The sewing machine includes a projector and a controller. The controller determines a sewing area inside an embroidery hoop such that the sewing area is greater than a projection area where the projector projects a projection image. The controller determines an embroidery pattern and a position of the embroidery pattern located relative to the sewing area. The controller determines, in the sewing area, a target area corresponding to the projection area. The controller generates projection image data representing a part or a whole, which falls in the target area, of the embroidery patter relative to the sewing area, and controls the projector to project a projection image based on the projection image data after moving the embroidery hoop.

Software converts a photographic image into realistic and customized embroidery. Software reads photographic image, down-sampling or up-sampling so that a single pixel has a Density, One Grayscale image is created to calculate derivatives for each pixel using Sobel operator to calculate angle and magnitude and stores in a Sobel table. One Color Image is created to materialize and reduce color selection. A series of polylines are calculated to connect same-color pixels using the pixel's angle from the Sobel table. Polylines are reduced to a manageable size first by multiplying all points by Density resulting in stitch data in physical units, and by using a series of rules and formulas involving angles and magnitudes of each pixel from the Sobel table, Commands are appended to an embroidery machine to generate the final embroidery.

Software converts a photographic image into realistic and customized embroidery. Software reads photographic image, down-sampling or up-sampling so that a single pixel has a Density, One Grayscale image is created to calculate derivatives for each pixel using Sobel operator to calculate angle and magnitude and stores in a Sobel table. One Color Image is created to materialize and reduce color selection. A series of polylines are calculated to connect same-color pixels using the pixel's angle from the Sobel table. Polylines are reduced to a manageable size first by multiplying all points by Density resulting in stitch data in physical units, and by using a series of rules and formulas involving angles and magnitudes of each pixel from the Sobel table, Commands are appended to an embroidery machine to generate the final embroidery.

A sewing data generating unit acquires embroidery frame information and a mark alignment region displayed on a display unit for guiding multiple marks that define an embroidery region of the embroidery frame. When the marks are all positioned within the mark alignment region displayed on the display unit, the sewing data generating apparatus acquires an image of the embroidery frame and a sewing target mounted on a base cloth mounted on the embroidery frame. The sewing data generating apparatus performs image analysis based on a correspondence between the acquired information with respect to the embroidery frame and the marks in the acquired image, so as to determine the embroidery region of the embroidery frame. The sewing data generating apparatus generates outline data for the sewing target based on the determined embroidery region. This allows an applique to be sewn at an accurate position without a need to prepare dedicated data.

In a method for controlling sewing operation of a sewing machine, a stitch needle completes an in-and-out movement on a fabric with a first tension applied to an upper thread when the stitch needle, with respect to a fabric-feeding mechanism, is at a first relative position corresponding to a first pattern part of a predetermined stitch pattern. Afterward, the stitch needle is moved, with respect to the fabric-feeding mechanism, to a second relative position corresponding to a second pattern part of the predetermined stitch pattern, and completes an in-and-out movement on the fabric at the second relative position with a second tension, which is greater than the first tension, applied to the upper thread.

A liquid discharge apparatus is to be coupled to a post-processing apparatus to perform post-processing using a linear medium such that the post-processing apparatus is disposed downstream from the liquid discharge apparatus in a conveyance direction of the linear medium. The liquid discharge apparatus includes a discharge head, a conveyance mechanism, a head driver, and control circuitry. The discharge head includes a nozzle to discharge droplets onto the linear medium to dye the linear medium. The conveyance mechanism conveys the linear medium in conjunction with the post-processing apparatus. The head driver drives the discharge head in conjunction with conveyance of the linear medium. The control circuitry controls the head driver and determines whether to execute maintenance of the discharge head based on a time required for the post-processing for each dyeing job.

A liquid discharge apparatus is to be coupled to a post-processing apparatus to perform post-processing using a linear medium such that the post-processing apparatus is disposed downstream from the liquid discharge apparatus in a conveyance direction of the linear medium. The liquid discharge apparatus includes a discharge head, a conveyance mechanism, a head driver, and control circuitry. The discharge head includes a nozzle to discharge droplets onto the linear medium to dye the linear medium. The conveyance mechanism conveys the linear medium in conjunction with the post-processing apparatus. The head driver drives the discharge head in conjunction with conveyance of the linear medium. The control circuitry controls the head driver and determines whether to execute maintenance of the discharge head based on a time required for the post-processing for each dyeing job.

Provided is a method for preparing sewing guide patterns suitable for constructing groups of patchwork components used in quilting. A rectangular sewing guide outer perimeter exactly includes either two or four congruent instances of rectangular, right-angle triangle or isosceles triangle patchwork components. A nested series of additional sewing guide elements are placed inside the rectangle where the points of each element are placed at the midpoints of the sides of the previous element. The number of elements is selected in consideration of aesthetic objectives. Final sewing guide patterns are prepared by adding a space equal to two times a seam allowance between each of the shared sides of the contiguous instances of the patchwork components in the rectangle and added elements. The pattern is suitable for assembling a plurality of patchwork components by methods known in the art as foundation piecing. The components are released by cutting between the added spaces.

Provided is a method for preparing sewing guide patterns suitable for constructing groups of patchwork components used in quilting. A rectangular sewing guide outer perimeter exactly includes either two or four congruent instances of rectangular, right-angle triangle or isosceles triangle patchwork components. A nested series of additional sewing guide elements are placed inside the rectangle where the points of each element are placed at the midpoints of the sides of the previous element. The number of elements is selected in consideration of aesthetic objectives. Final sewing guide patterns are prepared by adding a space equal to two times a seam allowance between each of the shared sides of the contiguous instances of the patchwork components in the rectangle and added elements. The pattern is suitable for assembling a plurality of patchwork components by methods known in the art as foundation piecing. The components are released by cutting between the added spaces.

Computerized methods of creating embroidery including capturing embroidery instructions, receiving instructions at an embroidery engine, creating planned patterns of stitches, and outputting instructions for stitching, including instructions for printing colors onto a thread before stitching. Color may be printed in a gradient or gradually faded, for example, from a start color to an end color, or from a start color to an intermediate color and from the intermediate color to an end color. Color may be gradually faded from a start location to an end location or from a start location to an intermediate location and from the intermediate location to an end location. Varying shades of colors may be printed, patterns may be repeated, outlines, segments, and vectors may be used, and intermediate stitch color may be determined based on number of stitches or vector length. Some embodiments allow a user to change embroidery instructions while reapplying unchanged instructions.