How to Attach Tubular Arms and Run a Final Test Sew

In this video, we show how to attach the frame holders for tubular sewing and prepare the machine for a final test sew. We first turn the machine off, loosen the screws on the tubular arms, and slide the holders into the joint plate. There are 11 notches on the joint plate, and when facing the machine, we place the left holder in notches 5 and 6 and the right holder in notches 8 and 9. We then tighten the screws with a nail and wrench and turn the machine back on.

We next hoop fabric with heavy cutaway backing in a 21 centimeter tubular hoop and bring it to the machine. The tubular hoop is slid through the tubular arms until it snaps into place, and we make sure the material lies flat. For this example, a 6 inch round design is embroidered in an 8 inch round hoop, so it is important that the active needle is centered in the hoop. On the LCD control panel, the machine reads hoop cap, so we use the left and right arrow keys to select flat and then press set. The machine initializes and returns to center.

We then load the test design by pressing the start point button and then the data button. Using the down arrow key, we go to select data and press set, then use the up-down position key to scroll to the 9000 test design already loaded in the machine. When the 9000 test design appears, we press set to return to EMB start with the new design displayed. The screen also shows the active needle, total stitches, and color changes. We confirm that the active needle is centered in the hoop and, if needed, reposition the frame with the arrow keys. After that, we press trace so the machine checks the four furthest points of the design and returns to center. Once we know the design fits in the hoop, we press start and begin sewing.

After the Toyota test design is sewn, we remove the hoop and inspect both sides for tension inconsistencies. We make sure the bobbin thread is not showing on top and that there is no looping or skipped stitching. We then turn the embroidery over and check the column stitches, which should show one third embroidery thread, one third bobbin thread, and one third embroidery thread. If the results do not match that balance, we refer to the tension training videos.