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Dominican Doll by Norhilda Alvarez
Read about Norhilda and download the FREE design
I have been following Norhilda on social media for a while admiring the speed she keeps churning out her key fob designs. They are very imaginative and incredibly cute. She also digitizes lovely embroidery designs that capture the essence of female beauty and complexity.
I approached Norhilda with a few questions abut how she started machine embroidery and why she likes using Hatch Embroidery Digitizer. I also asked for a free design that we can offer to our faithful readers and she came back with her own version of the popular Dominican souvenir, the faceless doll.
Tell me a bit about yourself
I was born and raised in Dominican Republic. I have 3 sisters and I am the oldest. I graduated from Marketing there and I also did a Masters in Finances and Business Administration. I came to Long Island, New York, in 2006 and met my husband two years later. We have 3 boys.
My business GADAHU Embroidery Designs is named after my sons (GA-Gael, DA- Daniel, HU-Hugo). I wanted to include them in there. I do a lot of in-the-hoop items like key fobs and felties, but what I like the most is the bigger and more complicated designs.
How long have you been doing machine embroidery for?
I’ve been doing machine embroidery for almost two years but only started digitizing about 7 months ago.
What made you start doing it?
In my country embroidery is very popular. Custom embroidered items were and still are great gifts for special occasions. I am a stay-at-home mom and wanted to do something that I enjoy. I wanted to learn something new, and embroidery was always something on my mind. I fell in love when I used an embroidery machine for the first time.
What inspires you when you create your designs?
Drawings are my biggest inspiration. I like to create designs that touch people’s hearts. I am also inspired by my culture. I am inspired by everything that is unique and artistic.
What made you choose Hatch Embroidery?
After a little more than a year making embroidered items, I started to get curious about digitizing. There were several software available, and I didn’t know which one to choose. I saw an ad on Facebook about Hatch Embroidery and it got my attention. After that a friend of mine also talked to me about Hatch Embroidery Digitizer and said it was a very user friendly software to create embroidery designs, and that they had a 30 day free trial. I immediately downloaded it, and I was hooked.
What are your favorite tools & features in the software?
I love everything about Hatch Embroidery Digitizer, but what I like most is the branching tool. It is excellent to minimize jump stitches. Motifs are adorable, those different patterns are so pretty and really make the designs pop.
I love the fact that there are a lot of educational videos on YouTube which makes learning much easier.
Why is your Dominican Doll design so unique?
It is a doll without a face, and it represents us Dominican people. She has no face just like the popular clay figurines that were originally created by Liliana Mera Lime. She found it difficult to add features to her dolls, because we are a mix of three races (indigenous, Africans and people from Spain) and she could not represent all the individual ethnicity in just one face. So she left the faces on the dolls smooth.
My embroidery design has applique in the face, neck and flower. I used motif fills on the head scarf and the blouse.
What’s the best advice you can give to other embroiderers?
My best advice for people who create embroidered items is to try different things like applique, in the hoop items, red work, etc., to find out what they like the most. Embroidery is a world full of beautiful surprises. For those who are interested in digitizing, practice is the key. I learn everyday, and the more I do it, the more I love it. Also, don’t be afraid. Everything will be ok if you have a passion for what you do.
Visit Norhilda’s new website for more beautiful designs here: gadahu.com
Hatch Embroidery software products are in popular use in over 100 countries. It is time to join the global trend and give Hatch a try! The 30-day Free Trial grants you unlimited use of all the amazing features and the 30-day Money Back Guarantee ensures that there is absolutely no risk involved.
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