Machine Embroidery Jump Stitches
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Welcome back to All About Machine Embroidery.
Today, I want to talk about a common machine embroidery term: Jump Stitches.
What are they and why should you care?
Jump stitches. Here’s the best way I know how to explain it.
Whenever a design is stitching out the machine will jump (or travel) to different areas in the design using the same color of thread.
In the above picture, the jump threads are all over the place, jumping all around the design. That is a sign of bad digitizing.
Besides, I’m not cutting all of those jump stitches. I’m likely to cut into the design.
In the giraffe below, the design only has four colors. That means it should be simple to stitch out.
The design stitches out in the following order:
- The light green background (no jump stiches).
- The dark green giraffe spots (14 jumps!).
- The gold outline and facial features (8-9 jumps).
- The brown eyes, tail, and main (too many to count).
Everyone of those tiny, little stitches between the mane will need to be cut. Fun with embroidery just became drudgery.
Many of the higher priced machines will usually cut your jump stitches for you!
That means it stitches one of those tiny pieces of the giraffe’s mane, then it cuts the thread before it jumps to the next tiny little piece of giraffe mane.
How does this all add up. Well, unless you are willing to fork over $8,000+ for an embroidery machine to cut your jump stitches, the next best option is to buy better quality designs.
Designs that are well-digitized will pay attention to jump stitches and that will make your embroidery experience much nicer. I promise.
In a few days I will cover some places to get great designs.
Tomorrow, however, will be all about Special Scissors for embroidery.
