Machine Embroidery: The Only Stitch That…

The basic fact about machine embroidery is that, technically, there is only one possible stitch. Thanks to the precision of the straight stitch machine, you can produce the same interlocking stitches as any other sewing machine. The following content also has some reference value for Eagle digitizing.

This single-stitch, point-to-point thread, is the cornerstone of everything we do, unlike the magic of knots, loops, and knitting stitches that our hand-stitched siblings can use. Furthermore, we can only work on the surface of our work. The picture below depicts our stitches, the only difference is that the embroidery machine allows us to control the direction and distance the workpiece moves between the needle drops, and whether the needle drops fall. The advantage of going digital is that, although it may seem a bit limiting to some, we are really able to easily and quickly create combinations of these single stitches and repeat them programmatically - this is our stitches

Digitizers of early computerized machine embroidery could only create designs by placing one stitch at a time, stacking these dot-to-dot threads while following a giant 6:1 blueprint, sometimes called a "cartoon," by placing them on a giant digitized tablet. pick their coordinates. In those days, artists drafted their designs and marked measurement lines to help digitizers maintain the proper space between stitches or "density." More recently, digitizing software has enabled us to fill areas or trace lines with automatically generated patterns and combinations. These useful stitch sequences, known to ancient punchers and digitizers, became a common stitch type for modern machine embroidery. In the following details of the carousel designs that I often share, you can clearly see how the individual stitches in the basic combination come together to form intricate elements. Of these element combinations, three are the most basic.

The first is "straight seam". This is a repeating single needle thread. The effect is achieved by varying the stitch length: Long stitches are shinier, smoother, and have a tighter look than the pebbles of short stitches. We can also change the number of passes we make on the element to get thicker and thinner lines. A "straight stitch" usually consists of stitches of the same length, but digitizing software can automatically change the stitch length to trace tight curves. "Hand stitching" is a close relative - a direct descendant of those first digitizer tools that let us draw each stitch individually. Straight stitches are used for small detail work, manual coloring, outlines and various monochrome drawings, not to mention red and other monochrome designs

The second is "satin stitching" or "column stitching". If you've seen machine-embroidered text, it's almost certainly composed of satin. The custom rocker below features classic satin-stitched black lettering in a radiant glow. The satin stitch is traced back and forth across the narrow area, alternating between slanted and straight stitches, like a zig-zag stitch, with every other stitch perpendicular to the edge of the area. The satin stitching has a shiny finish because of the long, unbroken lines in those straights. It's most often used for narrow elements - think borders, strokes in text, and anything less than a centimeter in diameter.

Sculpturally minded digitizers use satin to enhance the dimension of the work because of its high sheen, raised "crown" and propensity to show light and shadow. I created the Hanya mask design below in a single color; all the depth and clarity is due to the nature of the satin stitching. Even so, satin is limited by the fact that the machine won't perform more than 12mm wide without slowing down, and that these extremely long stitches tend to be loose, looped, and will jam any will see worn stuff.

The third in this basic set is "fill stitch", "stop stitch" or "tatami stitch". It consists of straight stitches, usually very close to each other, so as to completely cover the ground, although the "density" can change many effects. The stitches in the padding are alternately arranged to look almost like a woven material, hence the name "tatami" after traditional Japanese woven mats. The design below lays several flat fills at a common angle to promote color mixing.

Fill stitches are used to cover large areas in a design. They have a flatter look and less sheen than satin stitches, but they can fill a much larger area than is easily achieved with the limits of satin stitches and avoid the ripples that areas filled with overlapping satin tend to have texture.

Fill stitches can be altered by varying the spacing and alignment of their stitch penetrations and stitch lengths to create a variety of textures. Innovations in high-end software even allow for curved seamlines in the fill, resulting in an enhanced silhouette. While the sculpted satin makes up the wings and limbs in the image below, the two curved padded areas provide volume and coverage to the body and hips. Fill stitches without these curves may look flat, and some digitizers will rely too much on fill because it's easy to quickly cover awkwardly shaped areas in digitizing software. This sometimes gives their designs a flat and lifeless look. That said, an incredibly delicious mix of colors is rendered almost exactly in the same flat unidirectional fill.

Knowing that these stitch types can be broken down into a series of single stitches reveals a powerful secret. Regardless of your tool or its limitations, if you have the time and enough perseverance, you can use manual, single-needle digitization to create anything that someone with more sophisticated software can achieve with finer control. Is it easier and faster to create with more sophisticated automation tools? Yes, absolutely.

Once you know how pin types are constructed, and why they look the way they are, it's the key to finding your own expression in the wire. It gives you the information you need to make novel stitch combinations that have the properties you want to see in your own art, whether or not tools exist to automatically generate them.

Learn about stitches, learn about threads, explore substrates, learn about combinations and how they interact, the artistry of digitization and the resulting wonders of purposeful machine embroidery will open to you.