LETTERING
Pat, one thing I have done successfully to make curved lettering is to
1) open the circle you want for your final outside size
2) select, copy and paste it back onto screen and scale a lot smaller than the original one, be sure to get it centered perfectly(which is why I use the same circle as the outside, paste it exactly over top then scale it downward - most of the time it stays centered then hit save)
3) One at a time, import your letters (you will have to play here, try to guess as closely as possible what size letters might work
4) place the letters (if not many use color changes to be able to adjust them easily later, if too many letters for colors, just alternate a color sequence so you still have change color command to use as landmarks for adjustments) using the inner circle as a line
5) delete inner circle and color changes when you're all done.
I have been lucky and been able to select and rotate the lettering, don't select and rotate the inner circle with them but do the lettering rotation before you delete it, to get the words balanced visually along the arch. Sometimes working with the EU lettering from the start works better than matching my art program's letters. Good luck
Mary
Part of your problem is with the lettering itself. If you will zoom-in
you will see that each letter is tied off at the beginning and the end.
Especially when doing small (5 - 10 mm) lettering, you have to delete those tie off stitches. This problem is very bad with the script lettering. It is almost impossible to stitch out unless you fix the design first. zoom in to where you have only 2-4 letters on screen then walk through the design. There might be 10 to 20 extra stitches between the letters. Hope
this helps.
Lou
I seem to have a lot of trouble doing the lettering when it is only like
16mm or less. I have an order for a jacket for script,and have tried
adjusting the density from 3.0 up to 4.5. Still wants to jam. I've
changed needles. I use rayon thread, and have also tried my Isacord from ARC (100% polyester) This is the thread I use almost always. When I do larger lettering, I have NO problem. Can anyone give me any suggestions.
Patty
Patty, part of your problem is with the script lettering itself. If you will zoom-in very close to the lettering and walk through it you will see that each letter has tie off stitches at the beginning and the end of the letter. This means that there are two sets of tie off's between each letter. On large size lettering this isn't usually a problem, but the smaller the lettering the more problematic it becomes. You must EDIT Delete each of these stitches to stop the problem. I know this is a hassle but I have not found any other way to make sure the stitch out is clean. Hope this helps.
Lou at DHD
Phyllis, Lettering is always the fly in the EU ointment. I stick with 60wt (rayon) thread for lettering that is small (like 10mm and under is small) tho I like 60 wt on all letters. Try not to " alter " lettering by selecting then changing scale, rather re-order the letters from the little guy in the FILLS menu. Try to do lettering at 100% width rather than making it thicker or thinner. If you are using script, there are little tie-offs at the beginning of each letter and you can edit out where letters connect, connections don't need to tie-off. With Brush letters there are many stitch layers where letters turn, and come back on themselves. Rescaling just those tiny parts, or even deleting some visibly close stitches, to make them less dense than other parts, is very helpful. You've obviously done needle homework so I'm sure yours is a new ballpoint, if not, try one. T shirt knits can be a real test, perhaps an iron-on backing can help. I've been pleased with lightweight iron-on interfacing (that nylon tricot looking iron-on at any fabric store) then a piece of backing, like usual, when you hoop. Stability is improved and you can make a close-trim of the iron-on when you're done. Oh, this is helpful: Note where you bogged down, then go back, zoom in real close, and see if you can eyeball why! If you do get a perfect solution, let us know! I get tired of trial and error! Good Luck.
Mary
I don't know if this has already been answered for you, but my experiences with lettering in general have been more successful using 60wt and a new, sharp size 11 needle. I would think that with satin, you might need a thin backing, but not sure about this. I have also had some luck changing the default satin stitch settings, too.
unknown
First, if one shirt is messed up beyond all hope, sigh thanks ,cuz you now have a final sample. I'm assuming this is a knit shirt and if the fabric is of poor quality, nothing may really help it. Try these things, maybe something will help, also remember if your letters are very small (like under 10mm in the height setting), you can readjust the density for satin but otherwise, I think good looking letters with 60 wt Madeira Toledo can't be less dense than .30 setting. (.25 gives the best appearance, to me). I think tension should be as loose as can be without any irregularities in stitching, for satins.
#1. Get Toledo (Madeira #60) thread in black. If that's what you're using and it's awful, call them tell them and get them to rush you a replacement. You could have defective thread and they should get that spool back. Black thread is not in your imagination, it's awful for everyone by every
manufacturer.
#2 Get a new ball point organ needle. Need needles? E our site-master, Sharon Grissom and she'll help you. Proceeds support this list's operating cost.
#3 Use a piece of very lightweight iron-on interfacing of the kind you buy by the yard in any fabric store (pellon-type or the knit jersey type work fine - lightweight!) Iron (do NOT STRETCH your shirt fabric) onto the area right where you will hoop. Hoop with midweight cutaway preferably.
#4. RE-ORDER your lettering, AT the density you think you will use (at .25 default if you are really clueless.) What's in you computer may have been worked and reworked so much it is confused! SAVE AS name with some suffix you will remember, then use that to sew from. Go into and each letter, one at a time, and manually select out and delete tie-off stitches connecting letters or stitches that appear to be at the source of your thread breaks. Zoom in really close and look at all stitches. You can change density on satins just in stitch overlaps and such places by selecting them only, if you wish to give the needle a break where stitch counts are very heavy. Write down what you're doing and SAVE AS so you don't lose anything you're trying. Let the machine start fresh after digitizing or stitching out a number of designs. SAVE, turn off, take a walk, start again.
#5 When stitching out, use your fingers to hold down the fabric on both sides of the needle so it doesn't get a fight when it goes up and down. When display says you have a thread jam and you can't identify one above or below the hoop or in bobbin area, use wheel to force needle down under the project and leave there to re-start using the SEW button. THIS IS A GREAT TIP - YOU CAN USE THIS A LOT!
On design density question, if you're looking at normal fill or satin, you can guess density by selecting out a piece and doing a change density on it to see if stitch count numbers go up or down. Handy way to guess what you're working with,anyway.
Mary
Lettering - for easier placement of curved lettering try EweNique Needles lettering guides. It has grids, with and without ovals, circles and lines to use in letter placement. She also has mylar templates included. This works great.
Lou
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