Devices and related methods for, among other things, maintaining the warp/weft threads of a backing layer of material (e.g., fabric) in a fixed orientation while being sewed are described and provided.

Various examples are provided related to attachment of bands about a garment opening. In one example, among others, a sleeve band can be attached to a garment by loading the sleeve band on a band guide, aligning an opening of a garment over the sleeve band, and attaching the band to the garment along the edge of the opening. Alignment of the edges of the opening and the sleeve band can be maintained by ply aligners during attachment. In another example, a garment holding system includes a garment holder that can receive a garment and a band positioning system includes a band guide that can receive a band. Edges of the opening of the garment and the band can be controlled and maintained with ply aligners of the band positioning system.

A template clamping apparatus is disclosed for clamping a fabric against a quilt making template. The apparatus includes a base which has an upper surface and a lower surface. A turntable is supported by the base, the turntable defining a working surface which is rotatable relative to the base. An arm is rigidly connected to the base, the arm having a first and a second end. A clamp is connected to the second end of the arm such that when the clamp is disposed in a loading disposition thereof, loading of the fabric between the quilt making template and the turntable is permitted. However, when the clamp is disposed in a clamping disposition thereof, the fabric is clamped between the quilt making template and the turntable. The arrangement is such that relative movement between the quilt making template and the fabric is inhibited while permitting the fabric sandwiched between the turntable and the quilt making template to rotate relative to the base so that cutting of the fabric in conformity with the quilt making template is facilitated.

A template clamping apparatus is disclosed for clamping a fabric against a quilt making template. The apparatus includes a base which has an upper surface and a lower surface. A turntable is supported by the base, the turntable defining a working surface which is rotatable relative to the base. An arm is rigidly connected to the base, the arm having a first and a second end. A clamp is connected to the second end of the arm such that when the clamp is disposed in a loading disposition thereof, loading of the fabric between the quilt making template and the turntable is permitted. However, when the clamp is disposed in a clamping disposition thereof, the fabric is clamped between the quilt making template and the turntable. The arrangement is such that relative movement between the quilt making template and the fabric is inhibited while permitting the fabric sandwiched between the turntable and the quilt making template to rotate relative to the base so that cutting of the fabric in conformity with the quilt making template is facilitated.

A quilting frame unit for supporting a quilt core to be sewn by a quilting machine includes a frame support structure and a frame assembly. The frame support structure is adapted to support a machine carriage assembly that provides for lateral and longitudinal movement of the quilting machine. The frame assembly is affixed to the frame support structure.

An apparatus for feeding plate-shaped functional elements to a sewing or stitching machine comprises a first guide rail which extends in a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end and which has a first delimiting surface and a first guide surface extending transversely with respect to the first delimiting surface, a second guide rail which extends in the longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end and which has a second delimiting surface, facing the first delimiting surface and extending parallel to the first delimiting surface, and a second guide surface extending transversely with respect to the second delimiting surface in the direction of the first guide rail; and a transporting device configured to move a functional element resting on the first and the second guide surface from the first end of the guide rails in the direction of the second end of the guide rails.

An apparatus for feeding plate-shaped functional elements to a sewing or stitching machine comprises a first guide rail which extends in a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end and which has a first delimiting surface and a first guide surface extending transversely with respect to the first delimiting surface, a second guide rail which extends in the longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end and which has a second delimiting surface, facing the first delimiting surface and extending parallel to the first delimiting surface, and a second guide surface extending transversely with respect to the second delimiting surface in the direction of the first guide rail; and a transporting device configured to move a functional element resting on the first and the second guide surface from the first end of the guide rails in the direction of the second end of the guide rails.

A sewing machine includes an embroidery data memory unit, a suspension timing selecting unit, and a suspension control unit. The embroidery data memory unit stores embroidery data, and accepts a planned suspension timing, a sewing suspending instruction, and a sewing resuming instruction. The suspension timing selecting unit selects a discontinuous operation that breaks the continuity of seams within the predetermined range before and after the planned suspension timing from the embroidery data. The suspension control unit maintains the deactivation of a sewing-machine motor until the suspending instruction or the resuming instruction is input when the selected discontinuous operation by the suspension timing selecting unit comes during the sewing of embroidery pattern.

A sewing machine includes an embroidery data memory unit, a suspension timing selecting unit, and a suspension control unit. The embroidery data memory unit stores embroidery data, and accepts a planned suspension timing, a sewing suspending instruction, and a sewing resuming instruction. The suspension timing selecting unit selects a discontinuous operation that breaks the continuity of seams within the predetermined range before and after the planned suspension timing from the embroidery data. The suspension control unit maintains the deactivation of a sewing-machine motor until the suspending instruction or the resuming instruction is input when the selected discontinuous operation by the suspension timing selecting unit comes during the sewing of embroidery pattern.

A method for automatic calibration of a needle position relative to a coordinate system of a sewing machine includes: controlling a X-Y table to move a pallet to bring a sheet under a needle, lowering the needle to penetrate the sheet to form a needle hole and raising the needle, controlling the X-Y table to move the pallet to bring a reference mark and the test hole into an FOV of an image capturing device, obtaining an image of the pallet which contains the reference mark and the needle hole, determining an amount of separation of the needle hole from the reference mark in the image, and calibrating the needle position relative to the coordination system based on the amount of separation thus determined and a reference distance.