Metallic Thread Appliqué in Hatch: A Clean, Open-Tatami Letter (Plus the Coffee Mug Trick That Stops Breaks)

Selecting the Right Font for Appliqué

If you want an appliqué letter that looks expensive (without adding a ton of stitch time), the font choice is the foundation. In the video, Sue starts with a TrueType letter “S” and reminds us of the real rule: pick a font that’s thick enough to survive multiple layers—placement, tack-down, decorative texture, motif, and a satin finish.

What you’re building (the finished “stack”)

You’re not digitizing a normal filled letter. You’re building a layered appliqué recipe. visualization is key here: imagine a sandwich where every layer has a structural job: 1) Placement line (run stitch): The blueprint on the felt. 2) Tack-down (zigzag): The glue holding the gold lamé. 3) Decorative open Tatami (widely spaced lines): The "window bars" letting the gold shine through. 4) Inset motif border (a second decorative line inside): The jewelry. 5) Final satin border: The frame that hides the raw edges.

Font thickness: why it matters more than style

Sue demonstrates that thin areas of a letter can break your inset offset: when you create an inset line, thin strokes can produce little “artifacts” that don’t connect.

Practical rule of thumb: if your letter has skinny curves or tight counters (like the inside of an “a,” “o,” or “g”), you face a structural risk. You may need to:

• Choose a heavy block or slab-serif font (safer for beginners).
• Reduce how far you inset the inner border (e.g., move from -3mm to -2mm).
• Simplify the inner decoration.

One viewer asked why closed shapes (like “a/o/g”) filled in when they wanted them blank. That’s usually a sign the inner negative space wasn’t preserved during the fill step—more on that in the texture section.

Size matters (and the video gives you a target)

Sue sizes the letter to about 5x7 inches before building the outline. Large appliqué letters are forgiving and show off specialty materials (like gold lamé) beautifully.

If you’re planning to sell letter patches or monograms, this “big letter, fewer stitches, high visual impact” approach scales well—especially when you batch stitch-outs.

Digitizing the Foundation: Placement and Tack Down

This is where the design becomes “appliqué-ready.” The video’s workflow is simple and repeatable: create one clean outline, then copy/paste it into multiple objects and change stitch types.

Step 1 — Create a single outline from a TrueType letter

Video action: Sue filters fonts to TrueType, chooses a thick serif style, then uses Create Outlines and Offsets to generate an outline. She deletes the original solid letter object and keeps the outline as the base.

Expected outcome: You should see a clean wireframe outline replacing the filled letter.

Checkpoint: Don’t worry about how the original letter preview “would stitch” (like satin splitting or density issues). Sue explicitly says to ignore that because you’re only using the vector shape to generate an outline.

Step 2 — Placement line (run stitch)

Your first stitched object is the placement line. This stitches on your base fabric (Sue uses black felt) and tells you exactly where to lay the appliqué fabric.

Expected outcome: A single run stitch on felt. It should be barely visible once covered.

Step 3 — Tack-down line (zigzag)

Sue copies/pastes the outline again and converts it to a Zig Zag tack-down.

Key settings from the video (verified industry standard):

• Zig Zag spacing: 3–4 mm (This is the "sweet spot"—tight enough to hold, loose enough to not perforate the foil).
• Underlay: Removed completely.
• Pull compensation: 0.00 or Removed.

Why remove underlay/pull comp here? In appliqué, the tack-down’s job is strictly mechanical—holding fabric. Extra underlay adds unnecessary bulk, creates "lumpy" borders, and makes trimming with your scissors much harder.

Force a machine stop (so you can place fabric)

Sue changes the color between objects so the machine stops after the placement line. That pause is your “hands-on” moment to lay the gold lamé.

Pro tip from the comments (generalized): If you’re following along in different software and your sequence doesn’t stop, check whether you accidentally kept everything the same color. Most commercial and home machines (Brother, Tajima, SEWTECH) rely on a color change command to trigger a stop.

Creating Texture: Open Tatami Fill Settings

This is the “wow” layer: decorative lines that let the gold lamé shine through instead of covering it.

Step 4 — Convert the outline to a Tatami fill, then open it up

Sue pastes the outline again, converts it to Tatami Fill, then makes it decorative by increasing spacing dramatically.

Key settings from the video:

• Tatami spacing: 10–11 mm (Widely spaced).
• Underlay: Removed.
• Pull compensation: Removed.
• Travel on edge: ON (Critical).

Expected outcome: Instead of a dense carpet of thread, you’ll see widely spaced diagonal lines (like a grill) across the letter.

The “Travel on edge” setting is not optional for this look

Sue shows exactly what happens if you don’t enable it: travel stitches (the machine moving from point A to B) cut across the open areas and look like mistakes.

Checkpoint: After enabling "Travel on edge," run the stitch simulator. You want travel runs to stay on the perimeter (hidden later by the satin border), not crossing the open interior window.

Closed shapes filling in (a/o/g): what’s happening?

A viewer asked why letters like “a,” “o,” and “g” get Tatami stitches inside areas that should stay blank.

Within the logic of this project, the fix is usually one of these:

• Your software treated the inner hole as part of the fill object (so it filled it).
• The outline/shape wasn’t properly defined as a “hole” (complex fill) when converted.

Practical checkpoint: Before you commit, zoom in. If the hole in the 'O' is filled with blue (or your grid color), the machine will stitch there. It must be empty.

If you’re using a different program: One commenter using PE Design 10 shared that you can look for a stitch-path option that makes the stitching travel around the edge rather than across the design. The feature name may differ (e.g., "Edge Run," "Boundary Path"), but the goal is the same: keep travel stitches on the perimeter.

Adding Bling: Inner Motif Borders

This is the detail that makes the letter look “designed,” not just stitched.

Step 5 — Create an inset line using a negative offset

Sue returns to Create Outlines and Offsets, but this time she uses an inset (negative) offset:

• Offset: -3.00 mm

Expected outcome: A second line appears inside the main letter perimeter.

Checkpoint: If you see broken fragments (“artifacts”) in thin areas, your font is too thin for that inset distance. You cannot stitch a -3mm inset on a 2mm wide stroke. Delete the artifacts or choose a bolder font.

Step 6 — Convert the inset line to a motif run

Sue selects a motif pattern:

• Motif pattern: Kite 10 (or similar geometric open shape).

Expected outcome: A decorative motif line that sits inside the letter, with enough negative space that it doesn’t look crammed.

Watch out (from the video): Some motifs cross over themselves or get too dense when the inset line is tight (sharp corners). If it looks like a knot of thread on screen, it will be a needle-breaking knot on the fabric. Pick a simpler motif or reduce the size.

The Secret to Stitching Metallic Thread Without Breaks

Metallic thread is beautiful—and famously temperamental. The comments confirm what most stitchers experience: many people avoid metallic because it breaks, twists, or causes tension drama.

The core problem: twist and “thread memory”

Metallic thread is essentially a foil ribbon wrapped around a core. When it feeds off a vertical spool pin, it accumulates twist. Sue shows this twist translating into:

• Inconsistent tension.
• Shredding (the foil strips off the core).
• "Bird nesting" (clumps of thread under the plate).

The video’s solution: the coffee mug thread stand

Sue’s hack is simple: put the metallic spool in a ceramic coffee mug placed to the side/front of the machine. This allows the thread to unwind off the side of the spool (or tumble freely), relaxing the twist before it hits the tension discs.

Expected outcome: Smoother feeding, less twist, fewer breaks.

Warning: Mechanical Safety. Keep the mug away from the handwheel side (usually the right side) of the machine. Sue specifically warns not to place it where the thread can get caught in the belt or handwheel mechanism. If the thread catches, it can snap the spool pin or damage the machine's timing.

Alternative setups (from the comments, generalized)

One experienced commenter noted that a horizontal thread holder or a standalone thread stand can also reduce twisting. The goal is to maximize the distance between the spool and the first thread guide, giving the thread time to "relax."

Expert note (general guidance): Metallic thread creates more friction. Lower your machine tension slightly (e.g., if normal is 4.0, try 3.0 or 2.5) to reduce drag.

Needle choice (comment-based cue)

A commenter mentioned using a metallic needle with a slightly larger eye.

Expert note (general guidance): This is non-negotiable for success. Use a Topstitch 90/14 or a dedicated Metallic needle. The eye is significantly larger (elongated), drastically reducing the friction that shreds the foil.

Step-by-Step Stitch Out on Gold Lamé

This section turns the digitizing into a clean stitch-out—especially important because gold lamé is thin, shiny, and can fray instantly if handled roughly.

Primer: what you’ll learn on the machine side

• How to place and secure gold lamé over felt without shifting.
• When to trim, and how close.
• How to keep metallic thread feeding smoothly during the decorative and satin steps.

Prep (Hidden consumables & prep checks)

Before you press start, gather the “small stuff” that prevents big failures mid-run.

Materials shown/mentioned in the video:

• Black felt base.
• Gold lamé fabric.
• Metallic variegated thread (Sue uses Gunold).
• Embroidery needle (Fresh!).
• Appliqué scissors (Duckbill or double-curved).
• Coffee mug (as thread stand).

Hidden consumables & prep checks (expert additions):

• Fresh needle: Especially with metallic thread. A toggle or burr on an old needle will destroy the lamé.
• Micro-snips: For cleaning up jump threads instantly.
• Cleaning: A quick check of the bobbin area. Metallic thread sheds "glitter dust" which can clog sensors.
• Test Swatch: Always run a small test on scrap to check if your tension snaps the thread.

To reduce hooping frustration on slippery or delicate layers, many shops upgrade their workflow with hooping for embroidery machine techniques that focus on consistent fabric tension and repeatable placement.

Prep Checklist (end-of-Prep)

• Letter is sized correctly (approx 5x7 inches) and fits the hoop.
• Placement line is first in sequence; Stop command (Color Change) is inserted.
• Zigzag tack-down spacing = 3–4 mm; Underlay/Pull Comp = OFF.
• Tatami spacing = 10–11 mm; Travel on Edge = ON.
• Inset offset -3.00 mm; Motif (Kite 10) checked for density knots.
• Fresh Needle (Topstitch/Metallic 90/14) installed.
• Metallic thread is set up to unwind freely (Mug method).

Setup: hooping and stabilization (keep it flat, keep it repeatable)

Sue stitches on felt and lays gold lamé over the placement line. The key is preventing the lamé from shifting or rippling during the tack-down stitch. This is where "hooping fear" sets in—if you hoop felt too tight, it warps; too loose, it shifts.

Expert guidance (general): For appliqué on felt, you technically need less stabilization than on a t-shirt, but you need flatness.

If you’re doing repeated letters for orders, a dedicated embroidery hooping station can make placement faster and more consistent across multiple hoops, ensuring every letter lands in the same spot.

Stabilizer decision tree (simple and practical)

Use this logic to decide what to put behind your base fabric:

1) Base is firm felt (like the video)

• Method: Hoop the felt directly.
• Stabilizer: Often none needed if felt is stiff. If soft, use Tearaway.

2) Base is a knit or stretchy garment (T-shirt/Hoodie)

• Method: Do not stretch the fabric.
• Stabilizer: Fusible Cutaway (Mesh). You must stabilize the stretch, or the appliqué will pucker.

3) Base is a woven (Tote, Denim)

• Method: Hoop tight like a drum skin.
• Stabilizer: Tearaway is usually sufficient.

4) Appliqué fabric is slippery (gold lamé)

• Method: Use a light mist of temporary adhesive spray (away from the machine!) on the back of the lamé after the placement line stitches, to hold it down during tack-down.

Setup Checklist (end-of-Setup)

• Fabric is hooped smoothly (taut, not distorted).
• Hoop is locked into the machine with no wobble.
• Design is centered/rotated correctly on screen.
• Trimming scissors are within reach.
• Metallic thread path is clear of obstructions.

Warning: Physical Safety. Appliqué trimming puts your fingers very close to the needle bar. Stop the machine completely (don't just pause) before trimming. Keep scissors flat. Never reach under the presser foot while the machine is active.

Operation: stitch sequence with checkpoints

1) Stitch the placement line

• Stitch the run outline on the felt.
• Sensory Check: Listen for the machine to stop automatically.

Expected outcome: A clear “map” outline.

2) Place the gold lamé

Lay the gold lamé flat over the placement outline.

Checkpoint: Smooth it with your fingers. Make sure it extends at least 0.5 inches beyond the line on all sides.

Expected outcome: Lamé fully covers the placement area.

3) Stitch the tack-down

Run the zigzag tack-down.

Checkpoint: Watch closely. If the fabric bubbles, stop immediately and smooth it out.

Expected outcome: Lamé is secured securely.

4) Trim the lamé close to the tack-down

Sue trims carefully with appliqué scissors.

• Sensory Check: Lamé makes a distinct "ripping" or "crunching" sound when cut.
• Visual Check: You will see glitter/metallic dust on the felt. This is normal; use a lint roller later.

Checkpoint: Trim as close as possible (1-2mm) to the zigzag stitches without cutting the thread. If you leave too much fabric, the final satin stitch won't cover it.

Expected outcome: A clean shape edge ready for decoration.

5) Stitch the open Tatami texture

Run the widely spaced Tatami layer.

• Speed Check: Slow the machine down (approx 600 SPM) to prevent metallic thread breaks.

Checkpoint: Monitor the travel stitches. They should be hiding along the edge.

Expected outcome: Diagonal gold bars over black felt.

6) Stitch the inner motif border

Run the inset motif (Kite 10).

Checkpoint: Ensure the design isn't creating a "bulletproof vest" of density.

Expected outcome: A neat “bling” line inside the letter.

7) Stitch the final satin border

Sue finishes by converting the outline to satin stitch.

Checkpoint: The satin column should swallow the raw edge of the lamé.

Expected outcome: A clean, polished patch.

Operation Checklist (end-of-Operation)

• Placement line stitched cleanly.
• Lamé placed flat; no ripples.
• Tack-down captured all edges.
• Trimming is tight (no raw fabric poking out beyond 2-3mm).
• Open Tatami has clear definition; no travel lines visible.
• Motif border is clean, no thread nesting.
• Satin border completely covers the raw cut edge.

Quality Checks

What “good” looks like (fast inspection)

After the stitch-out, take the hoop off and inspect under good light:

• Edge finish: Satin border should be smooth, like a raised rope, with no "hairy" fabric poking through.
• Texture clarity: Open Tatami lines should be distinct. If they look mashed together, your fabric may have shifted, or the felt was too soft.
• Travel cleanliness: No random lines crossing the open center.
• Thread behavior: Metallic thread should lie flat. If it looks "fuzzy" or twisted, your tension was too high or the needle was too small.

Why this design is production-friendly (expert perspective)

This letter style is visually rich without being stitch-heavy (low stitch count) because the lamé does the work of the "fill."

However, if you are making varsity letters for a whole team (e.g., 20+ jackets), manual hooping becomes a bottleneck. The constant clamping and unclamping can cause wrist strain and inconsistent placement. For higher throughput, many studios move from casual hooping to a repeatable station workflow. Utilizing tools like hoop master embroidery hooping station setups allows you to pre-hoop quickly and accurately, especially when batching.

Tool upgrade path (scenario-triggered solution)

This is where you evaluate your equipment. If you notice any of these pain points during this project:

• You spend more time hooping than stitching.
• You have "hoop burn" (permanent rings) on delicate fabrics like velvet or performance wear.
• Your hands/wrists literally ache from tightening screws.
• The fabric slips slightly when you close the hoop, ruining the alignment.

Then it may be time to consider the industry solution: Magnetic Hoops.

How to decide (Process):

• Scenario A: You are a home user (e.g., Brother Dream Machine) struggling with thick items like towels or delicate items that bruise. A magnetic hoop for brother dream machine is a practical upgrade. It snaps (click!) onto the fabric without "cranking" a screw, saving your wrists and the fabric.
• Scenario B: You are running a multi-needle production machine (like the PR series mentioned in comments). Time is money. Evaluate compatibility with brother pr1000e hoops options (specifically magnetic frames) to stitch continuously without re-hooping downtime.

Warning: Magnet Safety. Magnetic hoops contain powerful industrial magnets (Neodymium).
* Health: Keep them away from pacemakers and medical implants.
* Electronic: Keep away from screens and credit cards.
* Pinch Hazard: They snap shut with force. Watch your fingers!

Troubleshooting

Below are the most common failure modes referenced in the video and comments, formatted as Symptom → Likely Cause → Quick Fix → Prevention.

1) Metallic thread keeps twisting, shredding, or breaking

Likely cause: Thread “memory”/twist from vertical spool; Needle eye too small. Fix (video-proven): Put the spool in a ceramic mug beside the machine for free unwinding. Prevention: Use a Topstitch 90/14 needle and lower top tension.

2) Ugly travel stitches crossing the open Tatami area

Likely cause: Machine taking the shortest path across the void. Fix (video setting): Enable Travel on edge (or "Edge Run") in software properties. Prevention: Always run the "Stitch Simulator" preview on screen before stitching.

3) Closed shapes (a/o/g) fill in when they should be blank

Likely cause: Software sees the hole as part of the fill area. Fix (workflow check): Re-digitize, ensuring the "Make Hole" or "Combine Vectors" function is used correctly. Prevention: Check the stitch preview. If it's blue in the middle, it's wrong.

4) Inset border creates broken fragments (“artifacts”)

Likely cause: Font stroke is thinner than the inset value requested (-3mm).

Prevention: Measure your font stroke width before applying offsets.

5) Lamé frays or looks ragged at the edge

Likely cause: Trimming too far from the tack-down line.

Prevention: Use a slightly wider final satin stitch (e.g., 3.5mm or 4mm) to hide sins.

6) You can’t find “Travel on edge” in your software

Likely cause: Terminology difference (Wilcom calls it one thing, PE Design another). Fix (comment-based direction): Search help files for "Stitch Path," "Entry/Exit points," or "Boundary Travel." Prevention: Learn your specific software's vocabulary for pathing.

Results

When you follow Sue’s sequence—outline → placement → zigzag tack-down (3–4 mm) → open Tatami (10–11 mm) with Travel on edge → inset motif (Kite 10) → satin finish—you get a letter that looks high-end, stitches efficiently, and showcases specialty materials like gold lamé.

The two biggest “avoid-the-pain” takeaways from the video and comments are: 1) Travel control is logical: If you don't tell the machine to stay on the edge, it won't. 2) Metallic thread is physical: It’s stiff and twisty. The coffee mug method works because it solves the physical problem of drag and twist.

If you’re planning to stitch these letters repeatedly (gifts, patches, small-batch sales), your next bottleneck will be the physical setup. Consider standardizing your hooping workflow first—many makers see the biggest speed and quality gains by utilizing hooping station for machine embroidery practices to stabilize their production before they ever need to buy a faster machine.