A

Appliqué: 1) Decoration or trimming cut from one piece of fabric and stitched to another, usually with a satin stitch, to add dimension and texture. If the appliqué occupies a significant amount of the design, the stitch count can be reduced. 2) In Schiffli embroidery, an embroidered motif is usually cut away from the base fabric and then stitched onto the finished product.

Arm Machine: Embroidery machine that has an arm or cylinder that the hook and bobbin are mounted in. Allows the use of special frames for embroidering caps, socks, inside pockets, etc. The cylinder-shaped arm allows goods to curve around the cylinder for embroidery.

Automatic Colour Change: The ability of a multineedle embroidery machine to follow a command to change to another specified needle with a different colour thread in it. Many embroidery heads have as many as ten needles allowing the digitiser to program the use of ten different thread colours without stopping the machine.

3D Foam: Foam that is used to add dimension to an embroidery pattern that is typically used on caps. The 3D Foam is placed on the topside of the pattern and stitched over with shortened stitches to cut the foam. The excessive foam is then pulled away from the embroidery giving a 3D appearance. 3D Foams are available in various thickness.

B

Backing: Woven or non-woven material used underneath the item being embroidered to provide support and stability. Sometimes referred to as a stabiliser in the home embroidery market. Backing can be large enough to be hooped with the item being embroidered, or placed between the machine needle plate and the hooped garment. Available in various weights and in various types of material that can be either in precut sheets or rolls. Backings can also be cutaway, tear-away, or specialty. See also Toppings & 3D-foam.

Bean Stitch: Three stitches placed back and forth between two points. Often used for outlining because it provides a bolder appearance than a run stitch and requires fewer stitches than a satin stitch.

Bird Nesting: Collection of thread between the fabric being sewn and the needle plate that generally causes thread breaks and sewing problems. Bird nesting can be caused by improper thread tension (needle thread tension too loose); machine not threaded properly; bobbin case not installed properly; excessive flagging; and poor digitising.

Bobbin: Small spool or reel that is wound with the thread used on lockstitch machines. Bobbins can be wound on the sewing machine or come pre-wound from the thread supplier. Generally, pre-wound bobbins contain much higher yardage than machine wound bobbins allowing for fewer bobbin changes. The most common bobbin size for embroidery machines is a style "L" bobbin, even though other special large hook machines may use style "M" bobbins. One of the most common pre-wound bobbins used is a T-16 (V-15) CF polyester bobbin.

Bobbin Case: Round assembly that applies tension to the bobbin thread and holds the bobbin in the machine. The latch mechanism locks the bobbin case into the hook. It is important that the embroidery machine operator be trained to properly install the bobbin case in the machine to minimise costly repairs of the machine. After the bobbin case is properly positioned to the bobbin case holder in the hook, it should then snap on the spindle when it is fully loaded. Most embroidery machines use an "L" size bobbin and bobbin case; even though sometimes larger hook styles are used.

Bobbin Tension: Bobbin thread tension should be set so very little thread is consumed in each stitch. Therefore, the bobbin thread is tight enough to consistently hold the needle thread down on the underneath side of the embroidered item. See tension.

Bridge Machine: Embroidery machine with two shafts, one for the hook assembly and one for the needle assembly. Sewing heads are suspended from a beam allowing for larger sewing fields than an arm machine. Bridge machines are accessible from both back and front of the machine through the bridge.

Buckram: Coarse, woven backing fabric that is usually very stiff. It is used to stabilise fabric for stitching and commonly used in caps to hold the front panel with the embroidery pattern erect.

C

Cap Frames: Specialised embroidery frames (hoops) designed to hold finished caps for embroidering. Cap frames are available for flatbed machines where the finished cap is flattened for sewing and for use on arm or cylinder bed machines for sewing the cap in it's natural curved shape.

Chainstitch: Stitch that resembles a chain link formed with one thread fed from the bottom side of the fabric. Done on a manual or computerised machine with a hook that functions like a needle.

Check Spring: Part of the needle thread tension assembly or tensioner that assists in properly controlling the needle thread to set a good stitch with minimum sewing interruptions.

Chenille: Form of embroidery in which a loop (moss) stitch is formed on the topside of the fabric. Uses heavy yarns of wool, cotton or acrylic. Created by a chainstitch machine that has been adjusted to form this stitch type. Also known as loop piling.

Column Stitch: Formed by closely placed zigzag stitches that are often used to form borders. Also commonly known as satin stitch.

Complex Fill: A digitising capability that allows areas to be designated as voids at the same time the design's edges, or perimeter points, are defined. The design can thus be digitised as one fill area, instead of being broken down into multiple sections.

Condensed Fill: Method of digitising in which a design is saved in a skeletal form. A proportionate number of stitches may later be placed between defined points after scale, density, and stitch lengths in a design may be changed. See expanded format.

Cylinder Spring: Refers to machines with "cylinder" beds. The hook assembly is housed in a cylinder-shaped arm, allowing goods to curve around the cylinder for embroidery.

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