DesignShop V10 Connection Type for Lettering: Stop Trims on Small Text Without Ruining Your Miters

Mastering Lettering Quality in Melco DesignShop V10: The Hidden Switch That Fixes "Dimples" and Trims

You know the feeling: You spend hours refining a logo on screen. The corners are sharp, the lettering looks crisp. But when you put it on the machine, the result is disheartening. You hear the machine stuttering with constant trims—chunk-thump, chunk-thump—and when you pull the hoop, your small lettering is riddled with tiny, hard knots ("dimples") that ruin the finish. Or worse, the corners of your large block letters look inverted and sloppy.

It’s easy to blame the tension, the needle, or the machine itself. But 90% of the time, the ghost in the machine is actually the stitch pathing logic inside your lettering object.

In Melco DesignShop V10, this logic is controlled by a deceptively small dropdown menu called Connection Type.

As a seasoned embroiderer, I can tell you that understanding this single setting is the difference between "amateur homemade" and "commercial grade." Used correctly, it eliminates bird nests, reduces thread breaks, and makes micro-text legible. Used carelessly, it can re-sequence your lettering and destroy the structural integrity of your design.

The "Don't Panic" Primer: What Connection Type Changes Inside Melco DesignShop V10 Lettering

Before we touch any buttons, let's establish the physics of what is happening.

Connection Type doesn't just decide if letters are linked by a thread; it fundamentally changes the Entry and Exit points of every single letter in the word. Because embroidery is a continuous line, if you move the exit point of a letter, the software often has to rearrange the internal stitching order of that letter to make the path possible.

Think of it like GPS navigation. If you change your destination from the "front door" to the "back door," the route to get there changes completely.

Why does this matter?

1. Stop-Start Cycles: It dictates how many times your machine slows down to trim.
2. Visual Layering: It changes which part of the letter sews last (on top).

If you are running high-performance gear like melco embroidery machines in a production environment, optimizing this setting is the "low-hanging fruit" of efficiency. It reduces the mechanical wear of trims and significantly lowers the chance of a "miss-start" (where the thread pulls out of the needle eye after a cut).

The Hidden Control Panel: Finding "Connection Type" in the Object Properties Window

This setting is hidden in plain sight. It is Object Specific, meaning you can set it differently for a large back-logo (As Digitized) and a small chest pocket name (Closest Point) within the same file.

Follow these steps:

1. Select the Lettering Object: Click on the specific word or phrase on your screen. Ensure the selection box surrounds only the text you want to edit.
2. Open Object Properties: Right-click and select 'Properties', or double-click the object.
3. Locate the Dropdown: Scroll to the bottom of the General tab properties list.
4. Find "Connection Type": It usually defaults to 'As Digitized' or your last used setting.
   

Prep Checklist (Do This Before You Click 'Apply')

• Select Correctly: Confirm you are editing the lettering object itself, not a grouped design element or a vector image.
• Actionable Scaling: What is your final height?
  • Rule of Thumb: If text is under 6mm (0.25"), you are in the "Danger Zone" for bulk.
• Sensory Simulation: Run a slow on-screen simulation. Watch the red crosshair. Does it jump wildly?
• Baseline Check: Do you want speed (fewer trims) or perfection (optimal layering)? You usually cannot have 100% of both.

"As Digitized": Keeping the Digitizer’s Miters Clean on Larger Lettering

In the industry, "As Digitized" is the "Purest Mode." It tells the software: "Do not think. Just do exactly what the digitizer programmed."

In the tutorial, the presenter zooms into the letter E. Notice the corners. In professional embroidery, we look for Mitered Corners. This is where the satin stitches overlap at a clean 45-degree angle, similar to a picture frame. This allows light to reflect off the thread in a way that looks structured and sharp.

Why stick with "As Digitized"? On larger lettering (typically 1 inch / 25mm or taller), the human eye can resolve the layering of stitches. You can see which stroke is on top. If the software auto-routes the path, it might sew the vertical bar over the horizontal bars, creating a "blunt" or "inverted" look that screams "amateur."

What You Should See (Success Metrics)

• Visual: The corners of letters (E, F, L, T) show a deliberate 45-degree overlap.
• Structure: Top and bottom strokes tuck cleanly under or meet the vertical stroke.
• Trade-off: You might have more trims between letters.

"Closest Point": The Secret Weapon for Micro-Text and Efficiency

When text gets small (under 8mm), the game changes. The enemy is no longer "bad layering"; the enemy is bulk.

Every time the machine trims, it usually creates a "tie-in" and "tie-off" (locking stitches). These are tiny knots. On small letters, these knots create a visible hard lump—a "dimple" or "bubble effect".

Closest Point solves this by forcing the machine to jump from the exit of Letter A directly to the nearest point of Letter B, often eliminating the trim entirely.

The Workflow:

1. Change Connection Type to Closest Point.
2. Click Apply.
3. Tighten the Kerning: Reduce the 'Spacing' value. Because there are no trims, you can push letters closer together without the needle mechanism getting in the way.
4. The "Squint Test": View at Actual Size (1:1).
   
   
   

This is a critical skill for anyone learning hooping for embroidery machine setups on difficult fabrics like piqué polo shirts. Even the best stabilizer cannot hide the "dimple" of a tie-knot on small text. The only fix is to remove the knot by removing the trim.

What You Should See (Success Metrics)

• Visual: Jump stitches (dotted lines on screen) between letters disappear or become very short.
• Auditory: The machine runs smoother. Instead of sew-stop-chunk-sew, you hear a continuous hummmmm.
• Tactile: The finished embroidery feels flatter to the touch, without hard knots at the start/end of letters.

Warning: The "Rescue" Risk
When you use Closest Point, you create long, continuous thread paths. If a thread breaks mid-word, it can be harder to restart cleanly because the machine hasn't created a "tie-in" lock at the start of every letter. Always test micro-text on scrap fabric first.

The "E Test": Verification and the Layering Trade-Off

The video’s most important lesson is proving why you don't use Closest Point on everything.

When the presenter zooms back into the letter E after applying Closest Point, observe the change. The software—in an effort to end the letter closer to the next one—has decided to sew the vertical column last.

Instead of a clean miter, you now have a vertical bar sitting on top of the horizontal bars.

The Golden Rule of Layering

• Can you see the layers? If the text is big enough that you can see the thread direction change at the corners, Closest Point will likely make it look "wrong." Use "As Digitized."
• Is it too small to matter? If the text is tiny, the viewer cannot see the layering, but they will see the messy knots. Use Closest Point.

Production Note: If you are managing a fleet of machines, perhaps running a melco emt16x embroidery machine workflow, minimizing trims via Closest Point can shave 30-60 seconds off a run. Over 100 shirts, that is an hour of production time saved.

"Bottom Connect": The Workflow for Manual Finishing

The third option is Bottom Connect. This forces the exit point of every letter to the bottom baseline.

This is purely a workflow preference. If you plan to hand-trim the jumps, this aligns them all in a straight row. However, in modern embroidery, we generally try to avoid manual trimming. It is labor-intensive and risky.

Warning: Safety Protocol
Hand-trimming threads near dense satin stitching is the #1 cause of accidental garment damage (snipping the fabric).
* Tool: Use curved-tip embroidery snips, not straight scissors.
* Action: Always remove the hoop from the machine before trimming to prevent accidental needle strikes or finger injuries.

The "Chief Education Officer's" Decision Tree

Do not guess. Use this logic flow to determine the correct setting for every job.

Decision Tree: Lettering Connection Type

1. Is the text height > 12mm (0.5 inches)?
   • Yes: Can you see the corner miters?
     • Yes: → Select As Digitized. (Prioritize Aesthetics).
   • No: Go to Step 2.
2. Is the text Micro (< 6mm / 0.25 inches)?
   • Yes: Are trims causing "dimples" or hard knots?
     • Yes: → Select Closest Point. (Prioritize Legibility).
     • Action: Reduce Spacing/Kerning slightly to tighten the look.
3. Is this a Bulk Efficiency Run (50+ items)?
   • Yes: Does the text look acceptable with Closest Point?
     • Yes: → Select Closest Point to minimize trim cycle time and wear.
4. Do you require Manual Trimming?
   • Yes: → Select Bottom Connect.

The "Hidden" Prep Pros Do: Setup Checks That Prevent Failure

Software settings are only 50% of the battle. The other 50% is physical. If your hoop tension is loose ("flagging"), no amount of software tweaking will fix the registration.

Setup Checklist (The "Pre-Flight" Routine)

• Needle Check: For small text (Closest Point), are you using a 65/9 or 70/10 needle? A standard 75/11 needle creates holes too large for micro-text.
• Thread Weight: Are you using standard 40wt thread? For text under 5mm, consider 60wt thread (thinner) for sharper definition.
• Hooping Tension: Tap the fabric in the hoop. It should sound like a tight drum skin (thump, not flap). Loose fabric causes text to distort.
• Consumables: Use a 'Cutaway' stabilizer for knits/polos. Tearaway allows too much movement for crisp lettering.

If you struggle with consistent placement or maintaining tension, using professional hooping stations is often the missing link. They standardize the physical process, ensuring that your perfectly digitized file lands on a perfectly tensioned canvas.

Troubleshooting the Two Most Common Lettering Disasters

Symptom 1: The "Bubble" Effect (Dimples)

• What it looks like: Small chest text looks bumpy; specific dots of thread are raised and hard.
• What it feels like: Run your finger over it. It feels scratchy, like sand.
• The Cause: Tie-in knots from too many trims.
• The Fix: Switch Connection Type to Closest Point.
• The Physical Fix: Increase stabilizer or switch to Cutaway.

Symptom 2: The "Broken" corner

• What it looks like: A large letter 'T' or 'E' looks like the strokes are disconnected or overlapping strangely.
• The Cause: You stuck with "Closest Point" on large text, forcing the software to re-sequence the layering.
• The Fix: Switch back to As Digitized.

Production Upgrade Path: When Software Isn't Enough

Sometimes, the bottleneck isn't the software setting—it's the hardware limitations or the workflow. Here is how to diagnose if you need an upgrade.

Scenario A: "I fixed the connection type, but the machine still stalls on trims." If your single-needle machine takes 15 seconds to change colors or trim, optimizing file logic only helps so much. This is the Capacity Trigger.

• Solution: Moving to a multi-needle platform (like a SEWTECH commercial unit or similar) allows for barely noticeable trim times and higher speeds (1000+ SPM) that maintain quality.

Scenario B: "My text is straight, but the fabric is puckering around it." This is a Stability Trigger. The traditional hoop ring is crushing the fabric or not holding it evenly.

• Solution: Magnetic Hoops.
  • Terms like magnetic embroidery hoop are your gateways to understanding efficient production. Unlike friction hoops, magnetic frames hold fabric without forcing it into a distorted ring, reducing "hoop burn" and puckering. They are essential for delicate performance wear.

Scenario C: "I spend more time hooping than sewing." This is an Efficiency Trigger.

• Solution: A dedicated hooping station for embroidery. This ensures every logo is placed exactly the same, reducing the mental load and physical time of setup.

Warning: Magnet Safety
If you upgrade to magnetic hoops, treat them with respect. They are powerful industrial magnets.
* Pinch Hazard: They can snap together with crushing force. Keep fingers clear.
* Medical Safety: Keep them away from pacemakers and insulin pumps.
* Electronics: Keep them away from screens and credit cards.

Operation Checklist (Run It Like a Pro)

• Simulation: Run the slow sew simulation in DesignShop after any change.
• Scale Check: Always judge the "As Digitized" vs "Closest Point" debate at 100% Zoom.
• Physical Prep: Correct needle (65/9 for small text), correct stabilizer (Cutaway for knits).
• Decision: Use the Decision Tree to select the mode.
• Save As: Save a "Small" and "Large" version of the file if you are scaling a logo, so you don't accidentally run "Closest Point" on a 10-inch jacket back.

Whether you are using standard hoops or upgrading to melco embroidery hoops, treating "Connection Type" as a standard part of your setup procedure will drastically reduce your error rate. The cleanest sew-out is the one that doesn't need to be trimmed, fixed, or apologized for.

FAQ

• Q: In Melco DesignShop V10 Lettering, how do I change the Connection Type setting to reduce trims and “dimple” knots?
  A: Change the Lettering Object’s Connection Type in Object Properties, then re-simulate before saving.
  • Select the exact Lettering Object (not a grouped element), then right-click Properties (or double-click).
  • Scroll to the bottom of the General tab and set Connection Type (often defaults to As Digitized).
  • Click Apply, then run a slow on-screen simulation to confirm the stitch path is stable.
  • Success check: dotted jump lines between letters become shorter/disappear and the machine sound becomes more continuous (less sew-stop-trim).
  • If it still fails: re-check that only the lettering object is selected and confirm final text height before applying changes.
• Q: In Melco DesignShop V10 Lettering, when should Connection Type = As Digitized be used for large block letters to avoid ugly “inverted” corners?
  A: Use As Digitized when lettering is large enough that corner layering is visible and you want clean mitered corners.
  • Set Connection Type to As Digitized for larger text (the blog notes this is typically around 1 inch / 25 mm or taller).
  • Inspect letters like E, F, L, T after simulation to confirm corner overlaps look deliberate.
  • Accept the trade-off: more trims may occur between letters.
  • Success check: corners show a clean 45-degree miter/overlap instead of a blunt or “vertical bar on top” look.
  • If it still fails: do a 100% (actual size) view and compare against Closest Point only if trims are causing visible bulk.
• Q: In Melco DesignShop V10 Lettering, how does Connection Type = Closest Point fix micro-text “bubble/dimple” knots caused by too many trims?
  A: Use Closest Point for micro-text to reduce trims (and the tie-in/tie-off knots that create dimples).
  • Switch Connection Type to Closest Point, then click Apply.
  • Tighten letter spacing (kerning) slightly because fewer trims usually allow closer letters.
  • Test-sew micro-text on scrap first because long continuous paths can be harder to restart after a thread break.
  • Success check: the finished lettering feels flatter (less hard knotty bumps) and jump stitches on screen disappear or get very short.
  • If it still fails: add stability (often move to a cutaway stabilizer on knits) because stabilizer cannot hide trim knots, but it can reduce distortion.
• Q: In Melco DesignShop V10 Lettering, why can Connection Type = Closest Point make a large letter “E” corner look wrong even if trims are reduced?
  A: Closest Point may re-sequence stitch order to change entry/exit points, which can put the wrong stroke on top for big letters.
  • Run a slow simulation after switching to Closest Point and zoom into corners (the “E test”).
  • Look specifically for the vertical column sewing last and covering horizontal bars.
  • Switch back to As Digitized when layering is visibly important.
  • Success check: on large text, the corner layering looks intentional (miters) rather than a vertical bar sitting on top.
  • If it still fails: keep two saved versions (“Small” and “Large”) so the correct connection type isn’t accidentally used at the wrong scale.
• Q: In Melco DesignShop V10 Lettering, when should Connection Type = Bottom Connect be used, and what is the safety rule for hand-trimming jumps?
  A: Use Bottom Connect only when planning manual trimming, and always trim safely to avoid garment damage.
  • Set Connection Type to Bottom Connect to align exit points along the baseline for easier manual cleanup.
  • Remove the hoop from the machine before trimming to prevent needle strikes and finger injuries.
  • Use curved-tip embroidery snips (not straight scissors) near dense satin stitches.
  • Success check: jump threads line up along the bottom so trimming is controlled and consistent.
  • If it still fails: avoid manual trimming by re-trying Closest Point for small text to reduce or eliminate jumps in the first place.
• Q: For micro-lettering runs using Melco DesignShop V10 settings, what needle size and thread weight should be used to reduce bulk and improve legibility?
  A: For small text, start with a finer needle and consider thinner thread so the letters sew cleaner with less damage.
  • Switch to a 65/9 or 70/10 needle for small lettering (the blog notes a 75/11 can make holes too large for micro-text).
  • Use standard 40wt thread as the baseline; for text under 5 mm, consider 60wt thread for sharper definition.
  • Pair with appropriate stabilizer (cutaway on knits/polos) to limit movement.
  • Success check: micro-text edges look sharper and the fabric shows fewer visibly oversized needle holes.
  • If it still fails: verify hooping tension (no “flagging”) because loose fabric will distort lettering regardless of needle/thread choice.
• Q: If trims and lettering settings are correct but embroidery still shows puckering, hoop burn, or slow production, what is the upgrade path from technique to magnetic hoops to multi-needle machines?
  A: Diagnose the main trigger (stability, efficiency, or capacity) and upgrade in levels instead of guessing.
  • Level 1 (Technique): confirm hoop tension is drum-tight, use cutaway on knits, and choose As Digitized vs Closest Point by text size and trim knots.
  • Level 2 (Tool): if hoop burn/puckering persists from uneven holding pressure, switch to magnetic hoops to hold fabric without crushing it into a ring.
  • Level 3 (Capacity): if trims/color changes still stall production on single-needle workflows, consider moving to a multi-needle commercial machine to reduce cycle time.
  • Success check: fewer visible hoop marks/puckers and smoother run sound with less stop-start trimming during production.
  • If it still fails: standardize placement and tension using a hooping station so each item starts with consistent hooping conditions.