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Applique:

Decoration cut from one piece of fabric and stitched to another, usually with a satin stitch around the edge. Or, purchased appliques may consist entirely of embroidery stitches. These appliques (sometimes called patches) are usually backed with an iron-on stabilizer, and/or can be sewn on for added durability.

Appliques are normally created in 3 stitches:

1. A Marker stitch, an outline of the pattern just to locate the embroidery fabric.  Usually about 1 mm inside the actual design.
2. A tack-down, "loose zig-zag" of maybe 2mm width and density of maybe 10, this stitches the embroidery fabric. Then the embroidery fabric is trimmed around the tack-down stitch.  Sometimes also about 1mm inside the actual design.
3. A column or satin stitch maybe 3 or 4 mm wide, normal density of about 4.5. This is to hide the trimming and add beauty and strength.

See Wikipedia

 

Shortening stitch length to avoid placing needle punches too close. For instance, when a column "bends", some or all the stitches on the inner side of the bend can be shortened to prevent excessively high stitch density.

Autodigitizing

Autodigitizing Software creates usable embroidery files directly from image files, such as clip-art or photographs. For most digitizers, the results of autodigitizing are not satisfactory to handle the needs of their customers. Autodigitizers work best with clean, well defined and relatively simple images. This usually limits the artwork to "cartoonish", and the images require a fair amount of cleaning up and/or editing before importing into the autodigitizing program. If you are interested in this type of software, be sure that it will allow you to digitize manually as well as by auto. Stay away from programs which are autodigitizers only.

See this quick movie about autodigitizing in Embird, and this article.

Meant for the situation where you make an outline, and you need to return down the same path.

• Select a series of already made Outline, Connection or Manual Stitch objects and then use this command. It will duplicate whole path and reverse it, creating stitches to a point and back.

A type of running stitch composed of three stitches placed back and forth between two points.

• Sews much heavier than a single ply or two ply running stitch. Sews in a repeating pattern of (start point) forward, back, forward (end of first stitch)

Birdnest, birdsnest, birdnesting

Collection of thread between the material being sewn and the needle plate, resembling a bird's nest. Formation of a bird's nest prevents free movement of goods and may be caused by

• inadequate tensioning of the top thread,
• top thread not through take-up lever
• top thread not following thread path correctly
• flagging of goods.
  

Bitmap images are also called raster images. Each pixel in a bitmap image has a specific location and color value assigned to it. Bitmap images reproduce the subtle shading found in continuous-tone images, such as photographs. Bitmap images are resolution dependent. They represent a fixed number of pixels; as a result, they can lose detail and appear jagged if they are scaled on-screen.

• The most common raster file types are .bmp, .jpeg, and .gif.

A double running stitch, sometimes called a holbein stitch. Wikipedia

 

Spool or reel that holds the bobbin thread, which helps form stitches on the underside of the fabric. A stitch is formed when the upper thread and bobbin thread are joined together through the sewing process.

Case that houses the bobbin and fastens it into the hook assembly. It also allows for tensioning of the bobbin thread.

Bobbin Drawing, or "Reverse embroidery" is ordinarily used when working with thread that is too thick to go through the top tensioners and needle.  Very thick threads or very fragile threads can be sewn this way.  It's called "reverse" because you sew upside down, with all tensions re-adjusted, to get the desired effect.  You'll want extra bobbin cases so you can set the unusual tensions.  Also called Bobbin Work, Bobbin Sewing, or upside down embroidery.

Bobbin drawing is the technique of producing a stitch design from the ribbon or thread you wind on the bobbin. The bobbin fiber is drawn up through the needle hole of the cover plate of your sewing machine by the needle thread. This produces a stitch on the back side of the fabric with the fiber you have wound onto the bobbin. So, to get interesting designs on the front of your fabric, you sew upside down - your bobbin fiber becomes the right side of your project. These stitch forms are interesting to use in the fiber arts.

The bobbin tension must normally be bypassed, to allow the thick material to pass.

Also called Bobbin Work or Bobbin Sewing.

Bobbin tension is perhaps the single most important adjustment an embroiderer can make, to ensure embroidery quality and ease of sewing. Yet it is often neglected. Dealers of home machines will state "Our tech has set bobbin tension perfectly, you shouldn't change it regardless the material or thickness of the bobbin thread you choose". Balderdash!

Make sure your bobbin tension is correct, then adjust the top tension until you get the best appearance on the sewn garment. See videos below.

Top tension is set to achieve the 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 pattern on the bottom of embroidery, especially satin-stitch columns. Top tension is completely dependent on bobbin tension. Too little tension and the bobbin might continue to rotate when stitching has momentarily stopped, probably causing a birdnest. Too much tension and your design will pucker, and the effects of push and pull are more pronounced.

Here are other symptoms of thread tension problems:

• thread breakage
• skipped stitches
• knotting or jamming
• top/bottom thread visible on the other side of the seam

Tension problems can be caused by a needle that is bent, dull, or not inserted properly.

Problem-free sewing starts with correct bobbin tension. Experienced embroiderers use a "drop test" - hold the thread, drop the bobbin case.

See videos below:

Read more...

The thread that is unwound from the bobbin, and is interlocked with the top thread to form a stitch.

For lace work, bobbin thread is usually wound from the same thread supply as used for the top stitches.

For most other work, the bobbin thread is hidden behind the material being decorated,  so thin, strong thread is used.  Most embroiderers use pre-wound bobbins of polyester thread, 60 weight 70 weight.

Bobbin work, or "Reverse embroidery" is ordinarily used when working with thread that is too thick to go through the top tensioners and needle.

• It's called "reverse" because you sew upside down, with all tensions re-adjusted, to get the desired effect.
• Very thick threads or very fragile threads can be sewn this way.
• You'll want extra bobbin cases so you can set the unusual tensions.
• Also called Bobbin Sewing, or upside down embroidery.

Flagging, sometimes known as bouncing, refers to the Up and down motion of the goods being embroidered caused by the presser foot action and the material "sticking" to the needle.  Often caused by improper framing (hooping) of goods, thick materials, stabilizer adhesives, or stitching through several layers of stitches.  Flagging may result in poor design registration, poor stitch formation and bird-nesting.

BUCKRAM: Coarse, woven fabric, stiffened with glue, used to stabilize fabric for stitching.

 

Cap Frame: The hardware used to hold caps in place so they can be embroidered.

Chain link stitches are formed with only the top needle thread, looping the thread to form a chain.

Chain and Lock Stitch Illustration

 

CHENILLE Form of embroidery in which a loop stitch is formed on the top side of the fabric. Normally uses heavy yarns of wool, cotton or acrylic. Wikipedia.

Click for a good explanation of Chenille.