That’s actual sewing/embroidery time. We might have spent days sewing, but the exact sewing time is considerably less than we think it is.

On the top right-hand side, I get a prompt to learn about a feature. The topic changes every time you access the Home Screen. You may already know how to do some of the techniques or features, but you also may not even be aware of others. It’s a great way to learn something new – just touch the section, and you’re into the learning materials for that technique. Not only that, but if the technique involves embroidery, the Designer EPIC 2 will move automatically into embroidery mode.

The next section down is all about the mySewnet Blog. I’ve touched on mySewnet in this post All about mySewnet ecosystem and how it makes embroidery so easy, and I’m trying to make one project from the blog. There’s so much to share and just not enough time!

The bottom 2/3 of the screen is all about the JoyOS Advisor. The information is grouped into four topics – Sewing, Quilting, Embroidery, and The Knowledge Center.

The Home Screen on the Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 2

Each of those four general topics is further broken down by technique. Under Quilting, there are five techniques – applique, piecing, quilting, free-motion quilting, and binding.

Each technique is further broken down into more specific topics.

The menu system is straightforward to maneuver on the Interactive Touch Screen.

The three subtopics for the Quilting Category are shown

The Embroidery Category is also divided by technique, and within each technique, there are specific topics and embroidery styles to explore.

All of these menus will lead to a Project file on a specific topic, which becomes a handy remote learning tool.

I’ll be touching on some of these techniques later this week.

The breakdown of Embroidery topics on the JoyOS Advisor

The Knowledge Center

I’m taking a look at some of the learning tools in The Knowledge Center.

The first folder is a Stabilizer Guide. The Guide is broken down by type of stabilizers within the Inspira brand.

You can see here I’ve chosen Water Soluble Stabilizers, and there are four different kinds. Did you know that? Do you know where you would use each one?

There are four different water soluble stabilizers in the Stabilizer Guide

If I select one of the types of water soluble stabilizer, I’ll find out how and when to use the product.

That’s incredible! I don’t have to ask someone if I’ve forgotten or didn’t know – I can just check here.

Information on what Aqua Magic is and when and how to use it

The next folder is the Quick Start Guide, so if you’ve forgotten how to wind a bobbin or use the Automatic Needle Threader, this is the place to go. Select the topic you need to learn, and instructions will appear in a Project File, including videos, if appropriate.

It’s so easy! The Designer EPIC 2 is very patient. It doesn’t mind if you keep asking the same question over and over again!

And in case you think you can’t see the bottom of the screen with the topics as shown below? No worries – just swipe up, and you’ll get to see all the topics in this folder. That capacitive touch screen is fantastic.

The topics within the Quick Start Guide

The next folder is the Step-by-Step Workbook, and this is where today I’m learning something new. As you would imagine, this folder contains several different topics. Currently, I can see five topics on the screen, including Sewing Program, Embroidery Text Program, Design Shaping, Design Applique, and Design Positioning. If there were more topics, then it’s easy enough to swipe left or right to see any other topics that may be included.

I want to learn about Design Shaping and you can see within that feature, there are three different ways of working with the Design Shaping feature.

Remember, the post today is not a tutorial. I’m just trying to show you how easy it is to experience remote learning with the great features and functions of the Designer EPIC 2.

The three project files for learning Design Shaping

Selecting the first topic opens up a Project file window on the main screen. The information is presented step-by-step so it’s easy to digest.

I can move the Project file window around on the Interactive Touch Screen. See those positioning buttons on the top left? I can move the Project file window to the top, the left, the right, the bottom, or make it full screen. That’s a massive help as I may need to see the bottom of the main screen to select a function, and if the Project file window is in the way, I simply move it to another part of the Touch Screen. It’s very easy!

Step 1 of 12 to learn about Design Shaping

In this photo, you can see I’ve moved the Project file window to the left side of the main screen. You can see the left side positioning box has been highlighted in blue.

I’m on Step 5 of 12. I’m opening the Shape Menu to select a shape for this exercise.

The Project file window is now on the left side of the main screen

Step 7 instructs me to open the Category N (small designs) and select Design #2. It appears I’m adding an embroidery design to the shape I’m creating.

Did you know you could do that? So far, so good – step-by-step and super easy.

Step 7 – Loading an embroidery design onto my shape in the Design Shaping feature

Step 8 has me changing the size of the circle.

Do you see how easy it is to follow along with the Project file? It’s super easy. OK — there were a few times when I did have to reread the instructions. But this is totally new to me. And I’m learning it all by myself!

It’s perfectly OK to make mistakes and it’s perfectly OK to have to start back at the first screen if you get mixed up. There are arrows to scroll forward or backward through the project screens. You can’t go wrong – you can’t mess anything up!

And if in doubt, touch the HOME BUTTON at the top to get back to the main screen of the JoyOS Advisor.

Step 8 of the Design Shaping Project file

Design Shaping is part of the Embroidery Edit screen, so when I selected the Project file from the Step-by-Step workbook, the Designer EPIC 2 moved automatically into Embroidery Edit.

As I’m playing with the Design Shaping, I have access to a range of tools including Line Positioning (that means whether the designs sit above, below or on the shape line), Spacing (including left or right justified), the number of designs to sit on the shape, the rotation of the shapes, and whether it’s a fixed angle or not.

Let’s just say the number of editing tools is huge. Once you’re happy with your newly created design, you can hit the big checkmark at the bottom of the screen. You can go back in and edit the shape if you change your mind. Wow! This is incredible!

Adding more motifs in Step 9 of the Design Shaping exercise

As quick as that, I’ve arrived at the end of the basic Design Shaping lesson. That was so easy!

The embroidery design created from the Project file on Design Shaping

So then I started to play with various other shapes, pattern repeats, rotating designs, etc.

More designs created with the Design Shaping feature

Here’s an example of what happens when you use the Fixed Design angle option. In this first picture, notice all the shapes are pointing outward.

The motifs are facing outward on the circle shape

After using the Fixed Design Angle, the motifs are all pointed upwards.

The motifs are now fixed in an upright position

There is one bad thing about Design Shaping. I couldn’t stop playing with it! I wanted to try all the shapes, and then all the editing features, and all the designs and stitches. The possibilities are endless.

When it got dark in the room, I was still playing by the brilliant LED lighting of the Designer EPIC 2.

Here’s one more design I created. This was created with the counterclockwise circle shape.

A circular design with leaves created using the counterclockwise circle shape

Then I added another circle of leaves and used the clockwise circle shape. I added a round of satin stitch. Because yes – not only can you load embroidery motifs, but you can add many of the 840 built-in decorative stitches.

Can you imagine the possibilities? By combining the shapes, adding stitches, or embroidery motifs, I could make a new design every day for years.

Imagine what this could do for quilt labels? You could create beautiful borders for the squares. You could frame anything you wanted.

A more complex design created with Design Shaping

I decided to create a sample stitchout for myself. Oh boy – there’s so many possibilities.

Samples of Design Shaping

Here’s a closeup of the shape I created by using a Candlewicking stitch.

A shape created using a Candlewicking stitch and Design Shaping

And there you have it – one more way for remote learning on the Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 2. I’ve just touched the tip of the iceberg of the incredible wealth of information in the JoyOS Advisor.

Tomorrow, I’m learning some new techniques by making a project. Be sure to come back for that, and I’ll be exploring another area of the JoyOS Advisor.

Have a super day!

Ciao!

This is part 2 of 5 in this series

Go back to part 1: Self-paced learning through built-in tools on the Designer EPIC 2

Go to part 3: Easy! Make and learn with Designer EPIC 2

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1 comment

Shirley Jobson May 29, 2020 - 6:52 am

Wonderful!! Love reading something new everyday!!

Reply

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