Be it the individual client or multinational giant, everyone
demands a little spirit and variety in their designs these days. This brings
awe-inspiring artwork to the digitizer's desk with lots of hues blended
together for that magnificent effect. Think vibrant wings, leaves, sunsets and
entire sceneries that need to be recreated in embroidery to give the end-user a
creation that's timeless in appeal. This makes it all the more important for
the modern digitizer to master the skills that can help him/her deliver
spectacular designs.
In order to master blended designs in machine embroidery,
we've put together the following practical tips that can be used and improvised
upon to bring about professional results:
The Foundation
Every professional embroidery digitizer understands the
importance of underlay in digitization. After all, a well-laid foundation is
the secret behind the sustenance and strength of any creation. This is why
putting down the underlay to hold the shape is the first and foremost step
towards the success of a blended design. You can choose to put down a manual or
automatic underlay tracing the contours of the design in combination with
lattice depending on the design. However, do make the underlay go in the opposite
direction of the top stitch so that it penetrates the design in a different
manner, protecting the fabric.
The First Layer
Pick the most prominent color in the design and keep the
fill on the first layer slightly bigger than the underlay. It's best put a .02
inch inset, use contour and lattice underlay and keep the stitches at a 45-90
degree angle. Digitize the stitches to move downward with a density of 55-70
spi.
Adding the Blend
Now is the time to add in the blend layer before the detail,
the cover stitches. We recommend keeping the blend density between 15 and 20
spi, and not using any more underlay as the foundation has already been set.
The Detail Layer
The final touches for your design - digitize this layer to
add definition to the shape, add desired details and also cover up any loose
ends left by the fills used previously. You could digitize this distinctive
layer to include run stitches or even satin stitches. Also, since this will be
the last and defining layer on your design, we suggest keeping the density
highest for this one at about 55-70 spi.
Simply put together these steps and you'll be working your
way to a beautifully blended design with seamless layering, winning even the
amateur embroidery digitizer kudos. However, do feel free to improvise and
adjust on the above to suit your design.
For more info about digitize for embroidery and Embroidery Digitizing so please visit my website.
