Does everybody test stitch their designs?

I always test designs even from reputable digitizers. I have had EmbLibrary designs that had way too many layers of stitches on top of each other. The same with another company that did not remove underlying stitching. The layers of stitches on top of each other causes the design to be so dense it is almost bullet proof. Both of the designs were for children and that is not good at all.

When I digitize I like the underlying stitches to be minimal. It saves thread too.

Marcelle Lewis
lewismm@bellsouth.net
http://embroideryavenue.com/
http://embroidery.gotop100.com/

I haven't been doing this long and so far I have only worked on jean materiel and have done many designs on it - just finishing a quilt for one of my GD's and have a few already for my GS. Most of the designs I used were from Cute. They have all turned out good.

i usually test stitch a design the first time i use it. these designs usually go to the grandkids for the quilts that they are learning to make. if i am going to stitch on knit fabric, i keep a stash of t-shirts to test on, then the kids can wear them for play or sleep. i try to keep notes on the designs i stitch that has the date, kind of fabric, any special adjustments made and the results..this helps me most of all.

I only do it when I do not know the designer.

I always test stitch everything - even from reputable designers. I want to be sure the colors I picked look right, the design works with the fabric/stabilizer combination, and that it stitches out well in general. I don't want to take any chances ruining some item because I did not test first. I had a class instructor that said "There are people who test stitch and those who wish they had".

I do on some occasions. And, I will try to use the same kind of fabric and stabilizer, as far as wasting thread, well, I usually try to use a thread color that I very seldom use. The design will be all one color, but I can still tell if the design itself has any flaws.

Absolutely, For one reason or another something needs fixing even the ones that are purchased. I started out not doing it and learned very fast. I have ruined some very expensive items. I buy muslin by the yards and test stitch just move the hoop and stabilize as I go. I then fold or roll up the whole thing as it gets full for future referencing.

We always test-stitch (and improve and stitch again...) our designs. But then again, we do them for ourselves and want them perfect anyway... We do agree with with what has been written already: Teststitching is very, very important. Many of our designs weren't "perfect" at first, even if they looked perfectly cute on the computer and didn't have obviouse flaws. Then again, we had designs which did actually turn out nicer than the looked on the screen!

Hi there all,
I very seldom test stitch a design that I have purchased.
If I am digitising a design/logo for a customer, I always test stitch it first on the same type of fabric. If I am only doing a "name" NO I do not test stitch each one first.
When I get requests to do digitising for non payment, I always tell the person that I have not test stitched it. But if they find a problem with it I will stitch it out and in need adjust it.

Hugs Yvonne

I am glad you asked this ? I hardly ever test stitch but I usually do for me or family most. I thought sometimes I should have when it does go wrong. Glad I am one of most of you.

It is very important to test stitch designs. I have written an article about why designs don't always turn out looking good and why you must test stitch them.
You can read about it on my blog. I have added the link.

I don't test stitch often. I never test Husqvarna designs -I know they stitch out well - or the ones on Brother cards, although I had some disappointments with some of the early ones. Neither do I test designs from the various Cute sites or from EmbLibrary. Those have never disappointed me.

As a rule I never download a design if it does not show a stitch-out, however much I might like the artwork.

I always run designs from DbC through my software. If they look good in the software I test them to make sure - what the software shows is not what happens with fabric and thread.

And, of course, I test my own designs until I'm completely satisfied, often on more than one machine to make sure they do well in the formats my machines use.

most of the time I don't, unless it's one some special fabric or clothes In that case I do.*4u

I don't always - particularly if they are big designs, but I sometimes wish I had. There are so many features of a design you can't really appreciate until you stitch it out.

It depends where I bought/dl the design. I never test-stitch a design from emblibrary but some of Sick because with one of their digitizers I made bad experiences. I watch new designs very close in my embird but you cannot see everything there. My problem is that I sometimes don't know if the design is the problem or my janome or maybe the user in front of it ;o)
Greetings, Bettina

1 comment

by mysugarfootswife 30 Mar 2011

Sick is really slacking off on their designs. Not only are they not good at times, they're just plain ugly.

I test designs very rarely, I do embroidery only for gift and family. I make a test if I have a precious fabric or cloth that I should not waste. If I have a big project, with a big number of designs of the same set, I make a test of one design to try how I will arrange them on the fabric.

Wow, Dawn, when you asked this, I thought you meant the designs we digitize and post to share with others. I Always test those designs because I wouldn't want to mess someone else up. It's a pet peeve of mine.
But, I don't always test stitch designs from reputable designers. But, then again, I do end up redoing some designs but mostly because I have a difficult time with color selection. It's weird. I get out all my colors ahead of time and I think they are all going to look okay, but then they just don't look right, and I don't think I'm a perfectionist, but I end up doing the design over. Grrrrr

How many i wish i had!

1 comment

by lflanders 30 Mar 2011

Sorry about the one yesterday! That was alot of work from a great sight to have ended up with something that was not superior! I have not been long purchased that set because I wanted to do the one with the chickadees on it and now I am afraid to even start! That is alot of stitches and time to end up with something I may not like. I do wish that Company would offer some designs that are not so dense. When I do one of their designs, by the time I get close to the end, my thread will be breaking alot because of the density. Their designs are beautiful online but do take alot of time to finish.

Thanks everyone! Chasing GD still and finally got back to Cute. After reading all of your post I think that I am not going to test anymore. I have wasted a lot of thread and stabilizer. I think that if I am stitching on some really expensive fabric I will test but I mostly stitch for my grandkids. It sounds like there isn't that many bad designs out there by all of your posts.
Thank you all so much and a flower for all.
Hugs Dawn

I don't for my things, however I will before attempting on someone else's property. So far I been lucky!

Wow, I am amazed how many people don't test stitch a design, well of course that is all I ever do because I am digitizing my designs and therefore must test them, but I have purchased designs in the past that look ok on the computer but stitch badly. I would suggest that if you have not used that digitizers designs before it would be a good idea to test stitch. But if you want to fly by the seat of your pants and hope for the best I can't argue with that philosophy either.
Alice.

I always test first. I have had way to many bad designs, some I bought, and some free.

I would rather waste the thread than to mess up someones item, or something that I'm making for resale.

No. Just imagine all the wasted thread. I only embroider for my self and family. Have been lucky so far.

Lord, yes. I learned the hard way. Doesn't matter if someone else has tested, I still do it.

No I donot test before sewing it out on what I want it on. If doing a quilt, I make sure I have extra material in case one does not stich correctly. But mostly I just do for family & friends. Hugs, Judy

No Never..... I just go for it ... I'm lucky if I can stitch it out once... I fool around a lot and get so little done...however I have so much fun all the time

Not always.
One day I'm going to get caught out and wreck some special fabric but I know I've been forewarned so when that happens I won't be able to complain.

I do have a collection of designs I've done and then decided that I don't like them after all, and I have a small collection of designs I've done for 'fun' .... do they count as test stitch-outs?

I have a set of 10 FSL square coasters that I did to see which one I liked best to use in a table runner. I chose one and I've done about 27 stitch-outs of that one.

I've been very lucky, so far. I think digitisers are becoming more experienced, more comfortable with their programs, more accepting of what buyers want and offering only their best.... some 'bests' are better than others. I guess we all have our favourites and trust the work of those favourite digitisers.

AlmaG.

1 comment

by ramona 29 Mar 2011

Alma you sound like me. I have been very lucky so far. Now that we've all had this discussion I'll probably have something bad happen. :-) The ones I have too are the ones that I decided I didn't like after I stitched them out. Maybe a color didn't look just right. I bet I haven't had 6 in the 4 yrs I've had my machine.

I don't test stitch very often, unless it is for something special or on someone else's fabric, towel etc...Hugs Sally

I'm another one that does not test stitch a design. I am very fussy as to where I get(purchase) my designs. I don't download alot of freebies and the ones I have used have been done well.
Carol

3 comments

by kttyhwk4 29 Mar 2011

You may be fussy about where you get your designs but believe me you can get a inferior design anywhere.

by mnladyus 29 Mar 2011

I agree with you kttyhwk4

by caroldann 29 Mar 2011

I guess I've just been lucky. I only do for my friends and family.

Not always. If it is a freebie from a site I've never sewn a design from before I test it. I've only had one design that didn't stitch well.

I do not. If I was to do something really special for someone, I probably would. I just don't take the time and I have had great results with the designs I've used.

I rarely test stitch unless it is for someone else on their fabric

Some designs are not as equal as others. Some digitizers have testers that test using different machines and formats so they can assure customers of their quality. I have had a few designs I got from Sew Forum and others that did not stitch out well and I ended up wasting thread, stabilizer and material. I hardly ever test from some places I have purchased from often and are always well done. I have also got some really good designs from Sew forum as well. You will get to know which ones are best to test first. Hugs Lisa