Needle down

[Juli in Kona]

for the XT: Is there a way to slowly bring the needle down, so that I can move and adjust the applique on the hoop? I am creating patches that will all have ragged uneven edges, but when I go to sew them down to the hat or garment, it is going to be difficult to place them accurately. I don't think the usual way of placing an applique down will work because of the ragged edges that will be different on every patch.

Juli in Kona

[Mama Kass]

I'm not sure that I understand exactly what you're trying to do, but when I need this level of precision, I digitize a few manual stitches at key points around the design so that they are the first thing on my stitch file; then, after loading the design and aligning things by eye with the laser, I go to Machine and do a "bottom center" to check the location then do a "head up" at each of the manual points that I digitized. It's a bit tedious moving back and forth between the machine and the computer, but it's the only way I've found with my old DS and OS. I, too, often wish I could hand crank the needle down like on a sewing machine.

[Judy]

On my XT, to go into Sew Slow mode, I push and release the start button, then press and hold it for 15 stitches. It goes along at about 35 stitches a minute or so until you press and release the start button again.

All of the above is from memory, because my Silver Surfer is asleep. Proceed with caution when trying!

[Juli in Kona]

As for the "bottom Center" - way too many key strokes, especially if I have to do 50 of them.

As for digitizing additional points, I would only need 3. So that could work.

Can any of the techs tell me if there is a key combination on the machine itself that will bring the needle down then up?

[Mama Kass]

Judy, I wish I had that feature , Juli, you can do a bottom center/ head up from the key pad; the problem (at least for my version) is that you need to have the Maintenance/Head Timing Tab open, then you can use the Adjust key (looks like a hammer or windshield wiper) plus the up or down arrow. Since you have to close this window before you can move forward to the next point, you still have to go back and forth from the computer to the machine. I didn't understand why you need to do this 50 times; like you said, 3 or 4 points should be plenty.

[Greenwing]

I know I use the swipe key and the trace together then the hoop key to complete the cycle.

[Greenwing]

I usually do it with an empty needle then move to my color

[Mama Kass]

Jerome, I understand the empty needle - I do that too, but I'm not getting your key sequence. Is the swipe key the same as the adjust key? and what do you mean by the last bit about the hoop key? Sorry for being dense.

[Greenwing]

Yes you call it adjust key but it is a picture of the thread swipe from the side.
hold it and the trace then it will drop the needle three times and I hit the hoop key to finish the cycle but you can hit any key, just habit to hit the hoop.

[Mama Kass]

I think the picture on the adjust key is like a Rorschach test - everyone sees something different, a hammer, a windshield wiper, a thread swipe. After finding out it was called the adjust key, I decided it was a gauge with a pointer and an arc going from narrow to wide...who knows? I hope your sequence works for me since I have a Big Red; I'll have to try it.