Schiffli Embroidery – Winding up the fabric

Winding up the fabric

Winding up has to be carried out if design size exceeds the size of embroidery area. For example, if the frame height is 1.60 m and the design length is 2 m: The winding up as to be done when the embroidery area is almost full and the frame has almost reached its highest limit (1.60m).

For winding up choose an area (i.e. Underlayer) in the design that will be covered by flat stitches afterward because this way gaps and needle holes will not be visible in the embroidery. Do not wind up in incomplete figures.

There are two alternative procedures for winding up.

1. Needle and cloth presser are holding the fabric in position
2. Only cloth presser is holding the fabric in position (delicate fabrics, net fabrics)

Winding up without Needles

• The advantage of winding up without needles is that holes are avoided. Bringing the fabric back into position is time-consuming because there are no needle holes for orientation.
• Move the machine to position 160o (cloth presser is completely closed and holding the fabric in position, needles not activated).
• For inexperienced persons, it is advisable to mark the actual position at the back of the fabric, on the far right and on the left, with a pen for orientation.
• Completely un-tighten the fabric and remove fabric from side tension bars.
• Do the winding (frame moves downwards and the embroidered fabric is rolled up)
• Completely tighten the fabric and fix it on the side tension bars according to the marks
• Move the machine to the basic position of 270o (cloth presser is open)

Winding up with Needles

• Turn on the needles and move the machine backward to position 160o (cloth presser is completely closed, needles in the fabric).
• For inexperienced persons, it is advisable to mark the actual position at the back of the fabric on the far right and on the left with a pen for orientation.
• Completely un-tighten the fabric and remove the fabric from side tension bars
• Do the winding (frame moves downward and embroidered fabric gets rolled up on the upper cloth roller) so that the remaining fabric can be stitched.
• To avoid needle breakage pre-tighten fabric with the upper and the lower cloth roller and fix it on the side tension bars. Then make the final tension
• Move the machine forward to the basic position of 270o (needles move out of the fabric, cloth presser is open).
• For all-overs follow the instruction below, otherwise, the embroidery will have gaps. One person of the front of the machine has to control whether the needle is positioned exactly in front of the hole which the needle has left in the fabric while doing the winding up. One person at the back has to adjust the fabric according to the instruction of the person on at the front.
• For bands and gallons, the winding is usually made when a band is finished. This is why the needle position is not that important. Before stitching, make sure that the new design will not overlap with the previous.
• Move the machine backwards to 160o and then forwards to 270o in order to avoid making a stitch.