lettering tips

[cbireley]

I know this is pretty broad, but I'm rarely every 100% happy w/the way my lettering looks when stitching it out. Most of my work seems to be on Polos or tee shirts (ugh, I don't like doing those...)Sometimes I think it looks clear and crisp, but most of the time I'm just not happy. I look at other embroidered lettering and notice how clean and crisp it looks. I typically use one or two layers of cut away backing, I use standard feed as well as auto feed...does anyone have any tips to share that I can try so that I'm happy w/the lettering I'm producing? Thanks so much!

[cbireley]

Oh and I use Solvy on top....

[Big Dog]

What is it that you don't like about the lettering? What size lettering and type of font are you having trouble with? Tell us a little more and we can help.

[cbireley]

Well, I mostly use block style lettering; it's normally no bigger than .75, for most of my jobs. I just feel like it could look better. Sometimes the threads look loose, sometimes they fray on the edge, for lack of a better description. They just aren't "crisp" and clear to me. I just thought basic suggestions as to what works for others would be a starting point for me to get the look I want.

[Juli in Kona]

Use a #10 needle.

Slide a tear-away under.

Always use underlay.

[Five Point Emb]

Are you using underlay? Maybe edge walk under your letters so they have something to 'hold' onto?
Darlene
Five Point Embroidery
now of Lexington, SC

[MJ]

I use a zig zag and an edge walk so the satin stitch has something to "sit on".
What density are you using?

[cbireley]

Thank you all for the suggestions! This is what I wanted, basically, some ideas to try. I do use underlay, normally just a zigzag. I will try adding edge walk to it. Sometimes when I use EW the stitching shows on the outsides of the columns, so I don't normally try that, even with some adjustments to the settings. I did a true type font this a.m., for my husband's company logo and it turned out horrible. The vendor they use, the letters look perfect. It was a clearface ttf, I did .75, density I did at 4, w/zigzag and EW, 120% pull b/c I wanted a "fatter look" to it. It was on nylon.

[Rod or Sharon]

Cindy,

The first thing is to remember, most ttf fonts will never sew out as nice as a manually digitized one. TTF's are basically auto digitized by the computer program and the computer doesn't always give you the best results without a lot of editing required. Anyone who has messed around with the auto digitizing tools will have to agree that it has limitations as to it's use....

I looked at the clearface ttf's and there are 7 of them in DS. Which one were you using? I chose a couple of them, set the height at .75, density at 4, pull comp at 120 and then grabbed the ruler and measured the width of some of the columns. Even on the Clearface Heavy, there were a lot of places in the columns that measured less than 1/2 of 1/10th of an inch wide at those settings.

The clearface fonts may need a combination of percentage pull comp and offset pull comp and minimum column width to be used. A zig zag would be ok, set at maybe 15 pts density with border set in around 55 to 60% of width on the thinner clearface ttf's and 60 to 70 on the heavier ones. An edge walk on any of these fonts will surely peek out in the skinny places on the font unless the underlay stitch length is reduced to a very short stitch so that it can follow the curves better. Short meaning 10 to 15 pts...but, then you risk threak break issues on the knits because of the tiny stitches. Even then, because of the narrow columns, it still may show in places depending on the fabric.

Now the machine...how is the X cable tension? This can and will have an effect on the letter regsitration, especially with column width. When was the last time your machine was serviced?

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[cbireley]

My DS didn't have a clearface ttf, so I had to download and add it. I guess it has to do w/what fonts you have on your microsoft word? I'm not exactly sure which one I used, but I think it was just a regular one.

I will try those suggestions and see what I come up with. Thank you so much! I really do not know how to digitize letters so I don't think I'll be doing that.

Hugo has checked my X cable tension before b/c I had a question about lettering on a fleece blanket that was distorted when it ran fast. And that fixed the problem. I have Hugo come and run through a basic check up about once a year, sometimes sooner if I have a problem. I'll mention that to him next time he comes.

Thanks, Rod...

p.s.-my machine still makes that sound, at times, when it trims...like the cable is clicking/squeaking a little...it ran fine all day yesterday, today it's back to making the noise...