Designing Rhinestone Patterns: Parts 2 and 3

I had extra time this morning, so I created both of the text videos to upload and announce. The first video covers locating and using the engraving fonts that come free with the KNK Studio software program.  There are two types: those with single lines, such as Jott:

jott1

and then the types with internal lines, such as 5 Bodkin:

5bodkin2

The second video covers using your own fonts and either aligning the rhinestones along the outer lines OR using Center Line Trace to convert the font to a single line similar to the engraving font, Jott, above.  The resulting patterns for these fonts appear like this:

tempe

So,  you have a number of options for handling text and there’s even a couple more. Be sure to check out the next tutorial which will be the first of two tutorials on filling images with circles.

Designing Rhinestone Patterns: Part 1

As promised yesterday, I’ll be presenting free videos to teach you everything you need to know about designing rhinestone patterns in KNK Studio.  The first video shows you the technique of using Transform>Fit Object to Path function to align circles along a vector path.

Fitting Circles to a Path

The important things to remember from this video are:

  • Size your image before adding the circles.
  • Size your circle by looking up the maximum diameter for your rhinestone and then adding 0.1 mm to that size. Thus for an SS16 rhinestone, which has a maximum diameter of 2.9 mm, you will want to draw a 3.0 mm circle.
  • Always choose Nodes and Distance in the Transform>Fit Object to Path window.
  • The spacing you enter in the Transform>Fit Object to Path window should be the size of the circle PLUS the distance you want between the stones.
  • Examine your image carefully to see if any circles are too overlapping or two close together. Tweak as needed.

Tomorrow, I’ll have a video on the various options for text.

Rhinestones, Baby!

img_2982_resize_resize

img_2984_resize_resize1

We have a NEW application for our Klic-N-Kuts…..  Rhinestones!!!!

As of today, at www.scrapbookdiecutter.com,  you can purchase all of the necessary supplies to create your own rhinestone designs to iron onto T-Shirts, denim jackets, tablecloths, purses, shoes, and more!   The process, which will be posted in a tutorial at their site tomorrow, was used for the T-Shirt in the photos above. This was a shirt that Kylee embroidered and I wore at our St. Louis retreat. Last week, I decided to add a heart to the front.  So, I used one of two methods we have available in KNK Studio to create the design. Then I cut it from motif template rubber on the Klic-N-Kut, added the rhinestones, used a special rhinestone transfer tape to pick up the rhinestones, and then ironed them onto my T Shirt using my own home iron.  And the really cool thing is that this same rubber template can be used again and again!

To see the products for this process, go to:

Rhinestone Supplies

Note that besides the motif template rubber and the rhinestone transfer tape, there are plenty of beautiful rhinestones to choose from, in 2 different sizes, and in sparkly clear crystal and 10 additional colors.  The rhinestones are also sold in single gross packets (144 stones in a gross) or in larger quantities for cost savings.

Be sure to check  back here over the course of the next week as there will be free videos showing how to create rhinestone designs in KNK Studio.  Also, Accugraphic has ordered heat presses to add to their store in the near future. These will be useful for both rhinestone applications, as well as their T-Shirt Transfer Vinyl.

Please post if you have ANY questions at all.  Oh… and we WILL be doing this at the Celebrations Retreat in Raleigh in October!