• Start at the top and clean the tension disks with a folded piece fo fine muslin
• Use a can of compressed air to remove loose particles from around the tension disks and other parts of the machine. (Don´t blow into your machine yourself because breath contains moisture which will cause corrosion.
• Clean under the feed dog and around the bobbin area with a small brush
• Wipe the hook mechanism with a dot of oil on a piece of muslin cloth
  
• Use a light oil recommended for sewing machines and check your manual for all areas to be oiled
• Avoid oiling plastic parts

If you don´t already have a technician to service your embroidery machines and help you with your software, freeEmbroiderystuff has a resource called Technician´s Corner that you can use to find one in your area. There are over 100 experienced and certified technicians to choose from with every make of embroidery machine represented. Click Here to search for one now.

It is the little things that will keep your machine operating smoothly. Keeping your machine clean, well oiled and free of unwanted needle-hits is essential. Still, you will experience mechanical problems. If your machine is not sewing properly, don´t assume that something is wrong with the hook timing. This is one of the last things things you should check when your machine is not sewing right. Look for the simple and more obvious things first, such as tensions, threading, burrs in the thread path, bent presser feet and so on. If these don´ t prove out, then check the needle depth.

Derived from the article
Machine Mechanics in
Embroiderer´s Resource Magazine
by Steven Batts

• Thread type and weight
• Combination of thread and fabric
• Hoop size and hooping method
• Stabilizer for the design and fabric

Click here for an embroidery Test Stitch Evaluation Sheet in PDF format courtesy of Creative Machine Embroidery magazine.

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Underlay is a group of running stitches that are used to hold the garment to the backing during the embroidery process. These stitches add stability to the embroidered garment and prevent the fabric from moving.

Generally, the higher the column width, the better the underlay should be.
There are 3 underlay options available: Center Walk, Edge Walk, & Narrow Column.

Center walk places a running stitch down the center of the column.

Edge walk is primarily used for columns with wide widths and with the Split Satin option. This underlay provides more stability than Center Walk because it places a set of running stitches down the edge of the column. The percentage is gauged from the center working out.

A good starting point for lettering is approximately 60% for script and 65% for non-script.

Narrow column may be used for letters that will embroider in a complex fill. Generally, the underlay density is between 1/4 and 1/5 of the letter´s density.

Narrow column may also be used in small lettering with the top density decreased more than the guidelines or it may be used to raise the lettering with a higher underlay density.

Stitch length is the measurement between needle penetrations in the underlay. The stitch length depends on the height of the letter. The larger the letter the higher the stitch length.

This Tip Courtesy of Pantograms Manufacturing Co., Inc.