Images_Digital_Edition_March_2020

Using accessories that help you to stay consistent in your process can significantly speed up production and efficiency. The financial outlay is often worthwhile Every operator needs to learn the basic functioning of their machine’s control panel, both for loading files and standard running, and for feedback on machine operations and money. Small shops may baulk at the cost, but these aids reduce errors and make hooping more efficient than manual table hooping, especially for newcomers to embroidery who often have a hard time judging alignment. Tension gauges Poor thread tension can cause bobbin thread to show in designs or birdnesting to occur under the garment. Many new embroiderers struggle with tension; starting with measured tensions at your vendor’s recommended settings for your thread type helps. You’ll need both a pencil gauge for top tension and a bobbin gauge if you don’t get an all-in-one digital unit. Having a measured baseline tension makes adjustments more precise and allows you to record tested functional tensions for any combination of materials. Garment steamer A garment steamer is useful for much more than wrinkles: it removes the ‘hoop burn’ ring from excessive hoop tension, softens stiff cap crowns, and removes the water-soluble topping used to temporarily support stitches on textured materials. Basic skills With your shop fitted out with the right equipment, the following skills and basic information are what’s required to start stitching successfully: Machine operation and maintenance Basic operation can be learned from machine manuals and manufacturer training. Your operator should know how to perform the following operations in the machine’s controls: ■ Load and clear files ■ Change the starting position of the needle ■ Set running speed ■ Trace the extents of a design to check hoop clearance ■ Navigate through stitches in a design for missed stitch/error repairs On the physical side, the operator should be able to: ■ Thread the machine ■ Load a bobbin correctly ■ Switch from flat hoops to the cap driver ■ Oil and grease the correct parts on an appropriate schedule, tracking upkeep Most of this is easily picked up without much training; it requires diligence more than talent. Operating Operators start slow, but get faster with practice. In the initial stages of learning, it is critical to carefully observe the machine as it is running, particularly for operators who aim to become digitisers in the future, as observation helps you understand interactions between thread, needle, garment, stabiliser and design, and how they produce a given result. Irrespective of the size of your embroidery machine, a full set of tools for each station should be within reach of the operator O perating teaches you how embroidery physically works, which is important to understand, especially when you are faced with diagnosing a problem. Hooping It can be difficult to hoop a garment straight to the seams (or www.images-magazine.com MARCH 2020 images 37 KB BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Software and digitising All embroiderers should have basic lettering and editing software, but not every embroider will digitise. In-house digitising enables quick turnarounds, creative renderings, and information control, but even businesses that digitise for themselves often start by outsourcing their initial files, kickstarting production and gaining customers while their digitiser trains. Unless you start the learning process immediately and your machine vendor is offering a significant package discount, it’s unlikely you’ll need to purchase the highest-end digitising suite with your machine. Some rare machines may require speciality software to control unique functions or equipment, but most can be loaded with standard embroidery file types directly, without using the bundled software. I would encourage every embroiderer to learn digitising, however you shouldn’t feel pressure to digitise in-house; it’s not critical to the early success of your new embroidery business.