johnsleeperbooks.comjohnsleeperbooks.com/Machine Embroidery Essentials.docx · Web viewWhat this increase in price gets you is the ability to use the machine as a regular sewing machine

Table of Contents

Chapter TitlePage

Preface 3

1 Hand embroidery v. machine 4

2Embroidery machines 5

3Needles 8

4Threads 12

5Fabrics 16

6Stabilizing 17

7Hooping 21

8Digitizing I - Shading & shaping 23

9Digitizing II - Non-fills 27

10Digitizing III - Feathered Edges 30

11Digitizing IV - Stitch Techniques 36

12Digitizing V - 3D with thread 41

13Digitizing VI - 3D with foam 45

14Digitizing VII - Appliqués & patches 49

15Other helpful hints 53

16Special materials 60

17Starting a business 62

18Troubleshooting 70

Glossary of terms 72

Preface

How do you want your embroidery to look?

Whether you want to do just Plain Jane or Fancy Schmancy this book will be your reference for years to come. All the basics and some not so basic techniques are packed into this “how to” workbook including illustrations to eliminate the problems inherent in translating someone else’s words.

Each chapter stands alone so you can pick certain elements in the book to concentrate on if you are already an advanced machine embroiderer or digitizer. And, if you work through all the chapters in order you will be an advanced embroiderer and digitizer by the time you finish. Even if you are an advanced embroiderer you should read through this entire book at least once so you will be familiar with the terms I use and how I use them.

I have been in this business for over twenty-seven years now (1987 - present) doing both embroidery and digitizing. I have used both home machines and commercial machines and I will make note of any techniques I describe if they are applicable to only one type or model.

This is not a book on how to operate any individual machine or software. Your machine and software should have come with the proper manuals that explain in detail how to use your equipment. What I provide here are the fine tuning and special tricks that the machine and software manuals don’t give you.

I wrote this book so it would have some white space on each page. You should use this space to make notes pertinent to your machine as well as your personal preferences. This will keep your notes close to the relative area of discussion in the book.

That’s enough general talk so let’s turn the page and get started learning better and more interesting machine embroidery techniques.

Chapter 1

Machine versus Hand Embroidery

When I was very young I was fascinated with the cottage crafts that my mother and grandmother did. They were very adept at crocheting and embroidery. The crocheting was like magic because they moved so fast making doilies using very fine hooks and thread. The embroidery, however, was more to my liking because I could see what they did and I could copy it.

Hand embroidery is great for a keep busy hobby because you can do it most anywhere. All you need is a needle, some thread, a hoop and some fabric. And, you will have to admit it is much more difficult to carry around an embroidery machine with all its various attachments plus needing a power source to run it.

The differences in the effects you can get with each are worlds apart. The hand embroidery is certainly more elegant and affords more possibilities for innovation in the types of stitches you can use. Also, it looks like embroidery. Machine embroidery on the other hand can be better described as painting with thread. In fact I have used this phrase in many of my dealings concerning machine embroidery both online and in print. The machine embroidered designs I have created and used are hard to differentiate from drawings or paintings when viewed from a distance, as all artwork should be viewed.

The hand embroidered items are also more highly valued than the machine artwork. One reason for this is that the machine embroidery can be mass duplicated to exacting specifications on most any computerized embroidery machine while the hand embroidered work is a time intensive endeavor and is very difficult to reproduce exactly. The hand embroidered items will always have at least some slight differences even when the same pattern is used.

Considering the differences I have noted here I think it is safe to say that the two types of embroidery are completely different craft forms.

Chapter 2

Embroidery Machines

Which embroidery machine you choose depends on a number of factors. Price is usually the second consideration but I will mention it first here. I have seen home machines starting at $150 at the discount department stores such as Walmart. These low priced machines will do nearly everything the bigger more expensive machines can do. The big difference being the size of the sewing area. The small inexpensive machines are normally limited to sewing an area of about 4 inches by 4 inches or less. Be aware that some only sew an area of 3 inches by 2 inches. Most commercial designs are made to fit the 4” X 4” hoop machines since these are the most commonly owned today.

The machine manufacturers all make this size machine for the entry level embroiderer. They hope that everyone will start with this size machine because they also know that many people will want to graduate to a larger sewing area machine sooner or later. They know this because once you realize that the designs you can get for your small machine lack certain qualities, especially detail, that you can get in the larger designs, so… The manufacturer is very happy to sell these lower priced machines because they will make at least some money from everyone who wishes to try machine embroidery. Graduating to the larger machine gets you from sewing 16 square inches per hooping to 70+ square inches per hooping. Plus the larger machine allows you to purchase larger designs which generally have more detail in them and give you the option of combining more than one design into the larger sewing area to create scenes.

Now let’s get to the most impressive machines and of course the most expensive, the commercial embroidery machine. Here is a comparison list of the most significant mechanical features thus far:

Home MachineCommercial Machine

Speed:500 - 1,000 stitches/minuteup to 1,500 stitches/minute

Hoop area:up to 100 sq. inchesup to 300 sq. inches

Needles:1 needle 1 colorup to 16 needles 16 colors

Once you step up to the larger home embroidery machine you can expect to pay $4,000 - $7,000 and up. What this increase in price gets you is the ability to use the machine as a regular sewing machine to make garments as well as a larger embroidery area, usually around a 7” X 10” hoop.

Once you get into the commercial grade machines the price is pretty much the same for all brands, around $15,000 give or take $1,000. The big difference is size, speed and convenience. The advantage of being able to sew 16 different colors without stopping to change thread spools is tremendous.

One thing to keep in mind if you are considering a commercial machine is when using different thread types and weights you will need to individually set each thread tensioner on the machine to match the thread you are using every time you change the thread.

Also, I look for what the difference between the various makes and models of machines can do for me. Specifically I want something extra that will make my designs stand out in a crowd.

Some might say I am prejudiced in my selection of an embroidery machine and they would be correct. The reason is that I am meticulous in researching and testing anything I purchase and the embroidery machine is no different. And, I believe I have found the machine for me since it has helped me win numerous first place awards in embroidery contests.

My choice for the perfect embroidery machine is the Melco Amaya XT.

This is not for everyone but if anyone is thinking of going into the embroidery business or you are interested in having the most versatile machine on the market to do some very creative designs this is the only machine to have. Here are the points I considered before making my decision and what I found.

The big items to consider in any machine are: the tensioning on the threads, the number of needles the machine uses, how long it takes to finish a sew-out and the different stitches available on the machine itself, amongst others.

The Amaya machine has no thread tensioning mechanism to cause problems. I will repeat this, it has NO thread tensioners. It automatically senses how much thread is required for each stitch and supplies just enough to get the stitch made.

It has 16 needles which translate to 16 colors available at all times without having to change thread. Plus, if you are worried about thread breaks you can put the same color of thread on more than one needle and tell it where these duplicate colors are. Then if the thread breaks it automatically senses this and will go to the alternate needle with the same color thread and pick up where it left off at the thread break with no operator intervention.

It is FAST! It pumps out stitches at a maximum rate of 1,500 stitches per minute.

It sews metallics just as easily and at the same speeds as regular poly thread.

And, it has an amazing feature that no other machine can match. You can tell it to turn a regular fill stitch into a “looped pile” stitch. This loop pile stitch is one of my favorite things to use. Talk about a great 3D effect… I use this for a fur effect like on a Santa hat, a very curly permed hair look and making letters that look like they are those you see on a letterman’s jacket, chenille, and other effects as well.

It also has a special applique function as well as the ability to sew pockets, sleeves and pant legs without disassembling the garment.

It can also sew hats as well but it has the added ability to sew ¾ of the way around the hat, not just the front.

Everything I have mentioned in this chapter are excellent reasons that you should shop around trying out different machines before you make a decision.

Chapter 3

Needles — Your Point Man…

Needles play a very large part in how your machine sews and having the right needle is a big part of the fix for many woes. I will point out here what to look for and why you should not be hooked into thinking that your machine must have a certain kind of needle. Surprise, surprise that’s not true and I will tell you why.

There are many different types of sewing machine/embroidery machine needles that are available. They come in different sizes and have different coatings as well as different levels of sharpness. Some needles even have a flattened side on the shank so you don’t have to think when you install the needle.

I will start with the easy one first which is the flattened shank. These are like “Needles-for-Dummies” needles. They are not required by your machine. By the time we are done with this chapter you will know how to properly install a needle of any kind in your machine and since many of the exotic needles never come with flattened shanks you will greatly enhance your machine’s capabilities with the knowledge that you can use any needle on the market.

I will start with needle design basics and get into different coatings later.

It may be a bit difficult to see but notice that needles are not round. They have indentations near the eye as you can see on the center needle. On the opposite side from this indentation they have a long groove that runs from in front of the eye to the thick part of the shank as seen on the needle on the right. Ignore the fact that this one is green for now. I will get to this later. Needles are also fairly uniform in diameter until they get to the sharpened point and also are larger at the opposite end where it is clamped into the sewing machine. There is also a hole near the sharp end that goes completely through the shank. There are good reasons for all these different shapes on the needle.

First and most obvious is the sharpened (pointy) end of the needle. This is for ease of penetration of the material you are sewing on.

The hole (or eye) near the point is so a thread can be passed through the needle enabling the needle to take the thread with it when it passes through the material being sewn.

The long groove that runs from just in front of the eye all the way to the thick end of the needle is for the thread to lie in as the needle is passing through the material to keep from putting excess tension on the thread.

The notch you see on the left side of the center needle just above the eye is to allow a space for the rotary hook to pick up the thread and cast it around the bobbin.

Now for the sharp end of the needle. I bet you thought all needles were sharp because when you stick yourself with one they sure hurt. Not all needles are sharp, at least not to the same extent.

I know it is hard to tell but if you use a strong magnifier a Ball-Point (BP) needle will appear more rounded on the end than a sharp point (SP). It is hard to tell even under magnification. It seems silly to believe the commonly held dogma that using the sharp point needle will tend to damage the thread and fabric that it goes through and the BP doesn’t. Supposedly the BP will move the fibers aside as it penetrates the fabric while the sharp point just cuts right through them. You can believe this conventional wisdom if you wish but, I have examined them both side-by-side under high magnification (20X) and they are both rounded on the ends. Neither has what you would call a “needle” sharp point.

The things you should keep most in mind when selecting needles are: the material they are made of or coated with, the diameter of the needle shaft that penetrates the fabric you are sewing and the size of the eye.

The shaft diameter is usually referred to as the needle size. All needles have the same length and the other physical attributes I have described above but size is what sets them apart. Size refers to the diameter of the needle shaft that passes through the fabric you are embroidering. A #14 needle has a shaft diameter of .034 inches, #12 is .032 inches and a #11 is .030 inch diameter. The needle eye is reduced proportionally along with the diameter of the shaft. In other words, the bigger the number the larger the shaft and the larger the eye.

Smaller needles would be a better choice for fine fabrics and close detailed stitching. The drawback is the smaller eye which will cause increased friction from the thread to heat the needle and cause more thread breaks.

The larger needles are a better choice for heavy fabrics due to strength and the larger eye will reduce friction to compensate for the higher friction of the heavier, denser fabrics and reduce thread breaks.

Also, you may have noticed that heavier threads like #30 or even #20 (the smaller the number the larger the thread diameter) make your embroidery and top stitching look better/richer. This is OK to do for small projects or one time sew-outs but in the long run the number of thread breaks you will have will outweigh this benefit.

Needle coatings:

The 2 most common needle coatings are Teflon and titanium.

In the picture above the needle on the right is green. This is due to the special Teflon coating used. Yes, it does greatly reduce friction and thread breaks but it has 2 draw backs. First it is much more expensive than normal stainless needles and the coating does not last very long. It wears off rather quickly and this increases the price of using them. I would estimate that over the course of 6 months constant usage the Teflon needles will cost you 8 – 10 times the cost of using stainless steel needles. The thread tension setting of the upper thread in your machine is much more effective in combating thread breaks, especially in metallic threads, than any of the other things you can do.

The titanium needles on the other hand have a much higher initial purchase price but they last and stay sharper much longer than stainless needles due to the wear resistance of the titanium coating. You will be able to recognize these needles right away by the bright gold color of the needle shank.

I know some machine manufacturers recommend that you change your needles on a regular basis. This is not necessary. The only time you should change your needle is if it is causing the thread to fray and break or the needle breaks or bends.

When replacing a needle you must observe the long groove that runs from the eye along the length of the shank. This groove must be lined up with the path of the thread as it enters the eye. This is necessary to keep the thread protected as it passes through the fabric you are sewing/embroidering on. In turn this will properly align the back of the needle enabling the rotary hook to pick up the thread and cast it around the bobbin which locks the stitch with each punch. If you use the needles with a flat side on the heavy portion of the shank it will help you to align the groove correctly on home machines but will limit the use of all the specialty needles available that don’t use this flattened area.

Chapter 4

Thread

Choosing the thread for your project is the most important part of the actual sewing operation. It determines how the final project will look. It is the most visible part of the character of the design. All the other things you will do such as: shadows, shading and texture, will add the subtle looks to the design but, nothing jumps out like the colors.

You must first choose a thread that will work with your machine. This is determined by the machine you are using and the type of stitches you will use in the design. Luckily the choices are simple. For the best running and the most colors you have polyester, rayon, silk and metallic. You must also be mindful of the strength of the thread. In order of strength you get silk, polyester, metallic and rayon. I do not consider cotton threads in this discussion because of the drawbacks associated with them such as the great quantities of lint produced that can clog the machine mechanism, especially in high-speed machines and it is very weak. The strength of the thread gets more important with the increased speed of the machine. On my commercial machine, only polyester thread will hold up and not break. Rayon thread will break within a very few stitches.

Thread is classified by its weight and is denoted by the “#” symbol and is read, “20# - twenty weight.” This number is actually quite literal in that it specifies how much of the thread, in kilometers, it takes to weigh 1 kilogram. Thus the 20# thread means it takes 20 kilometers to weigh one kilogram. This actual weight is not important because you will never weigh the thread but will take the manufacturer’s word for it. The important thing to realize here is that the thread weight corresponds to the diameter and the strength of the thread. In other words, 20# is heavier, larger and stronger than 30# thread. Of course this is only true if you are comparing the weight of two threads made of the same material. You cannot compare polyester to cotton using these criteria.

Threads are the paint of your machine embroidery artwork. Without a big enough pallet of thread colors your work will look flat and cartoonish. How many thread colors are enough? This is up to you. How much effort you put into your embroidery will show your own style and how serious you are about doing the very best work you can. There are other factors of course such as how much you are willing to learn about your craft and how much pride you have in your workmanship.

The thread is always one of your first considerations in making a design that both you and those you show it to will be impressed with. The colors you pick will either make a brilliant piece of work or turn it into just another reject for your reject box.

It is worth mentioning here that you should never throw away your mistakes or sew-outs with problems. If you ever work a craft show or a swap-meet just place all these rejects in a box at the front of your booth with a sign saying something like, “All embroidered items in this box are $1 each.” You will be amazed at how fast these bargain basement items sell. And, at least you get your money back covering your materials used.

A good way of embellishing your embroidery is to add something extra like highlighting the embroidery with other materials such as metallic thread or rhinestones or applique. As far as metallic threads and rhinestones go just remember, less is more…

Color Combining — Whoever dies with the most threads WINS!

I know you’ve heard this dying comment about fabric from many a seamstress. I think that is just because they like feeling fabric. I know my wife does and her best friend just likes collecting fabric.

Well, neither of these is true in my case. You will remember that I said I like using the phrase “paint with thread.” This is why I have more thread colors than a Crayon box. I have been using this phrase for almost 20 years because I like to make my work look like art.

It is very difficult to find the exact color you need even when you have such a large collection of colors as I do. At present I probably have somewhere around 200 – 300. And, even with this many I still can’t find just the right one for every occasion. However, there are ways to create the illusion of different colors. One way is to buy such threads as one line that Robison Anton puts out called “Twists”. Here again you are limited to the relatively few colors that they put out in this line.

My favorite way is to blend the colors of a number of different colored threads. Using this method I can create the effect of fur if I blend light yellow and light brown with cream. It also gives a much more natural effect than just using a solid tan colored thread.

Also, you can add some darker and lighter areas by simply adding a 3rd or 4th color. Obviously you can’t just slap them on top of each other as the top most thread would hide the ones under it unless you do something to keep this from happening. Shading is a simplified form of blending because you are normally just trying to add shape to the project as I explain in chapter 9. Blending is much more subtle than creating shadows to give the illusion of shape. But, using what I have already gone over in shading and adding it to blending will give a really beautiful and subtle look to your designs like the master painters achieve by smearing different colors together and letting them run into each other on the canvas.

You will use both the shading technique I describe in chapter 8 and the feathered edge that I describe in chapter 11. However, depending on the amount of blending you use and what you want to stand out the most I will vary the technique slightly. All this is explained in chapter 8 digitizing.

As I mentioned, using the twisted color threads on the market is OK to a point but there never seems to be just the right color combination to work with the project I am making. Variegated threads never work because they create blocks of color. So, one last trick to blending colors is to, in effect, make your own multicolored thread. No, you don’t have to build your own textile mill. All you have to do is use the largest needle you have. I would not go smaller than a #14 needle. Then select the 2 colors you want to blend and thread them both through your machine at the same time just like you do with a single thread. It will help immensely if you have a thread stand that will hold multiple spools of thread so you can bring the threads together before it ever gets to the machine. This is true even if you are using a multi-needle machine. You will also need to reduce the upper thread tension unless you have an Amaya XT.

This method can give some amazing effects. Try it when you make fur, grass, water or trees.

Chapter 5

Fabric

Always, ALWAYS sew a new design out on a piece of test fabric before sewing on your finished product. This goes for a design you made yourself or one you purchased. Believe me when I tell you that if you sew a new design on an expensive garment and it doesn’t come out the way you wanted it you will ruin the garment by removing the stitching and it will be an expensive lesson. There is no substitute for sewing a test on the same fabric as the finished garment.

Different fabrics require different stabilization techniques and digitizing. Generally, the lighter and stretchier the fabric the more difficult it will be to embroider without causing some sort of wrinkling or tearing. This is even true for fabrics such as denim which at first glance appears very stable on its own. Never trust your instincts on this and you will be a much happier embroiderer for taking the extra step.

If you are digitizing, the best fabric to test the basics of your design on is felt. Felt is the most forgiving fabric due to its basic manufacture. It has no stress in any direction because it is basically just a jumble of loose fur or fur-like fibers.

It is impossible to address all fabrics because there are so many.

Chapter 6

Stabilization

Backings & Toppings.

Backings and toppings are stabilizers used on the top of the fabric and on the underside of the fabric. The function of the backing is to make the fabric more stable so the embroidery stitching is less likely to cause gathering of the fabric. The function of the top stabilizer is to keep portions of the fabric such as the fine hairs of velvet or the loops of the terry cloth or the pile of the fleece from sticking up between the embroidered stitches.

A couple of things to keep in mind about these stabilizers is to only use top stabilizers if necessary to keep the pile of the fabric from coming through the embroidery stitches. Other than this necessary function the only reason to use it is to make the top stitches a little looser. This will not affect the bottom stitches (bobbin thread stitches) in the same way. This can have the effect of making the top stitches appear fuller and give the embroidery a little more sheen.

The other thing to keep in mind is that the bottom stabilizer makes the fabric more resistant to stretching in the direction of the thread tension. There are many types of both top and bottom stabilizers. But the bottom ones are more diverse because of the number of different fabrics you will come across to embroider on. I will enumerate the function of a few general types here:

· My favorite for stabilizing any fabric is to use an iron-on stabilizer called fusible interfacing. This will effectively stabilize the stretchiest fabric.

· Heavy cut-away: Use this for denim fabrics (yes, denim does stretch — a lot) and most fleece fabrics. This is because these are thick enough that the heavy cut-aways will not show through.

· Light cut-aways: These are obviously used for those fabrics that the heavy-cutaways would show through on.

· Silky cut-aways: These are on the order of organdies. They are made of nylon or polyester or rayon. You will normally be able to see through them. They are light and soft to the touch and feel good next to the skin. For this reason they are used a lot on children’s and baby apparel. For a special effect these can be embroidered on directly to make such things as a screen for use with a candle back light. Special attention must be used here in digitizing to keep from pulling the fibers of the organdy together and creating a poor rendition of eyelet lace.

· Tear-away: This also comes in many weights for different applications and fabrics. It is used when cut-away would be difficult and time consuming to use such as when doing hat embroidery.

· It is also a good idea to keep some light weight tear-away handy when you are embroidering a design that is completely filled in (not an outline) but the thread color is much lighter in color than the background fabric color. To keep the fabric from showing through you would have to use a prohibitive density of stitches. But a light tear-away on top of the fabric that can be easily removed after the stitching is completed effectively keeps the fabric color from showing through with a minimum of stitch density.

· Sticky stabilizers: These are tear-away stabilizers that generally have a self-adhesive back. They are generally used on home machines when the item to be sewn cannot be hooped (ball caps for example) or when fine repositioning of the fabric is necessary and re-hooping in the normal manner is not an option.

· Other repositionable backing methods are used mainly with specialized hoops used on commercial machines but the method can be adapted to the home sewing machine hoops. This method of using backings gives the added flexibility of using any backing material with any fabric. The hoops used on commercial machines for this are generally flat pieces of steel of different shapes and sizes for different uses. However, this technique can be adapted to the home embroidery machine hoops for limited applications.

· The problem with the commercially available sticky back stabilizers is they are paper tear-away. So, things like edges around parts of a design, running stitches with a short step pitch and satin stitched lines will create a distinct cut in the paper and allow the fabric to pull and stretch in these areas causing wrinkles in the finished product.

· The preferred way to hold fabric without hooping it in a frame is to use tape. I prefer to use two sided carpet tape because it is extremely sticky and will hold very well in these instances. (see chapter 7 – Hooping)

Under-sewing to stabilize fabric

Under-sewing is the stitching used to secure the stretchy finish fabric to the non-stretchy backing and to create a stable surface on such fabrics as terry cloth to keep the pile from sticking through the embroidery stitches.

There are any number of ways to accomplish this very important stabilization method. I will give you the ones that I use most often and if there are any questions just pop me an e-mail and ask.

I suggest you always use a thread color for the under sewing that is a very close match to the fabric you are sewing on. If you don’t do this chances are that some of the under sewing will show through the finish embroidery stitches where they are parallel.

The procedure:

· I usually prefer to use a running stitch with a step pitch of 3mm unless the fabric is terry cloth or the like then use 2mm.

· First sew an outline (green in the example below) completely around the design just inside the edge of the finished design so you can be sure the finished design will cover the under sewing completely. Be sure to include any holes in the design, such as the inside of a block letter like an “O”. In the example below note the open spaces between arms and body.

· Then run the stitching at about a 45 degree angle first from bottom left to top right until the entire area within the outline is covered. Repeat this pattern going from bottom right to top left creating a roughly checkerboard pattern when done. Perfection here is not required.

· The closeness of the lines of stitching in this crisscross pattern is dictated by the type of fabric being sewn on. Puffy fabric such as quilted material and fuzzy fabric such as terry cloth require very close lines. Other fabrics such as knits need not be as dense. Use your best judgment here.

It is ALWAYS a good idea to use under-sewing to stabilize. For those who are very experienced digitizers and embroiderers and are saying that there are times when under-sewing is not an option, this is true but, in the vast majority of circumstances it is the best option.

Chapter 7

Hooping

Hooping your fabric and stabilizers correctly is extremely important to keep your sew-out from running into problems. Most gathering and wrinkling of the fabric can be traced back to improper hooping. The most frustrating problem comes when you are trying to hoop extremely stretchy fabric. To embroider these fabrics you will need to use all your tricks (hooping, under-sewing, stabilizers and digitizing) to make it come out the way you want it.

In general the following procedure is the best with the exception of the extremely stretchy fabrics.

· You should start with your hoop loose enough to allow it to easily accept the fabric and backing without having to use too much force putting the hoop on.

· Then tighten the hoop tensioning screw mechanism as tight as you can with your fingers.

· Remove the hoop and give it about one more complete turn on the screw.

· Re-hoop the fabric and backing. It will be fairly difficult this time but if you have it on a hard flat surface and apply sufficient pressure it will “POP” into place. If you can’t get it on, loosen it about 1/2 turn and try again.

· Pulling on just the fabric not the backing, pull the fabric around the edges of the hoop, being careful not to tear the fabric, until it looks smooth and flat everywhere within the hoop.

· Turn the hoop over and do the same for the backing to remove any wrinkles.

· When it looks smooth and even in the hoop, place the hoop and fabric on a flat hard surface and with just your index finger put some pressure on the fabric inside the hoop and run your finger around the inside of the hoop like it was a race track while holding the hoop steady with your other hand. If it feels stretchy or bulges in front of your finger as it moves then the fabric needs to be stretched more in the hoop. Note: There are some extremely stretchy fabrics that are just impossible to get tight. We will go over other ways to compensate later.

· Once the fabric doesn’t bulge in front of your finger as you run it around and back & forth on the fabric that is as good as it needs to be.

Most hoops have straight or near-straight sides. These are a big problem in that they cannot give even tension to the fabric to keep it from wrinkling. The best way I have found to eliminate this problem is to use tape. Not just any tape but a very special tape that looks like adhesive tape but is soft and stretchy called sports tape. The application should provide a smooth (not overlapped) outer face of the inner and inner face of the outer hoop frames that will be touching each other. The edges of the tape that could be peeled or rolled by the hooping and stretching of the fabric should be confined to the inner surface of the inner hoop frame and the outer surface of the outer hoop frame so any tape edges will not be peeled or rolled as the fabric is hooped. The sticking of the tape should be started along the outer surface of the inner hoop frame by centering the tape along the outer surface. The same should be done with the outer hoop frame’s inner surface. The end result should be that the surfaces of the hoop frames that touch when they are put together will have no edges of the tape that will come in contact with the opposite face of the hoop frame.

Chapter 8

Digitizing I

How do you want your designs to look?

If you are trying to do some “quick & dirty” digitizing — this is usually the point and click method offered by most digitizing software applications on the market today — you need not put much thought into your design. Stitch direction, color and type are about all the options you have.

On the other hand, if you are trying to win a contest against other amateur and professional digitizers, you will want to put your best foot forward and create something unique and at least somewhat difficult to do. There are many techniques that can be applied to your digitizing to accomplish a unique look. The one I will address first is fairly simple to do and gives a 3D look to your design.

Shading and Shadows

The picture I will use here is of a design that I have won first place with in a professional embroidery contest put on by Stitches Magazine.

You should be able to notice that the first design is without shading or shadows while the second one has both.

Notice that the shadow on the ground in gray gives the entire picture depth while the shading on the figure of the girl gives her a 3D effect making such features as her face, body and legs appear rounded in comparison to the obviously flat look of the first picture.

So, how do you achieve this effect?

First, this is not possible in the quick and dirty method of point and click. You can achieve the right picture using the point & click method then go into your editor and add the shading on top. This gives a decent look but does not allow for more subtle effects I will get into in later portions of this book.

One of the more important uses of shading is to give a slight change in color, darkening slightly the areas that are in shadow on the skin. To achieve this most effectively the stitch density of the shading color must be reduced to at least half of the density of the base color. This allows for the base color to show through giving a more natural effect than using the method taught by some digitizers who use a paint-by-numbers approach.

The next thing to keep in mind is to have the shading mimic the original stitches as closely as possible. To do this use the same angle for your shading stitches as you did for the base stitches. This allows the shading stitches to actually squeeze between some of the original lines of stitching giving an even more pronounced blending effect.

Next, observe that even though the line of shading is continuous from her skirt to her knee, you cannot use the same color for shading both areas. It is very lazy digitizing to use one color everywhere, such as grays, for all shading and shadows. While you can get away with this when digitizing for yourself it will never fly in a contest, especially if you are competing against my designs. Take the extra time to change colors when you shade a different color on an adjacent part of the design.

Finally, if your software allows for creating feathered edges use this on all shading and shadows where the shaded part of the color approaches the lighted part of the color such as where the under part of the girl’s leg blends into the lighter part above. Shadows are not usually cut off abruptly but fade out more or less gradually as they approach the light. So, making them indistinct by feathering the edge is the best way to duplicate what occurs naturally.

Another way to improve the look

Texture is another way of improving the quality of your design. When you use something special in the way of punching to create texture this makes your design way above any of the stock designs you can purchase. This is accomplished by using a program included with any of the better digitizing software included with your machine or can be purchased separately. This is called creating a programmed fill stitch.

The programmed fill stitch is created simply by using the tools in the program, which are usually quite simple, to make a line drawing pattern of what you want your punches to look like. For example, to create fish scales you would use a drawing that looks like a crescent line. The patterns repeat automatically throughout the fill area. You should also be able to rotate and size the pattern with the digitizing software after the fill is created in your design.

Another example would be to create a programmed fill pattern that looks like a simple circle. This can be used to create the texture of a golf ball.

You will notice if you take a close look, that the hair on the girl I showed previously above uses this technique. This is a more complicated pattern but doable with practice and gives a great effect.

Be careful of making your pattern too small or intricate as this will crowd the punches and could create a problem in your sew-out.

Remember that shading is most effective when you keep the lines of stitching parallel and the step pitch the same for the base color and the color you will be blending into it. With blending you will want to use at least 2 colors and often 3 or more. As an example, when I make fur on a brown bear I start with a medium brown base and I will make this first layer dense enough to cover the fabric in case someone puts it on a pink background. I don’t want that to show through. Next, decreasing the stitch density by at least 1/2 and feathering at least one edge I layer on a light golden brown. And last, I create the highlights using a cream yellow where the sun reflects off the fur in about the same or slightly less density than the light brown.

The next trick is how to call attention to certain areas. For this all you need to do are 2 things. 1) do not cover darker areas such as shadow areas so the darker stitching will be most dominate and, 2) to make the lighter stitches show up more in certain areas, change the stitch direction slightly so the lighter thread will lie on top of the darker ones instead of sinking in between the other lines of stitching. This will make the lighter thread more visible and make such areas jump out at you more.

If you are working on animals (including humans) don’t forget to call attention to the eyes by putting a glint in the eye. I would always suggest white for this since it will be more noticeable and stands out compared to the other colors around it. I usually use an asterisk pattern for this so it will be visible from any angle.

Chapter 9

You don’t have to fill everything in…

It is actually a very effective technique to leave the main body of the design blank and just hint at the portions that would normally be filled in.

This gives it a wispier look. However, other areas such as the hair, ribbons and lips are filled in to accent them. These are the things I wanted to attract attention to give the design more personality amongst other things.

Referring back to a previous discussion on texture, note the light brown lines I used in the blonde hair to give it its curly/wavy look. With this kind of hair a programmed fill stitch would be wasted as there are so many distinctly separate pieces of hair and they are going in so many directions.

Other things that are done in a more solid form for accent use a solid satin stitch for outlines on the wings, dress and legs. These outlines should be used sparingly as the effect you get with the technique of outlining everything gives the effect of flatness and makes it have a coloring book/cartoonish look.

The background is also important here. It helps to use a fabric that will not detract from the design. The fabric I use here is a cream color felt. Any fabric that is too busy will detract greatly from the look of the embroidery. The line of fairies I make are sold as framed art and from a distance they appear to be drawings. It is only when you get close that you can tell that they are made of thread.

Chapter 10

Feathered Edges

Feathered edges are important for a number of reasons. The one I will describe here is the usefulness of making uneven edges to approximate something fuzzy like animal fur or things with indistinct edges like shadows. I will also give a technique for how to approximate this if your digitizing software does not support the feathered edge automatically.

I have tried many of the digitizing softwares on the market (probably 8 – 10 over the last 20 years) and none that I have found are as user friendly and versatile for creating machine embroidery designs as the Brother software. I rarely use the “quick-n-dirty” (point & click) method as it usually fails to satisfy the perfectionist in me. I have both the Brother versions 4 & 5 but I use the version 4 the most. Probably because I have used it the longest (about 10 – 12 years now) and am very fast with the interface it provides. I also use a keyboard with a touch pad for ease of maneuvering and speed. I will use the Brother software as an example here in hopes that you can find this type of function in the particular software you use.

Finding this function in the Brother software: Note that even if you do not have Brother Software your software should have some similar function. Try your “HELP” menu to find it. Your setup should be essentially the same as described here.

Bring up the “Layout and Editing” part of the Brother software.

Below is the way this feathered edge will look set at 3 mm max length and a density of 4.5 threads per mm.

Below is what the feathered edge will look like set a 10 mm max length. (Same density)

Below is what it will look like with the max length set to 10 mm and density set to 2 threads per mm.

Below is what the digitizing looks like with a solid brown base density 4.5 and some yellow highlighting on top of it using a feathered edge set on both top and bottom density of 2. Below this is what it would look like sewn out.

This next example is how to digitize for a similar effect when not using the feathered edge.

A similar sew out is seen when the density is set the same as the above example with the feathered edge but the uneven edge must be manually created as shown here.

If you look back you will see where I have used this technique extensively in the fairy wings and on the shadow under the girl sitting on the floor.

Chapter 11

Stitch Techniques — Punching vs Stitching

I know I have mentioned it before but now I will explain what the difference between stitching and punching is and how you can use this difference to help you create some otherwise difficult effects.

Stitching is generally the lines of thread that your embroidery machine sews on the fabric you are using. Punching is where, how often and with what frequency the needle punches through the fabric. This “punching” is what creates the effects you get in programmed fill stitches.

I will start with stitching a Saguaro (pronounced Sa-wor’-o) cactus. For those who are not familiar with this cactus I have provided a picture below. Notice it has fairly straight lines running length wise along the entire cactus. This effect can be created by just filling in the entire cactus with a flat green fill stitch then running a few lines of stitching up and down the pattern. There is an easier, more effective and better looking way to get this effect.

Set up your sewing attributes the following way.

By setting the frequency to zero the punches will all occur in straight lines thus giving you columns instead of a random looking pattern of punches. Thus you can form the Saguaro and get the following appearance. The number and width of the columns can be changed simply by changing the step pitch (the distance between punches).

This comes in especially handy when you want to give a look to a feather that makes it look like a feather. Notice in the first picture below where the small squares denote the punches but the lines show the actual stitching direction. This makes the barbules (the actual little feather fibers connected to the central shaft or quill) look like they are radiating straight out.

This is easier to notice in the second picture.

This was accomplished by changing the frequency and step pitch as shown in the sewing attribute window below.

I used this technique very effectively in creating the “Indian Motorcycle” logo below. Notice also the use of the programmed fill stitch used in the head band.

How do they do that?

Programmed fill stitches are a great way to give character to your design. Creating a programmed fill stitch is a bit complicated but I will try to make it as painless as possible.

Most good digitizing software comes with a programmed fill stitch creator. I will demonstrate the idea behind creating good looking programmed fills. A simple pattern I use is a circle pattern. This can be done in 2 ways.

First the simple way.

In the software just make a circle slightly smaller than the maximum size to give a little room between the circles so they don’t touch when sewn out. The pattern on the software grid will look something like this:

And when digitized into a fill stitch the pattern will resemble this below.

Chapter 12

Add some flair to your work.

Doing something extra in your work is always appreciated by other machine embroiderers and especially by judges looking at it when you enter a contest. Here I will explain how to do a rather simple to do but very impressive addition to your sew out. This gives a real 3D texture to your design and can be done on any machine.

Start with sewing a line of satin stitching (shown in green below). Some software creates a double punch along the step pitch if it exceeds a certain length (usually about 1 cm — about 1/2 inch) so you won’t be able to exceed this length. Experiment with this length before using this technique on a finished product to see how long of a satin stitch you can make before it double punches the stitch.

Next, sew a line of running stitch (shown in red below) with a step pitch of 2 mm along one edge of the satin stitches. I like to use 2 rows of running stitch just for the safety factor to make sure all the ends of the satin stitches are nailed down securely. I show the 2 rows of running stitches separated here for clarity but they can be right on top of each other.

After the running stitches are finished turn the sewout over and you will see the bobbin stitching underneath that looks approximately like the gray stitching below.

Now, cut the bobbin stitches as shown in the purple line below being very careful not to cut the fabric you are sewing on or the backing. It is usually easiest to use a seam ripper to do this step.

After the bobbin threads have been cut, turn the fabric over to the right side up position and with a smooth, rounded instrument like the pointed end of your embroidery scissors (with the jaws closed so you don’t cut the thread) insert the end under the satin stitch (shown in green above) and gently but firmly pull the thread up. You should see the looped end of the stitches sticking up through the fabric. You will see loose pieces of bobbin thread come up with the ends of the top thread. Just pick these out with your tweezers.

At this point the operation is pretty well finished so a little fluffing of the loops with your finger will make it stand out better. The edge of the satin stitch that is sewn down with the running stitch (shown in red above) will make a better appearance if you overlap it with some finished part of the design to hide the running stitches. You can see this all put to use in the picture of the award winning Indian Headdress below.

3D Sample

Here are the directions:

Hoop a piece of test fabric with a good cut-away backing and sew your satin stitches in concentric rings (one ring at a time starting with the outer most ring) placing the running stitches on the inner most edge of the satin stitches closest to the center of the ring for each ring one at a time. Overlap the rings of satin stitches (3 rings should do). Use a solid fill stitch circle overlapping the inner most ring of satin stitches to cover the inner most running stitches to finish the center and create a 3D flower. Do not make your satin stitches very dense and it will look like a sunflower when you are done.

When the design has completely sewn out, leave it in the hoop (for ease of handling) and turn it over.

Carefully cut the bobbin threads on the inner-most ring of satin stitches only. Turn the hoop over so the top (colored) threads are again facing up and carefully but firmly pull the inner-most ring of satin stitches up. This will be easier if you pull only 3 – 4 threads at a time. Repeat this procedure for each of the 3 rings of satin stitches, one ring at a time.

Use your tweezers to remove any pieces of bobbin thread that have pulled up to the top and finish by fluffing the stitches with your fingers until it looks the way you want it to.

Note in the close-up below that the light brown stitching, meant to resemble the rawhide wraps around the quill part of the feather, hide the running stitches.

One more use for this technique is to create a fringe or grass look by not cutting the bobbin threads but cutting the top threads along the purple line shown below to create a straight grass-like look or if you use your finger and gently arrange it a bit it will look like fringe.

It is fun to experiment with this technique and make new patterns. Find different ways to use this technique as it adds a lot to an otherwise plain design. There are certainly other ways to accent your embroidery which I will go into another time but this one adds that extra special flair that the judges are looking for and will impress and amaze your friends.

Chapter 13

Using 3D Foam

Using 3D foam is quite a mystery until you figure out how to digitize for it. The digitizing must be correct for this medium to work. You can’t just put foam under a stock design and expect it to come out looking good. You have to use specific techniques to make it look good.

What happens when you use 3D foam is the needle becomes a cutter. When the needle penetrates the foam it punches a small hole that doesn’t heal. The next punch does the same. The trick is to get a nice clean cut around the area of the design you wish to have stick up above the surface of the finished product.

The first step I take to make sure the finished product comes out the way I want is to digitize a design such as the “S monogram” I will be using for this example. This must be done manually using a satin stitch. Set the stitch density to maximum, usually 7 – 8 TPM (Threads Per Millimeter). You must make your stitches as parallel and evenly spaced as possible. Some extra time and effort here will pay off later. Point and click shortcut digitizing absolutely will not work here for reasons I will explain later.

Then create a running stitch with as short of a step pitch (distance between punches) as possible. This will usually be about 1 mm. This running stitch must be as close as you can get it to the edge of the satin stitches in the previous step. Make this running stitch a different color than your satin stitch in your digitizing so your machine will stop at the end of the running stitches. Use the same color thread for both on your machine.

Use your stitch preview function of your digitizing software to check for how evenly spaced, parallel and closeness of your running stitches to the edge of your satin stitches. See below the satin stitches are in pink and the running stitches are in black.

Next, select the satin stitches and have them sew last so that the running stitches will sew first and if possible add 0.2 mm of pull compensation to the satin stitches so they will extend slightly beyond the running stitches as shown below.

Next, cut a piece of 3D foam plenty large enough to cover the design but will fit easily inside the hoop. DO NOT hoop the foam! When you are ready to sew the 3D foam portion of your design and your fabric is hooped and the hoop is locked in place, place the 3D foam on the fabric. Start the machine and allow the running stitch to sew. When it has completed the running stitches, remove the hoop from the machine and VERY carefully remove the excess foam from the sewing area by placing the hoop on a firm flat surface such as a table. Use the fingers of one hand to firmly press down on the part of the foam you wish to have remain in place (the part within the “S” in this example) and with the other hand CAREFULLY tear away the excess foam. If it refuses to come off easily just leave it until the satin stitches have been put on then tear it away.

Take careful note of the digitizing at the ends of the “S” above. They come to a sharp point. This is necessary to cut the foam off neatly and make the design look smooth from end to end. See below.

This is the reason you cannot use the point and click method of making a 3D foam design. Note below that the ends of the “S” are square and open. The foam at these points will not be cut off and the design will look terrible.

Things to watch out for:

· Never leave an open square end.

· Remember that 3D foam is flat on top so don’t try to make a design that has very long stitch lengths as it will not look as rounded as shorter ones.

· Use the maximum density on the satin stitches.

· Use the shortest step pitch on the running stitches.

· Keep your stitches as parallel as you can or there will be slight gaps on the outsides of curves and the foam will not be cut as cleanly here and may leave small pieces of foam sticking out.

· If this happens very carefully trim off the foam that is sticking out and run the satin stitches again (not the running stitches) and this should cover the problem.

· Before using this design again go back and check for stitch density, parallel lines and pointed finished ends.

· It is also a good idea to use a color of 3D foam that is as close as you can get to your stitching. Using black foam under white stitching will not come out good.

Chapter 14

Appliques

Appliques (patches) can really add a lot to your artwork. Using your embroidery machine to do this actually makes it very simple. The hardest part is deciding what to applique on to your garment. One way to find unique items to applique on is to go to a “specialty fabric shop” and find fabrics that would lend themselves to being either a background or print fabrics that would lend themselves to being cut out and use the printed design to applique on your project.

Appliqueing a picture is difficult and very time consuming. What I will describe here is using your own unique embroidery design to make a patch that you can applique on to your project. I will use a patch that I have just created for a high school reunion that will be placed on a golf towel. Terrycloth is very difficult to embroider on unless you do a lot of stabilizing first. However, using your embroidery design as an applique makes it very simple.

Here is the emblem I was given to work from.

Once I knew that this was to go on a terry towel the decision to make it an applique came quickly. I separated this into 2 designs. First the knight on the horse along with the name above would be embroidered on an ultra-stable fabric so it would be a stable patch to sew on the towel. What I mean here is the fabric to be embroidered would have no stretch in any direction. This criterion usually denotes a synthetic fabric. The edges of this type fabric should definitely be sealed to preclude fraying. This is done by melting the edge of the fabric as you cut it. This can be done in a number of ways but by far the most inexpensive way is to carefully use a modified fine tip soldering iron to cut the fabric. Place the fabric to be cut on a hard flat surface that will not be damaged by heat and I would additionally place a Teflon sheet under the fabric to keep the melted fabric from sticking to the underlying surface. Modify your soldering iron (purchase this in an electronics store such as Radio Shack so it will be what is called a pencil soldering iron). Use a file or power grinder to shape the tip of the iron to resemble a knife at approximately the last 1/2 inch of its length. Now you are ready to cut and seal the edges of the fabric in one operation.

Step 1 (digitizing):

Create your embroidery for the applique and include an outline of the applique using a running stitch to denote your cut line. This cut line will be at the outer edge of the completed design. This is where you will cut with your hot knife you made out of your soldering iron. Practice cutting on some scrap fabric before cutting your finished applique.

Step 2:

For ease of placement on the finished fabric in step 4 below you should put on some fusible interfacing on the back of your applique fabric after you sew out the design but before you cut out the applique. Sew out your design and cut it out along the cut line (Remember to put on the fusible interfacing before cutting). Your finished applique material will be the background for this. In this case it will be solid black.

Step 3 (more digitizing):

Create the stitching that will fix the applique to the finished fabric as shown below. Include the 2 additional running stitches (shown in red and blue). Set the red stitching to sew first, the blue to sew second and the yellow to sew last in your digitizing software. I have shown them in reverse order here for ease of showing the relative positions of each.

Step 4 (Placement):

Hoop the finished fabric where you want the applique to be placed. Sew the first running stitch (the red one in this example). This indicates where you will place the applique on the finished fabric.

Remove the hoop from the machine but do NOT un-hoop the fabric. Place on an ironing board. Remove the paper from the back of the fusible interfacing that is fixed to the back of the applique. Place the applique carefully on top of the red placement stitching and using a small craft iron press the applique to the finished fabric. Be careful not to melt your embroidery thread or the fabrics you are using. Only use enough heat to cause the fusible interfacing to adhere the items together. It is not necessary to cause a thorough melting of the interfacing as you only need enough to make it stick in place for the next step.

Step 5 (The applique):

Place the hoop back on the machine. Sew the next running stitch (the blue line in this example). Make sure it is within the edges of the applique. Depending upon your particular embroidery machine you may be able to make slight adjustments to the hoop position at this point and sew the blue line again to make sure of positioning. If you did your digitizing correctly this should not be necessary.

Sew the final stitching over the applique (the yellow in this example). Remember when digitizing this stitching that it should be as wide as possible to make sure the edge of the applique is well within.

If you have done everything correctly it should come out like this.

As always, do this entire procedure on test fabric before putting it on your finished project.

Chapter 15

I bet you just hate to get wrinkles!

Getting wrinkles and stretch marks in your work is discouraging. Unfortunately, you can’t apply a magic cream to take them out. For this reason it is best to always try your new design, be it one you created or one you purchased, on a piece of test fabric that is as similar to the one you want to sew your design on as a finished piece of work.

I will give you some general rules here as to how you can avoid getting wrinkles if you are using your own digitizing. Unfortunately there is not much you can do about someone else’s other than re-digitize it, which I have had to do in the past and probably will again.

Hooping correctly is your first line of defense against wrinkles. Review the chapter on hooping, chapter 7 in this book.

Next thing to do is make sure there is sufficient under sewing. (If your software doesn’t have the capability of showing you this I would suggest you get BuzzEdit to compliment your software along with BuzzTools to keep a catalog of your designs. These are available at http://buzztools.stores.yahoo.net/ or in some of the better embroidery shops.) If there is not sufficient under sewing to stabilize the fabric you should add your own.

Once you have your fabric hooped correctly and your design has sufficient under sewing you need to look at your digitizing. Digitizing for the fabric is the only way to ensure that you will get a good sew-out. If you are sewing on something like canvas that doesn’t slip in the hoop and has zero stretch then you are pretty safe no matter what but, for normal fabrics like T-shirts you will need to take heed in your digitizing.

For the best result generally with all fabrics you should observe the following in your digitizing.

· Make your stitch density as low as you can get away with. Higher density creates more pull on the fabric. Normally a good density to start with is about 4.5 threads per millimeter. Going 0.5 one way or the other of this mark is usually fairly safe depending on the fabric.

· Take a look at the hoop you will be using. If it has straight sides then this is the direction the fabric will be pulled from the most. Try to angle your stitching so most of the tension is aimed at the corners where the hoop is round and the hoop is holding the fabric more firmly and evenly.

· If the fabric is pulling from these long straight sides and you can’t compensate any other way you can try using some tape on the hoop. The best is called “Sports Adhesive Tape”. This tape is soft on its outer surface like an Ace Bandage and is slightly stretchy. Wrap it on both the inner and outer hoop. You will want to place a thin piece of tear-away on the surface of your machine where the hoop rubs to keep the tape from wearing through and depositing glue on your machine. You can then tear it off after your sewing is finished.

The final technique I will go over here is stitch alignment. Stitch alignment means keeping your lines of stitching as parallel as possible, at least in the major areas of your sewing field. Lettering is one of the worst culprits causing gathering, wrinkling and stretching of the fabric. Why? Because all auto-digitized lettering curves the stitching around curves in the letters like this…

You can see that at the inside portion of the curve the stitches are more densely packed and change direction relatively quickly. This causes pulling on the fabric which in turn causes wrinkles and bulges.

This problem can be avoided by keeping your stitches parallel and even like the example below.

Create curves in your digitizing by keeping the stitches even and parallel. The example above shows the stitch alignment in yellow as you proceed from point A to point B. At point B you jump to point C as the black line shows. At point C you again digitize your stitching in the opposite direction as shown in pink keeping the stitching even and parallel to the first stitching (in yellow) from point C to point D. As you compare this second picture to the first you can easily see that there are no stress or tension areas created around the curve in the second picture as there are in the first. Thus you wind up with the finished design as shown below which will have much less likelihood of causing wrinkles and bulging.

Of all these techniques the most important are: [in order of importance]

1) Hooping

2) Under sewing

3) Stitch alignment

4) Stitch density

It takes more time to create your own lettering in this manner but it is well worth it if you want a better looking product. And, just in case you don’t understand, this technique is the best for any curves you make in your digitizing and not just for lettering.

Make it your own.

You can use purchased stock designs to adorn items you wish to wear, give as gifts or sell. However, using a stock design you have purchased means that anyone who purchases this design will have it sew out identically to yours. The thing you should do when using stock designs is to add a little to the design to make it your own and have it look better than it did when you bought it. Below is a simple example of how you can do this on a design I purchased for a project.

THE ORIGINAL DESIGN

This is a very nice design and has only a couple of problems for my project. First of these is the wagon canopy. It is see through. The white areas are not sewn on the fabric which means the underlying fabric will show through in these areas.

The first thing to do is to fill in these areas so they look like part of the canopy and not a window. If you sewed this on a paisley shirt it would look funny to have the canopy match the shirt.

THE FIRST CHANGE

Using a fill stitch that approximates canvas I created stitching to fill the open areas and had the program sew these areas first so they would appear behind the original stock stitching.

The next problem is that I was not happy with the overall look because it still looked too plain and not like something you would want to hang on your wall. The solution I came up with was to add some grass to give it a more realistic look.

THE LAST ADDITION

Note there are 3 colors of grass here. Only on a residential manicured lawn is the grass one color. Out on the prairie the grass will be many shades and that is the effect I was going for.

So, when I was finished the look had changed enough so that I was pretty sure that the person I made the embroidered denim jacket for would not run into the exact same design on someone else.

THE FINISHED PRODUCT

Now compare this to the first picture above and you will see what a little addition to a stock design will do for the look you are trying to achieve.

Chapter 16

Another Flashy Trick

Another way of embellishing your embroidery is to add something extra like hot fix rhinestones. This is especially dazzling when you use embroidery for the details in your artwork then set them off by highlighting the embroidery with other materials such as metallic thread or rhinestones or applique. As far as metallic threads and rhinestones go just remember, less is more…

Using too much metallic thread in a design makes it too busy and you lose the detail that is necessary to make that big impression on judges and customers. Most of the time just an outline of metallic thread is enough to give it that extra something that you can’t find elsewhere and make your work standout even when using a stock design. For example take a look at one of my other fairies, Winter.

I used a colored background fabric to make the hair stand out. To add a hint of “cold” I used a metallic silver to give the hair its shape instead of a darker color as I did with Valentine.

This effect is not as dramatic in a photograph as it is in person. When bright light hits this it really sparkles.

I also used the silver thread to highlight the wings…

I also included some hot fix rhinestones to highlight the name at the bottom of the design.

As you can see from the above pictures, adding a little sparkle to your sew out gives it the added highlights to make it stand out in a crowd. But you can see what would have happened to the hair if I had done it all in the metallic silver. It would have looked like a pile of silver thread without shape. Plus using just a little gives the icy/frosty look that I was trying for.

Chapter 17

Can I Use My Talent To Start A Business?

Sure you can. But, before jumping in with both feet there are a few things you will want to do.

1) Find out what it will take to set up the business. This means you must research every little detail about starting and maintaining the business you wish to get into.

2) Make a list of all the knowledge and abilities that will be necessary to start the business and make it grow and be profitable.

3) Make the most detailed list you can of all the supplies, machinery and software you will need.

4) Find reliable suppliers. More than one for each item.

5) Create an accounting sheet which shows how much liquid capital you have (cash on hand) and all the recurring bills you have outside the business.

6) Create an accounting sheet for the business showing cost of supplies, machinery, software, shipping charges for each vendor, transportation, rents, taxes…

7) Put up a bulletin board on a wall where you can pin your lists so they don’t get buried in a pile and lost or forgotten. You are going to be making lots of lists and notes to yourself so use a good sized board.

Now, let’s check out these items a little more in depth.

1) Many times we get advice from well-meaning family, friends and associates about how to set up a business. Somewhere along the line someone will tell you that you should incorporate your business to protect yourself. This is not true nor is it by any stretch of the imagination necessary. Incorporation causes more problems than it ever helps with as far as a small business goes. The same goes for partnerships. Whether or not you realize it, when you incorporate you take on the government (state & federal) as a full partner. They then have the ability to look into your business affairs and make you account for your business practices. This is not good.

2, 3 & 4) Making lists is a great help for a couple of important reasons. One is that you have a reminder about what you are supposed to be accomplishing instead of relying on your memory which is going to get overloaded in short order during the setup process. Also you can add to these lists as you find in your research new items that must be addressed. Also, they will give you a sense of accomplishment as you see items getting crossed off the list. Making lists will also help you organize your time better. One list you should make is a “PRIORITY” list. This could be changing daily but will give you a sense of direction as you proceed.

5 & 6) Making these accounting sheets give you a realistic idea of where you are and what you can afford to do. As you make these lists you may even see some insurmountable obstacles that will change the way you are planning to do business or even change the type of business you are planning. Better to find out NOW rather than after you have spent your savings that your initial plan is not going to work.

7) The bulletin board is an attempt to keep your lists from getting lost and to keep them in plain sight. I would also invest in a file cabinet or 2 and lots of manila folders. Keeping things straight and accessible is going to be invaluable later.

To Print or Embroider, that is the question!

There are many types of embellishments we can use to express ourselves.

We can embellish canvas with paint or use sand on a light screen or laser lights on a wall.

However, what I am going to discuss here are some of the more common ways to embellish different fabrics for display or clothing.

Mainly what we have been talking about is embroidery techniques. This is not all I do as far as embellishments go. I have mentioned before about adding rhinestones to your projects to give them a little extra. But now I want to discuss many different ways to embellish garments and pillows and wall hangings and… After all, why limit your artistic expression to only one form?

While it gives a great deal of satisfaction when I watch the embroidery machine start with a plain piece of fabric and as I watch, it sticks the needle through the cloth exactly where I told it to again and again to create a piece of artwork that I am proud to show others, it is not the only avenue for expression I use.

Let’s take garment printing for one. There used to be only embroidery and screen printing available to embellish garments. Not so anymore. Now you can get an ink-jet printer that will print directly on the garment instead of printing on special paper then heat transferring the picture to the garment. Of course you still have to heat treat it to set the ink but it comes out perfect every time. You can now take any picture you can turn into a digital image and print it on your shirt. What could be better than that?

Well, there is a process called “sublimation” which has many fine features that are better than the inkjet garment printer. What exactly is sublimation? It is the process of going from one state of matter to another, from a solid to a gas, without first becoming liquid. If you have ever lived in very cold country and seen ice on the sidewalk with a fog rising above it you have seen sublimation in its natural form. The solid water (ice) molecules are struck by photons (rays from the sun) and knocked loose and float away as gaseous water (fog) without first becoming liquid water.

The same thing happens in the sublimation printing process. Instead of using liquid ink like the inkjet printer it uses a powdered (solid) pigment suspended in a liquid base (so it can be transported by spraying just as in the inkjet printer) but, the liquid used evaporates immediately and just the powder is left. This is then heated. This heating does not melt the powder into a liquid as the ink-jet print does, but turns it directly into a gas which infiltrates the fabric much more effectively than liquid ink can. Then, when it cools it gets inside the fibers becoming part of the fabric’s fibers quite literally.

The inkjet printer uses a liquid with pigment suspended in a similar fashion to the sublimation process but, when the heat is applied to this it melts the pigment into a liquid causing it to adhere to the surface of the fabric in much the same way as the old style screen printing. It is then subject to the same problems inherent in screen printed fabrics.

To embellish your fabrics you can also use rhinestones to add sparkle to your design. Rhinestones add a very noticeable flair to your work. You can use rhinestones that must be set in metal settings or, as is my favorite type, you can use “hot fix” rhinestones. These have flat backs so maximum area makes contact with the fabric. They also come with hot melt glue on the back so when heated the glue will adhere the stone to the fabric. This actually works very well and is quite permanent. Plus, you need not damage the fabric by mechanically fixing a setting to the fabric to hold the stone.

Now let’s look at some pluses and minuses for each type of embellishment.

Embroidery:

Using embroidery is definitely the most elegant and rich looking of all the embellishments. However, it is also the most time consuming and expensive. The cost of the embroidery machine ($5,000 to $15,000), thread, backings, needles, bobbins and special hoops and other gizmos to enable you to embroider on odd shaped things such as hats, pockets, sleeves and pant legs can get quite high. Also you cannot create a great deal of detail in the design due to the limitations placed on this embellishment form by the physical size of the thread. This may not seem like such a limit at first glance because thread is very small but, for those who have tried to create small details such as eyes — you know what I am referring to. You can only get some detail by enlarging the design but unless you have a commercial machine with a sewing field that is 43 cm (approx. 17 inches) square or more you cannot sew it out.

Inkjet printing:

This type of printing on fabrics has the advantage of creating fine detail and an almost unlimited range of color. The printing looks picture perfect and can be created with any decent paint program. The drawbacks here are the cost of the printer itself (again $5,000 to $15,000), the special inks used, special cleaning fluid cartridges and an additional heatpress. They are also limited in size to about a 10 inch square. Plus the picture printed is susceptible to peeling, cracking and washing out. Also, you can feel the printing on the surface of the fabric much like screen printed fabrics.

Sublimation printing:

This type of printing is capable of the same fine detail as the inkjet printing but in addition, it is colorfast (won’t wash out) and you can get machines that will print almost any size you can imagine such as, 60” X 80” blankets. You do not feel any residue on the surface of the fabric because the printing actually becomes part of the fibers of the fabric just like dye. Drawbacks — #1 price… the very large machines start at $200,000. The cost of the special ink is also very high. Sublimation printing does not work well on synthetic fabrics due to the inability to penetrate the fibers so only natural fibers like cotton are generally used. There are however some synthetic micro fibers that do work quite well.

Rhinestones:

Rhinestones are the most eye-catching of the embellishments. The hotfix rhinestone is the least expensive embellishment to use since it takes no expensive machines to fix them to the fabric and can be done in the comfort of your own home at the kitchen table. They can be applied to any porous fabric. Even if you used the most expensive stones on the market you would have to make about a zillion applications of stones before you equaled the money spent on one of the above described processes. The draw backs to the hot fix rhinestones is that they cannot be applied to things like slick leather, plastic, ceramic or metal unless you do something to prepare the surface so the glue will have something to hold on to. Designs made of rhinestones are general shapes at best since no small detail is possible.

Probably the best of all these types of embellishments is to combine them by having others do the work that is too expensive or time consuming for you to do personally. There are many companies out there who will do any of these processes for you and you will have a very nice garment when you are done without all the expense of purchasing the machines to do the work yourself.

If you wanted to choose a machine to buy I would suggest the embroidery machine. This is because embroidery best ties the others together. Many embroiderers take a printed fabric and add some embroidery highlights to it. Consider a fabric with a printed garden scene on it. Then embroider some birds or butterflies in appropriate places. And, even add some rhinestones to bring out the flowers in the picture.

So, in answer to the original question, you should do what you can afford and what would please you more. Spend some time looking & pricing the different machines you are interested in. Don’t forget any software you may need to support the machines will cost you as well.

If you plan on turning any of these embellishment ideas into a business you should investigate/research the market place to see how many others there are out there with the same idea. Investigate niche markets in your local area.

Copyrights & Trademarks

There are a lot of misconceptions concerning copyrights and trademarks. No, I am not an attorney but have been studying law for the last 12 years. I am very well versed in patent and trademark laws and rules.

I will give a quick (well maybe not so quick) synopsis of the difference between copyrights and trademarks.

Most original artwork that someone draws (this includes digitizing in our case on this forum) is copyrighted the instant it is created. No formal registration is required. The hook here is you must be able to prove you made it first. I rely mainly on the computer with digitizing which records the date the file was created for most of my digitizing. As for written words, the sum of what you write is copyrighted as it is created but the individual words, naturally, are not. Copyrights are permanently yours but the ability to enforce sole use is limited by law in a number of ways. Copyrights can be licensed for others use or the time limit can expire which releases the copyright for public use. This is the reason you see the use of such things as the Harley Davidson logos and symbols in such wide use. The artwork copyrights to these things expired long ago. The criteria for using someone’s artwork without their permission if the copyrights have not expired is that it must be changed so much that it would not in any way resemble the original artwork so that the average person would not mistake it for the original. The old wives tale about changing 5% or 10% is not true.

Trademarks on the other hand, copyrights notwithstanding, are not reserved for use exclusively by the person or company which has REGISTERED them with the USPTO (US patent & Trademark Office). The only thing that registering a trademark gets you is exclusive use of the trademark for the purpose it was registered for (usually to denote a particular business). You could, in theory at least, register the letter “M” as your trademark. Of course no copyright is possible on this for a number of reasons but if you register it as your trademark this protects others from using it as their trademark.

However, I can reproduce that trademark and use it as I see fit (digitizing or otherwise) as long as I don’t claim it as representing my business. Here is a perfect example: The logo for Indian motorcycles is the word “Indian” in specially formed letters (copyrighted & trademarked) so I cannot use the logo as my trademark calling myself the Indian Motorcycle Company because they are keeping the trademark fees paid even though the company itself was out of business for some time. The copyright for this logo long since has expired making the artwork usable by anyone who wishes to use it as long as they do not use it for a trademark. You will see these used on my website as digitized embroidery patterns but I do not call myself the Indian motorcycle company so no infringement exists.

Now, as to using copyrights and trademarks when it is not legal to do so…

There is no government agency with the authority to throw you in jail for using someone’s copyrighted material. The person who owns the copyright cannot file a criminal complaint and have the state take over and go after you. The person who owns the copyright must sue you in civil court under the copyright laws for damages. What this means is the copyright holder can get money from you if they can prove their case. The thing is they can only get what money you have made off their copyrighted material. In small individual cases this would be a ridiculous pursuit since it would cost them more in legal fees than they would get from you. So, usually what happens in these cases where you are caught selling their copyrighted material is that they will write you a letter telling you cease and desist from the practice of using their artwork and that is the end of it. If this happens to you the proper course of action is to do nothing but stop using the materials unless you can show that your artwork is different enough that it is not infringing on their copyrights.

If you are still unclear on any of this look up the laws yourself at USPTO.gov. You should not take my word or anyone else’s word for any of this. You should look it up and decide for yourself.

Chapter 18

Troubleshooting

Installing needles in your machine

If you are using the needles with a flat area on the portion of the shank that is clamped into the needle shaft, you have no choice as to mounting. You can also use needles with completely round shanks and your machine will accept them as well.

If you wish to use the completely round shank needles you will need to observe where the long groove in the needle I described earlier is positioned. This groove must be positioned so it is lined up with the thread as it enters the needle’s eye. This is most easily accomplished by using the tool in the picture below. These forceps I use are only 3 1/2 inches long. They have small teeth in the jaws that very handily fit into the long needle groove and when locked shut will hold the needle securely until you unlock them. This makes holding the needle much easier and even more importantly, allows for positioning the groove more accurately. You will find that if you position the groove slightly (5 – 10 degrees) off center to the right you will have less trouble with missing bobbin stitches. This allows more time for the rotary hook to grab the thread. Never position the groove to the left as you will never catch the bobbin thread.

Thread tensions

Setting thread tension according to a manual is OK to get you in the ballpark as far as having the correct tension but, be aware that there are many factors that affect the tension and the tensioning is not a one-size-fits-all situation. This is one reason you should have some test fabric to try your design on before putting it on the finished product.

Glossary

3D Foam: Foam that is used to add dimension to an embroidery pattern that is typically used on caps. The 3D Foam is placed on the topside of the pattern and stitched over with increa