Sewing Outlines

Written by Nita O'Keefe from Fancy That Designs  This tip is for those of us who sometimes have problems with the outline being off or a part of the design stitching on top of another part. Outlines being off registration are almost always caused by one of two things. Either the hoop got bumped or the design was not properly stabilized. Sometimes it will be due to a poorly digitized design, but more often it will be caused by one of those two things. By poorly digitized I mean that the design has all the fills running in the same direction and no underlay.    Many times all the fills will run at the default angle of 45%. This is on the bias of the material and will cause a pull in that direction. Many times an outline will be off because of a thread nest that has occurred. Sometimes it is caused by a broken needle. When you clear away the thread nest and start stitching again, many times the design will have moved a bit due to the pull. It does not take much for the machine to be pulled off track a little bit. Just a tiny bump to the hoop can do this. Then when you start stitching again and realize that the design is stitching over on top of itself and have to stop and pick out stitches, it is very frustrating.    I have found that most of the embroidery machines have a forward search feature. All of mine do. The way to cure the above problem is to always stop the machine, turn off the machine and then restart it, forward search to the right place and then start sewing again. This will reset the machine and the design will be back in the proper place.   Also if you have one of the machines that has a feature that allows you to combine designs at the machine, you should always use that. Mine has an embroidery edit feature. You can use this to bring the design up in the machine, save it to memory and then if your thread nest or broken needle or any of the other things that can happen do. You can then turn off the machine and let it reset itself, turn the machine back on and bring the design back in from memory. Then it will be at exactly the correct placement and you can forward to the correct spot to start stitching again. This way , you will return to the correct placement even if you have positioned the design differently than it comes up from the card.    Other times ,the design will be off due to the hoop getting a little bump during the embroidery process.  The same cure works for that too.  Reset the machine.  Sometimes you will be doing a design on fabric or something large and heavy.  This can create a drag that will pull the design off the track too.  Find a way to rest the fabric on the table so that is not dragging against the hoop.     Happy Stitching Trails!  Nita in Texas

Digitizing Methods

Click and Fill vs. Manual Punch Written by Carolyn Keber author of Steby by Step tutorails for Embird, PE Design and others. I have chosen to explain briefly about the different methods of creating your own designs in your embroidery software.  I must advise you right here and now that what I have written below is entirely my opinion. My opinion may not be your opinion and there are really no rights and wrongs with digitizing,  just preferences.  The main program that I use for digitising is Embird Studio or PE Design ,  but most digitizing programs have similar features.  There are now also several new-ish  embroidery software programs on the market that allow you to just point and fill areas which very quickly gives you an embroidery design.  While this is a wonderful quick way to create a design it does not always create the best result. You may find that outlines do not sew correctly or close enough to a design or that you have a lot of jump stitches to remove when you have embroidered your design.  Do you remember when you embroidered a design from a pre-programmed card, CD or from one of the professional digitizers? You should have been impressed if the design embroidered out with either nojump stitches or the very minimum.  This is the mark of an excellent digitizer. You will find that the professional digitizers do not use click and fill programs at all as they like to control the path of the stitching themselves and not leave it up to the program.  The difference between the good and the excellent designs is the method used to create the design. I guess it's like that old saying your Mum had, "if a job is worth doing then its worth doing well". Check your program to see whether you have the option of actually inputting the stitches yourself rather than allowing the program to make the decisions for you. If you have this option it will be worth the effort to learn how to use it.  The click and fill method is great if you are in a hurry and it is a one-off design you are doing, but if you intend stitching your design out time and again, then you should try to learn to digitize your design.  When you use a click and fill type program and  you move from one area to the next of the same color you do not generally have the option of how the stitching continues. The program takes the shortest route which is normally a regular jump stitch. However if you were punching the design yourself you would try andeliminate that jump stitch by changing your punching tool to a running stitch. Then you would run-stitch from one area to another through an area that would be sewn over later, thus covering this stitching.  The other draw-back is in the creation of a design with a larger area of fill.  I am sure you have all sewn out a design on fabric with a pile such as a towel to find that that the design does not meet in the centre leaving you with a line of no stitches. This is the sign of a design that has been created using the click and fill method. The design will begin sewing from one side then it embroiders towards the centre. Once it reaches a certain point the stitching moves to the outside and then sews back towards the middle of the design until it meets.  But as you know, it sometimes doesn't quite meet causing you a certain amount of frustration.   If the design has been Manual Punched the design will sew exactly as you have applied the stitches.  Learning to manual punch a design isn't as daunting as it sounds. Sure, it takes longer to do it this way but the end result will be a lot better. As with anything practice makes perfect and just by having the courage to have a play around with the program will teach you a lot of new tricks.  One way to start would be to create a design in a click and fill program and then take the design and add some other elements to it in your manual punching program. You can add bits of shading, outlines or whatever you fancy.  Once you have tried this you might feel courageous enough to try manual punching a complete design. One step at a time.  Remember to test, test and test. Here are 2 links to download two designs that I have prepared for you, as a sample of what I'm talking about.  One design is done with Manual Punching, the other with Click and Fill .  If you have Embird then you can run these designs through Sewing Simulator just to see what I mean about designs not joining in the middle from a click and fill program.  Check the Manual Punched design and you will see that there are no gaps as it stitches from one side right through to the other side of the circle. Download Click and Fill Circle  Download Manual Punch Circle Then you will have to make you own decision as to which method you would rather use when creating your designs.  Do you settle for good, or would you prefer to be excellent?  It's up to you.                    Carolyn

Jump Stitches

Digitizing to Reduce Jump Stitches Written by Hilary and Graham Killerby from African Sewfari   Don’t you just hate loads of jump stitches in a design? I know that there are times they just cannot be avoided, but there are ways around these annoying jump stitches. When using an Automatic program you are at the mercy of the program as far as the elimination of jump stitches is concerned. It all depends on the program you are using as to how successful the result is.  However, it is possible to edit out certain jump stitches using an edit program to perfect your design.  It is preferable to "manual punch" your design if you wish to minimize the number of jump stitches. There are two methods we use to achieve the best results.  Hiding your traveling stitch lines. Using the removal of overlay stitching which is referred to as "hole sewing" in certain programs. Hiding Your Traveling Stitch Lines In the first method, you do exactly what the name suggests - hide your traveling stitch lines between digitized objects of the same color in your design.   All traveling stitch lines should be single using the default stitch length (or spacing).   Prior to commencing the digitizing of a design the planning stage is very important. It is invaluable to make a print of the design you want to use in order to plan the route and record the following information:- Initially grade the design objects and number them in order from background objects (i.e. those at the rear of the design in 3D terms), through the intermediate objects to the foreground objects. The objects furthest away must always be digitized first. The colors to be used must be decided on next and if two objects are considered to be equal in 3D value then the lightest colored object must be inserted first. It is always desirable to try and hide lighter colored stitch lines under darker colored objects. Dark thread tends to show through lighter thread colors. It is therefore better to hide the lighter travel stitch lines and leave the darker colored connecting stitches as jump stitches if they cannot all be hidden. Always record the sewing order of the traveling stitch lines on your design print out. Use A,B,C etc. so as not to confuse them with the object numbers. This is necessary as should you wish to change the color or sewing order of an object at a later stage, it will be necessary to edit the relevant traveling stitches as well. When digitizing flowers, digitize the stems last. These can be a tad thicker to cover all the different colored rows of traveling stitches. If you cannot avoid jump stitches, try and make them as LONG as possible so cutting is easy. The face is normally sewn out last and these jump stitches tend to be very tiny and difficult to cut. Try planning the order of digitizing them (eg. right eyebrow, left eye, mouth, left eyebrow, right eye). HINT: Use a small piece of Solvy to cover the face before stitching. It makes snipping jump stitches far easier. Removal of Overlay The removal of overlay method works exceptionally well where one or more object/s are surrounded by another.  Some programmers require one entire object to be completely surrounded by another in order to utilize this option while others will work with overlapping objects no matter how little the objects overlap each other. Planning is once again the essence of success and a print out of the design is essential. In this method the smaller objects are digitized first with the color order once again being done from lightest to darkest with the color of the largest object (cover object) being as dark as possible. This allows the traveling stitches to be hidden successfully. Objects of the same color are linked with traveling stitch lines. The first lines can be placed in the most direct route between objects even if they traverse another color object to be digitized later as they will be hidden. Be careful not to place the darker colored traveling lines too close to already digitized objects as they can end up showing through where the objects and the "cover object" meet. When using this method it is important to increase the "Pull Compensation" factor to +50% of the normal default setting for both the objects and cover object. Depending of the programmed and the ease of changing the sewing order, use one of the following:- Once all the objects and the cover object have been digitized the cover object must be changed to sew first in order to allow the objects to be accessible for selection when effecting the removal of the overlay.  The alternative method is to save the objects and travel stitch lines after they are digitized. Delete them and digitize the cover object, inserting the saved objects on top of the cover object before the removal of overlay is implemented. Whichever method is used do not forget to change the cover object to sew last in order to hide the travel stitches before saving the finished design.

Multiple Hooping

by Hilary and Graham from African Sewfari  To embroider designs using multiple hooping always scares new owners of embroidery machines. Tablecloths, bed linen and other household items look wonderful with designs running the full length.    This method may also be used to create a “picture” when different designs are used.  Print the chosen design. Mark the center of the design. An easy way to find the center is to mark diagonal lines from corner to corner of the frame on your print out.  Your center is where the lines cross.  NB. If you have software that allows you to hide/display the hoop, make sure the hoop is displayed.  Cut out the design along the frame lines. Position this “cut-out” onto your fabric. Pin into the center of design and into the fabric. Carefully lift your print (without tearing or removing the pin from either the fabric or printout) and mark the pinpoint with a non-permanent marker. Mark a cross through the center mark to help keep your fabric and designs straight. Sometimes, if the pin you use is rather thick, it will leave a small hole and the print can be removed before the marker is used. NB. If you intend using the printout repeatedly, stick a small piece of Cellotape over the center mark. It will prevent this hole extending with use.  Hoop up your fabric making certain that your center mark is in the center of your frame.  If the designs are to be stitched near to each other and the hoop will trap an already stitched area, “Hoop-it-All” stabilizer or adhesive sprayed on normal stabilizer can be used to secure the fabric for stitching. Set your machine for center alignment and ensure that the needle penetrates the center marked on the fabric. Stitch out your design. Recently, we made a beautiful circular tablecloth for a 50th birthday present using a single rose design. To get the “random look” we intended, we laid the cloth on a table and threw the required number of “clothes pegs” onto the table. Adjusted a few and then marked where each peg fell and in what direction. The finished tablecloth had just the effect we wanted.  Hilary and Graham

Quilt Blocks on Silk

Instructions for Quilt Blocks using Silk Fabric Written by Santi Nuss of Hatched in Africa Dear Embroidery Friends.... We have had a lot of friends asking how to embroider on silk and how to align designs for quilt blocks or other projects. Here is how we do it.. 1.    Cut your fabric into blocks the size you require and add at least 1" extra around to allow for edges to be straightened after embroidery.  Have ready a wonderful product called Totally Stable from Sulky. Iron this onto the back of the silk. This will stabilize the fabric ...in other words you will strengthen the silk and have no movement of the fabric and it will also help you not to have any puckering embroidering on this fine but not very evenly woven fabric. This product also comes off very easy once the embroidery is done. Just pull it off.   2.    Print out the grid block of the design on paper so that you can see how to place the designs on your fabric. (you should be able to do this with your embroidery software)   3.    Mark the grid on your fabric with an air erasable marking pen...draw lines across the centre from right to left, and top to bottom. 4.     In your software, open the design that you are going to use and print this on transparent paper available from your stationary shop. Make sure you purchase the correct one for your printer ie: ink jet. This paper is not cheap but it is long lasting and you can re-use the templates. If you take into consideration the price of the silk fabric, your designs and your cotton and time and effort this is a small price to pay for a perfect end result. 5.    Now place the transparent template on your fabric in the position that you can clearly see on the grid that you printed in step 2 and match with the grid lines you drew on your fabric. Mark the centre with 2 cross lines.  Take time to do this accurately.       6.     You now may hoop your stabilizer in the hoop and mark the centre of the stabilizer with your blue marking pen, spray stabilizer with basting spray to hold your fabric in place, and place fabric on top of stabilizer matching center crosses.  (Or if you prefer you may hoop your fabric.) Then sew the design in correct position by placing center of design on center cross. You also need to make sure that the design has been rotated into the correct position by placing the template on the hoop and checking on the screen of your machine that you indeed have the designs correctly rotated and aligned. This will save you a lot of heartache and trouble as one can easily make a mistake.     7.     Embellish your blocks , do some stippling and sew together.  We hope you found this helpful.   Best Wishes, Santi

Quilt as You Go

With compliments from African Sewfari Quilt as you go.   This must read as rather peculiar.   The name is derived from the pioneer days of America.   Long, tedious days were spent travelling on the wagons as the pioneers made their journeys west.   The winters were severe and bed coverings were needed.   As you can imagine, it would have been impossible to have a quilting frame set up so these ingenious women folk thought up the method of piecing together a 12” block, adding the batting and backing and completing the quilting before moving on to another block.    Once enough blocks had been completed to cover a bed, they were joined and bound..   Hence the name, “Quilt-as-you-go”.   This method is still a very convenient way of completing a quilt today.   Our homes to day do not always have the space to accommodate a large quilting frame.    Give this method a try.   You will be amazed at how easy and fast it can be to complete a family heirloom.     "Quilt as You Go"  Requirements: A number of pieced blocks.   The amount of blocks you will require will depend on the size of the quilt you intend making.   Each block could be a different pattern, as in a true sampler.   A different colour combination, as in a scrap quilt.   Try machine embroidery.   Maybe Spring flowers as a theme.   You are only limited by your imagination. It is advisable to sew 2” sashing around your finished block, butting the corners.   This will simplify your first attempt at “Quilt-as-you-go”. Cut the batting and backing fabric slightly bigger than the finished block.   (Plus/minus 1.5” all round).  This is to allow for the dovetailing of the batting and the seams of the backing.  TIP:   It is recommended that the backing fabric be of a small print.   The seams are easy to “hide” in a busy print .   Another plus for printed backing fabric is when turned over you have another quilt. “Sandwich” each pieced block with batting and backing. Treat each “sandwich” as a complete quilt and quilt, as you desire.   Quilt “in the ditch” around the “sashing”.    This gives you a base to measure your seams when joining the backing.  Once you have quilted each block your are now ready to begin joining your blocks.    "Quilt as You Go" Method: Start joining your blocks into strips. Pin the backing and batting out of the way of the block seam. Right sides together, join one block to the other.   1/4inch seam.   To make your life easier, start joining in pairs.   Next, join the pairs, making a “strip” of 4 and so on. Example:   If your quilt is made up of 12 blocks, 4 blocks x three blocks. You will have three strips of four blocks joined.   Now the tricky bit. Dovetail the batting by splitting half the thickness of the batting from the bottom of Block A and the top of Block B (plus/minus 1.5” width) By doing this, you will keep the batting the same thickness though out.   A herring bone stitch could be worked to hold the layers of batting together but this is not necessary.   You now have the right sides of your quilt joined.   The batting is lying flat and all that needs to be done is joining the backing.   Lay one side of the backing flat onto the batting.   Begin with the same side on each block.   This helps to keep your seams straight.  Turn under a small hem on the other side of the backing.   Use the “in the ditch” line of quilting to measure and to keep your line straight.   Pin and hand stitch. Complete each “strip” in this manner.   Start joining the strips together, using the same method. If you have more than three “strips” to join, use the same method we used to join the blocks together.   In other words, plan to have the least amount of bulk on your lap when completing the hand sewing.   Leave the joining of the middle “strips” till last so you only have the entire quilt on your lap “once” to complete your hand stitching. Once you have joined the entire quilt you will need to trim the excess batting and backing from the four sides. Now the best part of all.   Bind all four sides. Your heirloom quilt is completed.  TIP:   Embroider a label with the name of the quilter and the date completed.   Hilary and Graham