CommonEmbroideryMistakes - 24by7 Embroidery Digitizing

7 Most Common
Embroidery Mistakes
And How To Avoid Them !
Mistake #1: Not Changing Needles Often Enough
Routine check up of needles on your embroidery machines is mandatory for
proper upkeep of the machines. Create a system to check your needles at
fixed interval and replace them as needed. There's no one-size-fits-all
answer for when you should change out the needles. It depends entirely on
how many hours the machine is running, the fabric you are using and the
quality of your needles.
Mistake #2: Improper Hooping
Another machine issue that can cause poor quality sewing is an improperly
mounted hoop. Each brand of machine is a little bit different, but with most,
it's possible to mount a hoop without getting it latched in place tightly. In
some cases the hoop stays firmly in place, it's just not straight, which causes
the design to be crooked. In other cases the hoop develops a bit of "play" or
bounce, which will lead to all kinds of creative problems. Always
double-check that the hoop is installed securely and properly. Give it a slight
tug.
Anything you are embroidering, especially hats, can be hooped improperly.
You want your hat to be nice and tight in the hat hoop; it should be straight
and centered. Sometimes, you'll run across a logo or design that should be
embroidered slightly off-center to look good. These projects should only be
given to your most experienced embroiderers and hooping experts.
In fact, with cap frames, a design that is too tall can cause a major
registration problem. You may find that it "fits" within acceptable cap
design parameters and assume it is ok. But for low profile caps the crown is
obviously not as tall as on golf caps. As the sewing approaches the top of
the design, the cap is moved physically closer to the machine so that the
end of the sewing arm starts to push against the inside top of the cap.
(Since the end of the sewing arm is hidden by the cap, you may not be
aware of this.) As it pushes against the inside top of the cap, it begins to
stretch the cap causing distortion of the sewing surface. This is a limitation
caused by the cap construction as well as the machine design. Some
machines have slightly longer sewing arms than others. Slight is the key
word, as the sewing arm contains the bobbin assembly which has to be
directly below the sewing needle. However, some machines have a slightly
reduced distance between the bobbin case and the end of the arm. The
only cure is to reduce the height of the design or perhaps place it lower on
the cap, if possible. And of course changing cap brands may improve this
situation as well. With some models of machines, the pressure of the
sewing arm against the inside top of the cap is enough to "pop" the entire
sewing frame loose from the machine, a nightmare in itself.
Along these same lines, different machines have different methods of
installing mounting brackets which mate to the frames and hoops. For
example, if you are converting from flats to caps, you may to remove certain
physical brackets and screws, then replace them with different brackets and
screws. Occasionally, you may forget a screw, not tighten a screw, or
overlook a firm seating for the brackets being installed. Once again, sewing
quality will be affected. Along the same lines, you may have to change out
needle plates depending upon what's being sewn. The wrong needle plate
or a loose one can cause quality problems as well as thread and needle
breaks.
Finally, there may be physical obstructions that limit hoop and frame
movement. Maybe a loose object has fallen into the path of the hoop travel,
blocking it or limiting it. (Ink pens are a major culprit.) On most machines,
the sewing head attaches (vertically) to the sewing table. This of course is a
built-in limitation for how far the hoop can travel vertically. However, most
machines will allow sewing movement right up to the base of the sewing
head. But if something falls into the space between the top edge of the
hoop and the sewing head, it further limits or blocks the vertical movement.
And, depending upon the machine, this may not cause a crunching, grinding
noise, so you don't realize when it's happening. One common obstruction is
the garment itself. Big, bulky items such as jackets and overalls may have
sleeves that flop over into the path of hoop travel. Likewise, bulky items
may catch on the needles, presser feet, or trimmer assemblies, any of which
can limit proper hoop movement.
Mistake #3: Improper Thread Tension
Improper tensioning can lead to bobbin thread showing on top, loops
forming in the topstitching, and outlines that don't line up, especially
running stitch outlines. It's imperative that you know how to set proper
tensions and that you do so as needed.
If you're not running regular thread tension checks on your machines, then
your complaint department is working overtime. Quality comes from proper
tension, which enables your stitches to be nice and tight. Making sure your
embroidery machine is always in proper thread tension will keep your logos
and letters looking crisp.
Sewing tensions are affected by a number of variables, such as the color of
the thread, how tightly wound it is on the spool, and how much is left on
the spool. Also, if dirt and lint build up along the thread path, it can affect
the tension as well. And though you may have an ideal tension setting, you
sometimes need to adjust it based on the item being sewn. (One of our
machines sewed much better on caps if we loosened the upper thread
tension slightly. That's not to say this applies to your equipment, but we
found it to be true with some of ours.) The thickness of the fabric will affect
the sewing as well. While you should attempt to compensate for this in the
digitizing process, adjusting your thread tensions may improve the quality
of the sewing when dealing with thicker fabrics.
Mistake #4: Ignoring The Bobbin
Whenever you change the bobbin, you should check the thread tension.
Think of it like putting on your seatbelt: Once you get into the habit, you
won't even notice you're doing it. If the bobbin is too loose or too tight,
your embroidery quality will suffer. It's a quick, easy and vital step.
Mistake #5: Running The Machine Too Fast
Slow down! Your machine should run no more than 600 stitches per minute
on a hat frame and 750 for a flat frame. Note, however, that this is just a
guideline; each design is different. You may need to slow your machine
down even further if your design has many fine details or small letters. In
these cases, bringing your speed down to 550 stitches per minute for a hat
frame and 650 stitches per minute for a flat frame can improve the
registration. Remember, your haste will make waste. Slowing down your
machine and getting it right the first time can save you a lot of money in
wasted product. It does not matter how fast you run your machine if you
get the product back from your customer due to poor quality.
Mistake #6: Incorrect Placement
If you're embroidering hats, for instance, a customer might ask for the
embroidery to be placed low, next to the bill. Customers are accustomed to
seeing these placements on embroidered products at the mall and might
not understand why you can't do the same thing. It's actually a very simple
explanation. Embroidery that's placed low, next to a bill of a hat, was likely
put there before the hat was constructed on a flat panel program. Since
professional embroiderers deal with premade items, we're limited to
placing the design no less than half an inch from the front bill and sides of
the hat. We've tried other placements and found that anything else will
compromise the quality of the embroidery or the hat. Catching the needle
on the hat bill or on the frame can crash the machine.
Mistake #7: Not Digitizing
Without a doubt, failing to digitize a logo or design for the specific product
is a major mistake. If you're embroidering on hats or caps and you're using a
file that's designed for a flat frame like a T-shirt, you're going to have
problems. The pull compensation is different for a flat frame than it is for a
curved surface like a hat frame. Make sure you're using a professional
digitizer who knows how to adjust the file for the pull compensation for
curved surfaces like hats and caps.
It is our hope that these tips help you achieve success, minimize mistakes
and reduce the number of products that need to be redone. Following
these simple steps will keep your shop producing quality embroidery and
keep your customers coming back again and again.