Impressions - September 2014 - 58

Embroidery Design & Digitizing

To make a letter "show well," lighten
the density and make sure that the stitches
are not blending with the background by
going in the same direction as the ﬁll. On
the left, you can see how the post of the
letter "wobbles." This is caused by too many
stitches ﬁghting to be in the same space.
Lighten the density, or decrease the number
of stitches in the letter, and your posts will be
straight (right).

Figure 4

you that there can never be too much
of it. However, you will ﬁnd that minimizing your underlay may, in fact, be an
answer to problems like the background
showing through. It also will prevent
your outlines from separating from the
rest of the design.
When you place an underlay in your
design so that it holds the edge of an object in place, that edge run underlay also
should be used to hold the satin stitch
outline in place. Figure 5 shows that the
column stitch or satin stitch will not pull
apart from the ﬁll that it is outlining if its
underlay is the same one that is used on
the edge of the ﬁll. A second edge run under the column stitch outline is not necessary, and can deﬁne that satin stitch as
a separate object and cause it to separate
from the ﬁll that it's outlining.
The added beneﬁt is that by not having
and additional edge run under the satin
stitch, you do not have the additional needle penetrations in the ﬁll that separate its
stitches and expose the fabric underneath.
Looking at Figure 3 again, you will see
how both the ﬁll and the satin stitches are
thrown past the edge run and are designed
to pull against the stitches in the edge run
underlay. Once that edge run underlay is
down, it does not go anywhere and should
be used to hold additional parts of the design in place.
So whether it is the background of a
design or the detail you are placing on that
background, be stitch conscious. Make
every stitch count, rather than counting
every stitch. Minimize those underlays,
layer your ﬁlls and decrease the number of
58

Impressions | September 2014

When you place

Figure 5
stitches in your letters and detail. The new
rule is "Less is better." Less frustration, better quality and a bottom line that makes
you smile.
Lee Caroselli-Barnes, owner of Balboa
Threadworks Embroidery Design, is known
for her innovation and excellence in embroidery digitizing. For more information

an underlay in a design so
that it holds the edge of an
object in place, that edgerun underlay also should be
used to hold the satin stitch
outline in place. Shown
here is a column stitch or
satin stitch that will not
pull apart from the ﬁll that
it is outlining if its underlay is the same
underlay that is used on the edge of the ﬁll.
A second edge run under the column stitch
outline is not necessary, and can deﬁne that
satin stitch as a separate object and cause it to
separate from the ﬁll it is outlining.

or to comment on this article, email Lee at
balboainfo@aol.com.

Hear Lee speak on digitizing topics at
the 2014 Imprinted Sportswear Shows
(ISS). Reduced conference pricing is available if you pre-register: issshows.com.

Suggested

Reading

Like this article? Read these other embroidery and digitizing articles at
impressionsmag.com:
* "Don't Sacriﬁce Quality When Cutting Stitch Counts"
* "Save Stitches With Digitizing Techniques"
* "Less is More"
impressionsmag.com

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Impressions - September 2014

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