Images_June_2020_Digital_Edition

You need to understand how stitches distort when running to judge by how much you need to change an object’s shape to counteract this distortion. Measuring designs and comparing to samples can help you figure out the correlation A digitiser should know how machines, materials and embroidery techniques interact The following is a list of what a digitiser should know in this category: ■ How to identify stitch types, which types are appropriate for a particular embroidery object, and the maximum and minimum sizes for each ■ How to control stitch density to achieve the desired coverage and without making the decoration overly stiff or causing puckers or ripples ■ How to express measurements used in embroidery ■ How underlay stitches are used to combat show-through of garment or underlying thread colours in top stitching and how they mitigate roughness and issues with fabric texture, reinforce edges, and work to stabilise material by stitching it to the hooped stabiliser ■ How embroidery distorts during the run (pull and push distortion) and how to counteract this distortion to maintain object shapes and outline registration ■ How embroidery elements should be sequenced and the path the needle should ‘travel’ in a design to create a logical progression from one area to the next without wasted motion while creating appropriate overlapping of elements for artistic effect ■ How and where to use travel stitching to effectively move from one element to another, as well as when to use ‘tie’ stitches to avoid pieces coming unraveled after trimming ■ How to handle the interaction between congruent stitch elements: how altering stitch angles from object to objects affects the look of the stitching; the appropriate angles and stitch lengths for both appearance and function; and how to achieve clean, sharp corners and joints without visible gaps Combine this knowledge of stitches with your understanding of machine operation and materials, and you have the foundation of embroidery digitising, design, and production-ready file preparation. Operating software Now it’s time to look at the digitising software itself. To become a competent digitiser, you’ll need to know the following: How to: ■ Import various art files and modify them for use as templates for drawing your shapes ■ Configure and calibrate your workspace with the proper measurements and guides to judge the finished size of the design and elements ■ Use drawing tools to create embroidery objects/shapes and how to use node editing tools to alter them ■ Specify all stitch variables for each shape: how to set stitch type, density, place start and endpoints; and how to configure any automatic settings, such as push and pull compensation or automatic underlay ■ Resequence elements, changing their order in the design ■ Use stitch editing tools in the case that individual stitches in imported designs or in output files require editing ■ Export files and production information in the proper format and with the proper configuration for your machine and production processes Software operation is where all the knowledge and preparation gives way to creation. But it is understanding and preparation that separates proficient digitisers from those who simply learn how to follow tutorials. Now let’s take a look at where you’ll find the relevant educational resources. Embroidery experience If you are allowed in your shop or have a machine at home, this is a fantastic time to run sample designs and actively observe the embroidery process. Watching well-crafted designs stitch provides direct feedback, showing you the results of sequencing, how compensation for distortion affects registration, and the way shapes either retain or lose their form. Design analysis Examining embroidery files in your digitising software will give a more refined view of their construction. By measuring density, stitch angle, stitch length and overlaps, and noting stitch types and sequencing, you can then emulate and replicate the styles found in well-made stock designs. This detailed observation, coupled with the ability to repeatedly ‘run’ designs virtually allows a new digitiser to note the techniques and tactics of other digitisers, with the digital replay allowing you to scrub through a certain section repeatedly and to directly measure settings. You can then measure the elements on a physical sample of the analysed file to see how much these elements distort when stitched, and the way stitch settings influence the final embroidery. This will allow you to reach a more complete understanding of how designs come together. A caliper may seem like overkill, but measuring real outcomes in the thread helps to clear up the nature of distortion. Remember, the ultimate output of a digitiser is embroidery, not a file As you can see, the gap I measured doesn’t appear in the finished piece. That’s due to the compensation I applied KB BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT www.images-magazine.com 42 images JUNE 2020