EPS software

[LawsonPoling]

Can anyone recommend to me software for creating vector (eps) files? I continue to be displeased with the keyboard fonts supplied by Melco. I figure I'll be better off if I can type a font into Word or Acrobat and then convert it to eps and let Design Shop sort it out. I do not need advanced editing software for vector images; I just want to create better fonts and sometimes do images.
Thanks!

[Rod or Sharon]

You will very seldom get a font to stitch well that has been converted to an eps then auto digitized. You will always need to edit it afterwards. Design Shop doesn't know the type of corners or points you want, it will layer stitches on top of stitches, etc.
Sharon

[LawsonPoling]

Sharon, thank you for your reply; I've learned (and been told) to heed and respect your council.
This weekend I embroidered the word ENGINEERING onto a nylon jacket. The N is taller than the E, and the G is a slightly different size, too. Is the correct was to approach this dilemma to manipulate "every letter in a word" to get the desired result? I see so many logos on people's apparel that is excellent. I cannot figure out why the Design Shop fonts and/or my Melco Bravo isn't producing similar results. What's "the secret"?

[Mama Kass]

I know nothing about eps, but I do know that I have had to do serious editing to any true type fonts that I've tried. I think digitizing a nice font needs the human touch.

[LawsonPoling]

Mama, maybe that will be a winter time project, to go through my favorite TTF's and digitize them. I seldom if ever use them but I do use the Melco fonts extensively and they often times disappoint. I seem to recall trying to edit one letter in a word and when I clicked OK, the editing applies to the entire word even though I only had the one letter selected. I am at a loss and I want to do better/produce higher quality goods.

[HERB]

What you may be experiencing are the effects of push and pull on the fabric as it sews. A column stitch (lettering?) will narrow in width and grow longer as you sew it. This can and will vary with the type of fabric being sewn. This may be why the N is taller and the G is longer.
If you look at fonts supplied by MELCO you may find this "compensation" already digitized into the file.
Long ago I stopped refering to the lettering packages as fonts. They really are not fonts any longer. Get your brain to relate to the type of stitch. Columns just be columns....IMHO

[LawsonPoling]

Mr. Floriani will once again be at Embroidery Mart in Nashville this year. His topic? Embroidering Text. I not 'down' with traveling to Nashville, staying at a hotel and paying $20 to get into Embroidery Mart just to hear him talk about it for an hour and a half. I bet someone here knows just as much as Mr. Floriani; at least, I'm counting on it.

[LawsonPoling]

Does anyone out there advocate using spray adhesive to tack down material so it doesn't push and pull during the embroidery process? My understanding of this option is to use it sparingly.

[Juli in Kona]

I can answer this question - having been there and done that. Here is the deal -- When the needle goes up and down through the material, backing and adhesive a million times, the needle gets hot and volatilizes the adhesive. That (now) gaseous adhesive goes all over - up into the cutter area and all down in the rotor area. You can't really see it because it is so thin, but it is there causing havoc. Eventually it will cause massive problems like thread breaks, miss trims, half trims (these can cause needle breaks) until you just want to throw the thing out the window. Ask me how I know this.

I fixed my very serious problems by doing a WD40 wash. I was amazed at how much adhesive there was in there that I couldn't even see. And my tech couldn't see it either. This was several years ago and just recently I replaced the rotor, and guess what - Glue all behind it where I couldn't get to to clean it off when I did the WD40 Wash.

So, now I hardly ever use spray adhesive. I do use the iron-on no-show stabilizer. That works very well for LC sizes, but not so good for jacket back sizes. For the big areas I do something different. I digitize a very loose overall underlay to attach the top to the stabilizer. I try to do this from center out and it can be very loose - long stitches and wide apart rows. Then I don't need an underlay with each area separately.

Hope this helps,

Juli in Kona

So, yes, you can use the spray adhesive, and sparingly is good, but eventually you will have to do a WD40 Wash.

[LawsonPoling]

Juli - Very interesting stuff! I'm loath to even try using the spray adhesive so I'm glad to hear about your experience with it. Thanks!

[LawsonPoling]

Juli - A couple of questions about the iron-on no show backing. Is there a general weight that you prefer to work with, and, once it is ironed on and the embroidery is finished, can it be peeled back to be trimmed? So far I have worked with Nylon jacket shells, 100% and 50/50 Poly/Cotton tees and polos, and light fleece fabrics. Also, what brand of this item do you use/recommend? Thanks again!

[SewZone]

Juli,
I have never used spray adhesive but I do use scotch tape all the time. Could this cause a problem? I am experiencing the thread and needle problem you describe. Is there a tutorial somewhere for a WD 40 wash?

Thanks,
Christine
owner/embroiderer
The Sew Zone USA

[Juli in Kona]

I get all my backings from American Embroidery Supply. And BTW they also carry Marathon thread which is ever so much better than RA!, but you have to call them and ask for it. And if you mention that you are from this forum, you can get a 10% discount. I go to them because they will cut my backing to order. There is only one weight of No-show and it is light. I usually slip a tearaway (what I call crispy tear-away) under, especially if I have lettering.

Yes, I peel the no-show backing back to trim it off. If you have applied too much heat and pressure, you might have to re-heat to peel back.

I use this backing with wicking material (with tear-away under) and it works great.

Juli in Kona

[Juli in Kona]

Christine, You can find instructions for doing a WD-40 Wash by doing a searc
h
WD-40 Wash
Embroidery/How Do I?
and Put my name - Juli in Kona - in the bottom line

[SewZone]

Thanks, Juli!