Embroidermation Test 3

We had a little breakthrough at Gray-Paley* Labs, doing trapplique with the embroidery machine.

Theo improved stitch quality within the Ziz, but for some reason our registration between layers is always off. As you can see, the machine stitches the registration borders 1-2mm apart on the bottom, while they’re almost exactly lined up at the top. We can’t get our satin stitch quite on target, because the registration step is always slightly off from the satin stitch step. We discovered the machine thinks the files are slightly different sizes. It’s Theo’s challenge to figure out why, since everything is exported from Mathematica at the same resolution.

Even with these problems, the trapplique is a big aesthetic step forward in the project, and if we can work out the remaining technical kinks I’ll be able to make a 12-frame cycle/12-panel quilt soon.

This teal-on-blue iteration used wool batting on the bottom layer, making it the puffiest trapplique by far.

*Graley? PaleGray?

Share

Author: Nina Paley

Animator. Director. Artist. Scapegoat.

4 thoughts on “Embroidermation Test 3”

  1. Wait – did you do the echo quilting manually, or did you guys figure out a way to do that with the embroidery machine? It looks great either way. Yay, progress!

  2. Hi Nina!
    I saw Sita when you first released it …Loved it ever since! esp now I too have almost ALL of Annie’s recordings…found them on a online audio archive…
    Anyways… I may have some idea of maybe why the registrations is off… – seeing as how now I have about a decade’s worth of emb. experience…(wow I’m old) – I’m sure you know about fabric’s wonderful ability to move when being embroidered… I find that even with all the registrations etc…there is the equivalent to squash/stretch in emb.(studied a bit of animation LLooong ago) – this means when you are running a design on a commercial machine, there is a tendency for the design to become distorted/off placement because of the st/minute.(aka to get a circle – you must design it in emb. software as an oval – the short sides expand outwards) therefore maybe try slowing down the stitched/minute and when doing the satin border stitch – use a understitch to create the placement before placing the center design – recommend a 2-3cm fabric edge – 2x check, then stitch a running stitch – then the final satin stitch – I know lots of work – but sooo worth it! – sorry so long….Au revoir!
    et

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *