Ever wanted to make your own patches or add embroidery to your own clothes?
This machine is designed to embroider patterns onto fabrics. You can either use the built in patterns and fonts to add embroidery to fabric or patch material or you can use Inkscape with Inkstitch extension to create your own designs and transfer the PES files to the machine with a USB.
The machine is found on the shelf above the craft table.
This page is split into three sections: Basic operation, embroidering patches and badges and creating your own designs using Inkstitch.
Links to the user guide and quick reference guide in the text below should take you to the appropriate page of the manual.
Before you turn the machine on you should check that the embroidery hoop is not attached to the machine. The embroidery carriage moves when the machine is turned on, and can hit the hoop causing damage. You should also check there is nothing around the machine that the carriage could hit.
The needle should be changed before use, as blunt needles can cause damage. This should only be done when the machine is turned off.
To change the needle:
Full details and diagrams are given on page 38 of the user guide
You can load a pattern from USB, or use one of the inbuilt designs.
Page 51 of the user guide shows how to select an inbuilt design. The quick reference guide shows the inbult fonts and patterns.
Once you have selected a pattern, the display will show you a preview of where it will be embroidered, and the size of hoops that the pattern will fit in:
In the image above, the two largest hoops are suitable, the smallest is not (it is shown with a dotted line)
The design can be moved, flipped and rotated on this screen too.
You will need to wind a bobbin for the lower thread. This thread shouldn't show on the good side of the work, so the colour isn't important. The bobbin winder on the machine doesn't work, so you will need to use one of the other sewing machines in the hackspace. This will wind the bobbin with the correct tension.
Once you've wound the bobbin, you can install it in the machine. The machine has an animated help screen showing how to do this. Press the help button on the lower right of the control panel, then press the bobbin installation icon on the top right of the illuminated touch screen. The quick reference guide also shows how to do this (step 19 onwards). Make sure that the bobbin will rotate anti-clockwise as the thread is used (i.e. it's coming off the left hand side of the bobbin), and that the thread passes through the tension spring on the bobbin case. You don't need to pull up the bobbin thread using the upper thread like on a conventional sewing machine.
Thread-up the machine using the first colour of your pattern. Pressing the help button on the control panel, followed by the upper left icon on the touch screen will show you an animated guide to threading the machine. The quick reference guide also shows how to do this. When threading the machine:
Choose an appropriate size frame for your design. Frames that are too small are shown with a dotted line on the placement screen. Unless you're embroidering multiple pieces on the same bit of fabric, it's best to use the smallest frame that will fit, as this will minimise wastage of stabiliser material.
Cut out a piece of stabiliser a few cm bigger than the frame you're using. Place this on the outer hoop with the small triangle on the rim of the frame facing upwards. Lay the fabric you're going to embroider on top of the stabiliser (good side up), and then place the inner ring on top. The small triangle on the inner ring should align with the one on the outer ring. Push the inner frame into the fabric, and tighten the bolt. You may need to stretch the fabric gently while you do this; the aim is that the fabric is held taut in the frame and should have a drum like sound if you tap the fabric.
If you require precise placement of the embroidery piece, you can use the embroidery sheets included with the frames to precisely align the position.
Once you have prepared the frame, you can attach it to the machine. To do this:
Removal is the reverse of installation.
Once you've installed the frame, it's a good idea to check that the embroidery will appear where you expect. To do this, press the starting point key on the preview screen twice (a needle to the left of a dotted square). The frame will move showing the extents of the embroidery piece.
With the frame installed, lower the embroidery foot. The illuminated start button should change from red to green. Press this to start embroidering. Pressing this again will pause the process.
The machine will prompt you when to change thread colour. Only the upper thread needs to be changed, as the lower thread shouldn't be visible on the good side of the work. If it is, see adjusting thread tension.
If you run out of either the upper or bobbin thread the machine will detect this and stop. Replenish the thread, and press the ad-just button on the touch screen. You can then step back a few stitches to re-sew the missing stitches and continue. This is described in more detail in the user guide.
This should only happen rarely, if ever. If the thread does snap please work out what's gone wrong rather than keep resuming the piece and hoping it will fix itself.
You should check:
This can be caused by a blunt needle, or by incorrect tension. If these don't fix things, it may be the needle timing. The machine may need timing to be checked by experienced user or serviced.
This can be caused by movement of fabric due to it not being hooped correctly or the type of stabiliser is not correct for the fabric being used. Also check the upper thread tension. If you're using your own design, check for digitiser issues (choice of underlay settings may be unsuitable for stabilising fabric, the angle of the stitches in the fill areas, the density of the stitching in the fill areas the order of which fill areas are stitch (start in the middle and work outwards)). Helpful video on this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cqV-rXPcMg
Setting the correct thread tension ensures that the bobbin thread cannot be seen on the good side of the work, and that the stitches are tight. Usually only the upper thread tension needs to be adjusted.
If the upper thread tension is too tight, the lower thread will be visible on the good side of the work. To reduce this, press the settings key on the control panel and press the minus key to reduce the thread tension.
If the upper thread tension is too loose, the stitches will be slack. You can increase the tension with the plus key.
The bobbin thread tension was set when the machine was serviced, and is unlikely to need adjustment. If, exceptionally, you need to adjust the bobbin thread tension, please:
Do a small test piece using the same fabric, stabliser and thread before starting a large piece of work. This will let you check the tension is correct and that everything is working properly. Youtube video on it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR5TOaJ5mLs&t=43s
If you press the ? button on the machine, it will take you step by step through the loading process.
You may want to press the green button to pause the needle so that loose threads can be cut or removed as you go along to prevent them getting embedded in your design.
Helpful beginners video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Akr8M7b1Uk
Needle Use a 75/11 home sewing machine needle. When embroidering on thick fabrics such as denim, use a 90/14 home sewing machine needle. Memo
Embroidery frames There are now multiple frames available in the hackspace, each with a guide on the embroidery area and holes to mark fabric to make sure everything is in line
This is the suggested workflow that I have found works for patches that require no-minimal cutting.
Termogarza – available in black and white, you make your design directly on to this, has a more fabric like feel as you are making it, requires heat via iron or heat plate to begin to disintegrate the fabric. Comes away in pieces. Supplier: https://shop.madeira.co.uk/heat-dissolvable-backing-170cm-x-1m_termogarza-white-xxx-xxx.htm
B-Film or Badge film can be used as one or two layers, without additional fabric and will also dissolve on the application of heat Supplier: https://shop.madeira.co.uk/search/backing-topping--applique-fabrics/topping-and-speciality-backing/other-specialist-backings/madeirasbfilm-100mic-100cmx1m_035asb-m-xxx-xxx.htm Or from UK supplier for non-commercial customers: https://www.barnyarns.co.uk/madeira-b-film-heat-dissovable-fabric-100-micron-50cm-wide-per-meter.html
Guide from Maderia UK on B-film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cliEeeEUjLw
Basic Patch workflow:
To add iron on backing:
As mentioned above I've used Inkscape with the Inkstitch add-on, its not the best software in the world for this as most other embroidery software allows you to place individual stitches ( useful on the finer details and lettering) and allows you to quickly changes settings to parts of the design i.e. satin stitch width or the type of fabric being used. But unlike those pieces of software Inkstitch is free.
Inkstitch have a workflow here: https://inkstitch.org/docs/workflow/. There is also easy access to each of the stitch/fill types etc and a lot of useful information.
If you are working off a design or logo that is already created two methods I have found work reasonably well:
From either one of these approaches save your finished design and keep a copy in case modifications need to be made to line width etc.
Check that you're not repeatedly stitching the same place. This can cause issues with thread snapping and needles breaking, as the embroidery can become too thick for the machine to pierce.
These videos have been helpful: Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPaGwjwpzWc, Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WPSHcJ03gI