Bit-O-Color is an alphabet that came about after having seen a “hand embroidered” tea towel at a store called Anthropologie and falling in love with the idea of making up letters with “bits” of different “colors”. This alphabet includes twenty-six letters, an ampersand, an exclamation point, and a question mark. The 2” letters can be combined and used to personalize just about anything - aprons, tea towels, pillowcases, quilts, throws, make-up bags, purses....you name it!

This pattern contains a collection of embroidery machine designs in the following formats: .ART, .DST, .EXP, .HUS, .JEF, .PCS, .PES, .SHV, .VIP, and .VP3.

I have designed each of these letters using the same 13 colors and the colors are stitched out in the same order in each letter.

Also included are the combined words: SEW, FUN, LOVE, and QUILT. There are three ways to use these letters:

1. Letters can be embroidered individually. 
   
   
2. Letters can be combined into words right on many embroidery machines. And, on many embroidery machines, you can also “color sort” so that you can stitch out the same color on each of the letters at the same time. 
   
   
3. Lastly, you can combine letters into words and sort in your preferred software. A knowledge of your preferred embroidery software is necessary as software differs.

This pattern was not designed for the type of applique where you cut away the extra fabric. The templates are the actual applique size and after cutting out the pieces, you will place the pieces within stitched-out placement lines.

HOWEVER: You CAN use the cutaway method for your applique, but you will have to repeat the placement line after you place your fabric down and before you cut your fabric away.   I do not include a second placement line or a tack down stitch in my designs.