Machine Embroidery - Bigger Isn't Always Better

I've been working on needle felted designs for a jacket project I will be teaching in August in Puyallup and Silverdale, The Felted Jacket. We'll be doing something out of the ordinary (I don't know if I'm capable of doing the ordinary anyway) - a jacket that is not only embellished with needle felted designs but is also constructed using a needle felting machine (or tool).

So, I've also been auditioning various machine embroidery designs to use with these jackets. There are several ways to incorporate machine embroidery with needle felting. In this instance, I am looking at this outline design to be placed over the top of a background of colorful needle felted fibers.I was really glad I 'auditioned' this particular design, for as you can see - bigger wasn't better. these are both stitched out onto two layers of cutaway embroidery stabilizer, to fit into the same sized hoop. I love this design - The Three Graces - and my usual strategy is to make it as large as possible. (I'm in love with the huge hoops for my Pfaff Creative Vision!) But when I enlarged the design, I lost some of the detail - most noticeably in the hands and faces. It was an important lesson for me - not everything enlarges gracefully (no pun intended). I'm going to try a couple of different resizing programs - just in case - but chances are I'll stick with the original size. Stay posted for the jacket design!