While there are numerous recommendations for good machine embroidery designs , there are almost never any hard and fast regulations. There’s no formula method for digitizing all designs; there are simply too many variables involved. Instead, guidelines are balanced against the task taking place as well as the factors under which a particular design might be sewn. These should be considered as you determine underlay needs:

Underlay must serve a purpose

Underlay should be consistent

Underlay should be orderly

Underlay should be appropriate

The 2 main primary purposes of underlay are to stabilize the fabric by affixing it on the stabilizer and assist the top stitching. Consider underlay as a means to initially baste the fabric to the stabilizer. The best way to do that has been what has the name an edge walk, which is basically an outline of the design set inside edges of the cover stitching. On smaller items, it may basically be a line of running stitches up the center, referred to as a centre walk. On more substantial areas, this edge walk is followed by a light fill or zigzag as required with the fabric. In extreme cases, this light fill might be exchanged using a mesh or grid of stitches. In this respect, underlay lowers fabric moving throughout the sewing process, therefore also minimizing puckering. Correct selection and use of underlay lessens the push and pull distortion resulting from machine thread tensions. By attaching the fabric to an proper stabilizer, the fabric even very unstable one acquires the stability qualities of the backing used.

Don’t forget this there are more factors behind fabric puckering that won’t be fixed with underlay. These include; poor hooping strategies, poor or inferior stabilizing choices, and tight machine tensions, in particular when coupled with polyester thread. Underlay supports the top stitching by retaining a crisp, well defined edge between abutting elements of stitches. Underlay also stops stitches from sinking in the fabric. Highly textured fabrics like terry cloth towels may benefit from a light net of underlay to keep down the nap and offer a smooth even surface for later stitches. Digitizers also use underlay creatively to increase extra loft to some sections of an embroidery designs to include interest, depth, and realism.

CONSISTENT AND ORDERLY

Underlay should be applied in a neat and organised manner, which occurs automatically when applied as an attribute option; it must not appear to be random scribbling. Consistency is not to mean that the same type or amount of underlay must be applied to every object in your design.

APPROPRIATE

This one is tricky and is figured out primarily from experience and testing. Selecting the correct mix off underlay is comparative to: Fabric type, color, and stability; Design size, stitch count, density; Desired effect. Smooth, hard, stable fabrics like nylon, supplex, cordura, and many polyester blends may need nothing more than an edge walk. Leather, vinyl, paper, and metal should have no underlay typically avoiding unintentional cutwork. Uneven fabrics and unstable items will require more underlay. Now you can realise why there is not “cookie cutter” procedure for underlay

As the design size gets larger, stitch count raises plus the potential for fabric distortion increases. Simply using a larger hoop reduces the stability of the fabric. A design with big areas of fills, particularly if these fills run in many directions, significantly increases the probabilities for fabric push and pull. Underlay may help control design distortion, but take into account additional factors that impact distortion: Appropriate embroidery set up - stabilizer selection, fabric, thread, and needle choices; hooping strategy; machine tensions; Proper utilization of density; Appropriate using compensation. Creative use of underlay can significantly change a design. In case a satin or fill area is sewn over an area of stitches with both areas having the same stitch direction, the top stitches will fall into the previous layer. This is sometimes a good thing if you’d like blending or a bad thing if you need sharply delineated objects. Including underlay prevents blending. Tactically placed and extra underlay adds loft to satin stitches. A great digitizer leverages underlay to his or her benefit

areas of concerns digitizers look at when making use of underlay.

Color-Underlay, like underwear, shouldn’t be seen, so you need to use the same color as the covering stitches. When utilizing the auto underlay settings, you won’t even have take into consideration this. If the initial global underlay is used, think about setting it as a separate color so that it could be sewn in color that complements the fabric. Stitch Length Work with a moderate stitch length to prevent the looping of longer stitches and to keep your stitch count more sensible than would result with short stitches. Use smaller stitches only when needed to prevent exposure problems.

Density-Use only adequate density to meet the needs of the job.Placement-Underlay should not show or bleed through to the covering embroidery design . Make sure underlay never runs in the same direction as the top stitches. Seriously consider placement and consistency in small objects, especially tiny letters.

Amount-Use underlay judiciously when and where needed; don’t use it in excess, which can unnecessarily run up stitch counts. Not enough underlay, on the other hand, can result in poor registration, fabric puckering, “fuzzy” or jagged edges on objects, and fabric show-through. At minimum, use enough underlay to securely and smoothly tack backing to fabric when working with wovens and knits.