Embroidery: May 2013

Stich type :

1. Satin
2. Run

Tolls :

1. Input A
2. Complex Fill

Stich type :

                   1. Satin
                   2. Tatami
Tolls :
           1. Input A
           2. Complex Fill

Stich type :

                 1. Satin
                 2. Run
Tolls :
          1. Input A
          2. Complex Fill

Tips of Design.

Educational Tips

What to look for in poor design registration.

Top 5 reasons to use polyester thread.

How many stitches in a cone of thread?

Tips for sewing with metallic thread.

How to create your own thread coasters.

Color matching.

Hoop marks be gone part 1

Hoop marks be gone part 2

Darker colors bleeding.

Thread breaks part 1

Thread breaks part 2

Aqua Top removal

Correct tensions

Unravelling stitches

Hoop Storage

Bobbin Sizes

Bobbin case wear

What to look for when your experiencing poor design registration.	At some point everyone has experienced poor design registration. Often, one has a large fill edged with a column or satin stitch, and the fill and its outline do not meet. The first thing you need to determine is, was the design digitized correctly for the material you are working on. An experienced puncher positions the column stitches more inside or outside the fill. This is called pull compensation, and it makes the column sew exactly where it should when running on the specific fabric it was punched for. Improper hooping and using the wrong backing are two other common causes of poor registration. Creating the correct fabric tension in the hoop is critical for good registration. The sewing field should be taut, but not so tight that it will alter the garment when it is removed from the hoop. Hoops that are too tight may cause the fabric to stretch out too far, creating a bagging effect, or it may cause hoop burn. Hooping too loose will allow the fabric to pull loose form the hoop while being embroidered, causing poor hoop registration. It is important to use just enough backing to stabilize the design area. Experiment to see which backings work best for different jobs. Talk to experienced embroiderers to see what kind of backings they use for different applications. It may help to keep a record of these findings for future reference. As one finally note, make sure the backing is completely engaged by the hoop to ensure an even tension in the sewing area.
The Top 5 Reasons to use Isacord Polyester.	1. Isacord provides excellent performance with the upmost speed of the machine, and can run at 1,200spm and more with proper adjustment of the machine. In addition, it is not necessary to reduce the speed of the machine when using Isacord and working with thicker fabrics such as Denim. Productivity is also increased through less thread breaks and fewer machine stops. 2. Isacord is colorfastand also chloridefast. This is especially important for garments which undergo intensive or repeated washings. Applications include work uniforms of all kinds and outdoor or sportswear. 3. Isacord has a high resistance to abrasion. These characteristics provide practical value for embroiderers who embroider on such products as workwear, sports and leather goods, shoes, uphostery and automobile seats. 4. Superior King spool design and thread securing base. This specifically designed base with a broad base and thread lock, allows smooth thread take off and minimal thread loss. Standard cone designs can unwind thread with a result of 10% thread loss. 5. Accurate color dye lots. Isacord and Isafil as well, offer high tolerances for color dye lots yeilding more consistent color over time. Ackermann employs the very latest in computer technology to insure the most accurate color dye lots available.
How many stitches are in a cone of Isacord?	1,000m cones = approx. 200,000 stitches* 5,000m cones = approx. 1 million stitches* *(average stitch length of 4mm)
Useful tips when sewing with Metallic Thread.	Whenever possible it is recommended that you use a DBxK5 type needle due to the slightly larger needle eye. Machine speeds should be kept in the 700-750spm area for best results. Ultimately, the machine speed will be determined by the type of machine and design quality. Thread tension should be set so that the thread slides through the thread guides without drag resistance, or as low a tension as possible. The embroidery design itself also plays a major role in the quality of the finished product. Stitches with less than 3mm in length should be avoided due to the metallic thread's 40wt diameter. The above tips are recommendations and does not indicate that metallic can not be used outside of these specifications.
Your Own Thread Coasters.	The small tubes of rayon, and even some of the older cones as well, can be a bit tricky to work with. The thread has a tendency to want to come off the tube in one large pile. As a result the thread gets caught underneath the remaining thread on the tube, causing thread breaks. One technique to avoid this problem is to use a thread coaster or create your own. Similar to a beverage coaster, a thread coaster provides a surface for the thread on the tube to sit on, preventing it from getting traped underneath, leading to the thread break. Beverage coasters will work just fine, if you can find them, however,you can make your own from some heavyweight backing. Cutaway will work as well, but Tearaway has a stiffer surface. Heavyweight cap backing, like a 2.0 or 3.0oz is the best. Use a soda can or anIsacord (New Isafil) cone as a template to draw a circle on the backing. Use a pair of scissors to cut out the circle. In the center cut out a hole large enough for the thread retainer on your machine to slide through. Put the coaster on the machine and then the thread tube. Viola, the thread now runs smooth.
Color Matching Tools.	Because it is very common for clients to give you a Pantone color reference number and ask for a match. The Pantone Matching System has become the accepted standard for color matching throughout the graphics industry. The basic Pantone color chart contains 1,012 colors. Because there isn't a thread color for every Pantone color, it may be useful to a Pantone formula guide. The basic fan style costs about $99. A more sophisticated version called the "Color Specifier", a loose-leaf book with removable color chips may also be used. This product costs about $199 and can be very helpful in creating mockup professional renderings for a client. These products can be purchased directly from Pantone by visiting their website, www.pantone.com, or by calling 1-888-PANTONE.
Hoop Marks be Gone Part 1.	While most customers love getting a little something extra for their money, most would rather not have hoop marks on their newly embroidered goods. A terrific method for removing these hoop marks is the use of a spray bottle with ordinary water. Keep a spray bottle with each machine. When employees unhoop the items, they lightly spray them with water to erase the hoop marks. By the time the garments are trimmed and finished, they are dry and look great.
Hoop Marks be Gone Part 2.	Getting a good hoop is important to producing quality embroidery, but the marks that are left behind can be difficult to remove. Paula of Country Sisters Embroidery suggests the following solution for removing hoop marks. Hoop marks can easily be removed with spray starch. Just a little squirt and rub with your hand will make them vanish like magic. If you don't spray a lot, it will dry faster than water. This method works great if your in a hurry and who isn't?
Darker Colors Bleeding.	Dark towels can be difficult to embroider. The first time they're washed, the excess dye can bleed on the monogram, discoloring it and making customers unhappy. It may be suggested that garments and towels of this nature be washed prior to having them embroidered. Some embroidery professionals suggest washing garments or towels using a small amount of salt in warm water before embroidering. After the garment has been washed, check the rinse water. If it contains colored water it is recommended that the process be repeated.
Thread Breaks - It's not always the thread's fault - Part 1	Many things on an embroidery machine can cause thread breaks, but not all are obvious. BACKING - Excessive backing material used by inexperienced operators can cause thread breaks. If an operator uses three to four sheets of backing, stiffer embroidery is the result, but it also applies a great deal of friction to the needle, causing thread breaks. Needle drag is when backing is too thick and rigid; it normally is abrasive or adhesive, causing "drag" on the needle. The needle overheats and consequently, thread breaks occur. FABRICS - Abrasive or Adhesive - Thick and tight fabrics that have a plastic surface will cause will cause drag on a needle, and subsequent overheating. A bigger, reinforced or Teflon coated needle may be used, or you may try reducing machine speed or using waxed paper between the fabric and the backing. In an excessive case, you can use a silicone lubricant applied to the backing to reduce this thread-break causing drag. OIL - It is very important to keep your machine well oiled. However, it is equally important that the oil not come in contact with your thread. This will cause the thread to weaken and break.
Thread Breaks - It's not always the thread's fault - Part 2	Many things on an embroidery machine can cause thread breaks, but not all are obvious. TENSION - Too tight. Inexperienced embroiderers usually increase tension in the bobbin to compensate for top thread tension, which leads to higher than needed thread tensions overall. Consequently, there will be more thread breaks than normal, and distortions in the design, specifically if polyester thread is used. Symptoms of too tight tension in the upper thread will be little dots of bobbin thread that appear in the sides of column stitching. DESIGN - Stitches too short. If stitches are too short, such as 5 to 10 point stitches, it means thread goes through the eye of the needle about 60 times before being set into the fabric in a stitch. This weakens the thread, causing thread breaks. Stitches too long. Stitches longer than 80 points usually produce a lot of problems in the machine, and occasionally needle breaks, in addition to thread breaks. This is caused by tension in the thread that pulls the thread just as it is going into the needle plate. Therefore, the needle will hit either the needle plate or the hook. This kind of problem will show also when there is a big jump without a thread cut. Excessive stitches in a single area. If the machine embroiders repeatedly over an already embroidered part of a design, the thickness and tightness of the fabric increases, and thread breaks will always occur in the same part of the design.
Easy Aqua-Top Removal.	To remove the small pieces of Aqua-Top or similar material from an embroidered garment, slightly dampen a plastic bag or wrap a piece of Aqua top around a cardboard spool. Gently roll or "pat" the embroidered area that contains the Aqua-Top. The damp plastic or Aqua-Top wrapped spool will pull out the small pieces, saving time from picking out each
Correct Tensions.	Correct Tensions. A good way for beginners (or those who knew and forgot) to check their tensions is to look at the back of the embroidery. About 1/3 of the thread - the center third -should be bobbin. If the bobbin thread spreads to the edge, then either your top tension is too tight, or your bobbin tension is too loose. Conversely, if not very much bobbin shows, your top tension is too loose or your bobbin tension is too tight. If you have more than one needle per head, here is how you can determine which tension to adjust. Choose a letter, for instance an upper case "I". Then program as many I's in the machine as you have needles, with a color change between each one. After you've finished the sewout, take the embroidery off the machine and look at the back of it. If the majority of them have either too much or too little bobbin, the bobbin tension is the first thing to adjust. After this is done, do another sewout and check again. Tensions can be tricky because they change so much. Just switching from black to white thread can make a difference. When adjusting tensions, be more generous with your top tension adjustment than if you were adjusting a home sewing machine. Remember, generally speaking polyester threads require more tension than rayon threads.
Unraveling Stitches.	If you have ever had problems with stitches that come out after you've trimmed thread tails or jump stitches, check the design on screen. Zoom in and look at your "tie off" or "lock stitches" at the end of the letter, design or color change. Sometimes they're non-existent, which explains why the raveling is taking place. Often they are placed one on top of the other, so what you really get is a knotted thread extending from the fabric and design. It's all too easy to clip this off, plus, it doesn't look very attractive when left there. Tie off stitches should be about 1mm apart, so they don't all go into the same needle puncture, and they should zigzag on top of each other within the embroidery design.
Hoop Storage.	If your embroidery operation uses wooden hoops, storing them correctly is important, as the moisture content in the air affects wood. Always store the inner and outer hoop pieces together. This will ensure a perfect fit.
Bobbin Sizes.	At times trying to run a business and keep track of every little part number can be difficult, so here's an easy way to remember what style of bobbin your machine might take. "L" style is the most common type and is about the size of a nickel. "M" style is the next most popular, and is about the size of a quarter. This should help when determining which bobbin will fit your machine. All you have to do is decide whether you want sided or non-sided, plastic sided or cardboard, spun poly or continous filament polyester.
Bobbin Case Wear.	If when operating a machine and your bobbin thread keeps coming to the top. First, check your tensions and timing, and carefully see if there is any lint hiding under the spring in your bobbin case. If this doesn't work, consider ordering new bobbin cases. They do wear out and the springs fail to hold the tension adjustments you've made. Bobbin cases should be changed after about 1,000 hours of running time, or if you run one 8 hour shift, change the case every six months. For two 8 hour shifts a day, the cases should be replaced every 4 months.

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