WEB LAUNCH REPLAY Originally we had planned to “blog” only until the Husqvarna Viking Designer Diamond came out however some have encouraged me to continue this “blog” and to maybe include a project or tips? What do you think?
There is a place for you to leave comments at the bottom of the “blog”. Simply click on (number) Comments and you will find comments from others and a box to leave your comment. I promise to read them all but may not be able to answer them all. We did have a couple of questions on the last comment page. Bev from Hamburg, NY asked if her Designer SE has a trade-in value. I feel confident it does and suggest you visit your Husqvarna Viking Dealer for this information. “Anonymous” asked if the soft luggage set is coming with the Designer Diamond. The large soft side embroidery unit carrying bag is included with the Designer Diamond but for a limited time, the large Designer Diamond machine soft luggage carrying bag with wheeled cart comes only with the Designer Diamond machines purchased by dealers at Husqvarna Viking Convention. So if you want to take advantage of getting both bags free, hurry in to your Husqvarna Viking Dealer!
I promised to share some pictures from Husqvarna Viking Convention. We headed to San Antonio early for the exciting training for the Husqvarna Viking Education group. Many had not seen the Husqvarna Viking Designer Diamond before coming to this training and everyone “fell in love” immediately! They absolutely loved the new Ultimate Interactive Screen. This is the largest, brightest and highest resolution color screen in the sewing industry!
Everyone was also impressed with the ease of operation and user friendly features of the Designer Diamond. They loved the new Design Positioning and Design Shaping and of course the space!
Each Educator stitched and embroidered for two full days then helped set up all the Designer Diamond sewing and embroidery machines for the convention!
The new Husqvarna Viking Family Portrait Embroidery Software program is fabulous! Here Julie Mallory, Embroidery Software Training Manager teaches the Educators how to create their “family tree”. Whether you are into family history, genealogy or just want to create one-of-a-kind gifts for special people and special occasions, this program is for you.Simply enter the names, date of birth, death, communion, etc. (there are many options) and then select the style of lettering, layout of the “family tree” (not a real tree—there are many layouts to place your information into wonderful embroidery pieces) and embroider. You can even import information from other genealogy programs.
The best part is that you can combine pictures with the information in your “creation”. You can print pictures on printable fabric or better yet, the Husqvarna Viking Family Portrait Embroidery Software includes a very powerful tool, PortraitStitch, to take pictures and turn them into picture embroideries!
During the Notions Commotion at Husqvarna Viking Convention, Andrew Kaymer of VSM Software Ltd. presented me with a fabulous Hausmann-Youngberg Family Quilt. It was a complete surprise and I was overwhelmed as I saw the PortraitStitch pictures of Herb’s and my great-grandparents, grandparents, parents, children and grandchildren all in PortraitStitch with birth and death dates and more.
Click here for more information on this program
I know this picture below is blurred but this is how it felt at the Grand Opening Launch of the Designer Diamond!! Well over a thousand people “poured” into the Grand Ballroom for their first look at the Husqvarna Viking Designer Diamond. Do you see your Husqvarna Viking Dealer here?
The evening included a Fashion Show of incredibly wonderful garments all embroidered on the Designer Diamond with exciting and new Husqvarna Viking embroidery designs! Husqvarna Viking has always been known for beautiful, quality, upscale embroidery and our designers have outdone themselves with the new designs on the Designer Diamond and the new collections for all Husqvarna Viking models of sewing and embroidery machines. Be sure to check out Cutwork Finesse, Special Effects Butterflies and the incredible Embellish with Yarn designed to be embroidered with the new Yarn Couching Feet which are sold as an accessory for free-motion and embroidery yarn couching!
Another highlight of Husqvarna Viking Convention was the Gallery of Sewing Art. Maybe you were a part of this? Husqvarna Viking stores across North America sent in incredible creations for this gallery. Evelyn, my Administrative Assistant and “right hand person” organized the display and cared for the gallery during convention. All entrants were treated to breakfast on Wednesday and the winners were announced for each category.
I couldn’t resist taking a picture of this “art” on the ceiling in the Convention Center. From a distance I thought it was made from thread spools but when I got up close it was actually pop or beer cans. Wouldn’t this be an incredible piece made from thread spools??
Herb and I left convention early to go to the first Jenny Haskins Academy for Accredited Teachers. When Jenny and Simon announced this special training, it filled immediately so they added a second week. A total of 100 people (50 each week) stitched from 8:30am to 9:30pm learning exclusive Jenny Haskins techniques and creating fabulous projects to teach.
Husqvarna Viking provided 50 Designer Diamond sewing and embroidery machines for this school and they performed fabulously. Jenny really puts a sewing and embroidery machine to the test with her techniques and the Designer Diamond was up to every technique and every project. The students loved all the new features!
Sandy Votaw, Husqvarna Viking dealer from Sandy’s Fabrics & Machines in Kennewick, WA was one of the students and is excited to bring all the projects and techniques home to her customers.
It is always fun to meet people who share my enthusiasm for sewing and for sharing the joy of sewing with others. Kate pictured above took home her Designer Diamond and Jenny and I autographed it on the back!!
Husqvarna Viking Educator Jared Collins attended the tutor school too. Jared will be traveling this year presenting Husqvarna Viking programs so watch for him to come to your community as he has “sew” much to share. Don’t you love his embroidered shirt!!
Here is the group from week one.
Here is the group from week two.
During the first week I flew to Arlington, TX to speak at Martha’s Sewing Market on Friday night. Herb stayed back in Knoxville to help with the Jenny Haskins event. It was really great that Stephanie came week one and Cathy B week two to assist. Everyone learned the Designer Diamond almost immediately so we were mainly being sure they had what they needed to do their project.
It was exciting to see so many sewers “adopt” a Designer Diamond at Martha’s Sewing Market! Martha and I autographed them on the back. What a smile on this new owner as she and I try to balance the huge Majestic Hoop! The box is so big it does not fit in a suitcase! (Ask me how I know that!)
The Threads of Love Ministry was at Martha’s event and Husqvarna Viking provided Sapphire sewing machines for people in the exhibit hall to sit down and mak
e one of the little “preemie diaper shirts” you see on the wall. When I first arrived in the booth a lady came in with the diaper shirt she had made and asked if we would put an embroidery on it. Well, these little shirts are so tiny that most embroidery designs would overwhelm them so we programmed a heart stitch into memory with FIX stitches before and after to tie it off (plus the Selective Thread Cutter to cut at the end) so the sewers could place little heart “embroideries” on their diaper shirts. The proportion of the single heart decorative satin stitch was just the right size to “embroider” the shirts. Sometimes we forget about our decorative stitches and all the creative opportunities they bring!
It is always fun to meet the families of our sewing friends. Hope Yoder, famous for her wonderful heirloom embroidery collections and patterns brought her two daughters to Martha’s Sewing Market.
Herb and I just returned home from our 4 week “flurry” of activity but will leave today for southern CA to see our new granddaughter. Herb has not seen her at all yet so we are really looking forward to this first leg of the trip. Then on to northern CA to celebrate the 4th of July weekend at All Stars games with grandson Britton, age 10 and traveling baseball team games with grandson Bret age 13. We will also celebrate several birthdays!
As we enter the July 4th week, I give thanks for our country and all the opportunities and blessings it provides. I also want to recognize and give thanks for all the men and women in the armed forces serving our country. God Bless America! Land that I love!
More about the Designer Diamond and QBot next time!
Until then, Happy Sewing!
Sue H
We had a very exciting and fruitful training for our Education Group so they would be ready for the big event on Sunday and you will see why when you join the live launch webcast! These are the special people that will be teaching your Husqvarna Viking Dealers, store employees and teachers all the new features and how to use them at the Husqvarna Viking Convention next week. Everyone agrees that when you see the new top-of-the-line it is spectacular but it is “sew, sew” much more when you begin sewing and embroidering and experiencing all the new features as you create! 
We tape the show with five cameras and it is a live edit show. Our director Warren does “live switching” from this control room. Also in the control room is the sound man, time keeper, and Marie Duncan, my right hand as we produce America Sews. She is the one who stops us if she feels something does not look right!
