Machine Embroidery Tips!

Design Parts "Run Away" from Each Other (design not lining up, outlines off)

1. Because your machine stands on a surface that is not enough stable (it must be absolutely unmovable and unshakable, even if you try hard).
   
   This is A PROBLEM, because most sewing tables aren't stable enough for computerized embroidery. We still didn't find a 100% perfect solution for this plague. The best suggestion we can offer, except of ordering a custom "built into floor & wall" heavy table, is to put your machine on kitchen cabinet or directly on the floor while it embroiders. It isn't comfortable, but otherwise, no matter how hard you will try, your designs have all chances to be a mess.
2. Because of improper hooping - if you've hooped too loose or too tight. Be sure you do this important step well.
3. Because your hoop doesn't hold the fabric well enough, and the fabric moves slightly while you embroider. This problem is especially frequent on large hoops, and with slippery fabrics.
4. Because your stabilizer choice wasn't correct. Most often this happens when fabric that you select to embroider on is a little (or a lot...) stretchy. While the design is being embroidered, the fabric pulls, and therefore different design parts "run away" from each other.
   
   To overcome this problem completely, you must make stable fabric out of stretchy one.
   
   How is that possible?
   Select a proper weight cutaway stabilizer. Hoop it well. Then, spray "Temporary Adhesive Spray" over the stabilizer and attach the fabric to it, without stretching or deforming the fabric. Because the fabric will be actually glued to stable material (cutaway backing), it will not pull while you embroider.
5. If none of the above tips solve the problem - perhaps the design is not good. Embroider it on something very stable, like denim, to see how it behaves. If it looks ok - then just don't embroider it on the fabric you've selected before. Choose another fabric. Not every fabric type is embroidery friendly.
   
   In case the design doesn't line up even on perfectly stable fabric and you're sure you've hooped and stabilized it well - delete this troublemaker from your collection forever.
   
   This happens rarely, but sometimes it does. Always make sure you buy your designs from reputable digitizing company. Each design must be tested before it's offered for sale. Be careful with this, because lately everyone and their mother is into digitizing, and some sellers don't care to test stitch their creations.

Machine Makes Strange Sounds

1. Stop embroidering at once. Inspect your design. Perhaps it's too dense, or the thread looped heavily at the bottom.
2. Open your machine, take the bobbin and bobbin case out. Clean that space using a small brush. You may even use vacuum cleaner to breath thread pieces and dust.
3. In case your machine should be oiled - oil it according to manufacturer instructions. If you're not sure whether it should be oiled or not - check the manual as well. It you need to do it, the manual will say.
4. If the above doesn't help - don't embroider any more and call your dealer for technical support.

Machine Glitches

1. If your machine suddenly starts making strange things like embroiders half design on one place in hoop, half on another, or just doesn't want to embroider - first turn it off. Completely.
2. Remove the hoop, and if your embroidery arm is removable - take it out too!
3. Give your machine to rest for 10 minutes.
4. Insert the embroidery arm back, make sure it has enough space to move to all directions. Turn on the machine, and try to embroider again.

If you'd like to get machine embroidery thread, bobbins and stabilizers please visit these links:
Machine Embroidery Thread
Prewound Bobbins
Embroidery Stabilizers

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