ATA CARD – Advanced Technology Attachment – This ATA CARD, or disc as some people call it, transfers your designs to your Embroidery Machine (appears in a slot on your machine)
USB Flash Drive – Universal Serial Bus – Memory Storage Device – sometimes called a jump drive or stick – transfers yours designs to your Embroidery Machine (appears in the USB port on your machine)
Download – To take a design from one location and put it in another location (such as from your vendor to your ATA CARD or USB Flash Drive)
Zipped – A design that has been compressed so it can be more easily transferred or stored (can be half the size of an original design – it does this by reducing redundant data – but data that is necessary to use the design)
Unzipped – The process of taking the zipped (compressed) file and restoring it to its original size. There are free programs out there that will unzip for you: such as WinZip or PKUNZIP (utility files) – most newer computers have a utility file that will unzip for you.
Extract – or Extract All – Will unzip your files or designs and allows you to place them wherever you want
Disk / Disc – Words applied to data storage
Folder – The folder is a top level location for your files (a parent folder) – it shows up looking like a manila folder – Kind of a directory
Sub-Folder – A folder located under your Top Level Folder to give it more description or separation
Zipped Folder – Same as a folder, but its contents are compressed and need to be unzipped to use. When looking at this folder – it looks just like a regular folder with a zipper on it.
File – The actual content of a Folder – in this case your design
Embroidery Files - Designs
How to download – How to File
How to Get the Design to Your Embroidery Machine
1. First thing you really need to do is to set up a file on your computer’s drive – Maybe call this file Embroidery Downloads. (This way you will always have a starting point as to where you have put the embroidery files that you received.)
a. Within that file you may want to have subfolders that more describes what you are downloading. (Example: Animals or Flowers or Alphabets…whatever that helps you organize. I use these folders only after I have extracted my zipped files)
b. Concept: (Right click on your desktop – Click New – then Click Folder – then rename that folder to Embroidery Downloads (or whatever you want) – click or double click on that folder to open it up and then you can create sub-folders – same concept – right click – new – folder – then rename that folder).
c. These are just bases for the basic use of your computer.
2. Now let’s go and find a free download for our use here…
a. Obviously you can search the net for embroidery designs – you will come up with thousands (maybe even millions – but for our purpose here…)
b. Open your internet explorer
c. In the URL of your explorer (beside the arrows – upper left) put in this address:
d. You are on the Home Page of the Embroidery Library (scroll to the bottom on the page and click on the FREE area. Hit Enter.
e. Scroll down to the Birds Skating in the Bird Bath (or whatever is free on your page) and click on the 3.55”x3.86” size (takes you to a description page)
f. Click on add to basket
i. Now if you have not already registered at the Embroidery Library – it will ask you at some point to fill out a profile. It is free to fill out your profile and this is a very safe site (I have used it for years with not problems). It may ask you how you want to pay and stuff like that – just fill it out so you are ready to purchase from this site.) Most sites you need to be on file before you can get the free file or certainly before you purchase a design. Some sites will just give you an immediate download and you do not need to go through the checkout – but for this purpose I am showing you how to check out.
g. After you have added it to your basket – you will proceed to check out – it will ask you how you want to pay (in this case it will be $0.00) but you go through the motions it ask for…and if you have any Apply Codes (like a coupon) or anything else.
i. When you filled out your profile – it asked you what machine you have – and it will download your item to that format. Always check to see that it is indeed the format that you want – if not you can change it at this time.
ii. Not all companies do that – sometimes you need to give them your format at checkout (or even before – like when you put it in your basket – so be watchful of this) If you get the wrong format then you will need to convert it – and you will more than likely need a software program to do that. (There are usually no refunds for wrong formats)
h. The Embroidery Library emails your designs to you (as do most companies) – and it also keeps a history file that you can go back to and download at any time. MOST companies do not - so when you get your link, always download it as soon as possible do you do not lose it.
OK you have found your design – checked out – and the company has emailed you a link to get your design for you to download. SUCCESS!!! Now everyone’s computer is set up differently – so keep in mind these are just basic instructions for you to go by. Also keep in mind we are working with just one company here – companies vary in policy and procedures also.
At the Embroidery Library – you do not need to wait for the email to come to you. You can just go immediately to your order history and your order will be there. When you click on your order number (it is always in date purchased order) you click on it and there is the design(s) you just purchased (for free)
3. Because I keep so many files – (I later put them on CD) I download them as zipped files – but if you want to download them as unzipped that is OK also. For purposes here – click on Zipped (before you do that make sure your format is correct.)
4. Click Save
5. In your Save As file – make sure you are in the right folder (upper left) (Desktop/Embroidery Downloads) If it is not that – then click on your desktop and open that folder (click on it)
6. Next – change the File Name (lower left) to Ice Skating is for the Birds (or whatever you personally want)
7. Then click save – Download complete pops up in a window box
8. You have successfully downloaded your first embroidery design – close the Embroidery Library internet folder
Now what do you do with that design – This is where knowing your computer will really help you to understand what is going on…
9. On your desktop you will see the folder Embroidery Downloads – Double click (at least in my case) on it to open it
10. You will see that the file folder Ice Skating Is For The Birds has a zipper on it (it’s a zipped file as you remember when you downloaded)
11. Right click on that folder – find Extract All – click on it
12. A window will come up that will ask you for a destination file – for this case you want to file it in (you can use your browse button to find the correct folder)
a. Desktop\Embroidery Downloads\Animals (your choice may read differently something like -
i. C:\Users\Linda\Desktop\Embroidery Downloads\Animals
13. When you are done browsing and find your file – click Extract (lower right of this window)
14. Depending on your filing system – it may go to that file with a number on it (purchased item number actually) – so rename it at that time. You can rename it to whatever you want – as long as it is not linked to anything else – it will always work. There it is – ready to use on your computer.
Now how to get it to your embroidery machine –
15. Now just keep your thinking simple here – the design is in a file folder on your Hard Drive….your embroidery machine will use an ATA CARD or maybe a USB stick (jump drive – travel disc whatever you may call it). Place that ATA CARD or USB stick into its proper slot in your COMPUTER. It will probably come up as a “E” Drive or “Removable Disc”
16. Because everyone’s Machine is different also – and the Embroidery Machine’s Filing System may be a little different – I will state how it is filed for my machine (11000)
a. Your ATA CARD or DISC is in its slot and a window has come up for the drive
b. Click on EMB (or EMBF)
c. When your EMB comes up it will list your other file folders –
17. At this point – open on your desktop is your ATA CARD or Jump Drive and the Hard Drive folder that you filed the extracted file in (…../animals) There is more than one way to do this…I am only giving one example. If you do something different – that is fine – whatever works for you.
a. With both of these windows showing on your desktop – side by side is good – drag the embroidery design “Skating is for the birds.jef” to your transfer disc (ATA CARD or Jump Drive)
b. Now it is ready to go into your machine.
18. If you are not sure how to use your machine to use this design, contact your dealer for the proper information and navigation of your embroidery system.
Now this is just very basic information. If you still need help or need to understand another segment of Machine Embroidery Designs Useage, please ask your dealer or someone else in the Embroidery Group.
Remember to Save and Backup Your Designs Frequently!!!! You paid for them – don’t let them get lost in your computer or deleted by mistake.