“Manual Punching” in Machine Embroidery

Lately I’ve been experimenting with a technique which I have termed as “manual drawing” in Embird Digitizing Studio. The technique is not really a set technique rather something that I made up. The technique involves using the  Pen tools option and utilising the manual punch tool to create free form of drawings placing each stitch individually upon the design. The look is similar to what is called photostitch only in this technique the meandering lines making up the design are more contained.  The designs are not smooth but rather they are rough and look and feel like hand work yet with a look of hand drawing.

The outlines are basically the basis of all embroidery stitches. The outline can be manipulated to create satin stitches, fills, outlines etc etc. All digitizing is based upon this one tool. Pen tools option in Studio gives one the freedom of drawing freehand without the cumbersome click of placing each stitch (node). As Pen tools allows one to free hand draw, one can go the extreme in using it. Shading, textures, fills etc all become so much more easier sort of like drawing with a pencil.

With this in mind, I set upon to create a simple portrait of “Santa Claus”. I wanted the roughness of his beard…the feel of texture in his hat and the ruggedness on  his face. Using the manual punch tool option from Pentools it was back on the drawing board, drawing freehand and seeing the results immediately. The only draw back in this form of digitizing is that some where the fabric from underneath may show therefore a mixture of “Photo stitch” technique mingled with “Manual Punching”.

In the first picture above, as it is stitched upon white fabric, the depth seems to be sort of lost as the white background seems to blend in with the image. In the cuff of the stocking (felt) one can see the depth as well as the flow of the beard where in some parts it is heavy and some it is thin making it more realistic.  Ofcourse one can achieve almost the same results using fills etc and then topping it with the manual stitches to showcase the flow of the design but it definitely will not look the same. A tedious method but definitely an interesting one.