Ashley's Online Lessons Lesson # 3: MR Memory

   

 

 


 

Subject: Online lessons: MR Memory (#3)

Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2000 15:40:25 -0800
From: Ashley Engelund <engelund@halcyon.com>
To: 1630 List <1630@lyris.quiltropolis.com>

This is one of a series of on-line lessons about the Bernina 1630 sewing machine. All content is copyright 2000-2012 by Ashley Engelund. Permission is granted to copy and distribute this information provided that this copyright statement is included. All companies mentioned retain their respective copyrights and trademarks. All info is the personal opinion of Ashley Engelund.

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MR Memory

Supplies Needed:

  • - graph paper
  • - something to write with
  • - your 1630 manual
  • - your 1630, ready to sew!

 

There are 2 places where you can store stitches and stitch sentences on your 1630. They are:

  • - the MR Memory area, and
  • - the SP Memory area

The MR Memory area is where you can create, edit, and store your stitch sentences. 

FIRST we'll learn about MR Memory -- definitions, how big it is, and what you can do with it.
NEXT we'll learn how to 'write' a stitch sentence in MR memory and sew it out.
THEN we'll learn how to edit a stitch sentence (add stuff, delete stuff, etc) in MR memory and sew it out.

 

A. Learning about MR memory -- what it is and why you should care ;-)

So imagine that you work hard and construct a very fancy stitch sentence that you're really proud of. Maybe it's something like:

"stitch out 5 of D1/2 using the pattern extension X2, then move 30 degrees and stitch out 1 of G2/7, then stitch out 1 of G2/7 but mirror it vertically, then 5 more of D1/2 with those mirrored vertically, then..."

(Note that I have no idea how that would look -- I'm not near my sewing machine right now. It's just an example of the kinds of things you can write in a stitch sentence.)

You've worked hard to get that stitch sentence to sew out something you really like. Wouldn't it be great if you could somehow SAVE it so that you can turn off your machine and have it STILL BE THERE when you come back later? (Would't it be a shame if you had to re-enter that stitch sentence every time?!)

You can -- you simply save that stitch sentence in MR Memory and it will be there for you -- even after you turn the machine off. Cool, no?

MR Memory is a place in your 1630 that has room for NINE stitch sentences. (NINE. Nine nine nine. you'll be seeing a lot of that number.)  Each stitch sentence that can be stored can be up to SEVENTY 'items' long. (A stitch is an item; a function is an item. We'll go over examples of this.)

So... you have NINE sentences, and each is SEVENTY items long.  That means you can store NINE times SEVENTY items. 9 * 70 = 630. You can store 630 items! That's a lotta stuff!

For those of you that deal with pictures better than numbers, here's a little excersize to help you see how the MR memory area is organized:

(Note that I've included links to the web page so that you can see the drawings.) [Hey look -- you actually get to DO something, instead of just reading about it! ;-]

Take a page of graph paper and turn it sideways (landscape) so that the long edges go across the top and bottom. It doesn't matter how many squares across your graph paper is. But you need to have at least 29 squares down available.  On the top row of the graph paper, write "MR MEMORY AREAS." This is just a label for the page -- write it anywhere on the top row.

Now we're going to number down the left hand side of the paper. (Remember this is a short edge -- the long edge of the paper is on the top & bottom.) On the second row, write the number "1" (one). Then skip 2 rows (so you have the number, then 2 blank rows underneath), then write the number 2 (two).

Keep going -- skip 2 rows, then write a 3, then skip two rows.... all the way until you write the number 9. So you have the number 1-9 down the left hand side of the page, with 2 blank rows inbetween each number.

Number your graph paper so it looks like this:

             

MR Areas

             
1                            
                             
                             
2                            
                             
                             
3                            
                             
                             
4                            
                             
                             
5                            
                             
                             
6                            
                             
                             
7                            
                             
8                            
                             
                             
9                            
                             
                             
                             
                             

 

Now draw a rectangle by each number -- 2 rows high and all the way across the page (whatever size graph paper you have).  It should look something like this:

             

MR Areas

             
1                            
                             
                             
2                            
                             
                             
3                            
                             
                             
4                            
                             
                             
5                            
                             
                             
6                            
                             
                             
7                            
                             
                             
8                            
                             
                             
9                            
                             
                             
                             

 

(On the graphic above  I've made the rectangles blue just so they're easier to see. If it makes you happy to color in your rectangles, then by all means please do so.)

Each of those NINE rectangles represents one MR Memory 'area' or "slot". I like to call them "MR memory slots". So you have nine rectangles -- nine SLOTS to fill up in the MR Memory area. You can put a stitch sentence in each of those MR Memory slots. (Actually, you can put more than just one stitch sentence in a slot, but we'll get to that later.)

And recall that each of those slots can hold up to SEVENTY items in it. (Obviously, your graph paper may or may not show 70 little boxes in those rectangles, but you get the idea.)

Now, with that in mind, we'll now go to the next step:

*** We'll learn how to 'write' a stitch sentence in MR memory and sew it out.  (the next post...)

 

(Here begineth the second post about MR Memory:)

Subject: OLL: #3: MR Memory (part 2)
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2000 20:49:24 -0800
From: Ashley Engelund <engelund@halcyon.com>
To: 1630 List <1630@lyris.quiltropolis.com>

This is one of a series of on-line lessons about the Bernina 1630 sewing machine. All content is copyright 2000 by Ashley Engelund. Permission is granted to copy and distribute this information provided that this copyright statement is included. All companies mentioned retain their respective copyrights and trademarks. All info is the personal opinion of Ashley Engelund.

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So -- now know that you have NINE MR slots to work with.

Let's put stuff in them!

Just a note: pages 25 and 26 of your manual list all of the functions of each little icon (picture) on your 1630 screen. You may want to make a copy of those pages & keep that copy handy for quick reference.

MR Memory is covered in your manual on pages 56 thru 59. Open up your manual and skim thru those pages now. You don't have to try to understand them - just read thru them briefly so you know that they're there. I am going use examples that are similar to theirs -- so hopefully it won't be too hard to apply what you learn here to what they're saying in the manual.

We're going to write a stitch sentence and to make this easy, we're going to use stitches that are letters -- menu M.

1. Go to menu M on your 1630.

You should see all of the letters and number stitches that are available to you (in this menu). The functions along the top are always the same; you'll see that same blank line (under the 2nd line of the letter/number/etc stitches); and you'll see the functions along the bottom of the screen.

2. Move your cursor (the "+" sign -- the plus sign) over to the "MR Memory Box" and click once.  

You should see the MR Memory box switch to light letters and numbers on a dark background (before you clicked on it, it was a dark "MR" on a light background.) On your 1630, whenever you see light 'writing' on a dark background, that means an item is SELECTED. So you should now see that the MR Memory box is SELECTED. 

AAnnnd you should see some numbers in front of and after the letters "MR".

You probably see: "70 MR 1" in the Memory box. If you don't see those numbers then you at least should see some number in front of the "MR" and some number after the "MR".

The 'blank line' - underneath the letters and on top of the bottom row of functions -- is where we're going to write out stitch sentence.

I'm going to assume that you're seeing a blank line -- that is, all you'll see is an underscore (_) at the far-left side of the blank line.  If you have some 'stuff' on that line, don't worry. It's just a sign  that you (or someone) has used MR memory before.

I'm going to continue this lesson assuming that the line is blank. If your line is NOT blank *and* you're confused, please post to the list & I'll write about that.

so.... you now have:

  • - the MR Memory box selected 
  • - an underscore on the 'blank line'

Again -- that 'blank line' is where we're going to write our 'stitch sentence.' So from now on, I'm going to call that the "stitch sentence line." (In the manual this line is vaguely referred to as the "programming screen.")

We're going to have our stitch sentence be letters, and we're going to spell out

"HOKIE" [sorry all you Florida gals -- just couldn't resist!! ;-]

So - with the cursor on your 1630 (which is probably right where you left it -- on the MR Memory box):

 move up to the letter H stitch and click once on it.

See what happens? That stitch -- the H -- just appeared on the "stitch sentence line."

So what we've done is:

  • - open up a MR Memory slot (by clicking on the MR Memory box and using whatever the first slot was -- usually 70-MR-1)
  • - click on a stitch.

Now let's finish spelling out "O K I E" --

click on each of the stitches -- the "O", then the "K", then the "I", then the "E."

You'll see that each time you click on a stitch, it gets put on the stitch sentence line.

DON'T WORRY IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE. DON'T WORRY IF YOU SPELL IT WRONG.  JUST PRETEND THAT IT'S OK AND KEEP GOING FORWARD. WE'LL LEARN HOW TO CORRECT MISTAKES LATER.

Let's stitch that out --

BUT FIRST, click on the "Pattern Begin" function so that it's selected. 
AND click on "Pattern Repeat" so that it's set to 1 (one). That way we'll just stitch this out once.

Now put the pedal to the metal and stitch that baby out.

===>> if you had any problems, post some email!! let us know so we (I/whomever) can help you out. 

So.. we've made a simple stitch sentence.

Now let's save it --

Look again at the MR Memory box. It shows: <a number> "MR" <another number>

That first number has now changed -- we'll come back to that later. (Probably it's now "65". Anyone know why? Hint - we've put in 5 stitches/letters. ;-)

The second number -- the one after the MR represents THE MR MEMORY SLOT THAT WE'RE IN. Remember those boxes on that graph paper? Labeled ONE to NINE? The second number -- after the "MR" that you see is the SLOT that we're working in right now. So probably you're working in slot 1 (one).

THAT MEANS: if we save our stitch sentence now, it will be saved in slot.... you guessed it ... ONE.

Let's do it!

To the right of the MR Memory box (on the 1630 screen) is a down arrow. 

If you look that up on page 25 of your manual, you'll see that it's called the "Save/Leave Memory" [arrow]. 

Single click on the "Save/Leave Memory" arrow.

 

What happened? a couple of things:

1. We just saved our stitch sentence into MR Memory slot number 1 (one). So now we can turn off our machine, go do a little dance, come back and turn on the machine and be able to recall that stitch sentence! (which we'll do in a minute....)

You'll also notice that...

2. your stitch sentence is no longer showing on the stitch sentence line! DO NOT PANIC. That's what's supposed to happen.

3. The MR Memory box is no longer selected and it only says "MR" now. Do not panic now either. That too is what's supposed to happen.

When you click the "Save/Leave Memory" arrow, 2 things happen:

1) your stitch sentence is saved into the currently selected slot, and

2) you leave MR Memory -- your 'slot' is closed and you can no longer work on a stitch sentence.

But let's see if it *really* worked.

1. Turn off your machine.

2. Get up and do a little dance. (Don't be shy; no one will know what kind of dance it is.)

3. Turn your machine back on. 

4. Sit back down.

Let's see if we can bring that stitch sentence back up and stitch it out again. Here's how:

1. Go to *any* menu

2. Click on the MR Memory Box.

3. You should see your stitch sentence appear: "HOKIE"

4. set the Pattern Begin function and set Pattern End =1 (so that it stitches out just one pattern)

5. Sew that baby out!

 

To summarize:

  • To write a stitch sentence:
    • - open up a memory slot. Do this by clicking on the MR Memory box
    • - click on each stitch that you want in your stitch sentence
    • - sew it out if you want (pattern begin and patter End=1 are helpful
  • To save a stitch sentence into MR Memory:
    • - click on the "Save/Leave Memory" arrow
      • the stitch sentence will be saved in the MR Memory slot that you were working in

 

. . . . . . . 

OK -- this is a good pause point.

Please post and let us all know how this went for you. Did you have any trouble? Was I too confusing? Did I make many errors?

I'd like to hear some feedback before I continue so that I know I'm taking the right approach.

A note to those of you who might be thinking "But when are we going to get to the software??" You need to be comfortable with MR memory because you'll be working with MR and SP memory when we get to the software. So hang in there!

 

NEXT LESSON: what that first number means and why we care about it; how to choose which MR Memory slot you're working in; and maybe -- how to edit/correct your stitch sentence.

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This post will be put up on the FAQ pages. Go to: http://www.ashleyCaroline.com/sewing/1630 and click on "Ashley's OnLine Lessons" under the "Helpful Write-Ups" section.

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