Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Chenille Supplement: Onscreen Manual
Chenille Supplement: Onscreen Manual
Onscreen Manual
Copyright © 1998-2010 Wilcom Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. other countries. Other product, font and company names and
No parts of this publication or the accompanying software may logos may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their
be copied or distributed, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a respective companies. This Product is provided under an
retrieval system or translated into any human or computer enclosed license agreement that defines what you may do with
language, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, this product and contains limitations on warranties and your
magnetic, manual, or otherwise, or disclosed to any third party remedies.
without the express written permission of: Subject to any warranties implied by law which are incapable of
Wilcom Pty Ltd. (A.B.N. 43 001 971 919) limitation or exclusion, the software is purchased ‘as is’ without
146-156 Wyndham Street, Alexandria (Sydney) any warranty as to its performance, accuracy, freedom from
New South Wales, 2015, Australia error or to any results generated through its use and without
PO Box 581, Alexandria, 1435 any implied warranty of merchantability or of fitness for any
Phone: +61 2 9578 5100 particular purpose for which the software is being acquired. The
Fax: +61 2 9578 5108 purchaser relies on its own skill and judgement in selecting the
Email: wilcom@wilcom.com.au software for its own use and assumes the entire risk as to the
Web: http://www.wilcom.com.au results and performance of the software. Wilcom Pty Ltd
specifically does not warrant that the software will meet the
TrueView™ and Point & Stitch™ are trademarks of Wilcom Pty
purchaser’s requirements or operate without interruption or
Ltd. Portions of the imaging technology of this Product are
error.
copyrighted by AccuSoft Corporation. The EPS File
Import/Export Convertor used in this Product is copyrighted by
Access Softek, Inc. All rights reserved.
Wilcom Pty Ltd makes no representation or warranties with
respect to the contents of this publication and specifically
disclaims any implied warranties of merchantable quality or
fitness for any particular purpose.
Further, Wilcom Pty Ltd reserves the right to revise this
publication and to make changes in it from time to time without
obligation of Wilcom Pty Ltd to notify any person or organization
of such revisions or changes.
The screen illustrations in this publication are intended as
representations, not exact duplicates of screen layouts
generated by the software. The samples used to illustrate
software features and capabilities may not be exactly
duplicable, depending on inclusions provided with your software
model or product level.
Some artwork for design samples in the User Manual and Help
File kindly provided by Digital Art Solutions.
© 2010 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved. Corel,
CorelDRAW, Corel PHOTO-PAINT, Corel CAPTURE,
PowerTRACE, the Corel logo and the CorelDRAW balloon are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Corel Corporation
and/or its subsidiaries in Canada, the U.S. and/or other
countries. AMD Athlon and AMD Opteron are trademarks of
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. clicknlearn.com is the trademark
of Click-N-Learn PTY LTD of Australia. Microsoft, OpenType,
VisualStudio for applications, the VisualStudio for applications
logo, Windows, the Windows 7 logo and Internet Explorer are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in
the U.S. and/or other countries. Intel and Pentium are
registered trademarks of Intel Corporation. PANTONE,
PANTONE Hexachrome, the PANTONE Hexachrome logo and
the PANTONE Digital Color logo are trademarks or registered
trademarks of Pantone, Inc. Bitstream and the Bitstream logo
are trademarks or registered trademarks of Bitstream Inc.
SWiSH miniMax2 and the SWiSHzone logo are trademarks of
SWiSHzone.com Pty. Ltd. PhotoZoom Pro 2 is copyright
2006-2010 BenVista ltd. iStockphoto and the iStockphoto logo
are registered trademarks of iStockphoto Inc. ConceptShare
and the ConceptShare logo are trademarks or registered
trademarks of ConceptShare Inc. in Canada, the U.S and/or
This section provides an overview of the chenille terms and concepts as they
relate to ES Chenille software.
Coil Compound
Chenille
Moss stitch
Use Chenille > Moss to create a looped pile look. Right-click to adjust settings.
ES Chenille Moss produces a looped stitch which gives a dense cover. This stitch
produces the typical raised stitching associated with chenille work. It works best
with simple shapes. Moss stitch is used to fill in areas and create depth. It can
be stitched using different needle heights – lower for outlines and higher for fill.
Moss stitch
Chain stitch
Use Chenille > Chain to create flat stitches traditionally used as a border or outline
for moss stitches. Right-click to adjust settings.
Chain stitch
Tip In conjunction with chain stitching, a design typically builds in height from
the edges to the middle.
Perpendicular Fill
for large shapes
Chain for
outlines Island Coil for
texture
Straight for
narrow shapes
Use Chenille > Coil to stitch narrow shapes or ‘columns’ where each stitch
traverses the column width. Right-click to adjust settings.
ES Chenille Coil fill is suited to stitching narrow shapes or ‘columns’, where each
stitch traverses the width of the column. Coil fill can be used in objects created
with Input A, Input B and Input C digitizing tools. The coils generate
consistent stitch length even over different widths and provides a convenient
way to fill an area with moss stitches. The stitches are generated along curved
lines. Coil produces a smooth finish which does not unravel easily.
Input C + Coil
Input B + Coil
Input A + Coil
Use Chenille > Straight to create stitching similar to Tatami – suitable for narrow
column shape objects filled with chain or Complex Fill objects filled with moss.
Right-click to adjust settings.
Input C + Straight
Input B +
Straight
Input A + Straight
Use Chenille > Island Coil to fill large Complex Fill objects with concentric rows of
coil stitching, simulating the circular motion of hand-chenille embroidery. Right-click
to adjust settings.
ES Chenille Island Coil is used to fill large Complex Fill objects. This technique
allows complex shapes to be filled with concentric rows of coil stitching,
simulating the circular motion of hand-chenille embroidery. Chain and Moss
offset runs can be added automatically using Compound Chenille. See
Compound chenille for details.
Complex Fill + Island Coil Complex Fill + Island Coil Complex Fill + Island Coil
Use Chenille > Perpendicular Fill with large with Complex Fill objects filled with
moss – comprises two layers of straight stitching typically perpendicular to each
other. Right-click to adjust settings.
ES Chenille Perpendicular Fill is the most common fill stitch used. It is suitable
for large areas digitized with Complex Fill and filled with Moss. It is made up
of two layers of Straight stitch. Typically, the second layer of fill is perpendicular
to the original fill with 45° and 135° used.
Coil direction
For some machines, best results with Coil are achieved by sewing in a
counterclockwise direction because when you sew in a clockwise direction, you
are adding more twist to the yarn causing it to become tighter, distorting the
moss stitch loops. Refer to your machine handbook for details.
Compound chenille
Use Chenille > Compound Chenille to automatically digitize chenille shapes with
offset borders. Right-click to adjust automatic offset borders.
Note Input A, Input B and Input C do not produce automatic borders with
Compound Chenille so these need to be added manually. These objects cannot
be scaled to a large extent because the gap between the borders will change.
Needle height
Use Chenille > Needle Height to control height of loop formed when sewing moss
stitch as well as width of chain stitch.
On some machines the needle height can be set in the design to control the
height of the loop formed by the chenille machine when it is sewing a moss
stitch, and the width of the chain stitch. Moss can use different needle heights.
You may use different needle heights for different color areas. You may also use
different needle heights for filled areas and borders. Needle height has much
less effect on chain stitches.
Scaling
As with lockstitch designs, any chenille design created in EmbroideryStudio can
be scaled. Object-based embroidery means that when designs are scaled,
stitches are automatically recalculated from object outlines. Densities are
preserved and there are no gaps or heavy over-stitching. Even Chain and Moss
boundaries of Complex Fill areas are recalculated with the same offsets. Object
outlines can be reshaped and stitches again recalculated to the new shape.
However, because parallel offset runs are used so frequently, ES Chenille users
have to apply some thought and special techniques to their digitizing. As far as
possible, chenille designs and alphabets should be planned as much as possible
to use Complex Fill input with Compound Chenille to generate any offset
runs. These can be generated in different colors.
Trims
Few chenille machines have an automatic thread trim mechanism as connecting
threads are under the fabric and are not visible. In this case, digitize all shapes
and lines of the same color in one session to minimize the number of manual
trims. This will reduce the time required to stitch the design. Be careful how you
connect from one spot to another. Avoid long connecting stitches which may pull
the previous stitching and may need to be trimmed.
Jumps
Jump(M) functions cause frame movements without needle penetrations. The
use of jumps is not recommended because the pulling effect on the fabric during
a jump may distort the design, especially if the fabric is thin. To avoid long
connecting stitches, plan carefully the order in which you digitize shapes and
lines. Use chain stitch rather than jumps when traveling across a shape filled
with moss stitching as chain stitch will be hidden beneath moss stitching. Use
Jump only if there is a significant contrast in colors, particularly if the current
stitch is of a lighter color where the yarn may show through.
Corners
Avoid corners with an angle smaller than 60° as this can cause a machine fault
or loop stitching may be changed to chain. EmbroideryStudio automatically
adds an extra stitch to avoid sharp corners within objects, including manual
stitch objects. If you round off sharp corners in runs and complex fills, you can
avoid both sharp angles and small stitches. However, sometimes an extra stitch
causes chain stitches to swell, giving a poor finish.
Tip Use Smart Corners to achieve smooth, even placement of stitches, and
eliminate gaps in your design. Smart Corners can be used with Straight stitch
and Coil for Input C objects. See Smart Corners in the EmbroideryStudio
Onscreen Manual for details.
Stitch length
Stitch length should be constant for the same thread type throughout a design.
If stitch length varies, the height of moss loops and width of chain loops will also
vary, causing uneven embroidery. The chenille machine pulls up the same length
of yarn for each loop according to the current needle height setting. If you intend
to use loops of various height, adjust the needle height rather than stitch length.
Even though stitch length affects loop height, it is easier and more accurate to
adjust needle height. See Selecting explicit needle height for details.
Select a stitch length for a design according to yarn thickness, fabric thickness,
and required density. Using inappropriate stitch length may cause yarn
breakage, needle breakage, or damage to the fabric.
Rayon Cotton
Thread type Miki wool Woolly yarn Softaine G
300d/2P thread #12
Chain stitch 2.0-3.0 mm 2.5-3.5 mm 1.8-2.2 mm 2.3mm 2.0mm
length
Moss stitch 1.5-1.7 mm 2.0-2.2 mm 1.6mm 2.1mm 1.7mm
length
Moss stitch 1.5mm 1.8mm 1.7mm 1.5mm 1.8mm
spacing
Tip These values may vary depending on the fabric used. When you use a new
thread and fabric combination, sew a test design first using the above values as
an initial guide.
To start using ES Chenille, you need to know basic procedures, such as starting
up, opening and creating designs, and saving. Security access codes control
your access to special options in the software. You need to be able to identify
your system’s identity codes, and enter new access codes for upgrades. Refer to
the EmbroideryStudio Onscreen Manual for more information on basic
procedures.
This section describes how to start ES Chenille, how to open designs, start new
ones and use the basic commands. You will also find out how to select machine
formats for different output as well as how to save designs. The section also
explains the procedure for entering security codes.
5 Select the appropriate chenille machine from the Machine Type list.
Use File > New to start a new design with the Chenille template.
Saving designs
Use Standard > Save to save the current design. Right-click to open the Save As
dialog.
EmbroideryStudio lets you save designs in native EMB as well as other ‘outline’
and ‘stitch’ file formats. You can also save designs to proprietary embroidery
disks, or punch them to paper tape. Saving a design records its file name,
location and format, and updates it with any changes you make. When you save
an existing design under a new name, to a different location or format, you
create a copy of the original design.
Tip Save your design early and often. Do not wait until you finish working. You
can also set EmbroideryStudio to save automatically while you work.
To save a design
1 Click the Save icon.
If this is the first time you have saved the design, the Save As dialog opens.
Folder containing
design
Design name
Format list
2 Select the folder where you want to save the design from the Save In list.
3 Enter a name for the design in the File name field.
4 Select a file format from the Save as type list.
Caution If a design feature is not available in the file type you select, it will
be converted – e.g. Flexi Split stitching may be changed to plain Tatami.
5 Click Save.
Tip Files saved in EMB format are automatically compressed when saved and
decompressed when re-opened. This reduces the storage space required, and
makes it possible to save large files to floppy disk, or send them as email
attachments.
Once you have saved a design, every time you click Save on the toolbar the
file will be updated.
Use Chenille > View by Chain/Moss to view chenille objects in special mode to
allow easy identification of chain and Moss elements – lockstitch in green, chain in
blue, moss in red.
Chain stitch
Moss stitch
Note TrueView™ does not display chain and moss stitching. However, it can
still be useful to give an impression of the design when viewed at a small
zoom factor (less than 1:1).
You can use both moss and chain stitch for outlines or fills. Moss can be stitched
using different needle heights: lower for run around and higher for fill. In
conjunction with chain stitches, the design builds up in height from the edges to
the middle. The Moss and Chain tools set for the fill only.
Use Chenille > Chain for decorative stitching resembling links of a chain – used for
outlines and borders as well as monograms.
Use Chenille > Moss to create dense cover using looped stitch typical of chenille
raised stitching – best with simple shapes.
Use Chenille > Coil to stitch narrow shapes or ‘columns’ where each stitch
traverses the column width.
Use Chenille > Straight to create stitching similar to Tatami – suitable for narrow
column shape objects filled with chain or Complex Fill objects filled with moss.
Use Chenille > Perpendicular Fill with large with Complex Fill objects filled with
moss – comprises two layers of straight stitching typically perpendicular to each
other.
Use Chenille > Island Coil to fill large Complex Fill objects with concentric rows of
coil stitching, simulating the circular motion of hand-chenille embroidery.
You can digitize objects manually using any input method, then adding a border.
To stitch single-line borders manually, use Run with Chain or Moss. One or two
† Can be converted to Complex Fill ‡ Convert to Complex Fill to apply compound effect
Input A, Input B and Input C, Circle and Ring can only be used with Coil or
Straight fill stitch as shown in the table. Complex Fill objects are usually filled
with Perpendicular Fill, but any fill stitch except Coil can be used.
Note Compound Chenille with Complex Fill can be used to add up to three
offset borders automatically. Offset runs can be individually set to Moss or
Chain in the Compound Chenille dialog. See Adding compound chenille
borders manually for details.
Input C
Input A
Input C
Perpendicular Fill
Click Chenille > Coil to set Coil fill as the current stitch type.
Input C + Coil
Input B + Coil
Input A + Coil
Press Spacebar for open coil Press Enter for closed coil
4 Double-click the object and adjust object properties as desired. See also
Adjusting coil stitch settings.
Stitch
length
Coil width
Note The Smart Corners effect can be used with Coil for Input C objects.
See Smart Corners in the EmbroideryStudio Onscreen Manual for further
details.
Click Chenille > Straight to set Straight fill as the current stitch type.
You can digitize Coil fill objects manually using practically any input method
except Complex Fill.
Input C + Straight
Input B +
Straight
Input A + Straight
You can set the Straight stitch values for stitch length and spacing as well as
the stitch angle.
Stitch spacing
Stitch
length Stitch angle
Note The Smart Corners effect can be used with Straight stitch for Input C
objects. See Smart Corners in the EmbroideryStudio Onscreen Manual for
further details.
Use Toolbox > Reshape Tools Flyout > Reshape Object to reshape selected
objects by means of control points.
You can set Straight stitch values for stitch length and spacing. The method of
changing the stitch angle depends on the input method used. See the table to
see how to adjust the stitch angle.
Stitch angle
lines set
angles
Click Chenille > Perpendicular Fill to set Perpendicular Fill as the current stitch
type.
You can only digitize Perpendicular Fill fill objects with Complex Fill input
method.
Right-click Chenille > Perpendicular Fill to set Perpendicular Fill stitch values.
You can adjust the stitch length, spacing and angle of second layer of
Perpendicular Fill.
Stitch Stitch
length spacing
Stitch spacing:
4.0mm
Stitch spacing:
2.0mm
Angle of second
layer: 45º
Angle of second
layer: 90º
3 Access the Complex Fill object properties to adjust the angle of the first
layer as desired.
4 Press Enter or click Apply.
Click Chenille > Island Coil to set Island Coil as the current stitch type.
You can only digitize Island Coil fill objects with Complex Fill input method.
You can set the Island Coil stitch length, coil width, coil spacing, coil height and
coil overlap. Use smaller stitches for tight curves.
Coil width
Coil height
Coil overlap
3 Adjust spacing between each coil – the smaller the value, the closer the coils.
Chenille objects need to have a border to contain the stitches within the shape
and provide clearer edge definition. The Compound Chenille tool enables
multiple offset borders to be automatically generated before and after the fill
area stitching. Offset runs can be set to stitch with either moss or chain, at
specific offsets and at specific needle heights. When the compound object is
scaled, these offsets maintain all their values. Only objects digitized with
Complex Fill can use Compound Chenille.
Tip You can also digitize Compound Chenille borders around existing objects
created with other input tools by excluding the fill stitching.
This section explains how to create automatic chenille using the Compound
Chenille feature, as well as change stitch settings to obtain the best results.
Use Chenille > Chain to create flat stitches traditionally used as a border or outline
for moss stitches.
Use Chenille > Compound Chenille to automatically digitize chenille shapes with
offset borders.
Object boundary
Fill and offset borders Fill only, no borders Borders only, no fill
Tip To minimize segments and gaps in your embroidery, place the entry and
exit points opposite each other on the outside boundary. Then define the
stitch angle so it is perpendicular to the line between entry and exit points.
9 Press Enter.
Note Complex Fill objects may be stitched out in several smaller segments,
joined by travel runs. All segments and boundaries in a Complex Fill object
are part of the same object.
Select Compound
Chenille checkbox
3 Decide how many offset boundaries to generate before the shape is filled.
Select a stitch type for each offset, Offset 1, 2 and 3 from the dropdown lists
– e.g.
Chain: offset stitched in chain stitch.
Moss: offset stitched in moss stitch.
None: no offset.
Three offsets: 1.5, -1.5, 3.0 Three offsets: 1.5, 3.0 Three offsets: -1.5, -3.0, -4,5
4 For each offset, select an offset distance. See Adding automatic offset borders
after the fill for details.
5 Set a needle height for each offset. See Setting offset needle heights for
details.
6 Press Enter or click Apply.
3 Decide how many offset boundaries to generate after the shape is filled.
Select a stitch type for each offset, Offset 4, 5 and 6 from the dropdown lists
– e.g.
Chain: offset stitched in chain.
Moss: offset stitched in moss.
None: no offset.
The first offset is usually stitched with Chain and the others with Moss.
Offset 1.5mm
outside outline
Object outline
3 Select the Stitch Fill checkbox to fill the shape with stitches.
If it is cleared, the shape will not be filled.
Enter number of
overlapping stitches
3 In the Outline Stitch Length panel, enter the stitch length for Moss or
Chain offsets.
4 Press Enter or click Apply.
The offset is the border around the filled shape. A border can be added before
and/or after the fill. You can change the stitch type and width of the offset. For
the Before Fill offset, you can adjust the number of overlapping stitches, run
direction, offset stitch type, offset distance, needle height and stitch length for
Moss and Chain stitches. For the After Fill offset, you can adjust the fill stitch
offset distance, offset stitch type, offset distance and needle height.
Select Compound
Chenille checkbox
Needle Height controls the height of the loop formed by the chenille
machine when it is sewing a moss stitch, and the chain stitch width.
8 Select the Stitch Fill checkbox to fill the shape with stitches.
If it is cleared, the shape will not be filled.
10 Decide how many offset boundaries to generate after the shape is filled.
Offset 4, 5 and 6 allow you to stitch multiple offset boundaries of the
shape with either Moss or Chain. The stitch boundaries are generated
after the fill stitching.
Offset (Units) specifies the distance between the digitized boundary and
the Offset. Enter a positive value to generate parallel Offsets inside the
shape or a negative value to generate Offsets outside the shape.
Needle Height controls the height of the loop formed by the chenille
machine when it is sewing a Moss stitch, and the width of the Chain stitch.
11 Press Enter or click Apply.
Moss can be stitched using different needle heights: lower for run around and
higher for fill. In conjunction with chain stitches, the design builds up in height
from the edges to the middle. You may use different needle heights for different
color areas. You may also use different needle heights for filled areas and
borders. Needle height has much less effect on chain stitches.
If you intend to use loops of various height, adjust the needle height rather than
the stitch length. Even though the stitch length affects the loop height, it is
easier and more accurate to adjust the needle height. See Selecting explicit
needle height for details.
You can change the needle height for the stitches in the offset borders
individually. For each offset, select a needle height from the dropdown list.
3 Select the height required for offsets before and after fill.
4 Press Enter or click Apply.
Use Chenille > Chain for decorative stitching resembling links of a chain – used for
outlines and borders as well as monograms.
Use Chenille > Needle Height to control height of loop formed when sewing moss
stitch as well as width of chain stitch.
Use Chenille > Compound Chenille with Complex Fill to automatically generate
moss or chain stitch run-arounds for complex shapes. Right-click to adjust offsets.
Using the Complex Fill tool, create a duplicate Compound Chenille object
with same outline, a chain offset border and no fill. This border can be a different
color as it is quite common to use one color for the outside chain offset object
and another for the inside chain/moss offsets and the fill.
Tip If you need to scale the design later, it may be better to keep the colored
border as the last offset in the same object and manually insert a color change
before the border.
Tip Enter a negative value for the offsets so that they fall outside the fill.
Clear the Stitch Fill checkbox as you do not need to include a fill.
10 Click the Complex Fill icon.
11 Digitize the object border using the original shape as a guide.
Note To stitch single lines manually use Run with Chain or Moss. One or
two offset run-arounds with Chain and Moss provide a clear edge for filled
areas. You can also use Double Run and Backtrack for borders.
Add lettering to designs quickly and easily, either on-screen using current
settings or via the Lettering dialog. Likewise, lettering can be edited directly
on-screen or with the dialog. Apply formatting in the same way as a word
processor, including italics, bolding, and right/left justification. Scale and space
chenille lettering as you would lockstitch lettering. See also EmbroideryStudio
Onscreen Manual.
This section describes how to add and edit lettering, change formatting settings,
and adjust lettering size and spacing.
Click Toolbox > Lettering to enter text on screen. Right-click to enter text in the
dialog and adjust settings for embroidery lettering.
If it is not essential to fit letters precisely to a certain area, you can type them
directly on-screen as with a word processor. Current lettering settings are used.
You can change these before or after you digitize. You can also modify lettering
objects directly on-screen to achieve various artistic effects.
Note Letters are filled with stitches according to current settings in the Fills
and Connectors tabs of the Object Properties > Special > Lettering
dialog. Some alphabets properties cannot be changed, they remain as they
were originally digitized. The properties of offset runs are not saved in the
alphabet but Chain and Moss properties such as Needle Height are.
Right-click Lettering (Toolbox) to enter text in the dialog and adjust settings for
embroidery lettering.
Using the Object Properties > Special > Lettering dialog, you can specify
letter formatting before adding it to the design. This is the more traditional
method and is useful with more complex designs.
Enter text
Select alphabet
Adjust formats
Select baseline
4 Enter the text you want to embroider in the text entry panel.
To start a new line of lettering, press Enter.
Tip You can insert a color change between two letters by keying a caret (^)
symbol. Subsequent letters default to the next color in the palette.
5 Select alphabet, formatting and baseline settings for the lettering. See
Selecting alphabets for details.
6 Click Create Text.
7 Click where you want to place the lettering, or mark reference points for the
baseline you selected. See Applying baselines in the EmbroideryStudio
Onscreen Manual for details.
8 Press Enter.
9 Select Stitch > Generate Stitches or press G.
Selecting alphabets
To select an alphabet
1 Right-click the Lettering icon.
The Object Properties > Special > Lettering dialog opens.
Select
alphabet Select to preview alphabet
in dropdown list
Tip Consider letter size before you change alphabets. Some alphabets look
best in a smaller size. Others can be stitched at a larger size. See also
adjusting letter height and width in the EmbroideryStudio Onscreen Manual.
3 Press Enter or click Apply.
The lettering alphabet is set.
Original stitch values with With Straight fill With Island Coil
Perpendicular Fill
Tip See the EmbroideryStudio Onscreen Manual for more on formatting and
editing lettering.
3 Add a border to hold the stitches in place, if required. See Adding compound
chenille borders manually for details.
Use Toolbox > Lettering to add TrueType lettering directly on-screen. Right-click to
set the formatting values for new or selected lettering objects.
Use Chenille > Compound Chenille to automatically digitize chenille shapes with
lettering offset borders.
The Convert TrueType Font feature lets you convert any TrueType font
installed on your system to a chenille embroidery alphabet. You can do this ‘on
the fly’ or convert entire fonts for later use. This is an important feature for Asian
alphabets which may contain several thousands of characters.
The process is fully automatic. Lettering shapes are ‘cut’ into Complex Fill
embroidery objects. When the letters have been converted to Complex Fill, you
can then use Compound Chenille and change the stitch type to one of the
chenille fills. Overlaps and stroke order are detected and stitch angle defined.
The result is similar to manually digitized alphabets although the quality may not
be quite as high. The quality greatly depends on the original shapes, blocked
alphabets producing better results than narrower serif type alphabets.
Enter text
Set conversion
values
Note The more letters you enter, the more time needed to convert them.
4 Click TTF Conversion.
The Conversion Values dialog opens.
Select lettering
style
Island Coil
Tip You can create custom chenille alphabets if you have the User-Defined
Alphabets feature. Similar care in designing the letters is required for
scaleability of alphabets as for other chenille designs, and very good results
can be achieved.
Recommended Sizes
Alphabet Sample Min Max
ins mm ins mm
2 Color 2 50 5 125
Numbers
2” Pennant 2 50 2 50
Script
3” Pennant 3 75 3 75
Script
6” 3D 6 150 6 150
Block
Chenille 2 50 6 150
Block
Prince 2 50 6 150
Athletic
Square 2 50 6 150
Block
Tall 3 75 4 100
Pennant
Script
Different embroidery machines speak different languages. They have their own
control commands for the various machine functions. Before you can stitch a
design, it must be in a format which can be understood by the embroidery
machine. When you select a machine format, ES Chenille translates the
commands that were applied during digitizing into machine functions that can
be understood by the particular machine.
If you select a Chenille template when opening a design, the machine format
will default to your current machine. You can change the machine format for a
design at any time. Finished designs can be sent direct to Melco’s CH1 chenille
machine, or stitched on Tajima and Barudan chenille machines.
This section describes how to select a machine format for a design, output it in
other formats, and customize machine formats to meet your machine’s
requirements.
Note You do not need to change the design’s native machine format in order to
output to a different machine type.
Select machine
format
2 From the Available Machine Formats list, select the required chenille
machine format.
3 To check the settings for the selected format, click Values.
4 Click OK.
Use Standard > Stitch to Stitch Manager to send a design to machine for stitching.
Use Standard > Embroidery Disk Save As to save a design to embroidery disk.
Once a design is complete, you can stitch it out to any supported embroidery
machine without changing the original design format. If a selected machine
format does not support a particular function in the design – either automatically
or manually inserted – it is simply ignored.
Select machine
format
Select machine
format
Note You should only modify the standard formats if you no longer require the
original values. Otherwise see Creating custom machine formats.
Enter format
name
Adjust settings
3 In the Format Name field, enter a name for the new format.
The name of the format you based it on and a number appear as the default
– e.g. Melco Chenille.
4 In the Comment field, enter any information that will help you identify the
machine format – e.g. No Trim.
5 Adjust the machine format settings as required.
See Adjusting standard machine format settings for details.
6 Click the Advanced tab and adjust the settings as required.
See Adjusting advanced machine format settings for details.
7 Click Save.
The new format appears in the Available Machine Formats list.
8 Click OK.
Note The custom format is based on the selected machine format for the
design. If you want to base it on a different machine format, select it from the
Select Machine Format dialog. See Selecting machine formats for details.
Adjust settings
Note You cannot change the Name or Comment fields. The custom
machine format is automatically named using the original machine format
and design name – e.g. Melco - Design1.
4 Click OK.
A new machine format is created for the design. It appears in the Select
Machine Format dialog and is saved with the design.
Note You should only modify the standard formats if you no longer require the
original values. Otherwise see Creating custom machine formats.
Select machine
format
Note If a function is not available in the new machine format, the word
Ignored appears in brackets after the function name.
Note You cannot remove machine formats that come with the software. You
can only remove a custom format which you created.
2 Click Remove.
A confirmation box appears.
3 Click Yes to confirm the deletion, then click OK.
Note Jumps in chenille stitching after changing minimum stitch value are no
longer present.
Note Only fields relevant to the selected machine format will appear.
2 In the Standard tab, enter the Maximum Stitch value. The value you enter
depends on the tape code used by your machine:
System Value
Binary System 12.7mm
Ternary System 12.1mm
3 In the Minimal Stitch field, enter the smallest stitch to allow when
outputting to the selected machine format.
4 Click Save and OK.
Note Only fields relevant to the selected machine format will appear.
Note Only fields relevant to the selected machine format will appear.
Select to output
trim functions
2 In the Standard tab, select the Output Trims checkbox to include trim
functions when outputting to the selected machine format.
Note Only fields relevant to the selected machine format will appear.
Select to output
trim functions
2 In the Standard tab, select the Explicit Value checkbox to use the needle
heights selected in the design.
Clear the checkbox to select the needle heights manually on the machine.
3 Click Save and OK.
Enter borer
offset
2 In the Standard tab, enter the required borer offset in the Offset field.
If your machine automatically enters an offset when a Borer In function
is encountered, enter an offset of 0mm.
If your machine requires an offset value, enter an offset of 12.0mm.
3 Click Save and OK.
Caution Only change Advanced values if you are familiar with the codes used
by your embroidery machine.
Note Only fields relevant to the selected machine format will appear.
Enter number of Empty
Stitches and Jumps to insert
before Color Change
2 Click the Advanced tab and enter the Color Change sequence:
Field Usage
First 0:0 field Enter number of Empty Stitches to insert before Color Change.
First 0:0 Jump field Enter number of Empty Jumps to insert before Color Change.
First 0:0 Jump field Enter number of Empty Jumps to insert before Color Change.
Second 0:0 Jump Enter number of Empty Jumps to insert after Color Change.
field
Second 0:0 field Enter number of Empty Stitches to insert after Color Change.
Note Remember that these fields show the number of extra codes you want to
insert in addition to the default values.
When starting with chain stitching, an empty stitch (non-data) code will
automatically be inserted at the start of the design. When starting with moss
stitching, an empty stitch (non-data) and a stop code will be automatically
inserted at the start of the design.
Do not digitize two Empty Stitches at the beginning of the design, as this will
affect registration. Avoid using Empty Stitches elsewhere in the design. Other
Tajima chenille values are the same as the standard lockstitch Tajima machine
values.
2 Click the Advanced tab and enter the Start of Design sequence:
Field Usage
0:0 Jump field Enter number of Empty Jumps to insert at start of design.
0:0 field Enter number of Empty Stitches to insert at start of design.
Field Usage
Second 0:0 Jump Enter number of Empty Jumps to insert at end of design.
field
0:0 field Enter number of Empty Stitches to insert at end of design.
Change
Change Machine Setup for
From Needle To Function Codes
Color Needle Height
Height
Chain 3 7 Chain stop -
The Tajima TMCE-S chenille machine only uses single stop codes for switching
between chain and moss stitching. These machines cannot distinguish between
the functions, so you need to select a function for each stop at the machine, in
the same way as you select needle numbers for color stops. If you are using one
of these machines, select the Tajima chenille TMCE-600 machine format. Each
chain, moss and needle height function will be output as a single stop code.
Condition file
When using TMCE-600 format and saving a design as a DST file, a condition file
(*.cc0) is saved alongside the design. This file contains information that the
machine can read so that the setup process is partially automated.
Output to Chenille
Select format Check before outputting
machine type
Melco Melco EXP
Barudan Barudan Jump stitch length is within 4mm.
Tajima TMCE-100 Tajima DST Shortcut angle is set to 60°
Tajima TMCE-600 Tajima DST Shortcut angle is set to 60°
The needle height controls the height of the loop formed by the chenille machine
when it is sewing a moss stitch, and the width of the chain stitch. Some
machines allow needle height control only at the machine. The Melco chenille
machine uses 26 different needle height positions, which are designated ‘A’
through ‘Z’. Height ‘A’ is the lowest - 0.0100’, ‘Z’ is the highest - 0.3225’. Each
successive letter is 0.0125’ higher than the preceding letter. The actual needle
height measurement is a distance from upper surface of the needle plate to the
inside of the needle hook.
You can insert Needle Height functions and select the positions during
digitizing. The Melco tape file format has specific codes assigned to each needle
height position.
2 Select a needle height value from the list and click OK.
Note While stitching a design, the Melco chenille machine will automatically
change the needle height according to your selection. To use the needle
heights selected in the design, select the Explicit checkbox in the Machine
Format Values dialog. See Selecting explicit needle height for details.
This table describes the relationship between stitch types, input methods, and
chenille effects supported by ES Chenille.
Coil
Straight Stitch
Perpendicular Fill
Island Coil
Compound Chenille
Coil
Straight Stitch
Perpendicular Fill
Island Coil
Compound Chenille
Coil
Straight Stitch
Perpendicular Fill
Island Coil
Compound Chenille
Input Method
Contour
Input A z z
Input B z z
Input C z z
z
Coil
z
z
Input Method
Auto Appliqué
Fusion Fill™
Complex Fill
Circle
Ring
Star
Index
A changing 62 H
combining chenille and lockstitch
advanced machine formats designs 28 height
setting 62 Compound Chenille 5 adjusting needle height 66
alphabet samples 51 adding border to object 41 needle 6
alphabets adjusting values 36 setting for offset needle 40
selecting 47 digitizing 30, 31
angles 7 Compound Chenille tool 5, 30, 42, 49
automatic chenille 30 condition file (*.cc0) 65
adding fill 35 control commands, checking 58 I
automatic offset stitch type Conversion Values dialog 49
changing 38 Island Coil
Corners 7 using for fills 25
automatic offset stitch values corners 7
changing 38 Island Coil Fill stitch 4
Island Coil tool 4, 14, 26
B D
design J
Barudan Chenille 66 setting start and end sequence 63
border Jump 7
designs jumps 7
adding Compound Chenille border 41 adding lettering 44
borders combining with lockstitch 28
adding offsets after fill 34
opening 9
adding offsets before fill 32
opening multiple 9 L
saving 11
scalability 6 length
dialogs adjusting offset stitch length 37
C Conversion Values 49 stitch 7
Chain stitch 2 Save As 11 lettering
Chain tool 2, 14, 30, 41 digitizing adding to chenille designs 44
Chain/Moss View 12 automatic chenille 30 chenille 44
Chenille color changes between letters 46
Compound 5 creating in dialog 45
chenille creating on-screen 45
automatic 30 E entering on-screen 45
converting lettering to chenille 48 entering via dialog 46
end of design, setting sequence 63
digitizing automatically 30 formatting 46
existing designs, opening 9 lettering objects
digitizing manually 14
Chenille alphabets 44 converting to chenille 48
chenille designs scaling 48
adding lettering 44
Chenille fill stitch 4, 5
F
Chenille lettering 44 file, condition file (*.cc0) 65
chenille lettering 44 fill M
Chenille machine adding automatically 35 machine formats 53
supported machines 64 adding with Compound Chenille 35 adjusting advanced settings 62
Chenille machines Fill Offset Distance 35, 39 checking 58
outputting designs 65 fill stitching 4, 5 color change sequence 62
Chenille Run stitch 2 Compound Chenille 5 removing 58
Chenille template 45 fills
selecting 53
using 10 creating with Coil 16
Chenille toolbar start of design/end of design 63
creating with Island Coil 25
Chain 2, 14, 30, 41 machine functions
creating with Perpendicular Fill 22
Coil 3, 14, 17 checking control commands 58
creating with Straight 19
Compound Chenille 5, 30, 42, 49 Tajima Chenille 64
fonts machine, supported chenille
Island Coil 4, 14, 26 converting lettering to chenille 48
machines 64
Moss 2, 14, 30, 42 formats
adjusting advanced machine machines
Needle Height 6, 42, 66 outputting to Chenille machines 65
Perpendicular Fill 5, 14, 23 formats 62
Moss tool 2, 14, 30, 42
Straight 4, 14, 20 machine 53
View by Chain Moss 12 setting machine formats 53
Coil
adjusting stitch values 17 N
using for fills 16
Coil tool 3, 14, 17 needle height 6
color change sequence adjusting 66
V
R View
Run stitch 2 Chain/Moss 12
run stitch direction View by Chain Moss tool 12
reversing 37
run stitching 2
S
samples of chenille alphabets 51
Save As dialog 11
Save to Embroidery Disk tool 54
Save tool 11
saving
designs 11
Save tool 11
scalability of designs 6
scaling lettering objects 48
second layer
adjusting for Perpendicular Fill 24
sequence
changing color change sequence 62
setting for start and end of design 63
sharp corners 7
Standard toolbar
New 10
Open 9
In dex 70