Digitization For Puff

* double density
* start from corner
* overlap if finish is in the middle of the column

I am not a digitizer but am anxious to see all the responses. I have had puff designs in several different ways

1. Cap ends, edgewalk and double zig-zag underlay
2. Cap ends, center walk underlay
3. Start in corner and "round off" ends with either center walk or no underlay

Usually number 3 only on designs that have rounded edges.

which one needs more explanation?

on number 1 lets say they were going to do an "I" they would cap off the top and bottom ends first with a vertical satin, then move to double zig-zag underlay and then move on to edgewalk underlay and then start double density horizontal satin to cover the puff. The vertical satin sewn first "caps off" the end of the puff so it is covered and isn't exposed beyond the column you run last. The column you run last to cover the puff has to also cover the vertical satins you ran first.

Number 3 I have seen where they would do an "I" and try to start at the bottom right corner for example and put stitches on an angle which "rounds off" the corners. I have seen digitizers struggle with this method to get proper coverage on the corners and keep the little short stitches from "falling off" of the puff at the start and end leaving loops. The main place I see this method is when the design or font has rounded corners instead of 90 degree corners like a traditional block letter. Most of my best designs used the cap off method for straight, pointed corners and used the "round off" method for fonts or designs that were rounded on the edges.

Most problems I have seen were related to coverage of the puff itself, gaps, rounded corners didn't cover well, etc.

Keep in mind I have limited experience with only about 8 to 10 digitizers and I am not an expert and I don't digitize myself. I have seen some good designs and some that I gave up on the digitizer and won't use them for puff.

Sorry I probably don't use the best terminology since I am not a digitizer.

Mainly I just don't know the software well enough to make it do what I want to do. With such good rates available on digitizing it makes sense for me to have someone do it for me rather than spend thousands on software and then spending the time and wages to make the logo. Also I don't know much about things like push/pull and adjusting for registration issues.

Digitizing is an art and takes many years of practice. This is not something that can be answered in just a few sentences but years of learning and experience. The best way to learn is to digitize a design and sew the design out on a flat or curved frame. Then go back and fix the errors in the digitizing program. Continue this process until the design sews out perfectly.

I seem to see this type of attitude regularly when talking about digitizing. There are obvious techniques that some digitizers use that could be helpful to those learning, not tweaking of parameters but things like "double the density", "start from a corner", etc.. A "go figure it out yourself" type response doesn't help anyone. I understand that tweaking and re-sewing things helps the digitizer learn and see what the changes actually did but discussing how to approach something or general concepts greatly helps others. In my field the sharing of information, approaches and techniques is welcomed and creates a strong support/learning system for all parties, including those that like to tell others to figure it out themselves (they did or will sometime need help also). After all the internet is about the sharing of information :)