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Introducing the Virtual Digitizer’s Dream Workshop

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Learn the Foundation of How to Easily Create Your Own Embroidery Designs

Have you ever had an embroidery project in mind, but you just can’t seem to find the right embroidery design for it? Or, have you ever wanted to stitch out a friend’s or child’s drawing, but you don’t know where to start? Or, have you ever wasted money and paid someone else to digitize a customer’s logo for you? If you said yes to any of these questions, it’s time to take your machine embroidery to the next level and learn how to create your own designs.

The process of creating embroidery designs is called digitizing. If you’d like to learn this beautiful art and want results fast, this new online workshop is for you. Based on our proven class structure taught by the world’s most awarded digitizer, this workshop will have you creating smooth running designs yourself the very first day.

Same Fan-Favorite Workshop…

Now Taught in the Comfort of Your Home

Digitizer's Dream Workshop Live

We’ve been teaching our hands-on Digitizer’s Dream Workshops in major cities across the world for almost 3 years now… Although attendees love it, it’s not always possible to travel to another city and book 2 days off to learn how to digitize.

So, we figured, instead of you coming to us. Why not come to you? Thankfully, to make things easier, this workshop is now taught online! If you can dedicate just a couple hours a week for only 2 weeks, we’ll get you past the learning curve and on your way towards properly editing & creating your own beautiful designs.

Here’s What You’ll Learn…

Embroidery digitizing is the art of turning a finished sketch or drawing into an embroidery design file that can be run on your machine. Because of this, you don’t have to be artistic to learn how to digitize. There will be no drawing or creating artwork done in this course.
Instead, this course will teach you a foundation of the age-old theory behind digitizing. Just like any other art form, there are certain rules & guidelines that must be followed to achieve amazing results.

Using a combination of live webinars, video lessons and actual digitizing to help you retain and put into practice what you’ve learned (using artwork we’ll provide), this workshop will teach you how to digitize using the 3 primary stitch types of machine embroidery. These are the running, the satin, and the fill stitches. Every stitch type in existence is a simple variation of 1 of these 3 stitch types… So, once you’ve learned the rules of working with them, the sky’s the limit with your machine embroidery!

The Running Stitch

The running stitch

The Satin Stitch

The satin stitch

The Fill Stitch

You’ll Also Learn:

  • How to get more done by setting up a productive digitizing environment
  • How to get better results with artwork preparation guidelines
  • How to get best automated results with auto-digitizing do’s and don’ts
  • How to avoid unnecessary jumps & trims in your designs using mapping theory
  • How to get clean looking lines in your designs using push and pull compensation
  • Make sure the stitches in your designs line up with underlay explanations
  • Understand how different fabric types interact with different stitch settings/properties
  • How to create designs that stand out using basic color blending techniques
  • How to use specialty stitches to get visually stunning results
  • Get cleaner looking embroidery lettering by understanding keyboard fonts
  • How to create fun embroidery designs with some In-the-Hoop basics
  • Learn how to create some fun embroidery effects using mylar, key-fob and applique recipes

The Workshop Consists Of:

  • 3 Live Webinars: In each webinar, John will walk you through what you can expect in each week’s video training lesson & answer any questions you may have about the workshop.
  • 6 Bite-Sized Interactive Training Video Lessons: These easy to follow lessons will teach you some foundational digitizing theory, tips and rules. They’ll also hold your hand and show you how to digitize your provided artwork.
  • 4 Designs for you to Digitize Yourself: We will provide the artwork for you. This is important to help you retain & put into practice the rules & theory you learn each week. This same interactive learning approach is used in schools & universities across the world.

 Week 1: Let’s Get Started

  • Live Webinar (November 7th): In this live webinar, John will lay the foundation of getting you familiar with your working environment. You’ll learn important hotkeys, how to load and resize your artwork, and get you familiar with the theory and tools you will need and use moving forward. We will then give you an overview of the exercises and designs you will accomplish within the first week.
  • Interactive Video Lessons (November 7th – 13th): Numerous interactive exercises and artwork will be placed in your virtual “classroom”, these easy to follow exercises will lay a foundation you’ll need to start digitizing. Once completed, you will then be ready to digitize your first couple designs. Our interactive lessons will then walk you through the entire process step-by-step. Once completed you will have digitized 2 designs yourself that will look great and sew out well.

Week 2: Let’s Get Creative

  • Live Webinar (November 14th): In this webinar, John will first give you an overview of the designs completed in the first week and give you the opportunity to ask any questions about what has been covered so far. We will then give you an overview of the designs and theory that you will accomplish in the second week. These designs build upon the theory taught in the first week and use more stitch types and property settings to achieve more complex digitizing.
  • Interactive Video Lesson (November 14th – 2oth): Once again interactive lessons and artwork will be placed within your classroom. A detailed explanation of the theory needed, and step-by-step interactive lessons will walk you through completing two more detailed designs giving you results you never thought possible.

Week 3: Let’s Celebrate!

  • Live Webinar (November 21st): Congratulations, you’ve now completed our Virtual Digitizer’s Dream Workshop! In this webinar, John will have an overview of the designs you’ve completed and also answer any questions you might have. He will also reveal some fun bonus projects for you to do which will be put into your classroom. You will also be invited to participate in an exclusive Facebook group specifically geared towards those who have taken one of our virtual or live workshops as well as those who have completed our interactive lessons. Our goal to provide resources within a group for those who have “gotten past the basics” and want to learn more advanced techniques. 

Please note: that we will host 2 live webinars each week at both 1pm EST and 6pm EST to best accommodate attendees from all over the world. Click here to view a timezone converter to see which of these times will best fit you. You can re-watch them afterward if you’re unable to attend. Your video courses & webinar replays will remain in your classroom section for 2 weeks after the workshop is finished. A Facebook group will also be created to answer questions that may arise between live webinars and remain active for 2 weeks after the workshop is finished as well.

Who Should Attend?

  • Embroiderers of all levels
  • Embroiderers with a desire to learn and be more creative
  • Embroiderers who know “the quality should be better”
  • Those thinking of learning how to digitize and create designs
  • Those wanting to know how to edit designs
  • Digitizers of all levels wanting more

Don’t Know if Digitizing is for You? Perfect! Here’s Your Chance to Find Out

If you’re on the fence wondering if digitizing is for you or not, you’re not alone… Often times, a handful of our physical workshop attendees join the workshop just to test the waters and see if digitizing is something they’d enjoy taking up.

If this sounds like you, know that 1 of 2 things usually happens. Either:

is embroidery digitizing for you?
  1. You’ll fall in love with digitzing and take your embroidery to an entirely new creative level.
  2. Or, you’ll finally get closure in knowing that digitizing isn’t for you and walk away with a more complete understanding of machine embroidery, and the sound theory it’s based on. This understanding is priceless in getting better-embroidered results. From spotting bad embroidery designs before you waste money on them, to making simple edits and even diagnosing issues on your machine, this course will cover theory that every embroiderer should know regardless of whether they want to purse digitizing.

Either way it’s a win-win! Plus, you won’t have to spend thousands of dollars on digitizing software to find out.

What Will You Need?

All that you need is an internet connection, a PC computer (or a mac with a windows operating system) and the will to learn. We’ll supply the rest, including a printable PDF and a free 30-day demo version of Hatch Embroidery Software. We ask that all attendees use Hatch so that everyone will be on the same page when watching the lessons and asking questions in the live webinars.

Please keep in mind that THE THEORY TAUGHT IN THIS COURSE CAN BE APPLIED TO ANY EMBROIDERY SOFTWARE PROGRAM. This includes whatever brand of software you may already own. In John’s words, “The primary objective of this experience is to learn the ‘old-school’ theory for creating beautiful designs. I’ve seen software brands come and go and I’ve also witnessed incredible advances over the years. But the one thing that hasn’t changed is the mechanical theory that goes into creating beautiful smooth-running embroidery designs.”

Please note that seats are limited because we pay for a 3rd party streaming service and a 3rd party webinar service to give you the best streaming and webinar experience possible.

Digitizer’s Dream Workshop Reviews

Here’s what our satisfied past attendees have to say…

Tracie Colbridge testimonial photo


“The lessons were easy to follow and I felt supported all the way

John, I would never have thought before I took your course how far I would come in such a short space of time… I am now looking forward to continuing my digitizing journey, thank you for your support and help.

– Tracie Colbridge

Sharron Westerfield testimonial


“For me it was light years above attending a regular workshop

I cannot say enough positive things about John Deer’s virtual digitizing workshop… With the virtual format one has the opportunity to play and pause the lessons and work and learn at his/her own pace. John is extremely knowledgeable and has a true gift for teaching the digitizing process in detailed but easy to understand terms… I highly recommend the virtual digitizing workshops.

– Sharron Westerfield

Erica Knight


“I would highly recommend this workshop to anyone who isn’t sure whether digitising is for them

This workshop has definitely reaffirmed that I want to learn to digitise and be good at it. I’ve followed all of John’s steps and he has made it so easy to follow that my completed designs look as good as his (well, almost anyway).  The lessons are well paced and give you enough theory as well as practical which makes them just the right balance.

– Erica Knight

Heather


“John is the best, and the Webinars are the latest, greatest way to learn

Most recently I traveled 300 miles one way to attend an event with John Deer. Yes, I think that much of his in-person classes! My first digitizing class was years ago and found it difficult to keep up with the class, which is why I absolutely LOVE the Virtual Digitizing Course we just had. I recommend it for anyone. You learn at your own pace, so your level of experience is not a factor. Try it and see!

– Heather Taylor

Deborah Chessar Testimonial Photo

“It really helped me learn the process of how designs are made and edited

I signed up for the Dream workshop thinking I would learn a few tips. I never thought I would learn as much as I did. The course was well planned out, easy to understand and follow along.  In additition John made it fun. I would recommend the course to anyone who thinks they may be interested in machine embroidery. Even if they don’t want to digitize.

– Deborah Chessar

Ismael Lara testimonial

“I have watched a lot of YouTube videos and this webinar blew them away

John Deer is a great teacher, he teaches you so much of the fundamentals. It’s a great opportunity to learn from someone with so much experience. The webinar is a great course because you don’t feel rushed and you can work on the materials at your own pace. I would recommend this course or any other course John Deer has to everyone if your trying become a digitizer or want to learn the foundation in creating perfect embroidery. I have gone back to my old embroidery files and found the key mistakes I did before on why it didn’t stitch out properly, and fixed them thanks to this course. As John Deer says, “The proof is in the stitching.”

– Ismael Lara

About Your Instructor

worlds most awarded digitizers

John Deer has been the most awarded embroidery digitizer in the world for over 20 years now. As a 4th generation embroiderer, John has an extremely unique history in the embroidery digitizing industry: he is the last living Schiffli Masters still teaching in North America. John learned and apprenticed under Swiss Schiffli Master Digitizers (then known as “punchers”) over 30 years ago in his grandparent’s factory, before computers even entered the digitizing world.

In the 1990’s-2000s John owned & ran one of North America’s largest commercial digitizing house, where he did the digitizing for many large corporations including: Disney, Coca-Cola, GM, the NFL, & the NBA. John has personally won 30 separate digitizing awards in the commercial industry and wrote the book on digitizing called “Digitizing Made Easy” which has sold over 51,000 copies & is used in Universities across the United States to teach those studying textile.

Your Workshop Questions Answered:

If you miss a webinar don’t worry. We’ll post webinar replays in the classroom section of your account to be viewed at a later date. We will also create a private Facebook group for all workshop attendees to ask questions & share their work.

Click here to view a breakdown of our different digitizing education.

In comparison, the Digitizer’s Dream Course goes into more depth and covers more theory/information than this workshop. This workshop is more of a “crash course” and is still a great refresher if you’ve already completed the Digitizer’s Dream Course as you’ll be digitizing new designs.

Yes. We request that you use the Hatch demo software provided so you can follow along with the training videos. It is also important so that we can help you if you experience any software related issues such as finding tools, technical issues, etc. If you do own the Hatch digitizing software, you can use that instead of the demo software provided.

Please remember that what you learn with the demo Hatch software can easily be applied to ANY software program you already own. This course is primarily focused on theory and teaching you the “whys” behind creating stunning designs.

Although Hatch is not a native Mac program, as with other PC programs you can use Hatch with a Mac provided you use Bootcamp (built into Mac) or purchase a program to run Windows in Mac called Parallels. You will need to purchase a copy of Windows as well as a copy of Parallels. You will need to visit Apple’s website or the Parallels website to get any further information and support for running Windows on a Mac.

You can ask John any questions you may have during our live webinars or post them to the Workshop’s private Facebook group between live webinars.

Yes, this is the same workshop. The same artwork will be used and digitized. As we feel this knowledge is crucial for all embroidered, regardless of if they want to digitize or not, our goal is to reach and help train as many machine embroiderers as we can to help advance the beautiful art of machine embroidery.

This class is primarily geared towards beginner and intermediate digitizers as we will be teaching you to crawl, then walk, then run. However, John will be sprinkling in digitizing tips for digitizers of all levels.

From being on the road teaching digitizing for over 21 years now, John notes that “A lot of digitizer’s I’ve met who consider themselves advanced are often missing quite a bit of the fundamental basics”. For this reason, if you consider yourself advanced and have never taken any of John’s digitizing education in the past, this workshop will most likely still be beneficial for you.

Ready to Start Creating Custom Designs?

Ready to impress your friends, family, and probably even yourself while also skyrocketing your creativity? Make the most out of your downtime by learning a new skill that’ll take your embroidery to an entirely new level.

Click the button below now to enroll now and get ready to join the embroidery elite, as an embroidery digitizer, from the comfort of your own home… No need to pinch yourself, you’re not dreaming!