Fixing Embroidery Pinch & Gaps in Floriani: Manual Underlay, Smart Sequencing, and Pull Compensation (Step-by-Step)

What Causes Gaps (Pinching) in Embroidery? A Master Class in Stabilization & Digitizing

We have all been there. You watch your machine hum along perfectly for twenty minutes, only to inspect the final result and see a glaring white gap where the color stops and the outline begins. This is "pinching" (often called "gapping" or "registration loss").

Here is the hard truth needed to move from novice to expert: Embroidery is a physical battle against fabric distortion.

A "pinch" happens when two fill areas that should visually meet end up separating. In the video’s pajama design example, the blue fill stitches push the fabric like dough in one direction. Then, the next section pushes back. Because the fabric has nowhere to relax, it ridges up, shifts, and leaves a visible gap.

The key takeaway for your peace of mind: This defect is physical. You didn’t necessarily break the machine. While the root cause is fabric movement, we can fix it in software by engineering a better foundation (underlay) and a cleaner stitch path.

What you’ll learn in this walkthrough

We are going to move beyond "blindly clicking buttons" and understand the physics of why these settings work. You’ll rebuild the file just like an industry pro:

• Diagnose force direction: Using Slow Redraw to see where the "shoving" happens.
• Engineer stability: Adding a manual "stability layer" using a Complex Fill object.
• Protect internal art: Excluding internal shapes (like the car) by defining a hole.
• Control the physics: Setting underlay angle (cross-bracing), density, and edge type.
• Master sequencing: Running the foundation before the house is built.
• Avoid self-sabotage: Moving start/stop points to prevent the underlay from causing its own pinch.
• Final polish: Applying absolute pull compensation and thickening outlines for a safety margin.

Why Automated Underlay Often Fails

The instructor identifies a scenario that haunts many beginners: a design looks perfect in the 3D software preview but stitches out like a disaster. This usually happens with "Auto-Digitizing" features.

Two specific structural failures appear in the video:

1. Micro-Voids: Automated conversions often leave tiny open areas near outlines that a human digitizer would overlap.
2. Fragmented Objects: The file converts into dozens of small satin or tatami objects rather than one clean fill. In software like Floriani, this limits your ability to apply a broad, supportive underlay. You can turn underlay "on," but it only supports the tiny individual fragments, not the whole design.

Expert Context: The "Dough" Theory of Push–Pull

Why does this happen even if you hoop perfectly? Visualize your fabric as bread dough.

• Pull: When the needle penetrates and the thread tightens, it pulls the fabric in the direction the stitches run.
• Push: As more thread is packed into the fabric, it expands and pushes the fabric out perpendicular to the stitches.

If you are just relying on basic hooping for embroidery machine techniques where you simply "drum tight" the fabric, you might be creating tension that snaps back later. Over-tensioning delicate fabric (like pajamas) distorts the grain before you stitch. When the needle creates perforations, the fabric relaxes, and your design shifts.

Warning: Safety First. Keep fingers clear of the needle area and moving carriage during test runs and slow redraw checks on the machine. A sudden start, trim cycle, or needle strike can cause severe injury. Never put your hands near the needle bar while the machine is powered on and in "Drive" mode.

Step 1: Creating a Stability Layer with Complex Fills

Prep: Hidden Consumables & Pre-Flight Checks

Before editing the digital file, we must rule out physical variables. Pinch fixes are often "small changes, big visual impact," so your testing environment must be scientific.

Hidden Consumables & Prep Checks:

• Needle Condition (Tactile Check): Run your fingernail down the needle tip. If you feel a "catch" or click, the needle is burred. A burred needle acts like a tiny saw, pushing fabric aggressively. Replace it.
• Bobbin Case Hygiene: Blow out the bobbin case. Even a small piece of lint can change tension, which changes how much the fabric pulls.
• Fabric Match: You generally cannot test a design meant for a stretchy pajama knit on a piece of stiff denim. The physics are different.

For shops doing production runs (50+ shirts), operator variation is a killer. One person hoops tight, the other loose. Using a hoop master embroidery hooping station can standardize this mechanical variable, ensuring that when you fix the digitizing, it stays fixed across all garments.

Checklist (Prep)

• File Safety: Save a duplicate of the original file (e.g., Design_v2_FIX.emb).
• Material Match: Gather the exact same fabric + stabilizer combo used in the failed sew-out.
• Hardware Check: Install a fresh needle (Ballpoint for knits, Sharp for wovens).
• Tension Check: Pull the top thread—you should feel smooth resistance, like flossing teeth, not a jagged drag.
• Bobbin Check: Ensure the bobbin is full enough to complete the test run.

1) Diagnose the Defect with Slow Redraw

Use the "Slow Redraw" (or simulator) feature. Don't just watch it; analyze it. Look for the "Push." In the video, the fill progresses right-to-left, then returns. Any movement colliding with an already stitched area creates a ridge.

Checkpoint: You should be able to point to the exact spot on the screen where the timeline matches the gap on your fabric.

2) Add a New Color for the Repair Layer

The instructor adds a new discrete color (Orange).

• Why: This isn't just for visibility. By making it a separate color, you force the machine to stop (on single needles) or allow you to isolate the object easily in the Sequence Manager.

3) Create a Quick Running Stitch "Trace"

Using the Run tool, manually plot stitches around the outside of the design limits.

Expert Insight: This serves two purposes.

1. Visual Boundary: It gives you a roadmap for where your underlay needs to go.
2. Tacking: In production, this run stitch acts as a "basting stitch," adhering the fabric to the stabilizer before the heavy pounding begins.

Success Metric: The run outline stays strictly inside the intended artwork boundary.

4) Digitize a Complex Fill Underlay Object

Switch to the Complex Fill tool. Plot a shape inside your black outline. Do not obsess over being perfectly on the edge—this is the foundation, not the façade.

Success Metric: A single, solid shape that covers the problematic blue area. We are replacing the "fragmented tiles" of the auto-digitize with a "slab foundation."

5) Define Holes for Internal Elements

In the video, the instructor presses H to define a "hole" around the car graphic.

Critical Logic: If you put heavy underlay under a dense object (like the car) that sits on top of the fill, you create a "bulletproof vest" effect—too stiff, too thick. This causes needle deflection (broken needles) and bumpy embroidery. Always leave a void for dense internal elements.

Step 2: Correcting Stitch Angles and Density

Now we turn that generic orange shape into a "Stability Layer." This is where physics comes into play.

1) Set the Underlay Angle Perpendicular (90°)

The instructor uses the Shape tool to rotate the stitch angle to approximately 90° relative to the top fill.

The "Why" (Structural Engineering):

• If the top fill runs Horizontal (Left-Right), it pulls the fabric in/out horizontally.
• If your underlay also runs Horizontal, it amplifies that pull.
• By running the underlay Vertical (Up-Down), you create a "plywood effect" (cross-grain lamination). The underlay resists the pull of the top layer.

Rule of Thumb: If top stitch is 45°, make underlay 135°. Always aim for a cross.

2) Reduce Density (The "Goldilocks" Zone)

In the video, the underlay fill density is opened up significantly.

Empirical Data for Novices:

• Standard Density: Usually ~0.40mm.
• Underlay Density Goal: 1.5mm – 2.0mm.
• Too Dense (e.g., 0.6mm): You stiffen the fabric so much it puckers.
• Too Loose (e.g., 4.0mm): The fabric bubbles up between the grid lines.

Checkpoint: On screen, it should look like a mesh screen or grid, not a solid wall of color.

3) Change Edge Type to Square

The instructor changes the fill edge type from Chiseled (Zig-Zag) to Square.

Why: Chiseled edges are soft, but for a structural underlay, we want a defined edge to support the very perimeter of the design.

Commercial Pivot: If you are constantly fighting edge distortion on soft items like hoodies or PJs, the issue might be hoop burn from standard hoops. This is a classic trigger for upgrading to magnetic embroidery hoops. They hold the fabric firmly without the "stretch and screw" distortion of traditional hoops, giving you a truer edge before you even digitize.

Step 3: Re-sequencing for Fabric Control

1) Sequence First (Foundation First)

New objects usually appear at the end of your file. Using the Sequence View, drag the Orange Underlay to Position 1.

Visual Check: In the simulator, the Orange Grid must stitch before anything else.

2) Move Start/Stop Points to Prevent "Plowing"

This is a master-level tip often missed. The instructor uses Slow Redraw to see that the underlay itself was pushing fabric from the center outward (plowing).

The Fix: Move the Start (Green) and Stop (Red) points to opposite ends of the shape (e.g., Bottom to Top).

The Logic: Instead of pushing a wave of fabric ahead of the needle, we want the machine to "paint" the stability layer progressively from one anchor point to the other.

Decision Tree: Software Fix vs. Hooping Fix?

Don't waste hours digitizing if the problem is mechanical.

1. Is the design gapping on a stable fabric (Denim/Canvas)?
   • Yes: It's a Digitizing issue. Use the steps above.
2. Is it only gapping on unstable fabric (Jersey/Pique)?
   • Yes: It's likely Stabilization. Use a Cutaway stabilizer (not tearaway) and consider spray adhesive.
3. Are there shiny "burn" rings around the design?
   • Yes: Your hooping is too aggressive. The fabric is stretched, and snapping back.
   • Solution: Try floating the fabric or using embroidery hoops magnetic to reduce pinch pressure while maintaining hold.

Final Touches: Pull Compensation and Outline Thickness

1) Apply Absolute Pull Compensation (0.3mm)

The instructor applies 0.3 mm absolute pull compensation to the underlay.

Absolute vs. Percent:

• Percent: Increases based on object size (variable).
• Absolute: Adds a fixed amount (e.g., 0.3mm) to the edges regardless of size.
• Recommendation: For fixing gaps, use Absolute. You know the gap is about 0.5mm, so adding 0.3mm of comp creates a safe overlap.
  
  Warning

  Don't go crazy. Excessive pull comp (over 0.6mm) will make your design look "fat" and distorted.

2) Increase Outline Width (The "Safety Margin")

Finally, select the black outline run stitch and increase width/thickness to 125% (or set a bold beam width).

Why: This isn't cheating; it's engineering. A slightly thicker outline acts as a visual cover for any remaining micro-gaps. It creates a "registration tolerance" for the machine.

Setup (How to run a reliable test sew-out)

Your digitized fix is only as good as your test run.

Recommended Test Parameters:

• Speed: Slow down. If your machine can do 1000 stitches per minute (SPM), run your test at 600-700 SPM. High speed increases fabric distortion.
• Stabilizer: For test runs on knits, use Cutaway stabilizer. Tearaway does not provide the permanent support needed to prevent gaps.

If you find yourself spending 15 minutes hooping each test shirt, you are losing money. A hooping station for embroidery machine is the industry standard for ensuring that Shirt #1 and Shirt #50 are hooped with the exact same tension and placement.

Warning: Magnetic Safety. Heavy-duty magnetic frames are powerful industrial tools. They can pinch skin aggressively causing blood blisters. Keep magnets away from pacemakers, implanted medical devices, and sensitive electronics like credit cards or phones.

Checklist (Setup)

• Fabric: Same type as the failure (don't test a Tee design on Felt).
• Speed: Machine restricted to 600-700 SPM.
• Thread path: Clear of tangles; cone standing upright.
• Hooping: Check the "Drum Skin" feel—taut, but not stretched to distortion.

Operation (Step-by-step recap inside Floriani)

1. Diagnose: Use Slow Redraw to find the "Push" direction.
2. Order: Add a new Color Layer for visibility.
3. Trace: Run tool around perimeter (inside bounds).
4. Fill: Complex Fill tool to cover the gap zone.
5. Exclusion: Press 'H' to creating holes for internal art (Car).
6. Physics: Shape tool -> Rotate Angle to ~90° vs Top Fill.
7. Structure: Properties -> Density to 1.5mm - 2.0mm.
8. Edge: Properties -> Edge Type to Square.
9. Sequence: Move Underlay to Position 1.
10. Flow: Shape tool -> Start/Stop points to opposite ends.
11. Overlap: Apply Absolute Pull Comp (0.3mm).
12. Safety: Increase Outline thickness (125%).

Checklist (Operation)

• Direction Check: Underlay runs perpendicular (Cross-Hatch) to top fill?
• Density Check: Is underlay open (grid-like) and not solid?
• Order Check: Does the Orange layer stitch first?
• Flow Check: Does the underlay stitch smooth from bottom to top?
• Coverage Check: Is the gap area fully covered by the new shape?
• Outline Check: Is the outline thick enough to cover slight errors?

Quality Checks (What "Good" Looks Like)

Before you hit start, check the Simulator one last time.

• No Ridging: The underlay object should lay flat.
• No Protrusion: The underlay should not stick out past the black outline.
• Clean Travel: No erratic jumping from left to right.

If you are a commercial shop doing this daily, consistency is your currency. Many shops upgrade to magnetic hooping station workflows not just for speed, but because they eliminate the "operator muscle" variable—every garment is clamped with the exact same magnetic force, drastically reducing registration issues caused by human error.

Troubleshooting

Symptom: Gaps still appear, but smaller

• Likely Cause: Not enough Pull Compensation.
• Quick Fix: Increase Absolute Pull Comp from 0.3mm to 0.4mm.
• Hardware Fix: Use a layer of water-soluble topping to keep stitches "lofty."

Symptom: Underlay is visible outside the line

• Likely Cause: Pull Comp is too high, or Outline is too thin.
• Quick Fix: Reduce Pull Comp to 0.2mm OR manually drag the heavy underlay nodes slightly inward away from the edge.

Symptom: "Birdsnesting" (Thread ball under the fabric)

• Likely Cause: You didn't hold the thread tail when starting, or the tension is zero.
• Quick Fix: Always [Hold the top thread](https://www.google.com/search?q=embroidery+hold+top+thread) for the first 3-5 stitches. Check that the presser foot is actually down (the discs engage when the foot drops).

Symptom: Outline doesn't stick (Registration loss)

• Likely Cause: The fabric is slipping in the hoop.

Results & Commercial Upgrades

After these edits, you should have a file that holds the fabric firm using structural engineering rather than brute force.

If you are constantly fighting these battles, look at your toolset.

• Inconsistent Hooping? A hoopmaster style fixture solves alignment and tension headaches.
• Hoop Burn/Pinching? Magnetic frames are the professional answer to delicate fabrics.
• Too much downtime? If you are stopping to change threads manually, a multi-needle platform (like our SEWTECH multi-needle machines) keeps the production moving while you focus on digitizing the next job.

Embroidery is 50% Art, 50% Engineering. You just mastered the Engineering part. Happy stitching