Embroidery Woes

Thursday night (14JUN12) I started doing some test samples for a large embroidery project I’m working on.  The first test started out well, but by the time the last color was being added the needle broke.  This did not bode well for the project.  I replaced the needle and tried again.  It got through maybe two stitches before breaking the needle again.  I can’t emphasize enough that when sewing or embroidering, safety eye wear is very necessary.  Now, I was lucky and the needle didn’t fly at me, however, the way it breaks is rather violent.  Please be careful with sewing projects of any kind.

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The needle breakage was the end of sewing for the night.  Friday after work I opened up the software program on my computer to rework the stitch types for the design and figured out a potential solution.  Then Saturday after work I implemented said solution.  I let my machine do its thing, periodically changing colors as it progressed.  When the final color started, I backed away and nervously let the machine work.  I was very relieved when It finished stitching with no hiccups.  The design stitches, however, still need some work along with fixing the tension on my machine.

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There should not be any white coming through the dark colors, but I am happy that the design was able to be stitched out.  The next step for this design will be putting it on a hat.  I have reworked some of the stitch patterns.  What you can’t see in the picture is super long stitches in the blue that have the potential to snag.  I hope I solved the problem in my software program and will see how it stitches out on the first hat.

Now my next goal is to fix the tension.  Bobbin thread should not be showing through the top thread.

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That is a test embroidery for a future project.  I felt it would be a good start to see if I managed to fix the tension.  The design looks good and solid, but upon closer inspection white was still coming through.  Granted it was nowhere near as bad as the last design, but it clearly needs more adjustment.  I will be testing one more single color design to determine if the tension problem has been solved.  After that, hats that have been preordered can finally be embroidered.