Hooping – the process of placing fabric and stabilizer securely in a machine embroidery hoop in a way that helps to ensure that the design will stitch out well.
In the hoop – designs that create 3-dimensional objects (like purses) that are sewn using an embroidery machine. Like other machine embroidery designs, in the hoop designs generally do not include patterns or instructions to create the design without an embroidery machine. Some designs require finishing by hand or sewing machine, but many require minimal finishing once they have been removed from the embroidery hoop.
Jump stitches – long stitches used to allow the machine needle and thread to move from one part of a design to another. These stitches can interfere with the design’s appearance and need to be cut while the design is being stitched or once it is completed. Most good digitizers work to keep jumps to a minimum, but there are situations where they cannot be avoided.
License – the right to use software. When software, including embroidery software, is sold, what is actually being offered is the right to use it, not ownership. Licensing limits the user’s rights more than ownership does, and usually includes restrictions on transferring the software to someone else. When purchasing software, be sure to read the licensing agreement to get an understanding of what your rights and limitations are.
Machine formats – the type of machine embroidery code an embroidery machine recognizes and can use to stitch out designs. Examples include .hus, .jef, and .sew, although there are many others. Formats are usually associated with a machine brand. Some machine manufacturers are highly protective of their formats, so software from independent software designers cannot read them. However, machines from these manufacturers can usually use an additional format. This allows designs which are not available in the protected format to be used with the machine, and the use of embroidery software not created by the machine manufacturer as well.
Manual digitizing – creating a design in embroidery software by entering the nodes or points which define the embroidery design, instead of allowing the software to create the design by tracing a graphic. Autodigitizing simply translates a pictures into embroidery stitches, which creates designs that require manual editing to sew out well. Designs that are manually digitized tend to stitch out better because an individual has taken the time analyze the objects it contains, editing, arranging and testing them to create designs that sew out smoothly.
Multi-position hoop – a machine embroidery hoop that has overlapping stitching positions. Multi-position hoops allow embroidery machines to stitch out designs that are larger than the machine’s sewing field. The design needs to be split for the hoop in embroidery software that has settings for the multi-position hoop being used. Like standard machine embroidery hoops, multi-position hoops are specific to a brand, and often model, of machine. Some multi-position hoops will work with a few different brands, but in all cases a hoop designed for your machine and model must be used.
Operating system – the software that communicates between a computer’s hardware and the user. The operating system also communicates with any programs that a user may choose to run on the computer. Windows in all of its forms (XP, Vista, 7, etc.) and Apple OS are the two most commonly-used operating systems. Software must be compatible with your computer’s operating system in order to work.
Outline – stitches that define the outside edge area of a design or part of a design.
Pull compensation – adjustment to the length of a design’s fill stitches to allow for fabric and thread thickness. Stitching thread onto fabric creates tension, pulling the fabric in. The thread’s thickness also pushes the fabric out slightly when it is stitched into the fabric, but not always by the same amount that the fabric is being pulled by the stitches. The effect is multiplied in fills, which have multiple rows of stitching. This can cause the fabric to wrinkle or shapes to be distorted when a design is stitched. The thickness of the fabric used also effects how much distortion occurs. Lengthening or shortening the stitches by very small amounts helps to offset these effects and reduce the distortion. Well-digitized designs already have pull compensation added to them. Designs are generally digitized for mid-weight woven fabric, so pull compensation may need to be changed when stitching on other fabrics.
RAM (Random Access Memory) – the part of a computer reserved for running programs. More RAM generally helps programs run faster and more efficiently. While having more RAM than a program requires is useful and can make them run quicker, if you have less RAM than a program requires you will not be able to run it.
Raster image – a computer file type in which the image is created with tiny colored dots, known as pixels. Raster images have soft edges and subtle color changes, which means they can create realistic-looking images, and a comparatively large file size. Due to their dot structure, raster images are hard to re-size significantly. Raster file types include .jpg, .png and .gif.
Reader/writer box – device used to transfer embroidery designs from the computer to an embroidery card. Generic card readers will not work with embroidery cards.