Floriani Pull Compensation for Thicker Lettering: A Practical Workflow for Knits, Fleece, and Towels

What is Pull Compensation?

Pull Compensation (often called "Pull Comp" or "Column Width Adjustment") is your primary defense against the physics of embroidery. Think of your fabric like a sponge and your potential stitches like a rubber band under tension. As the needle works, the thread naturally pulls the fabric in, causing satin columns to stitch narrower than they look on your computer screen.

In the real world, what you draw is NOT what you get.

Without compensation, a bold font on thick fleece will look thin, sunken, or "swallowed" by the fabric pile. Pull Compensation artificially widens your columns in the digitization phase so that after the fabric relaxes and the thread tightens, the final result lands exactly where you intended.

A practical mental model:

• Vector Art: The blueprint.
• Physics: The force shrinking your design (tension + fabric flex).
• Pull Compensation: The "fat tax" you pay upfront to offset the shrinkage.

If you are digitizing text for textured garments (like hoodies, towels, or beanies), learning this setting is the single fastest way to upgrade your quality without changing needles or thread.

Percentage vs. Absolute: Choosing the Right Setting

In the Floriani workflow (as demonstrated in the source video), you modify this under Properties → Push/Pull. You are presented with a Type choice: Percentage or Absolute.

Why Percentage is the "Safety Setting"

Most instructors and professionals recommend Percentage. This scales the widening effect relative to the existing column width.

• Scenario: You have a letter with a thick backbone and a thin serif.
• Percentage Action: Increases the thick part by 10% and the thin part by 10%. The proportion of the letter remains beautiful.
• Absolute Action: Adds 0.4mm to everything. This might look fine on the backbone but could turn the thin serif into a blob.

Expert Rule of Thumb: Stick to Percentage unless you are fixing a very specific, uniform technical line.

Side Setting: The "Both" Standard

The video keeps Side = Both. This pushes the column walls outward in both directions. For lettering, this is the standard.

• Sensory Check: When you apply this, the letter should look like it is "taking a deep breath" and expanding evenly.

Warning: When you widen columns on Both sides, you are physically reducing the air gap between letters. If your text is already tight, applying Pull Comp can cause letters to crash into each other. You will likely need to adjust spacing (kerning) afterward.

The "Max Range" Safety Net

You will see a Max range (mm) value (often default at 3.0mm). This is a safety cap. It ensures that if you accidentally type a huge percentage, the machine won't try to create a stitch so wide it breaks a needle or hits the hoop.

Step-by-Step: Adding Thickness to Lettering

This walkthrough follows the tutorial's logic but adds the "Pre-Flight Checks" required for a safe, professional result.

Step 1 — Create a clean A/B comparison

Never guess. Always compare against a baseline.

1. Open a new design file.
2. Use the Text Tool to type a test word (e.g., "Test").
3. Copy and Paste the object.
4. Drag the copy below the original.

Sensory Check: Ensure the objects are aligned. You are creating a "Control Group" (Top) and an "Experimental Group" (Bottom).

Step 2 — Enable the properties

1. Select the bottom text object only.
2. In the Properties panel, click the Push/Pull tab.
3. Change Type to Percentage.

Observation: The numeric fields unlock. You are now ready to override the defaults.

Step 3 — The "Sweet Spot" Test (125%)

1. In Value %, enter 125.
2. Verify Side = Both.
3. Click Apply.

Why 125%? The instructor emphasizes that tiny changes (1-5%) are invisible on textured fabric. If you are fixing a problem, you need a bold move. 120-125% is the industry "Sweet Spot" for standard knits.

Visual Check: On screen, the bottom text should now look noticeably "plump" compared to the top text.

Step 4 — Use 3D View for a Reality Check

1. Toggle 3D View (or Realistic View).

Expert Insight: Standard view shows vector lines; 3D view simulates thread volume. This helps you catch issues where the hole inside an "e" or "a" might be closing up.

Step 5 — The Aggressive Fix (150%)

1. Change Value % to 150.
2. Click Apply.

When to use this: High-pile fabrics like deep fleece, terry cloth towels, or chunky knit beanies. These fabrics want to "swallow" your thread. You need a wider platform of thread to sit on top.

1. The Consequence: At 150%, the letters will likely touch. Use the Text Tool nodes (kerning handles) to drag the letters apart.

Success Metric: You want a clear visible gap between letters on screen. If they touch on screen, they will definitely merge on the fabric.

Recommended Settings for Textured Fabrics

This section bridges the gap between software numbers and physical results. Empirical ranges based on general industry consensus:

• Woven Cotton / Twill: 100% - 110%. (Stable fabric requires less comp).
• Pique / Polo Shirts: 110% - 120%. (Honeycomb texture needs a slight boost).
• Fleece / Sweatshirts: 125% - 130%. (The standard "bold" setting).
• Beanies / Towels: 140% - 150%. (Maximum widening to prevent sinking).

Decision Tree: Fabric vs. Strategy

Use this logic flow before you digitize:

1. Is the fabric "Fluffy" (High Pile)?
   • YES: Use 130-150% Comp. Mandatory: Use a Water Soluble Topping (Solvy).
   • NO: Go to next question.
2. Is the fabric Stretchy (Performance Knit)?
   • YES: Use 120-125% Comp. Critical: Your hooping must be perfect. If you stretch the fabric while hooping, Pull Comp cannot save you. This is where tools like a magnetic embroidery hoop excel—they hold the fabric flat without the "tug-and-screw" distortion of traditional hoops.
   • NO: Start at 100% (Baseline).
3. Are the letters small (under 6mm)?
   • YES: Be careful with high Pull Comp; it will close up the letter holes. Use a thinner needle (75/11 or 65/9) and thinner thread (60wt) instead of just widening columns.

Pro Tip: The "Gap" Myth

A common complaint: "My outline touches on screen, but there is a gap on the fabric." Software Pull Comp can help this, but often the culprit is Fabric Shifting. If your stabilizer is too light or your hoop is loose, the fabric ripples away from the needle.

• The Fix: Before increasing Pull Comp to crazy levels (like 120% on borders), check your physical setup. Many professionals search for how to use magnetic embroidery hoop specifically to solve this "gapping" issue, as the magnetic clamping force creates a "drum-tight" hold that software can't mimic.

Troubleshooting: Diagnosis & Cure

When things go wrong, use this hierarchy. Fix the physical first, then the software.

Symptom 1: Text looks "starved" or thin

Sensory Check: You can see the fabric color peeking through the satin column.

• Physical Fix: Check tension. If top tension is too tight, it pulls columns narrow.
• Software Fix: Increase Pull Comp to 125%.

Symptom 2: Letters are touching or illegible

Sensory Check: The text looks like a black bar; individual characters are merged.

• Likely Cause: You increased Pull Comp (widen) but didn't increase Kerning (spacing).

Symptom 3: Gaps between border and fill

Sensory Check: A white line of fabric is visible between a fill and its black outline.

• Likely Cause: The dreaded "Push-Pull" effect + Hoop Slip.
• Fix 1 (Physical): Re-hoop tighter. Consider using a hooping station for embroidery to ensure your hooping is level and consistent every time.
• Fix 2 (Software): Increase Pull Comp on the Fill (make it larger), not just the border.

If you struggle with alignment on multi-hoop projects or large backs, alignment errors are often just slipping hoops. Advanced users eventually migrate to magnetic embroidery hoops for brother pe770 or similar specific models because the friction-free clamping stops the "hoop burn" and prevents the fabric from creeping during 40-minute stitch runs.

Warning: Magnet Safety. Modern magnetic hoops utilize heavy-duty magnets. They can pinch fingers severely. Do not place them on laptops, credit cards, or near pacemakers.

Prep

Success is 80% preparation and 20% stitching. Do not skip the physical setup.

Hidden Consumables

• New Needle: A burred needle shreds thread. Use a Ballpoint for knits, Sharp for wovens.
• Topping: For fleece/towels, have water-soluble topping ready to keep stitches elevated.
• Bobbin: Ensure you have enough bobbin thread for the test run. Running out mid-test ruins the comparison.

Prep Checklist

• Fabric Match: Are you testing on the actual fabric or a scrap of the same material? (Testing on denim for a t-shirt project is useless).
• Stabilizer: Is the backing heavy enough? (Rule: "If you wear it, don't tear it." Use Cutaway for wearables).
• Hoop Check: Do the "Tap Test." Tap the hooped fabric; it should sound like a drum. If it's loose, Pull Comp won't work.
• Needle: Is the needle size correct (e.g., 75/11) and free of burrs?

Setup

This phase ensures your digital file is configured correctly before it touches the machine.

Software Configuration

• Clone: Always keep the original adjacent to the modified version.
• Range: Verify "Max Range" is set to at least 2.0mm or 3.0mm so your changes aren't blocked.
• Zoom: Zoom in to 400% to check if the new settings have closed the holes in "e", "a", or "o".

Setup Checklist

• Selection: Confirmed only the specific text block is selected (not the whole design).
• Mode: Changed from Absolute to Percentage.
• Value: Set to 125% (for knits) or 110% (for wovens) as a starting point.
• Spacing: Visually confirmed that letters are not touching in Preview mode.

Operation

The moment of truth. During the stitch-out, observe the machine's behavior.

Execution

1. Run the 100% baseline first.
2. Run the 125% test next to it.
3. Do not un-hoop yet. Inspect closely.

Sensory Monitoring

• Sound: Listen for the rhythmic thump-thump. If you hear a slap-slap, your fabric is flagging (bouncing) in the hoop, which distorts columns.
• Sight: Watch the outline. Is it landing where it should?

If you find yourself constantly fighting hoop burn (the ring mark left on fabric) or struggling to hoop thick items like Carhartt jackets, this is a hardware limitation, not a skill issue. Upgrading to a cap hoop for embroidery machine or a deep-rimmed magnetic frame can provide the clearance needed for difficult thick garments.

Operation Checklist

• Observation: Watch the first few letters sew. If they are burying into the fabric immediately, stop and add topping.
• Safety: Keep hands clear of the needle bar. Do not trim jump stitches while the machine is moving.
• Evaluation: Un-hoop. Rub your thumb over the text. Does the 125% version feel "raised" and distinct compared to the baseline?

Warning: Mechanical Hazard. Never attempt to adjust the hoop or clear a thread nest while the machine is actively stitching. A moving needle can cause serious puncture injuries. Press STOP first.

Results

By following this protocol, you move from "guessing" to "engineering" your embroidery.

• You established a baseline (100%).
• You applied a safe, proportional increase (Percentage Mode).
• You validated the setting with a specific sensory check (3D view & Stitchout).

The Final Diagnosis: If your Pull Compensation is set to 125% or 150% and your outlines are still misaligned or gapping, the problem is no longer the software—it is stabilization. The fabric is shifting under the needle.

In these cases, increasing numbers in software is the wrong path. The professional solution is to secure the foundation. Stabilization backed by high-friction tools like magnetic embroidery hoops ensures that the physics of the hoop match the precision of your digital design. Master the balance between software compensation and mechanical grip, and your lettering will look crisp on everything from silk to shag carpet.