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    Lettering in machine embroidery. The basic rules of digitizing text by hand

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 0 comments, 11,187 views
    Original text by Marina Belova 
    Even now I consider digitizing letters one of the most complex subjects in machine embroidery, of which I cannot tell much. I have more questions than answers because this embroidery technique requires accuracy and precision so that people could read the letters afterward. But there are some rules of digitizing characters over 5 mm high that I use in my work, and I'll gladly share them with you. 
    1. It is not important in what direction you'll stitch: from right to left or from left to right. 
    2. Letters over 5 mm high can be embroidered directly on the fabric, but smaller ones require a fill put under them. 
    3. No character stroke should be less than 1 mm wide. Adherence to this rule often leads to changing the size or width of the letter or even the font itself. 
    4. The letters extend over the baseline even more than they do in print. This is caused by push and pull compensation. I.e. you'll need to trim several stitches off the open edges of the letters and also increase the width of the columns. Letters that have openings in them, for example, "a", "o", "e", should be increased by 3–4% in size. This holds for both upper and lower-case letters. The result of your digitizing should look something like this: 

    I first learned about the extension of the letters about two years ago, and it was like a revelation to me. 
    5. Don't forget to measure the letter voids. They should be no less than 1 mm in diameter. If they are smaller, you'll need to increase them in size, otherwise, they will remain stitched and the letter will not be recognized. 
    6. Stitch type requirements are much more strict than in ordinary machine embroidery: 
    Any element less 1 mm wide is made with running stitches (manual, single/double/triple run or bean). The optimal stitch length for the outlines is 2.5–3 mm.  The elements 1–7 mm wide are embroidered with satins.  The elements 7–10 mm wide are embroidered with split satins.  Also, all elements more than 3 mm wide can be digitized with filling stitches. At the same time stitch length can be increased up to 4–4.5 mm in large areas.  7. An underlay of a corresponding type should be used. Main recommendations are as follows: 
    Center run under columns 1–2 mm wide with stitch length equal to 1.5–2.2mm; variable stitch length is also possible.  Edge run under columns 2–3 mm wide, with stitch length equal to 1.5–1.8 mm.  If columns are more 3 mm wide, put zigzag + edge run under them.  8. You may consider these underlays, which, in my opinion, can only be applied to the simplest fonts like Arial: 
    When letters are under 7 mm high, use center run with stitch length equal to 1.5–2.2mm, variable stitch length is also possible.  For letters 7–12 mm high – zigzag or double zigzag.  For letters 12–20 mm high – zigzag + edge run or zigzag + edge run.  Full lattice at 90 degrees or at 45 and 135 degrees under fills.  Of course, these recommendations do not say anything about the fabric that will be used for the embroidery. You should take the fabric properties into consideration. 
    8. Density: 
    For narrow (under 3 mm) segments of the letters, stitch density should be lowered by circa 0.4 mm.  For the columns between 3 and 5 mm use standard 0.4 mm density.  For the columns over 5 mm, the density should be increased.  Light-colored threads, when used for the fills, require higher stitch density than dark ones.  In order not to change density manually, thus dividing one outline into numerous segments, you can use variable density options if it is present if your embroidery software.  You should remember that the excess density results in embroidery deformation.  9. Trimming: to be or not to be? Perhaps, the hardest question of all: 
    It's better to use jump stitches between the two nearest points wherever possible.  If the distance between the two letters is 1–1.5 mm, trimming is not necessary.  But when this distance is more than 2 mm, you should consider making a trim.  Don't make a straight line of jump stitches, it will be visible to the eye. Better to use connector stitches on different levels.  10. Needles and threads: 
    #40 embroidery threads for the designs of normal size. The thinner the needle, the better – 70/10 or at least 75/11 is the best. #60 threads for small letters and elements of the design; 65/9 is the matching needle.  Here are the questions that I don't yet have the answers to: 
    Should the serifs and crosslines in digitized letters overlap as if they were written by hand I've seen this assertion more than once and found it debatable.  How to digitize corners properly?  How to digitize serifs properly?  How to outline letters in a right way? You can also read about digitizing low letters here. 

    Quality benchmarks. How to recognize machine embroidery defects by sight

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 0 comments, 3,946 views
    Original text by Marina Belova 
    Quality and defects in machine embroidery go hand-in-hand. You cannot speak of one and not the other. 
    Shape deformation and other defects are the most common problem for an embroidery digitizer and embroiderer. The "what you see (on your computer screen) is what you get" does not work in machine embroidery". Instead of an excellent design, you may get something completely different. 
    I've often had to face the fact that different embroiderers have different quality benchmarks. Some embroiderers might tolerate a mistake that would be unthinkable for their colleagues. But despite their differences, quality benchmarks in machine embroidery are the same for everyone, so everyone must be familiar with them. 
    One can catalog all possible embroidery defects for ages. I'll mention some of my own: 
    the outlines are not where they should be 
    the contours are misplaced 
    the shapes are distorted: round objects become ovals and squares turn into rectangulars  stitches sink in the pile 
    gaps between the stitches where the object with different stitch direction meet 
    the underlay shows  the stitches overlap visibly  There may multiple reasons for the defects: 
    Technical 
    the fabric too tight/loose in the hoop without regard to its type and properties  wrong hoop size  tension regulation is not proper  wrong type and/or size of needle  wrong stabilizer Learn how to match the fabric and the stabilizer here.  embroidery speed is too high  fabric properties not taken into consideration  threads properties not taken into consideration  Project-related 
    high density of the design  too much or too little push/pull compensation  stitch length varying greatly in one contour  incorrect embroidery sequence  a large number of short stitches  incorrect underlay type  The easiest way to solve these problems is to add one more layer of stabilizer. The other way is to understand the reasons behind the embroidery defects. Then to start foreseeing the possible defects at the digitizing stage. 
    There are several tips for digitizers to prevent the appearance of defects while creating machine embroidery file. 
    Overlap the contours to avoid gaps between them. I've written about it in my article called Overlapping of the neighboring objects. 
    Correct the stitch angles for the objects where stitches run in opposite directions and insert a "patch". 
    In order to find the reason for the gaps and learn how to get rid of them turn the design for 90° and embroider. If the gap is still present, it is a digitizing mistake. 
    If the fabric is correctly hooped but still pulled or the embroidery is distorted, check out the density of the design and the type of understitching.
    Correction formula for the excessive density: add density to the underlay and remove it from the upper layer. 
    If the density and the underlay are consistent with the design requirements, hooping may be the problem. If the fabric in the hoop is too tight, it will pucker around the edges of the design. And if it is too loose, there will be humps on embroidery surface. 
    So you'd better not to follow the established guidelines but find the reason of every particular problem in order to avoid the same mistake in future. 
    The most important advice is: practice makes perfect. 

    The four pillars of stitch types

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 3 comments, 7,198 views
    Original text by Marina Belova 
    All machine embroidery designs are made with only 4 basic types of stitches. All other stitches that can be created in various embroidery editors are just the offsprings of these basic types. Even the most complex design is a combination of these 4 basic types. 
    The main types of stitches are: 
    Manual stitch  Running stitch (also called Walking stitch)  Satin stitch (also Column stitch)  Tatami (Fill, Seeding stitch, and so on) 
    I'll describe each of these types in a few words. 
    First: Manual stitch 
    This is the most basic stitch type in embroidery. Every separate stitch is created manually, without using the automatics. 
    Manual stitch can be used instead of the auto-generated running stitch when it's not possible to create the desired effect with the help of the editor. 
    Second: Running stitch 
    Running stitch is considered the simplest and most creative stitch at the same time. Why is that? Because a digitizer, not the software, controls every stitch that is laid on the fabric. 
    Running stitch has a small number of properties: 
    1. Stitch length (one should avoid short stitches) 

    2. Number of runs (how many times every stitch is repeated) For example: 
    Single running stitch  Double running stitch  Triple running stitch  Motif stitch (follows an established pattern)  There are several effects that can be applied to the running stitch. Their variety depends on your embroidery software. For example: 
    Variable stitch length for better registration 
    Stitch offset (or Swing) 
    Shifting rows of needle penetrations with several repeats 
    There is a large number of occasions on which the running stitch can be used: 
    Design details  Decoration (motifs)  Contours (the most complex outlines)  Manual understitching  The Outline Designs  Redwork Quilt  Jump stitches between the objects  Preliminary stitches (basting stitches, guidelines)  But the greatest advantage of this type is that it makes the least impact on the fabric of all four. 
    Compare 2 basic stitch types here. 
    Third: Satin stitch 
    Satin is the type of stitch that is most widely used. It consists of stitches that can change their angle after every penetration. There can be more than one stitch angle in the object embroidered with satins. 
    When creating satin stitch objects you should pay attention to: 
    Stitch length (it's necessary to avoid too long or too short stitches)  Stitch angle  Stitch density
    Pull compensation  Push compensation Stitch shortening  Edge shape There are tons of effects that can be applied to satins. Their variety depends on your embroidery software. For example: 
    Satin stitch with consistent width (Satin border, Satin column, Serial satin) 
    Tatami Patterns 
    Decorative fills 
    Feathering (jagged edge) 
    Variable density 
    Radial fill 
    Satin stitches are used for creating the following objects: 
    Small lettering  Contours  Column of varying geometry  FSL (lace that does not use the fabric as a basis)  Satin is also used for creating dancing shadows as its surface reflects the sunshine 
    Satin distorts fabrics. 
    Fourth: Fill 
    Fill consists of rows of running stitches that form patterns in accordance with needle penetration parameters. An object made with these stitches usually has only one stitch angle. 

    There is a handful of parameters that should be controlled when using this type of stitches to create objects: 
    Stitch length (it's necessary to avoid too long or too short stitches)  Stitch angle  Density 
    Pull compensation  Push compensation  Edge shape (sharp, square/straight, chiseled/acute)  What other effects than can be applied to the fills? Their variety depends on your embroidery software. For example:  Decorative fills  Motif fills (can be programmed)  Waving effect – bending the fill along one or two curves 
    Spiral fill 
    Gradient fill 
    Textures 
    Feathering 
    Fills are used for large embroidery areas. 
    They distort fabrics the most. 
    P.S.: Some other stitch typologies 
    Having written this article I encountered Helen Hart Momsen's, a famous digitizer's, article called The Building Blocks Of Embroidery in the Printwear magazine. Helen thinks that there are only two stitch types: running stitches and satin stitches. Manual stitch, according to her, is a running stitch where the position and length of every individual stitch are determined by a digitizer and not the software. She also doesn't think that filling stitches should be singled out as fills are simply clusters of running stitches. 
    Traditionally, there are only three stitch types: 
    Running stitch  Satin stitch  Fill 

    Once again to the basics

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 0 comments, 2,558 views
    Original text by Marina Belova 
    Today I read the latest blog of Erich Campbell called "How do I learn embroidery digitizing?", in which he writes about his own learning path in machine embroidery digitizing and gives recommendations. This blog once again raises the familiar question: how exactly does one learn digitizing? My own hardships instantly sprang to mind: where I live, a digitizer's education consists of memorizing all the buttons in the software, omitting much more important things. And the crucial thing, in my opinion, is to grasp what all these buttons are used for, i.e. the technical aspects of the embroidery. Until you don't fully understand what is the purpose of every option in the software, you won't be able to digitize properly. 

    So, after reading the article, I realized that I neglected one more aspect of the utmost importance, which comes even before the technical one – that is, the understanding of how to transform an image into stitched objects. This understanding is based not on digitizer's violent imagination, but on some knowledge. Sure, I wrote about the image analysis before digitizing, but to me, it seems like a drop in the ocean of what one needs to know and be able to do. It is insufficient to know what stitch type is better for an object of a particular shape and size. You also need to work with colors and reproduce textures. You never know what you may need to do one day. 
    I personally haven't yet fully grasped how to convert certain elements into stitches so that to achieve a fine-looking result, and many shapes still puzzle me. I wish someone would teach me how to digitize from an artist's standpoint... I believe that not only artists can digitize pictures. Though many people claim the opposite. 
    Eventually, Erich suggests a formula that should be followed when learning how to digitize. It's not really a formula but rather three interrelated questions that should be answered either by you or your teacher: 
    How one learns to convert an image into a stitch object?  How to control stitches?  How does one learn to use a machine embroidery editor, whichever one you may choose?  Erich suggests only one answer to all three questions. It is called "observation". You should observe what you get while transferring an image from your computer into a hoop. 

    In-the-Hoop: Coin purse made entirely on embroidery machine

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 5 comments, 6,759 views
    Original text by Marina Belova 
    Nowadays any self-respecting online shop with machine embroidery designs has In-the-Hoop projects to offer. Also, projects where even a zipper is stitched right on the embroidery machine, simple as they are from a sewer's standpoint, have become commonplace. In other words, you won't need to do any sewing at all. 
    I've long set my eyes on such items and finally decided to make something like that myself. After all, why buy a design if I can create one with my own hands? Moreover, step by step master-classes that cover the creating process in details are ten a penny on the Web. Just pick the one you like and go! 
    For starters, I decided to give the easiest of such projects a try. On the photo below you can see the result of my first attempt – a coin purse: 

    This is how it looks from within: 

    It turned out that it is rather simple to make an item like that, zipper and all, entirely on the embroidery machine, from a digitizer's standpoint as well as an embroiderer's standpoint. There were mistakes, of course, and today I'll write about them, too. But mistakes are what ignites the thinking process and causes progress, aren't they? 
    I'll cover the creation process in details. I picked an ordinary blind zipper. I didn't risk to use an ordinary zipper, for I didn't know how the machine would behave. A blind zipper is thinner, after all. Before creating the design, I measured its width. It was necessary for the basting stitches: 

    Then I digitized a very simple design, just 14 outlines, and 2900 stitches. Below is preview of the machine embroidery file: 

    After that, I selected fabrics for the front side of my coin purse, and also the filler. For the front side, I chose an ordinary cotton print and cut 3 identical squares out of it. I used thin fleece trimmings for a filler, because they were the only suitable thing I had, thinking that they could add some volume. I cut out 2 squares, and then cut one of them in half. 

    After all these simple manipulations, I went to my machine. I hooped a tear-away stabilizer: 

    Loaded my design and hit the start button. First, I embroidered a guideline. I did that to outline my future embroidery and to mark the place where the zipper would be. 

    Now it was time to stitch it. I placed my zipper face up and secured it with a painter's tape: 

    Started the machine again and stitched my zipper to the fabric. I used a running stitch for that: 

    After that I picked up one of the cotton squares, put it on the table wrong side up and covered with a strip of fleece: 

    Then I folded the cotton piece like a book. The strip of fleece ended up inside: 

    I repeated my actions with the remaining cotton and fleece cuttings. All the preparations for my future coin purse were finished. I took the first "book", positioned it with its fold along my zipper and secured it with sticky tape: 

    Same with the second "book": 

    I started the machine again and stitched both of them along the zipper, then outlines my future coin purse with a zig-zag stitch: 

    I should have half-unzipped it at this stage. But I forgot about it – like many other first timers, I believe. 
    Only when almost everything was ready did I remember about it, so I had to partly unstitch the whole thing in order to go back and do it. In the end, I got it right: 

    Now I needed to make a "layer cake" for the back side of my coin purse. When I started to arrange the pieces of fabric, I saw that I had forgotten to prepare the backing. Again, I had to make a detour in order to cut out one more square. 


    Then I assembled the following "layer cake" right in the hoop (layer after layer): Cotton print, with its front side to the already embroidered piece: 

    Fleece (for the filling) on top of it and also the backing with the right side up: 

    I started my machine and stitched all these layers perimeter-wise. I used the 3d stitch for this. And also E-stitch for the edges to prevent fraying:
     
    This is the wrong side of my coin purse: 

    I unhooped the item and removed the stabilizer: 

    Then trimmed along the perimeter: 


    Mind you, trimming so many layers of fabric didn't come easy! At last, I turned my purse the right way round. 
    Everything is now ready. 
    Summary: 
    a coin purse is very easy to make, just pay attention so that not to forget anything.  An embroidery machine and a zipper go along fine.  I've also noticed that the diagonal positioning is not the best: it distorts the item, and zipper crawls out of seams.  It would also be a good thing to add a loop beside the zipper, which would not be difficult.  A bar tack on the zipper should be strengthened, my usual 3 runs are not enough.  And if you divide the whole process into 2 stages, you can also embroider the back side of the purse. 

    In-the-Hoop: Stuffed Cat toy. Free design included!

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 0 comments, 4,305 views
    Original text by Marina Belova 
    It occurred to me that I never did anything like that, so why not? Here's a cat made in the minimalistic style typical of all French designs, which are the subject of my respect and admiration. There is also a bit of quilt in it (a decorative strip across its chest), also made right in the hoop. 
    The idea for the design came from the open sources online. The design may be used for non-commercial purpose only. You may also publish it on the Web with the reference to my website. 
    The design is in a *.dst format. To convert the file into other machine embroidery formats you'll need a converter. You can read more about it here. 
    Soft kitty (download) 

    The design size: 8.7х12.2 cm Stitch count: 1411  Number of colors: 1 or 2. Number of colors depends on whether you want to change threads. I used two threads, a black one for the nose and eyes and a beige one for everything else.  The embroidery sequence goes like that: 
    Hoop a stabilizer (tear-away): 

    Stitch the first outline directly on the stabilizer: 

    Put the first front piece right side up, aligning it with the horizontal line: 

    Cover it with another piece of fabric with its wrong side up to make a narrow strip on cat's belly. Align the edge with the outline: 

    Start the machine and stitch the strip that joins these two pieces together: 

    Turn the fabric back to flatten the seam: 

    Stitch one more basting stitch over it. You'll need it to know where to put the next piece of fabric for cat's lower part: 

    You may trim this piece of leave it for later: 

    On top of it place the lower part piece with its wrong side up, aligning the edge of the fabric with the basting stitch: 

    Stitch it: 

    Turn it back to flatten the seam. Stitch the whole thing along the perimeter to secure all three pieces on stabilizer: 

    Embroider the eyes and the nose (black in my case): 

    Cover it all with yet another piece of fabric with its wrong side up. This time, we'll make cat's back side: 

    Stitch the cat perimeter-wise: 

    Unhoop it, remove the stabilizer, cut it out along the perimeter (don't forget seam allowance!): 

    Turn it the right way round: 

    Fill it and stitch the opening: 

    That is all. Nothing overly difficult. 
    P.S. You can download other free designs from our online shop. 

    Embroidery on burlap: my first attempt

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 0 comments, 7,114 views
    Original text by Marina Belova 
    So, I've got to the Russian national material — burlap. Though I've already written about loosely woven fabrics, this may be considered a super-loosely woven one. There are only 4 or 5 strands per cm in burlap, and their variable thickness adds to the brain twister of design creation. But this is also what makes it interesting. 
    I have laid my eyes on a brand new vegetable sack, which I'm planning to use it in my experiment. I only have one attempt, so I hope everything will be fine. 

    Actually, the embroidery technique for the burlap is very similar to the one for other loosely woven fabrics; the only difference is that burlap surface has more texture. Therefore, much of the listed below is pretty obvious: 
    Hoop the fabric and the backing – a semi-transparent cut-away spunbond or a piece of organza so that it wouldn't show between the yarns. If you aren't keen on saving up on the stabilizer, you can use a thick water soluble film. For my fabric, I would also add a temporary spray adhesive, just in case. Thin water soluble film goes on top to make the surface smoother.  You can use the threads of any thickness and structure.  Loosen the upper thread tension.  Use the most ordinary needles matching the threads and the fabric in thickness. Sharp needlepoint is preferable.  You also need to lower the speed a bit so that the loosely woven yarns aren't pulled.  To create a machine embroidery file, I: 
    Picked a rather simple design to avoid excess stitches.  Paid particular attention to the strengthening layer: an additional basting stitch at the very beginning of the embroidery would attach the fabric to the stabilizer. It outlined my future design, the basting stitch being of the same color as my burlap so that in case something went wrong it wouldn't be visible.  I manually drew a lattice under the entire design. It would be of a matching color as well, provided that there was one in my collection.  I made a complex edge run and zigzag underlay for wide satins. For narrow satins only edge run was used. A very open lattice at 90 + edge run was put under the fills.  I set the density at 0.43–0.45 mm (my usual value).  Increased pull compensation up to 0.5-0.6 mm on each side and also deliberately changed the shape of the outline to make it wider (I mentioned this in my article on pull compensation).  I reduced satin stitch length to 3–4.5 mm in order to avoid the excess distortion.  With these settings I proceeded to the embroidery and got this: 

    I can't say that the result is outstanding: it needs correction. Mainly, the underlays – I should have given them more strength, like the ones for the FSL where the purity of the outline does not depend on the texture of the surface. But to do that I need to buy more burlap and try again. This sack is already full of potatoes. In my own opinion, the design for such a coarse fabric should on the big side, because small objects look ridiculous on this texture. One should not be afraid of using large elements in a case like this. 
    The first problem I encountered during the embroidery was the difficulty of hooping because this is not just cloth, but a garment. Special devices for such occasions once again popped in my mind. 
    Also, it is inconvenient to embroider such things on my home embroidery machine. In these circumstances, one fully understands the advantages of the "free arm embroidery" in the tubular hoops on commercial embroidery machines. In my case, it's the back side of the sack, but someone else struggles with the back of a T-shirt or a hoody. A free arm is usually kept under the rest of the working gear and does not interfere with your embroidery process. You don't have to rack your brain over positioning the garment properly so that is does not get stitched or loose in the hoop. 

    Adding volume to the embroidery. Method #2

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 0 comments, 3,444 views
    Original text by Marina Belova 
    Today I'll tell you another method of adding volume to your embroidery with the help of special material like 3D Foam, 3D Puff, Bodybuilder from Madeira, etc. Some of the manufacturers call it EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) Foam, and some – PE (Polyethylene) Foam. The composition may vary, but the purpose of the product remains the same. 
    The most common embroidery designs with foam are inscriptions on caps and bags. Though I've seen puffy embroidery on T-shirts as well. You can use 3D Puff not just for the letters but also under an appliqué. 
    Foam comes in the variety of colors (usually all colors of the rainbow). But black and white remain the most common; anyway, I have not yet seen any other colors in Russia. As a rule, people try to choose puffy of the same color as the thread. The thickness, too, may vary – from 3 to 8 mm.
    The most common is 3 mm foam. 
    Embroidering with puffy is fairly simple: 
    First, you embroider all the elements if they are present in your design. After that machine makes a stop.  You put the puffy in the right place.  Embroider; the needle should penetrate it along the edges.  Remove the extra puffy.  Recommendations: 
    Before hooping 3D Puff, you can slightly spray it with temporary spray adhesive, just to secure it in place.  Choose your needles according to the fabric type. Ballpoint is the best for perforating 3D Puff. The needle size should be slightly bigger than the usual one for this type of thread.  Upper and lower thread tensions should be loosened up so that the threads would go around the puffy without trampling it.  Reduce the machine embroidery speed.  Rayon or polyester threads are preferable. A firm "no" to metallic threads. I've also read that #30 threads help to lower the stitch count in the design.  Plain-surfaced and tear-resistant fabrics are good for the basis of your embroidery. Better to do without thin and unstable fabrics. For example, chiffon and silk.  If there are still some traces of your 3D Puff left, try to singe it with a lighter.  Digitizing a design with puffy 
    The most efficient stitch type for 3D Puff is, of course, satin stitch. Pick the design with satin columns at least 5 mm wide. I've also read that you should put fill under puffy, for example, the one with long motif stitches. But I've tried this, so I cannot say whether it works good or bad.  Our first underlay is made of running stitches about 1 mm long along the perimeter. 
    Digitize "caps" for the open edges to perforate around the Puff on all sides. You can leave the inner side of the cap uneven in order not to penetrate the puffy. 
    You can also use pinching instead. Pinching involves choosing such angles that stitches at the corners are very small: they don't perforate puffy and don't require capping. 
    Your second underlay will consist of double zigzags with the density of 1.5–2 mm. 
    Digitize your outer satins. 
    Increase pull compensation by 5–15% of the column width. Increase push compensation by slicing at least 1 mm from the open edges.  Your standard fill density should be increased by 40–100%. For example, if your standard fill density is 0.4 mm, you'll need to make it 0.2–0.3 mm for the outer layer.  No shortening at the corners.  Now you've learned all digitizing tips. 
    There are two ways of removing the puffy: 
    after having stitched the underlay  after completion of the embroidery  I cannot comment on this one. It's the matter of preference. I tear the puffy away after the embroidery is completed. 
    You can see samples in my article Testing solid 3D Puff. See also how I tested various supplementary materials in order to find a substitution for 3D Puff — one, two, three. 
    Other articles on 3D embroidery — one, two. 

    Quality benchmarks. Exploring edge types

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 0 comments, 2,643 views
    Original text by Marina Belova 
    Satin and filling stitches have a property defining the edge type (object profile). 
    There are at least 3 basic edge types: As it usually happens, every type has more than one name, depending on the embroidery editor: 

    Smooth (sharp) edge, where one stitch is parallel to the guideline (transverse) and the other is at an angle.  Acute (chiseled) edge is good when you want parallel stitches, except the first and the last ones.  Straight (square) edge is typical for low-density (min 2 mm) fills with a wide distance between the stitches. It makes a straight border.  There is one more type for satins: 
    Zig-zag edge where two neighboring stitches are laid at an angle to the guideline (transverse).  See the difference between Smooth and Zig-zag edges on the picture below:
     
    Apart from these basic edge shapes, the advanced modern software offers the users the possibility of customization. 
    It's hard to see the sense in changing the edge type and predict the results right away. Why did the software developers include so many separate shapes? I haven't yet found a comprehensible explanation neither in software manuals nor in professional literature. All I see is a plain statement: it is so and deal with it. 
    Therefore, I decided to conduct a little experiment of my own, to find out how to control this parameter and whether there is any sense in it. I digitized a small design containing 4 satin columns with different edges and 3 square fills. The density of all the objects except the one with the square edge was set at 0.4 mm. 
    This is how it looked in the editor: 

    And this is the result:

    Conclusions: Zig-zag edge for satins provides the best coverage, and I like the outline more. Acute (chiseled) edge is the best for the fills as it makes the best outline. I suppose if I combine satins with fills, the effect will be the same. Straight (square) edge looks skewed, and the outline is uneven. High (7 mm) stitch length is to blame, I guess. But it works splendidly for the fills: the outline is even. 
    Perhaps, someone has experience in this area and is willing to share it with us? Or tell us why change the settings at all? 

    Fringe effect in machine embroidery

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 1 comment, 6,717 views
    Original text by Marina Belova 
    The fringe effect is a special machine embroidery technique, simple yet effective, that allows to look at the design from a new angle and add some volume to the embroidery thanks to the free thread ends. 
    Below is the example: 

    Technically the process of creating fringe effect is simple and includes 3 steps: 
    First, we embroider the entire design in exactly the same way as always.  Second, we unhoop our item and cut the stitches on the wrong side to create the fringe.  Third, we fluff the threads up.  This technique works splendidly for whiskers and tails, hair and fur, flowers, etc. Anything your fantasy can conjure. 
    Digitizing 
    The digitizing process for creating of the fringe effect is so simple that even a beginner can cope. It's sufficient to know how one creates a wide satin column in the embroidery software. 
    So, we create a standard but a very wide satin column. You can set the width at the maximum value for the longest stitches your machine can embroider. The longer is the stitch, the longer the fringe will be. You can have a short fringe, of course. In my opinion, the stitch length should not be less than 5–7 mm, otherwise, it will be difficult to cut the threads on the wrong side. It's better to increase satin stitch density by 15–20%; it will improve the outer look.  No understitching whatsoever.  One side the column should be fixed to prevent unraveling. This can be done with the help of thin satin column. Set the stitch length in this column at about 1–1.5 mm.  You can apply this effect to the ready designs, too. Just create the satins in the way described above and place them on top of the embroidery sequence. Thus, the fringe will be embroidered before other elements. 
    Recommendations 
    Adjust your embroidery machine so that it does not trim long stitches. 
    Ways of cutting the underthread: 
    If you want loops, cut the underthread only.  If you want no loops, cut the upper thread on the wrong side near the edge.  Very easy, as you can see. 

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