Reflections After Past National Skills Competitions

Yan Chuanfu

      
I have participated as a judge in the darning competition project of the National Laundry Industry Vocational Skills Competition organized by the China Commercial Federation Laundry Professional Committee. The contestants' works were inspected and judged one by one by me and other judges. The results showed that the top three contestants basically met the quality standards, but there were various shortcomings, and some contestants' works were far from meeting the standards. The technical problems exposed by the contestants can be summarized in one point: generally weak basic skills. I have thought for a long time about how to improve the overall level of the industry. I would like to take a corner of your magazine to briefly share my own experience and insights regarding the technical problems exposed by the contestants, hoping to provide some inspiration and help to the contestants, and also to contribute my part.
The technical problems exposed by contestants over the years roughly fall into the following four aspects: 1. Improper tension control of warp and weft threads after darning; 2. Incorrect needle holding method during darning, commonly resulting in skipped stitches; 3. Inadequate finishing work after darning; 4. Uncertainty about how to iron the darned holes after darning.
To solve the above problems, my approach and experience are as follows:
       
1. The warp and weft threads in darning must not violate objective laws.
To properly control the tension of warp and weft threads in darning, one must follow objective laws, focus on three key steps, and improve operational methods.
1. The embroidery hoop must be properly stretched. Whether the embroidery hoop is stretched tightly or loosely is crucial to the tension after darning. The hoop must be stretched tightly, with the string wrapped 5-6 times in the groove of the hoop. A well-stretched hoop has a hard fabric surface that makes a popping sound when flicked by hand, meeting the hoop stretching requirements. It is necessary to prevent the fabric on the hoop surface from becoming looser during darning, which makes tension control difficult.
2. The hole shape on the hoop surface must not deform. After the hoop is stretched, the hole shape on the hoop surface should be square, with each warp and weft thread vertical, without any twisting or skewing. If any skewing of warp or weft threads is found, adjust the thread path promptly according to different directions, ensuring that from the first thread woven, all threads remain vertical throughout.
3. The tension must not deviate from the original state. Taking cover-hole darning as an example, first observe the thread paths on the left and right sides with verticality as the baseline. The first thread woven is crucial and is called the guide thread. Subsequent threads are woven based on the first thread as the standard, without arbitrary loosening or tightening midway. Whether weaving warp or weft threads, operate according to the above pattern, while also observing the verticality of warp and weft threads during weaving. Any slight skewing must be corrected promptly to prevent uneven tension.
4. Improve operational methods. To effectively control the stubborn problem of uneven warp and weft threads, operational methods must be improved:
(1) For twill fabric structures, change the old method of weaving warp and weft threads one by one to a shell overlay darning method of one skip one, one skip two, or one skip three.
(2) For plain weave fabrics, the shell overlay darning method can be changed to one skip two, two skip two, or one skip three.
(3) For new woolen fabric structures, the shell overlay darning method can be improved to one skip one, one skip two, or one skip three.
The advantages of the shell overlay darning method: it can effectively control the stubborn problem of uneven warp and weft threads, forming a framework that allows tension control at any time, speeds up operation time, and significantly improves darning quality.

2. Choose the right needle and make a good start.
Skipped stitches are a common problem caused by unclear picking and pressing. To avoid skipped stitches, the following points must be observed:
1. Coordination of both hands. Hold the needle with the right hand, press down with the left thumb, and push up with the middle finger, rhythmically picking and pressing each thread.
2. Hold the needle steadily without excessive force. When picking and pressing, the steel needle must not exceed the distance of the thread being picked and pressed, and must closely coordinate with the pressing and pushing of the left hand to ensure complete picking and pressing.
3. Clearly observe the threads to be pressed and picked; no thread to be picked should be missed, and no thread to be pressed should be overlooked. Complete picking and pressing ensures warp and weft threads do not interfere with each other.
4. Make good starts and ends. When making starts and ends, consider both the firmness after darning and minimizing stitch thickness.
For cover-hole darning: stitches can be woven with two visible and two hidden. For thread-picking darning: stitches can be woven with one visible and two hidden. For clothes with missed stitches, avoid overlapping stitches; weave hidden stitches so that each broken thread corresponds to one yarn, aligning each precisely without deviation.

3. Good finishing and fewer defects.
Finishing is the final step after darning. It not only removes fuzz on the hoop surface but also corrects deficiencies during operation and fixes various defects. To do a good job in finishing, observe the "five checks":
1. Check for pattern distortion. If distortion is found, use a large needle to straighten it. If the pattern slants left, straighten it to the right; if it slants right, straighten it to the left until all threads are aligned.
2. Check for skipped stitches on the front and back. If skipped stitches are found, use a large needle to break them off, then trim all with scissors until clean.
3. Check the tension on the left and right sides. After darning, it is common for the edges to be loose and the hole center tight. If this occurs, use a large needle to even out the tension from the hole center to both sides.
4. Check the stitch overlaps. If double stitches or overlapping stitches are found, use a large needle on the reverse side to pull out 1-2 stitches from the edge of the hole to reduce overlapping and double stitch marks.
5. Check the unevenness. Unevenness is generally caused by the warp threads (horizontal threads) being too loose. If this situation is found, use pliers to gently straighten each warp thread (horizontal thread) on both sides to solve the unevenness.
Repairs should be done without cutting off the fuzz, and it is advisable to spray a little water before repairing.

IV. Methods, steps, and requirements for ironing patch repairs
There is a saying in the industry: "70% patching, 30% ironing." Good ironing of patch repairs can enhance the appearance and compensate for shortcomings during patching, concealing flaws. Ironing patch repairs not only removes ring marks on the fabric but also reduces the traces of patch repairs after ironing.
(1) Standards for ironing patch repairs: smooth, firm, crisp, dry, and no glare.
(2) Ironing patch repairs must achieve the "five combinations":
1. Combine ironing on the front and back sides;
2. Combine light ironing and floating ironing;
3. Combine steaming ironing and rubbing ironing;
4. Combine spray ironing and placing a damp cloth;
5. Combine ironing with a board and ironing with a blanket.

VI. Seven key elements of ironing patch repairs
1. Ironing temperature. Ironing patch repairs differs from ironing clothes; it is a small area, and the temperature should not be too high, generally controlled between 80 and 100°C.
2. Ironing moisture. When ironing, spray a little water on the damaged area before ironing.
3. Ironing method. Iron the reverse side around the patch stitches mainly until the moisture is dried. For fine weaving, iron the reverse side in the direction of the weave to prevent loosening of stitches.
4. Iron usage. Use the tip one-third of the iron when ironing; do not press the entire iron on the fabric.
5. Synthetic fabrics. When ironing patch repairs on synthetic fabrics, cover with a damp cloth; do not iron directly with the iron.
6. Precautions. Dark fabrics must never be ironed directly with the iron to avoid glare.
7. Ironing tools. The best boards for ironing patch repairs are rosewood, willow, or hardwood. Using these wooden boards results in smooth, clean, and less marked patch repairs after ironing.

(Author's affiliation: Deputy Secretary-General of Shanghai Laundry and Dyeing Industry Association)