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Description

When we're on our stall at craft shows we often hear people say "it's all done by computer", or "a machine does it". Yes the machine is quicker than hand embroidery, once it has been programmed, and the computer software is a useful tool with many time saving features (if they can eventually be forced to do what you want) . . but we've yet to find the sentient computer or embroidery machine that can create suitably artistic designs and run themselves.
Here we have a snapshot taken while sewing out a design, but it nicely illustrates the sequencing aspect of the hidden structure that goes into embroidery design.
The displayed image is shrunk to 1024 pixels wide for the benefit of people with slow internet connections but the download will let you have a better look at a higher resolution.
One of the big problems with machine embroidery is stops and starts. The machine has to slow down and stop, perform a lockstitch (there's a variety of methods but usually a couple of very short 0.6mm long stitches back and forth a couple of times), stop, cut the thread then travel to the next start, perform a lockstitch (theoretically not needed if the top stitch can be arranged to pass back over itself but we find that unreliable) and then ramp up speed again. The machine wastes a lot of time doing all this compared to a full speed continuous running stich to the next start location.
The stop/starts are also a disaster waiting to happen. All sorts of things can go wrong. A bad thread trim can leave a damaged thread end because the blades inside can get gummed up with old thread offcuts, the cut may not be done cleanly leaving a frayed mess, or the thread length left is too short or too long. The problems really hit with the start lockstitch, if it fails to grab the top thread pulls out of the needle and you have to stop and rethread before you can take the machine back and restart the stitching, which can be a problem if the needle holes from the failed lockstitch have already torn up the backing or the fabric.
Summary: stop/starts are bad, continuous stitching is good.
So we arrange, as far as possible, that we link areas of stitching in the same colour so that they are done as one piece with the end of one segment being the start of the next. When we cannot start the next segment where we finished the previous segment in the same place we use "travel stitches", a simple run stitch which connects the end of one stitch segment to the start of the next, and then we hide these travel stitches under the finished stitching.
So in the example photo we have 19 separate visible stitch segments which touch each other and have to be sequenced to run in one continuous piece of stitching using automatic and manual travel stitches.
The design screen image shows both the visible segments and the manually inserted travel stitch segments, with a green round marker for the segment start, and a red triangle for the segment finish.
The 2 Segment List images show the segments sequence, from segment No. 15 to 40
So this is what happens:
15. left hand running stitch - to get a good visual weight its a 2 pass run, smoothed out by using 50% ovelap between the passes, so we start with a lockstitch under the satin stitch of the left hand stem, go out to the left, then back to under the stem
16. we now have a manually inserted travel stitch, a run which takes us up under the satin stitch and turns left under the first leaf half
17. first leaf 1st half, satin stitch out to end
18. first leaf 2nd half, satin stitch back to stem
19. travel stitch run up under the satin stitch stem and turns under the next leaf
20. second leaf 1st half, satin stitch out to end
21. second leaf 2nd half, satin stitch back to stem
22. travel stitch run across the satin stitch stem and out under the next leaf
23. third leaf 1st half, satin stitch out to end
24. third leaf 2nd half, satin stitch back to stem
25. start of the stem segment is set to the end of the last leaf, the software inserts an automatic travel stitch run along the centreline to the end of the stem and then starts satin stitching back from the point and down the stem to the finish point which we have placed next to the start of the visible centre twiddly runs, but now the software stops satin stitching, inserts another automatic travel stitch to the bottom of the stem and then satin stitches back up to the finish point of the stem segment
26. left hand centre twiddle run starts at the edge of the stem, it's 2 passes at 50% overlap again but it starts with an automatic travel stitch run out to the finish point which we've set on one of the crossovers to the righthand twiddle. The 2 pass 50% overlap sets off from the finish point in each direction along the segment, when it's finished it's straight into the next segment. . .
27. right hand twiddle run starts at the crossover, and the software inserts an auto travel stitch to the finish point in the middle of the righthand stem, from there it does the 2 pass 50% overlap out and back in each direction (it is continuous across both sides of the stem), then
28. we insert a travel stitch run up under the satin stitch stem and turn under the first leaf - this is visible in the photo
29. first leaf 1st half, satin stitch out to end
30. first leaf 2nd half, satin stitch back to stem
31. travel stitch run up under the satin stitch stem and turns under the next leaf - this is visible in the photo
32. second leaf 1st half, satin stitch out to end
33. second leaf 2nd half, satin stitch back to stem
34. travel stitch run up under the satin stitch stem and turns under the next leaf - this is partially visible in the photo
35. third leaf 1st half, satin stitch out to end
36. third leaf 2nd half, satin stitch back to stem
37. travel stitch run across the satin stitch stem and out under the next leaf
38. fourth leaf 1st half (the leaf is hiding behind one of the silver presser feet of the embroidery machine), satin stitch out to end
39. third leaf 2nd half, satin stitch back to stem
40. start of the right stem segment is set to the end of the last leaf, the software inserts an automatic travel stitch run along the centreline to the end of the stem and then starts satin stitching back from the point and down the stem to the finish point which we have placed halfway down (to force stitching direction, see problem discussed here: fav.me/d779t1r ) , and the software stops satin stitching, inserts another automatic travel stitch to the bottom of the stem and then satin stitches back up to the finish point of the stem segment, lockstitch, thread trim.
Done. Move onto next bit.
Some of the travel stitches have strange paths, eg the double back under the leaves, because if we keep the travel stitch roughly perpendicular to the finished visible top satin stitch there is less chance of it peeking through.
Feel free to download the image for personal use (eg desktop, screensaver, pinterest, facebook, tumblr, etc) as is, but no derivative works or commercial use please.

-----------------------------

Fancy Togs is a small dressmaking and embroidery business run by Clare & Lawrence in Shepshed, Leicestershire, UK. Together we make our range of original art wear, made to measure clothing, custom embroidery and Irish Dance Costumes.
Website: fancytogs.co.uk
Shop: fancytogs.etsy.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FancyTogs

Description

When we're on our stall at craft shows we often hear people say "it's all done by computer", or "a machine does it". Yes the machine is quicker than hand embroidery, once it has been programmed, and the computer software is a useful tool with many time saving features (if they can eventually be forced to do what you want) . . but we've yet to find the sentient computer or embroidery machine that can create suitably artistic designs and run themselves.
Here we have a snapshot taken while sewing out a design, but it nicely illustrates the sequencing aspect of the hidden structure that goes into embroidery design.
The displayed image is shrunk to 1024 pixels wide for the benefit of people with slow internet connections but the download will let you have a better look at a higher resolution.
One of the big problems with machine embroidery is stops and starts. The machine has to slow down and stop, perform a lockstitch (there's a variety of methods but usually a couple of very short 0.6mm long stitches back and forth a couple of times), stop, cut the thread then travel to the next start, perform a lockstitch (theoretically not needed if the top stitch can be arranged to pass back over itself but we find that unreliable) and then ramp up speed again. The machine wastes a lot of time doing all this compared to a full speed continuous running stich to the next start location.
The stop/starts are also a disaster waiting to happen. All sorts of things can go wrong. A bad thread trim can leave a damaged thread end because the blades inside can get gummed up with old thread offcuts, the cut may not be done cleanly leaving a frayed mess, or the thread length left is too short or too long. The problems really hit with the start lockstitch, if it fails to grab the top thread pulls out of the needle and you have to stop and rethread before you can take the machine back and restart the stitching, which can be a problem if the needle holes from the failed lockstitch have already torn up the backing or the fabric.
Summary: stop/starts are bad, continuous stitching is good.
So we arrange, as far as possible, that we link areas of stitching in the same colour so that they are done as one piece with the end of one segment being the start of the next. When we cannot start the next segment where we finished the previous segment in the same place we use "travel stitches", a simple run stitch which connects the end of one stitch segment to the start of the next, and then we hide these travel stitches under the finished stitching.
So in the example photo we have 19 separate visible stitch segments which touch each other and have to be sequenced to run in one continuous piece of stitching using automatic and manual travel stitches.
The design screen image shows both the visible segments and the manually inserted travel stitch segments, with a green round marker for the segment start, and a red triangle for the segment finish.
The 2 Segment List images show the segments sequence, from segment No. 15 to 40
So this is what happens:
15. left hand running stitch - to get a good visual weight its a 2 pass run, smoothed out by using 50% ovelap between the passes, so we start with a lockstitch under the satin stitch of the left hand stem, go out to the left, then back to under the stem
16. we now have a manually inserted travel stitch, a run which takes us up under the satin stitch and turns left under the first leaf half
17. first leaf 1st half, satin stitch out to end
18. first leaf 2nd half, satin stitch back to stem
19. travel stitch run up under the satin stitch stem and turns under the next leaf
20. second leaf 1st half, satin stitch out to end
21. second leaf 2nd half, satin stitch back to stem
22. travel stitch run across the satin stitch stem and out under the next leaf
23. third leaf 1st half, satin stitch out to end
24. third leaf 2nd half, satin stitch back to stem
25. start of the stem segment is set to the end of the last leaf, the software inserts an automatic travel stitch run along the centreline to the end of the stem and then starts satin stitching back from the point and down the stem to the finish point which we have placed next to the start of the visible centre twiddly runs, but now the software stops satin stitching, inserts another automatic travel stitch to the bottom of the stem and then satin stitches back up to the finish point of the stem segment
26. left hand centre twiddle run starts at the edge of the stem, it's 2 passes at 50% overlap again but it starts with an automatic travel stitch run out to the finish point which we've set on one of the crossovers to the righthand twiddle. The 2 pass 50% overlap sets off from the finish point in each direction along the segment, when it's finished it's straight into the next segment. . .
27. right hand twiddle run starts at the crossover, and the software inserts an auto travel stitch to the finish point in the middle of the righthand stem, from there it does the 2 pass 50% overlap out and back in each direction (it is continuous across both sides of the stem), then
28. we insert a travel stitch run up under the satin stitch stem and turn under the first leaf - this is visible in the photo
29. first leaf 1st half, satin stitch out to end
30. first leaf 2nd half, satin stitch back to stem
31. travel stitch run up under the satin stitch stem and turns under the next leaf - this is visible in the photo
32. second leaf 1st half, satin stitch out to end
33. second leaf 2nd half, satin stitch back to stem
34. travel stitch run up under the satin stitch stem and turns under the next leaf - this is partially visible in the photo
35. third leaf 1st half, satin stitch out to end
36. third leaf 2nd half, satin stitch back to stem
37. travel stitch run across the satin stitch stem and out under the next leaf
38. fourth leaf 1st half (the leaf is hiding behind one of the silver presser feet of the embroidery machine), satin stitch out to end
39. third leaf 2nd half, satin stitch back to stem
40. start of the right stem segment is set to the end of the last leaf, the software inserts an automatic travel stitch run along the centreline to the end of the stem and then starts satin stitching back from the point and down the stem to the finish point which we have placed halfway down (to force stitching direction, see problem discussed here: fav.me/d779t1r ) , and the software stops satin stitching, inserts another automatic travel stitch to the bottom of the stem and then satin stitches back up to the finish point of the stem segment, lockstitch, thread trim.
Done. Move onto next bit.
Some of the travel stitches have strange paths, eg the double back under the leaves, because if we keep the travel stitch roughly perpendicular to the finished visible top satin stitch there is less chance of it peeking through.
Feel free to download the image for personal use (eg desktop, screensaver, pinterest, facebook, tumblr, etc) as is, but no derivative works or commercial use please.

-----------------------------

Fancy Togs is a small dressmaking and embroidery business run by Clare & Lawrence in Shepshed, Leicestershire, UK. Together we make our range of original art wear, made to measure clothing, custom embroidery and Irish Dance Costumes.
Website: fancytogs.co.uk
Shop: fancytogs.etsy.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FancyTogs