Reducing Stitch Counts III Embroidery Project

The third method for reducing stitch count is to change stitch types where appropriate. For example, a fill segment that is 10mm X 40mm, with a density of 4.0pts, has 626 stitches. By changing it to a satin segment with the same density, the stitch count drops to 217 stitches. With this technique, you must be cautious about satin column width. 12mm is pretty much the absolute maximum width that can be set for a satin stitch, and that is stretching it. Thus, you have to be sure that when change stitch types, the new stitch is suitable for the situation.

Going further, you can also change satin stitches to run stitches in some cases, such as borders. For example, suppose that you had a 50mm diameter filled circle with a satin border, using a density of 4.0pts. The number of stitches in the satin border is about 700. Changing that satin border to a run stitch border with a 3.00mm stitch length would reduce the stitch count down to 64. Making the run stitch segment into a bean stitch segment (my preference) would still only have a total of 174 stitches as compared to 700 for the satin version.

A word of caution when changing stitch types: be sure that your choice does not alter the visual aspects of the design. In addition, be sure to take into consideration the fabric, as a satin border in the above example would be preferred over a run stitch border in certain situations, such as a thick or textured material.

These three techniques are the most common ways of reducing stitch counts, though there are some other options. In some cases, the overall design can be reduced in size. Perhaps appliqué can be substituted for embroidery stitches, especially on larger designs. Another technique is to sew with a heavier weight of thread such as 30 weight. The larger diameter allowed the density of satins and fills to be reduced, while still providing the same coverage as with 40 weight (standard) thread. However, the stitch count is less due to the reduced density settings.

Regardless of how you decide to reduce stitch counts, be sure to ask these three questions?

1. Will the design quality be affected?
2. Will the design sew properly on the specified fabric?
3. Will there really be any cost savings?

Always keep in mind that lower stitch counts do not guarantee a faster run time. Thus, lower stitch counts do not necessarily justify a lower price. Good luck!