The Four Laws of Digitizing

April 13, 2009

By Steven Batts, Contributing Writer

There are a handful of basic rules you must follow to really make your embroidery digitizing designs turn out correctly. Ignore these basic principles, and you’ll end up with a design that makes you weep, wail and gnash your teeth.

If you experience problems such as frequent thread breaks or outlines not lining up in a sewn-out design, you might want to refresh yourself on these basic rules. Judging from the many problem designs I have seen, these poor designs result from embroiderers ignoring these basic principles. This is why so many people have to edit and re-edit designs again and again before they look right. While the following is not a comprehensive list, it will put you on the path to creating designs that look right the first time around.

Do Not Create Stitches Less Than 1mm Long
In order for stitches to form properly and sew continuously, they need to be at least 1mm long. This applies to running stitch lengths and to columns. Anything smaller will sink into the fabric or have the potential to break thread excessively. For running stitches, this is easy. Simply don’t set the length shorter than 1mm.

For satin columns, it means you have to pay attention to the width of the column. If it drops below 1mm, you need to do something else. The 1mm rule is how I determine if I will use a satin or a running stitch border. If the outline is at or below 1mm, I will use a running stitch outline; if it is wider, then I will use a satin stitch outline.

It also helps to determine whether certain elements in the artwork make it into the design. If an object in the artwork is smaller than 1mm, then I might leave it out altogether. It wouldn’t be seen anyway. If the object is vital to the design, then I will enlarge it so it will be seen.

Have No Openings Less Than 2mm
Just as stitches can’t be seen unless they are at least 1mm long, openings in areas will not be visible unless they are at least 2mm wide. This again helps us with decision making in terms of artwork. If there is an opening in the artwork that is less than 2mm wide, simply eliminate it, unless that opening is vital to the design. If it is vital to the design, enlarge it enough to be seen.

This is especially obvious with small letters like “e”. How many times do you see that the opening in the top of the letter has closed up? It is because not enough space was allowed to make it visible. Maximize your space by adjusting the surrounding areas to keep your openings visible.

Adjust for Stitch Pull
This actually makes sense once you think about it. Stitches in a column will tend to pull toward each other. To compensate for this pulling effect, create your design just slightly wider than the artwork. This is what the term “pull compensation” means; you are compensating for the pull of the stitches on the fabric.

You compensate in two ways: first by making the column or fill area just slightly wider than the artwork. Secondly, you compensate by overlapping objects and outlines to avoid gaps. Placing one object right next to another with no overlap will produce a gap once it is embroidered. Depending on the direction the stitches are laying, you may have to overlap a half a millimeter or so.

Adjust for Fabric Push
While the sides of a column pull towards each other, the ends of a column push the fabric, extending the column further than the digitized outline. Adjusting for this is referred to as “push compensation.” This is not just on satin columns but on fill areas as well.

To compensate for this, stop your shape just short of the end of the artwork. Typically, stopping one row early (about 0.4mm) is enough to compensate for the push of the fabric.

So there you have them. After learning these truths, you can go on to other areas of study. Many other good digitizing practices are based on these principles.  It is always good to start with the basics.

Steven Batts, a 14-year veteran of the embroidery industry, is a regular speaker at the Imprinted Sportswear Shows. He owns Righteous Threads Embroidery, Greensboro, N.C., which offers digitizing, embroidery, machine maintenance and repair, and consulting. Call him at (336) 379-9380 or e-mail righteousthreads@gmail.com.

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