Lettering can pose a set of problems
all its own. A design with illegible or sloppy letters will distract
from the whole embroidery. Sometimes, letters look fine on-screen, but,
once sewn, are too close together and look crowded. Practice will help
you develop an eye for how much space on-screen translates into correct
spacing on the embroidery.
When
letters are computer-generated, the spacing around A, V and W can look
strange. This is a good place to steal some space and reposition two
straight letters,' like N and L, that are sewing out too closely.
Generally, rounded letters like 0 and C tend to pull away from their
neighbors, and straight letters like M and N need more room around them.
Look at the computer image and see if small adjustments will yield
cleaner lettering. A little breathing room between lines of lettering
allows for letters with tails, like a lowercase G or Y, to keep from
crowding the letters below them.
Do not be afraid to enlarge lettering
out of proportion to the rest of the design. Perhaps, on another
occasion, you used a design with a bouquet and a quote underneath it on
a quilt square and it looked beautiful. Now you want to use this same
design on a T-shirt, but because the knit will sew differently, the
letters may look better if they are 5 to 10 percent larger. In addition,
adding a little density and pull compensation will enhance their clarity
.
One of the keys to understanding the
relationship between the final embroidery and the screen image is
consistency. Make it a habit to view the design at actual size and a
certain scale, say 3:1, and study the difference. Always seeing an image
enlarged does not give you a true sense of the design. A flower seen at
6-inches high on-screen looks perfect, but remember, its real size is
half an inch. In addition to that, it is sewn with thread that has a
thickness different than the thin lines of computer graphics. Comparing
the two views on-screen and then comparing them to the actual sample
trains your eye to recognize problems before you sew.
Sewing lots of samples on different
fabrics is a great teaching tool for understanding the screen/fabric
relationship. Learning to recognize the difference between beautifully
rendered and mediocre embroidery takes time. The stitches should cover
the fabric completely and have smooth edges. The fabric should not
pucker. Any outlines or detail work should be precise. The embroidery
should utilize the play of light, with the thread creating interesting
textures and color gradations.
Taking workshops, sharing with other
enthusiasts and utilizing the samples at your local shop gives you
access to lots of designs and techniques. When possible, compare the
sample with the computer graphics. The difference can be amazing. A
stunning embroidery can be produced from a program that looked ho-hum
on-screen. Your trained eye will allow you to differentiate a strong
design from a weak one. You will learn to look for a design with
well-placed underlay, correct letter spacing and an interesting use of
stitch types. In addition, you can decide how much editing a design may
need to sew well. You will also learn to see the creative possibilities
of a design, and this is where the real fun begins in embroidery.
After studying a new design on-screen,
sew a quick sample, then start asking questions. How has the fabric
changed the design? How can these problems be corrected? Would a few
simple adjustments, like density or size, enhance the piece? Is it
clean, precise and well stitched? Study the screen, study the sample.
Think of all of your options for making this a great embroidery. Study,
adjust and sew, and soon your work will give you beautiful and
consistent results.
