Table of Contents
Top embed module notice: This article is based on the video “Quick Lesson on Floriani Save to Sew” from RNK Distributing.
You can have a beautiful design and still get a stiff, puckered, or “why did it pull like that?” result on denim if the file was never optimized for the fabric's density and weave. The good news: Floriani Total Control U’s "Save to Sew" feature is built to take a general-purpose design and tailor it for a specific substrate—fast.
What you’ll learn:
- How to run a design through Save to Sew and choose the correct fabric preset for a denim jacket.
- Why physical prep matters just as much as digital prep: Needle choice, stabilizer selection, and hooping techniques.
- How to capture stabilizer notes and carry them through to your printout.
- How to export a machine file format (DST, PES, EXP, etc.) and avoid common confusion.
- How to use Print Preview and a template sheet to place the design accurately on a jacket back.
Why Use the "Save to Sew" Workflow?
Acting as a Embroidery Specialist
In the video, the instructor explains the core idea in plain language: many designs are created in a “general practitioner” way. They are digitized with standard density (often for cotton broadcloth). However, when you stitch on a denim jacket (a thick, twill-weave fabric), you need a “specialist” approach. "Save to Sew" re-digitizes the artwork for the specific fabric you select, largely eliminating the guesswork of manual parameter adjustment.
A practical way to think about it: we aren't changing your machine; we are changing how the file "talks" to the fabric. If you have ever had denim embroidery feel "bulletproof" (stiff), break multiple needles, or show white gaps around satin edges (pull distortion), this workflow reduces those risks by applying a fabric-specific recipe.
Automated Fabric Adjustments
The software asks what you intend to stitch on. In the denim example, the wizard automatically adjusts density (spacing between stitches), underlay (the foundation stitches), and pull compensation (offsetting how the fabric shrinks).
One SEO-friendly phrase you’ll see people search for is hooping station for machine embroidery—but even with perfect placement, a file that is too dense for denim will struggle, causing thread breaks and jamming. "Save to Sew" is the digital half of the solution; your robust machine setup is the physical half.
Step-by-Step Optimization for Denim
Safety First: Keep fingers, hair, and loose clothing/jewelry away from the needle bar and moving arms. When changing needles or clearing a birdnest (thread tangle), always power down the machine or engage "Lock Mode." Use pliers, not fingers, to remove broken needle shards.
Selecting Your Fabric Type
Start by opening a design in Floriani Total Control U. In the video, the instructor navigates to the monthly designs and opens “Farm Fresh” into the workspace.
Now launch Save to Sew by clicking the Wizard’s Hat icon on the top toolbar.
When the dialog appears, choose the fabric type. The video’s specific selection is “Denim (Jacket)”—be specific. A denim shirt behaves differently than a heavy jacket. Accurate input equals accurate output.
Quick check (checkpoint): After selecting the fabric, ensure you picked the option that matches the weight of your project. If your jacket is vintage or extra thick, the "Jacket" preset is essential to prevent stitch buildup that breaks needles.
Applying Walter Floriani's Recipes
The instructor notes that “New style settings” utilize tested recipes. These are not random; they adjust the structural integrity of the design.
Expected outcome: Clicking Next triggers the software to calculate new stitch paths. It handles the math of pull compensation so you don't have to manually stretch the design.
Avoid this mistake: Do not skip this step thinking "cotton is close enough." Denim has a diagonal weave (twill) that pulls differently than plain woven cotton. The preset accounts for this.
Comparing Stitch Counts
The video demonstrates a concrete before/after: the original is 8,763 stitches; the optimized version is 7,900 stitches. This ~800 stitch reduction prevents the "bulletproof patch" effect on the jacket.
Quick check (checkpoint): Look at the stitch count. A reduction in stitches for denim is normal (less density is needed because the fabric is stable). If the count stays identical, the optimization may not have applied.
From the comments: A viewer asked about specific formats like Bernina ART. If your specific format isn't listed, export to the industry standard your machine reads (e.g., EXP or DST for commercial machines, PES or JEF for home machines). Check your SEWTECH machine manual or manufacturer guide to confirm compatible extensions.
Stabilizer & Equipment Secrets
Software Advice vs. Real World Application
The wizard suggests using Floriani Heat N Sta (a fusible support) and Heat N Gone (a water-soluble topping).
Why this combination works:
- Backing (Stabilizer): Denim is heavy, but it can still distort under thousands of stitches. A fusible backing or a strong Cutaway stabilizer is recommended to lock the fabric fibers in place.
- Topping: Denim has a textured surface ("grain"). Without a water-soluble topping, stitches can sink into the valleys of the weave, making the design look ragged. The topping keeps current SEWTECH embroidery threads sitting high and shiny.
The Hooping Challenge
Thick seams on denim jackets are notorious for causing "hoop pop" (where the inner ring jumps out) or "hoop burn" (permanent whitish rings on dark denim). This is where hardware choice determines success.
If you struggle to close a standard plastic hoop over a jacket seam, force is not the answer. Force breaks plastic hoops. This is a primary reason professionals switch to magnetic embroidery hoops. These frames hold thick materials firmly without the physical strain of twisting a screw, and they allow you to make micro-adjustments to the jacket without un-hooping.
Warning: High-power magnets snap together instantly. Always hold the magnet handles, keep fingers out of the "pinch zone," and slide the magnets apart to separate them—never pry them up.
For production runs (e.g., 10 jacket backs), a multi-needle machine significantly reduces handling time compared to single-needle flatbed machines, as they offer more clearance for the bulk of the jacket.
Hidden Consumables & Prep Checks
Software helps, but it cannot fix the wrong needle. Before you press start, verify these "quiet" variables that professionals check automatically:
- Needle Selection: Standard 75/11 needles often break on denim seams. Use a Size 90/14 or 100/16 "Jeans" or "Sharp" needle. These have a stronger shaft to penetrate layers without deflecting.
- Thread & Tension: Ensure you are using high-quality polyester embroidery thread (like SEWTECH sets) that can withstand the friction of passing through heavy fabric.
- Bobbin: On denim, a standard weight bobbin (60wt) is fine. Ensure the bobbin case is clean; denim lint is heavy and can clog tension springs quickly.
Prep checklist (do this before you optimize and print):
- Floriani Total Control U opens normally.
- You have identified if the jacket location has a thick seam (avoid stitching directly over center seams if possible, or slow down 50%).
- You have Cutaway or Fusible stabilizer ready (Tearaway is risky for detailed jacket backs).
- You have installed a fresh 90/14 Titanium or Jeans needle.
- You have a way to mark the jacket (chalk or a printed template).
From Software to Stitch Out
Saving in Multiple Machine Formats
After the wizard completes, save your creation. The notes regarding stabilizer will save with the file in the software's native format, while the machine format (e.g., DST) goes to your USB drive.
Quick check (checkpoint): Rename the file with a suffix like _DENIM.dst. This prevents you from accidentally loading the wrong version later.
Printing Templates with Crosshairs
Go to File > Print Preview. A physical template is your safeguard against crooked embroidery.
The crosshairs (X and Y axis) on the paper are critical. You can tape this paper to the jacket to visually confirm exact placement before you even touch a hoop.
Why this matters: Jackets are expensive. Stitching 1 inch off-center ruins the garment. Professional shops align the template's vertical line effectively with the jacket's spine or center seam.
If you do high-volume jacket backs, this is where a hoop master embroidery hooping station comes into play to ensure every logo lands in the exact same spot on every size jacket. For home users, measuring tape and consistency are key.
Using Template Tearaway
In the video, the instructor prints on Floriani’s Template Tearaway, which is a sticky-backed paper.
Quick check (checkpoint): Verify the printout includes the center point crosshair.
Stitch-out Sequence (The "Pro" Workflow):
- Mark: Use the template to mark the center point and vertical axis on the jacket with tailors chalk.
- Hoop: Place the backing inside the jacket. Hoop the jacket—preferably with a magnetic frame to handle the bulk—aligning your machine's needle to your chalk mark.
- Place Topping: Lay your water-soluble film on top of the denim.
- Trace: Run the "Trace" or "Contour Check" function on your machine. Do not skip this. Watch the presser foot to ensure it does not hit any metal buttons or impossible-thick rivets.
- Stitch: Start the machine. Watch the first 100 stitches to ensure tension is good.
If thick garments are a recurring pain point, magnetic hooping station setups are sometimes used to standardize the clamping process, making it physically easier to hoop repeatedly without wrist strain.
Troubleshooting & Emergency Recovery
Even with optimized files, things happen.
1) Symptom: Thread Shredding or Frequent Breaks
- Likely cause: Needle is too small or dull; or the thread is hitting a rivet.
2) Symptom: "Birdnesting" (Tangle of thread under the throat plate)
- Likely cause: Upper tension loss (thread jumped out of the tension disks) or the bobbin was inserted backward.
3) Symptom: Design placement is crooked
- Likely cause: The jacket shifted during hooping.
4) Symptom: White bobbin thread showing on top
- Likely cause: Top tension is too tight, or the denim is so thick it is pulling thread differently.
Results & Handoff
When you finish, you should have three assets: (1) An optimized file (lighter density for denim), (2) A physical plan (Cutaway backing + Soluble topping + 90/14 Needle), and (3) The confidence that your machine setup is solid.
For operators who frequently embroider jackets, evaluating your workholding tools is the best investment you can make. Whether you use brother embroidery hoops on a home machine or industrial magnetic frames on a multi-needle beast, the goal is the same: absolute stability. Stability plus an optimized file equals a perfect jacket back every time.