Hatch Lettering Stitching Tab: Underlay, Pull Compensation, and Connectors (With Real-World Stitching Results)

Introduction to Lettering Object Properties

Lettering is the "handshake" of your embroidery business. It is usually the first thing a client looks at, and it is the fastest way to spot the difference between a high-end production and an amateur project. If your text looks thin, scratchy, or uneven compared to the crisp vector on your screen, don't panic. The solution is rarely just "picking a bolder font." The magic happens in the Lettering Object Properties—specifically the Stitching tab.

Embroidery is a physical battle against tension and texture. As an embroiderer with decades of floor experience, I can tell you that software settings are your strategic plan, but the fabric is the battlefield. In this deep-dive walkthrough, we will master the three critical levers in Hatch that control how your lettering survives the transition from digital pixels to physical thread: Underlay, Pull Compensation, and Connectors.

We will stay faithful to the core Hatch workflow, but we will add the layer of "shop floor physics" that prevents wasted garments, snapped needles, and the frustration of ruining a shirt at the very last letter.

What you’ll be able to do after this

• Decode Underlay: Choose from Hatch’s five options not by guessing, but by understanding the physical function of each structure.
• Layer for Victory: Intentionally combine two underlay types to bulletproof your design against sinking or shifting.
• Master Push-Pull: Set Pull Compensation with a safe "sweet spot" value so your font retains its weight on soft fabrics.
• Control the Cut: Predict exactly when Hatch will auto-trim between letters using the 2.00 mm rule—and know when to override it for speed versus cleanliness.

Understanding Underlay: The Foundation of Good Embroidery

Underlay is often misunderstood by beginners as "extra stitches for no reason" that just add run time. This is a dangerous mindset. In the Stitching tab, you must view underlay as the re-bar in your concrete. The tutorial explains its primary digital purpose, but let’s look at the physical reality: Underlay attaches your backing to your fabric before the visible stitches are formed.

In Hatch Lettering objects, you have five underlay types available in the dropdown:

• Center Run: A simple line down the middle.
• Double Zigzag: Heavy structural support.
• Edge Run: outlines the shape slightly inside the border.
• Tatami: Full field coverage for wide columns.
• Zigzag: Standard loft support.

Crucially, you can apply two layers of underlay simultaneously. This is not redundancy; it is engineering.

Why underlay matters (The Physics of "Registry")

In a production environment, we use underlay to fight three specific enemies:

1. Fabric Drift: As the needle creates thousands of perforations, the fabric tries to shift. A Center Run or Edge Run nails the fabric to the stabilizer, ensuring the design strikes exactly where it should.
2. The "Sink" Effect: On textured fabrics (pique, fleece, towels), stitches want to disappear into the pile. Zigzag underlay creates a "net" or scaffold that holds the top satin stitches up, keeping them glossy and visible.
3. Rough Terrain: Bumpy fabrics create jagged edges on letters. Underlay smooths the road before the top satin drives over it.

Sensory Check: When your underlay is stitching, listen to the machine. It should be a rhythmic, lighter sound. If it sounds heavy or thudding, your density might be too high for the first pass. Visually, the underlay should look like a light sketch—if it completely covers the fabric color, you are over-engineering it.

If you are hooping stretchy or lofty fabrics, underlay can only do so much. If your hooping technique is inconsistent (too loose or "drum tight" distorted), the best underlay settings will still fail. This is why many shops struggling with inconsistent text quality upgrade to a magnetic embroidery hoop. By holding the fabric with even magnetic pressure rather than friction screws, you eliminate the "hoop burn" and distortion that makes underlay work twice as hard.

Where to find the Stitching tab

Select your lettering object (the tutorial selects the text object “ORE”). Go to the Object Properties panel on the right side of your interface and click the Stitching tab. This is your command center.

Choosing the Right Underlay for Different Fabrics

The tutorial demonstrates a vital progression: changing Underlay 1 from Center Run to Zigzag, then to Double Zigzag. Watch the pink wireframe in the preview window closely—it shows you the skeleton you are building.

Fabric-driven underlay choices (The "Shop Standard")

Don't guess. Use this logic based on material density:

• The Anchor (Center Run): Use this if you are stitching on stable woven cottons or denim where you just need to lock the backing to the garment. It adds minimal bulk.
• The Scaffold (Zigzag / Double Zigzag): Essential for toweling, fleece, or velvet. You need to mash down the loops of the fabric so the satin stitch sits proud. Double Zigzag runs at opposing angles, creating the strongest net.
• The Border Guard (Edge Run): Perfect for pique knits (polo shirts). It runs a rail along the edge of the letter columns. This prevents the jagged "sawtooth" look where the stitch sinks into the dimples of the knit.
  
  Pro tip

  Novice digitizers often pick the "strongest" underlay (Double Zigzag) for everything. This is a mistake. On small lettering (under 6mm), heavy underlay will effectively explode your font, making it look like a blob.

Layering Underlay 1 + Underlay 2 (The "Combo Move")

The tutorial enables both Underlay 1 and Underlay 2. Think of this as a "Belt and Suspenders" approach for difficult fabrics.

A classic production recipe for Performance Wear (Polo Shirts):

1. Underlay 1: Edge Run (Defines the crispy edge).
2. Underlay 2: Zigzag (Lofts the center).

This gives you sharp definition edges and a 3D-like lift in the middle.

Fine-tuning zigzag underlay coverage

Standard settings are often too loose for high-pile fabrics. The tutorial shows adjusting density for greater coverage:

• Stitch length (Zigzag): 10.00 mm
• Stitch spacing (Zigzag): 3.00 mm (Lowering this number increases density).

Sensory Check: If you tighten the spacing too much (e.g., 0.8mm), your underlay essentially becomes a top stitch. This will make the lettering feel like a piece of cardboard on the chest. You want support, not armor plating.

Preventing underlay from showing in tight arcs

Here is a common "Trip Wire" for new users. On rough fabrics like pique knit, the tutorial recommends Edge Run. However, in the tight curves of small letters (like a lowercase 'e' or 'a'), the edge run can poke out from under the satin column.

The Fix: Adjust the Margin from edge.

• Default might be 0.20mm (standard).
• Increase to 0.35mm - 0.40mm for small text. This pushes the underlay deeper into the center of the column, hiding it safely.

Warning: Mechanical Safety. Keep fingers clear of the needle bar area during test stitching. When observing underlay formation, do not lean in too close—broken needles can fly at high velocity. Treat embroidery machines with the same respect as a sewing power tool. Snips and rotary cutters are "always live" blades; never leave them open on the machine table.

Prep Checklist (Hidden Consumables & Pre-Flight)

Before you digitize a single stitch, clear the runway. A bad physical setup will ruin a perfect digital file.

• Consumables:
  • Needles: Fresh 75/11 needle (Ballpoint for knits, Sharp for wovens). If you hear a "popping" sound as the needle enters fabric, it is dull—change it immediately.
  • Bobbin: Check your tension. A balanced bobbin test (H-Test) should show 1/3 bobbin thread in the center column on the back.
  • Scissors: Curved snips for jump stitches; flat shears for stabilizer.
  • Stabilizer: Do not test on a scrap of felt if the final job is a T-shirt. Use the exact backing + fabric combination.
• Environment:
  • Lint Check: Remove the throat plate and clean the bobbin case. Accumulated lint changes tension, causing looping on narrow lettering.
• Hooping Strategy:
  • If you are fighting "hoop burn" (the shiny ring left on fabric) or struggling to hoop quickly, evaluate your tools. Professional shops often use a hooping station for machine embroidery combined with magnetic frames to ensure the fabric is taut but not stretched, protecting the grain line.

What is Pull Compensation and Why Do You Need It?

Pull Compensation is the single most important setting for preventing "anorexic" lettering.

The Physics of the "Pull Effect": When thread is stitched, it is under tension. It naturally wants to return to a relaxed state, which pulls the fabric edges inward.

• Result: A column digitized at 2.0mm width might sew out physically at 1.7mm.
• Visual: You see gaps between outlines, or text looks incredibly thin and shaky.

In the demo, the Pull Compensation value is shown at 0.17 mm, with a recommendation of 0.20 mm as a starting point.

How to set Pull Compensation (Action Steps)

1. Select your lettering block.
2. Navigate to Stitching Tab > Pull Compensation.
3. Action: Adjust the value.
4. Visual Check: Watch the preview. The purple stitching simulation will expand slightly beyond the black vector line. This "over-sewing" is what compensates for the fabric shrinking inward.

How to choose a starting value (The "Sweet Spot" Data)

The tutorial simplifies this, but let's give you the Industry Sweet Spots:

• Standard Wovens (Dress Shirt / Denim): 0.17mm - 0.20mm. The fabric is stable and resists pulling.
• Standard Knits (t-shirts / Polos): 0.35mm - 0.40mm. Knits are fluid; they pull in significantly. You need aggressive compensation here.
• Performance/Spandex: 0.40mm+. These fabrics are elastic and will strangle the stitch if you don't over-compensate.

The Golden Rule:

• Firmer Fabric = Less Compensation.
• Softer/Stretchy Fabric = More Compensation.

Risk Assessment:

• Too Much: Your lettering looks "bloated" and holes (like the center of an 'o') close up.
• Too Little: Text looks scratchy, and you may see fabric gaps between the fill and the border.

Setup decision tree: Fabric → Underlay + Pull Comp

Use this logic flow before every job to determine your settings:

1. Is the fabric Lofty (Towel/Fleece)?
   • YES: Priority is Loft. Use Double Zigzag underlay. Set Pull Comp to 0.30mm.
   • NO: Go to step 2.
2. Is the fabric Textured (Pique Knit)?
   • YES: Priority is Edge Definition. Use Edge Run + Zigzag. Increase Edge Run margin to 0.35mm. Set Pull Comp to 0.35mm.
   • NO: Go to step 3.
3. Is the fabric Unstable/Stretchy (Performance Tee)?
   • YES: Priority is Stability. Use Center Run + Zigzag. Aggressive Pull Comp (0.40mm). Critical: Ensure hooping is secure. This is where magnetic hoops shine, as they grip slippery performance fabrics without dragging the mesh grains apart.
   • NO: Standard Woven? Use Center Run, Pull Comp 0.17mm.
4. Is the font Tiny (<6mm)?
   • YES: Danger Zone. Turn off complex underlay (use only Center Run). Reduce density slightly. Do NOT over-compensate Pull Comp or the letters will close up.

Managing Connectors: Auto Trims vs. Manual Control

Connectors are the "roads" the machine travels between the "houses" (letters). They define whether the machine drags the thread, ties off, or cuts the thread.

The tutorial highlights the 2.00 mm Rule:

• Distance > 2.00 mm: Hatch tells the machine "Make a Trim." (Tie-off, Cut, Tie-in).
• Distance < 2.00 mm: Hatch tells the machine "Just Jump." (No cut, drags thread).

The 2.00 mm rule (Business & Quality Implications)

Why does this matter?

• Efficiency: A trim cycle takes 5-8 seconds on some machines. If you have 50 letters spaced 2.5mm apart, auto-trimming every gap adds minutes to the run time.
• Quality: If you are running navy thread on a white shirt, a "jump stitch" (dragging the thread) might be visible as a faint dark line under the fabric.

Pro Judgment: If the fabric is sheer or high-contrast, let it trim (or increase the distance threshold so it trims more). If it's a bulk run on denim, let it jump (drag) to save speed, and snip manually later.

How to force a trim (Manual Override)

Sometimes Hatch thinks it's smart to drag the thread, but you know better (e.g., between two different colored words).

• Use the Trim Icon in the Context toolbar (the scissor symbol).
• This forces a "Tie-off and Cut" command regardless of distance.

Tie-off method options

Trimming without tying off results in unraveling embroidery after the first wash. The tutorial shows two methods:

• Satin Method (Bow Tie): Standard, reliable, creates a small palpable knot.
• Tatami: Buries the lock stitches into the previous line. Cleaner, but requires enough stitch data to hide it.

Warning: Magnetic Safety. When upgrading your workflow with magnetic embroidery hoops, treat them with extreme caution. The magnets used (Neodymium) are industrial strength. They present a severe pinch hazard—get your fingers caught between them, and you will suffer blood blisters or worse. Pacemaker Safety: Keep these magnets at least 6-12 inches away from pacemakers, insulin pumps, and sensitive electronics like phones and credit cards. Separate brackets by sliding them apart, not prying.

Operation Checklist (The "Test Drive" Routine)

Never run the final garment without this sequence:

• Check Selection: Ensure you are editing the entire lettering block, not just one accidental sub-component.
• Variable Isolation: Change one thing at a time. Do not change Underlay and Pull Comp simultaneously during testing, or you won't know which one fixed the problem.
• Distance Check: Zoom in on your connectors. Are the dashed lines present (jumps) or circles/triangles (trims)? Does this match your 2mm spacing expectation?
• File Versioning: Save as "Project_Test1", "Project_Test2". Never overwrite your original.
• The "Scrap" Rule: Stitch a sample on a scrap of the exact production fabric.

If you are scaling up to production runs (e.g., 50 left-chest logos), the limitation is often the machine itself. Single-needle machines require manual thread changes and lack the speed for volume lettering. This is the stage where businesses look at multi-needle solutions like SEWTECH machines, which allow you to set up 10+ colors and let the lettering run uninterrupted with automatic high-speed trimming.

Quality Checks

You’ve run your sample. Don't just look at it—audit it.

Visual checks (The "18-inch" Rule)

• Definition: Hold it at arm's length (18 inches). Is the text legible?
• Curves: Look at the inside of the Letter 'O' or 'D'. Do you see the "rail tracks" of the underlay peeking out? If so, increase your Edge Margin.
• Loft: On fleece, rub your thumb over the text. Did the satin sink and disappear? You need more Double Zigzag underlay.

Tactile checks (The "Skin" Test)

• Stiffness: Flex the fabric. Does the lettering feel like a bulletproof vest? You likely have too much density or excessive underlay.
• Puckering: Does the fabric ripple around the text like a topographic map? This suggests your Pull Compensation is too high or your hooping was too tight (stretching the fabric).

Production checks (Repeatability)

• Can you run 10 of these in a row with identical results?
• If the first one is perfect but the fifth one is distorted, your hoop tension is slipping. This is the primary trigger for adopting hooping stations—they standardize the mechanical force applied to the hoop, ensuring Employee A hoops exactly like Employee B.

Troubleshooting

When things go wrong, don't guess. Use this diagnostic table:

1) Stitches sink into the nap (The "Vanishing Font")

• Symptom: Text looks buried, thin, or color is diluted by the fabric pile.
• Likely Cause: Insufficient foundation.
• The Fix: Switch to Double Zigzag underlay. Consider adding a layer of water-soluble topping (Solvy) firmly on top of the fabric before stitching to keep the pile down.

2) Underlay exposed inside curves (The "Railroad Tracks")

• Symptom: Ugly straight lines visible inside the curved satin columns.
• Likely Cause: Edge Run margin is too small; the top stitch isn't wide enough to cover it.
• The Fix: Increase Margin from edge (e.g., move from 0.20mm to 0.40mm).

3) Letters look anorexic/thin

• Symptom: Gaps between the border and fill; font weight looks lighter than screen.
• Likely Cause: The "Pull Effect" is winning. The fabric is contracting under tension.
• The Fix: Increase Pull Compensation. Move from 0.17mm to 0.25mm - 0.35mm.

4) Machine stops constantly / messy back side

• Symptom: Constant "ka-chunk" sound of trimming; bird's nest of tails on the back.
• Likely Cause: Letters are spaced too far apart (>2mm), triggering auto-trims.
• The Fix: If the quality allows, reduce letter spacing to <2mm so the machine jumps instead of trims. OR, use a specialized tool like a thread zap to clean up jumps post-production.

Results

You now possess the "insider knowledge" to transform Hatch lettering from a default preset into a professional asset:

• Underlay: It is your structural engineer. Use Zigzag for lifting nap and Edge Run (with calculated margins) for crisp edges on knits.
• Pull Compensation: It is your hedge against physics. Start at 0.20mm for wovens and 0.35mm-0.40mm for knits.
• Connectors: They are your efficiency managers. Respect the 2.00 mm threshold to balance run speed against finish quality.

Final Wisdom: The software is powerful, but it cannot fix physics. If you dial these settings in perfectly but stick the fabric in a loose hoop, you will still fail. Great embroidery is the marriage of precise digitizing and rigid mechanical holding. Focusing on your stabilizer choice, utilizing tools like magnetic embroidery hoop systems for consistent tension, and testing specifically on your target fabric are the habits that separate the hobbyist from the master.