Hooping Caps

[Linus]

I am seconds away from severe frustration on hooping caps and its unbelieveable. I am using the XT Extended frame and I even downloaded and watched Herb's video on hooping caps, but I am still having a probem or two. 1) Are the teeth of the top strap supposed to go in front or behind the teeth under the cap? 2) Following the teeth theme, where are the teeth for the sides supposed to be in relation to the underneath teeth? 3) The design is very simple and I have ensured it stitches center out, bottom top, but when I was able to stitch out the lettering (Boffo-Dak, .3 in height, 65/9 needle, 3.2 density), the lettering is inconsistent and not smooth (some letters have thread bunching and others it looks "leaned out"). I adjusted the presser foot to go all the way down, then up two clicks and slowed the stitch speed to 850. I think its a hooping issue, but not sure. Can someone help?

Thanks in advance.

[TinaK]

You want your presser foot all the way up on hats and a higher tension number. I just sewed out about a dozen hats the other day and I used standard tension set on 5 with presser foot all the way up and did not have a bit of problem.

Good Luck!

[Pure Embroidery]

Cautious with presser foot height. Some say all up, some say part way up, ect.... I set mine all the way up, then down two or three clicks depending on the hat.

I see some fundamental things you want to look at and possibly change. First, no 65/9 needles on hats. They flex too much. If you are using 60 weight thread, then use a 70/10 sharp point, otherwise use a 75/11 it will work better. (65/9 is great for small lettering on flats, not on hats)

Second, your density seems high for that size lettering. Try a single line center underlay and move your density to a 4 or 5. Setting your speed to 850 is not slow for that size of lettering on hats. Go to 600-700 for the lettering. This will also help with the needle deflection. Slower speeds mean less deflection. Yes it takes more time, but quality is better and frustration is less.

Now, do you have enough backing for your hats? Even if they are constructed hats, use a layer of backing. I use two layers on unconstructed.

Now, for the lettering sequence, turn off the auto-density thread feed and use a fixed setting. Try a 6 and see how that does.

Do you have your lettering set to sew from center outward? If not, you should try that.

Use your oops hats to practice the lettering.

Get rid of those crappy standard issue hoops and get some Hooptech frames! Just my opionion. I have used and still use both, but find the Hooptech frames so much easier to use and much more consistent.

Having said all that. It is what works for me, my hooping style and my machines. Everyone does it just a little different, and maybe this won't work for you and others may have something to add.

I've done over a 500 caps and visors now with dozens of different designs and I don't even think twice about accepting these jobs because I have a "system" that works for me. I hope it will work for you too.

[The Embroidery Authority - OLD]

Guys,
Presserfoot height is also determined by what machine you are running.
If you have the original red and white Amaya, you are using the "raised needle plate" and hence you will raise the presser foot. I usually raise it all the way up.
If you are running the Amaya XT machine, then you would leave the presserfoot alone unless you're sewing on a really thick cap.

Ed

[Steve I]

All good advice, just remember if you try to change too many things at once you won't know what actually did the trick. There is a huge learning curve here and if you try to take a short cut around the bend you will miss a lot of learning. I know we all have deadlines and sometimes we just want to get the job done. In dong that we are missing some valuable lessons in what works best. Take the advice you have been given and try a couple of things at a time to see what differences it really makes. Start with the needle and the density, then try different speeds. As far as the presser foot goes, I adjust by the sound it makes. If it is hammering away at the hat, raise it, you can tell when it stops hammering and the hat is not flagging.

It's a process and you won't learn it all over night. If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.

[The Embroidery Authority - OLD]

HOLY COW!!,
I just read the original post...
.3" lettering with a density of 3.2 pts. Now that's asking too much. Try a density of 4.5 to 5 pts. and don't go crazy with the underlay. These are capital letters, yes??? Because if they are not, you are not sewing letters at .3". More like .2". The letter height number in the "lettering properties" refers to letter height for Capital Letters. These kind of things are discussed in my training class.
The 65/9 needle is kind of small for caps unless you're sewing on an unstructured cap. Be sure to use proper "cap backing" as well. If you don't have any, take a sheet of 8.5x11 printer paper and fold it twice, like you're putting it in a standard envelope, and try that. It's the backing that keeps the cap from shaking side to side while sewing. And reducing the speed on the machine helps with this as well.
Good Luck Linus,
Ed Orantes

[Rod or Sharon]

Atta boy Eddy,

Keep'm straight.....

I would add that using the presser foot on the XT Amaya should be viewed no differently on caps as you would on flats.....The function of the presser foot is to "hold" the material down to keep it from "flagging".....regardles of whether it is cap material or flat garment material...or whether or not it is the standard Amaya or the XT Amaya........"hold the material down to break the needle to material contact loose on the upstroke."

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer