In a needle plate, a needle plate hole is configured to include a hole-side cutting side that cuts a cutting target object together with a blade portion, and a relief side that allows a cut portion of the cutting target object to escape. Specifically, the needle plate hole has the hole-side cutting side that shears the cutting target object together with a blade-side cutting side of the blade portion, and the relief side that forms a gap between the blade portion to be inserted and the relief side. In this manner, in the former stage of cutting processing, the cutting target object can be cut by the hole-side cutting side and the blade-side cutting side.

In a needle plate, a needle plate hole is configured to include a hole-side cutting side that cuts a cutting target object together with a blade portion, and a relief side that allows a cut portion of the cutting target object to escape. Specifically, the needle plate hole has the hole-side cutting side that shears the cutting target object together with a blade-side cutting side of the blade portion, and the relief side that forms a gap between the blade portion to be inserted and the relief side. In this manner, in the former stage of cutting processing, the cutting target object can be cut by the hole-side cutting side and the blade-side cutting side.

A method of manufacturing a midsole for an article of footwear includes cutting a pattern of openings at least partway through a midsole with a cutting tool driven by an embroidery machine. An article of footwear includes a midsole defining a pattern of openings extending at least partway through the midsole. An inner surface of the midsole is contoured and the midsole includes upwardly-extending sidewalls. At least some of the openings extend relatively nonparallel with one another through the sidewalls and splay away from one another along longitudinal axes of the openings.

A method of manufacturing a midsole for an article of footwear includes cutting a pattern of openings at least partway through a midsole with a cutting tool driven by an embroidery machine. An article of footwear includes a midsole defining a pattern of openings extending at least partway through the midsole. An inner surface of the midsole is contoured and the midsole includes upwardly-extending sidewalls. At least some of the openings extend relatively nonparallel with one another through the sidewalls and splay away from one another along longitudinal axes of the openings.

A method of manufacturing a midsole for an article of footwear includes cutting a pattern of openings at least partway through a midsole with a cutting tool driven by an embroidery machine. An article of footwear includes a midsole defining a pattern of openings extending at least partway through the midsole. An inner surface of the midsole is contoured and the midsole includes upwardly-extending sidewalls. At least some of the openings extend relatively nonparallel with one another through the sidewalls and splay away from one another along longitudinal axes of the openings.

A sewing machine includes a needle plate, a feed dog configured to move a workpiece, a vertical drive mechanism configured to vertically drive the feed dog, a switch mechanism, a cutting mechanism, and an actuator. The switch mechanism is configured to switch from an active state where the feed dog is driven, by the vertical drive mechanism, above and below an upper surface of the needle plate to an inactive state where an upper surface of the feed dog is maintained below the upper surface of the needle plate. The cutting mechanism includes a blade configured to cut a thread at a position below the needle plate. The actuator is configured to commonly drive the switch mechanism and the cutting mechanism.

A sewing machine includes a needle plate, a feed dog configured to move a workpiece, a vertical drive mechanism configured to vertically drive the feed dog, a switch mechanism, a cutting mechanism, and an actuator. The switch mechanism is configured to switch from an active state where the feed dog is driven, by the vertical drive mechanism, above and below an upper surface of the needle plate to an inactive state where an upper surface of the feed dog is maintained below the upper surface of the needle plate. The cutting mechanism includes a blade configured to cut a thread at a position below the needle plate. The actuator is configured to commonly drive the switch mechanism and the cutting mechanism.

A garment station including a first guide separated from a second guide by a repositionable gap. The garment station further includes a head carrier disposed between the first guide and the second guide. The garment station further includes a first tool head and a second tool head attached to the head carrier and configured to join webs of fabric disposed across the gap. The head carrier is configured to maintain the first tool head and the second tool head aligned in the gap as the gap is repositioned.

A garment station including a first guide separated from a second guide by a repositionable gap. The garment station further includes a head carrier disposed between the first guide and the second guide. The garment station further includes a first tool head and a second tool head attached to the head carrier and configured to join webs of fabric disposed across the gap. The head carrier is configured to maintain the first tool head and the second tool head aligned in the gap as the gap is repositioned.

In a sewing machine, a plurality of needle plate holes are formed in a needle plate. The needle plate holes are arranged at positions respectively corresponding to a plurality of blade-side rotation positions of a cutwork blade. In this manner, the needle plate hole is formed in a shape corresponding to a shape of a blade portion, and a direction of the needle plate hole can match a direction of the blade portion that is arranged above to face the needle plate hole. Specifically, a linear hole-side cutting surface corresponding to a blade-side cutting surface of the blade portion is formed in the needle plate hole, and the blade-side cutting surface and the hole-side cutting surface can be arranged to face each other in a direction orthogonal to both the surfaces in a plan view.