Solve It
There is nothing quite as satisfying as stitching a perfect embroidery design for a special project. But, it can also be frustrating when things go wrong. In order to troubleshoot and fix embroidery design problems, learn to identify the qualities of a good design and how machine maintenance can prevent issues from occurring in the first place.
Qualities of a Good Design
A good embroidery design when stitched-out is smooth, pucker-free around the outer edges, and has no traces of the bobbin thread showing on the top side. There is no gapping between individual elements of a design or between the fill stitches and the design outlines.
Maintenance
Clean and oil the machine every 3 to 4 hours of stitching time. The high speed of embroidery creates more lint and fuzz than encountered during normal sewing.
Proper Setup
Embroidery success starts with needle and thread. Select a needle designed specifically for machine embroidery changing often. Choose a good quality machine embroidery thread designed specifically to withstand the heat and friction associated with high speeds of embroidery. Next, select an embroidery bobbin thread, typically lighter in weight than machine embroidery thread, to aid in pulling the top thread to the back side.
Pressing Matters
Pressing will almost always improves the appearance of a design especially if there is puckering around the design. Press face-down on a fluffy towel for the best results.
Problem Solving
Download this eBook to see a variety of common machine embroidery trouble-shooting scenarios and how to solve them.