Building stitches is similar to building a house. We have the foundation (underlay) and we also have different possibilities for dealing with corners—just like the carpenter when challenged to trim an inside door. Corners are not only encountered when digitizing lettering, but also in design sections of the embroidery.

The determining factors for creating a corner are its shape (fashioned by the angle) and its size. Remember to make educated choices for underlay to keep the satin sides smooth and the corner sharp.

Butting corners up against each other, where the two legs of the design meet at a 90-degree (right) angle, is the simple way to create a corner but not always the best. When stitched, each segment that creates the corner exerts a different pull on the fabric, making perfect registration difficult. Placing extra underlay stitching under the area where the two segments meet to prevent the fabric from showing is not effective because of the opposing pull.

The butt corner is easy to create, but it is not as smooth and professional looking as other corner choices. Use this corner sparingly. It is necessary when two segments are different colors and overlapping would present the danger of one color showing through another and compromising the design.

Simple and mitered corners work well when you have a lot of maneuvering room—when you have “approach and exit” real estate that allows this deliberate corner building. When the angle is flatter, not as acute, capped or tucked corners are good choices. Let’s take a closer look at a variety of corner options.

Simple corner

This simple method works well when narrow columns meet to create a corner. If the columns are wide and you want to use this simple corner method, just use more short and long stitches alternating into the corner. Remember that you need more stitches to get a sharp corner and in small letters and segments that can be problematic. To get sharp corners you need to add more stitches, so vary length.

Place the guidelines for your satin stitch from side-to-side before-and-after the corner, but diagonally from the outside to the inside at the corner. Make sure you don’t put your last-guideline-before and your first-guideline-after the corner too close to that diagonal, or you can create more density at the corner than there is on the straightaway. This can cause your stitching to appear heavy and uneven, especially when creating lettering.

When digitizing this type of corner (or any element where the inside edge is shorter than the outside edge) alternate short and long stitches as you navigate the bend. The number of short stitches between the long stitches and their placement (closer to the top or bottom) is determined by the depth of the segment at its longest or widest point. The goal when you set short and long stitches to create a smooth segue around a corner is to avoid compromising the density as you move through the segment.

Just remember that your desire is to prevent the stitches needed on the longer edge from bunching up on the shorter edge while still maintaining a graceful stitching sequence and a smooth, handsome density. Attention to these details and careful execution helps forestall thread and needle breaks (if the thread is bunched up) and holes in the fabric (when the fabric is pierced too often and too close together or in the same hole).

Mitered corner

The mitered method works well when the legs that converge to create the corner are wide and the corners have a 90 degree or greater angle. Realize that, when you create a mitered corner, there are two segments coming together and you must overlap to prevent gap. This can cause a buildup of stitches which shows up in the embroidery, especially when used in smaller lettering and design segments.

An overlapped mitered corner creates a corner that is less slanted than the full miter. One segment is elongated and hidden under the segment that adjoins. Make sure the initial side of the corner is sufficiently under where the second side will stitch so that the second column’s stitches can reach the middle of the corner with no unsightly gaps.

A simple miter can be created causing the two lines of stitches going toward the point to meet at a slight angle, with the angle of the stitches becoming more acute as the stitching approaches the point. This creates a sharp, crisp point. The amount of overlapping as the stitches angle toward the point is determined by the target fabric. Stretchy knit fabrics require more of an overlap to avoid separating which will expose the ground fabric. Your software may allow you to enter the overlap parameters.

Capped corner

Capped corners work well on small corners. Simply put, one leg of the corner is combined with a “cap” and the leg that meets it is tucked underneath. The column you digitize first will depend on the direction you are traveling. Stitch the first column, ending at the inside of the base or beginning of the corner. Run out to the point of the corner with a run stitch or carefully placed manual stitches, then satin stitch the corner, getting wider as you approach the place where the second leg of the corner begins, and end by stitching down that second leg. This technique doesn’t work as well on wide-columned corners as the stitches that will span the two columns are too wide.

The width of the columns and the degrees of the angle are what dictate the type of corner to digitize. If the satin segments of the two legs of the corner are less than 1-2mm, use a capped corner. The longest stitch of the cap (where it spans both satin segments) will then be small enough to stitch well.

Tucked corner

The tucked corner is similar to the capped corner but there is more of an overlap—and the more overlap there is, the more the legs of the corner blend into each other. It is similar to the mitered corner where we make sure the stitches of the first leg of the corner underlap sufficiently. In the case of the tucked corner, the column that approaches the corner crosses over the mid line and stops short of the corner. Manual or running stitches are used to walk up to the point and the exiting column overlaps that stitching as it moves out of the corner, with the width of the stitches being equal to the width the column will be after it exits the corner area.

A trick I learned from Lee Caroselli of Balboa Threadworks will enhance the seam created when working with overlaps and underlaps. When you have two groups of column stitches that run parallel to each other, use the running stitch as an anchor. Place a running stitch under the inside of the first column. This running stitch forms an anchor for the first and then the second column. Just remember to throw the second column wide enough to overlap the running stitch. By using this extra running stitch to help in forming a seam, you use the “pull” to your advantage. Each column pulls away at a different direction, but is anchored by the initial running stitch up to the corner and then again by the running stitches shared by the columns. The stitches will not be separated by needle penetrations and the result will be a beautiful straight seam.

Digitizing systems and corners

Some digitizing programs allow you to pick a corner type and will then create it for you. Others dictate a choice and you have to figure out how to override it if you want something different. Some have an on/off toggle that lets you create the corner or pick a ready-made one; and once you learn how well your digitizing system handles and creates corners you can utilize this in an educated way.

The bottom line is that you should learn what corners are possible and desired in embroidery and how to decide which one is applicable. All the automatic functions in the world don’t hold a candle to understanding the process and taking control of your digitizing and end product. Remember you can always move stitches manually if you don’t like their execution by the automatic features in the digitizing system. The ability and knowledge that allows you to do that is the main argument for knowing what goes on behind the scenes and not just relying on the digitizing system. This month: Hug those corners!

—HHM