A tufting machine with a needle bar and looper system provides individual loopers which cooperate with needles of the needle bar selectively between an engage and a disengage configuration whereby when in the engage configuration at least some of the loopers hold yarn directed by the needle through the backing as the needle cycles into and out of the backing to form a first loop having a height of a distance of the looper from the backing, but when in the disengage configuration, the looper is spaced from the yarn so that any loop formed is shorter than the first loop.

Disclosed are various systems and features for use with a machine, such as a sewing machine, to facilitate multi-patch multi-view systems that may reduce errors associated with material thickness, object height, perspective. Such systems and features may be useful in the context of performing an action along a self-guided path on a substrate.

A tufting machine with a needle bar and looper system provides individual loopers which cooperate with needles of the needle bar selectively between an engage and a disengage configuration whereby when in the engage configuration at least some of the loopers hold yarn directed by the needle through the backing as the needle cycles into and out of the backing to form a first loop having a height of a distance of the looper from the backing, but when in the disengage configuration, the looper is spaced from the yarn so that any loop formed is shorter than the first loop.

A method of generating an image that shows an embroidery area in an embroidery frame for computerized embroidery includes: acquiring a first image of a calibration board that has multiple feature points forming a contour approximating an embroidery area defined by the embroidery frame; identifying the feature points of the calibration board in the first image to acquire multiple graphical feature points; acquiring a geometric curved surface that fits the graphical feature points and that includes multiple curved surface points; acquiring a second image in which the embroidery area of the embroidery frame is shown; and performing image correction on the second image based on the geometric curved surface to generate a corrected image.

Disclosed are various systems and features for use with a machine, such as a sewing machine, to facilitate multi-patch multi-view systems that may reduce errors associated with material thickness, object height, perspective. Such systems and features may be useful in the context of performing an action along a self-guided path on a substrate.

A method of generating an image that shows an embroidery area in an embroidery frame for computerized embroidery includes: acquiring a first image of a calibration board that has multiple feature points forming a contour approximating an embroidery area defined by the embroidery frame; identifying the feature points of the calibration board in the first image to acquire multiple graphical feature points; acquiring a geometric curved surface that fits the graphical feature points and that includes multiple curved surface points; acquiring a second image in which the embroidery area of the embroidery frame is shown; and performing image correction on the second image based on the geometric curved surface to generate a corrected image.

Disclosed herein is a household type sewing machine that includes a transmitter configured to connect to a local device such as a Wi-Fi device, and an image capture device configured to capture a video of a workpiece being sewn by the household type sewing machine. The transmitter is configured to send the video captured by the image capture device to the local device. Further disclosed is a method that includes capturing, by the image capture device, a video of a workpiece being sewn by the household type sewing machine and sending the video captured by the image capture device to a mobile device. A sewing system is further disclosed.

Disclosed herein is a household type sewing machine that includes a transmitter configured to connect to a local device such as a Wi-Fi device, and an image capture device configured to capture a video of a workpiece being sewn by the household type sewing machine. The transmitter is configured to send the video captured by the image capture device to the local device. Further disclosed is a method that includes capturing, by the image capture device, a video of a workpiece being sewn by the household type sewing machine and sending the video captured by the image capture device to a mobile device. A sewing system is further disclosed.

In at least one implementation, a method for forming openings for a stitched seam in a composite panel having an outer layer, and a substrate behind the outer layer includes providing a laser beam onto the substrate, with the laser beam forming an opening through the substrate but not through the outer layer, and moving at least one of the laser or the substrate relative to the other so that a new opening can be formed that is spaced from the already formed opening. Successive openings can be formed in desired locations around the panel to facilitate subsequent panel stitching. In at least some implementations, the laser may form such openings while stitches are formed in the panel, wherein a stitch is provided in a previous opening while or nearly at the same time the laser forms a different opening for a subsequent stitch.