Erich Campbell - Digitizing Guru

Ghost In The Embroidery Machine – Erich Campbell

Get the best out of your digitizing machine with tips from Erich Campbell - exclusive to Mr X Stitch!

We’ve some fantastic columns on Mr X Stitch and we wanted to celebrate the authors who share their love of needlecraft with you. This time it’s our Digitizing Guru, Erich Campbell!

Erich Campbell - Digitizing Guru

Name

Erich Campbell

Location

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Specialism

Digitizing and Design for Machine Embroidery – Difficult designs and efficient production methods are my specialty. I try not to use stitches I don’t mean to, but I always use the ones I need.  Other than that, I write *a great deal* for the industry in Stitches Magazine, Printwear Magazine, and belong to several trade boards and groups and occasionally appear on podcasts. Google me- the ‘h’ on Erich is a blessing for SEO.

Erich Campbell - Regulators - Digitised Embroidery

Favourite Colour

Sincerely, it’s Madeira Rayon 1070 – Vegas Gold – Looks great on dark ground materials, just killer.

Favourite Film

Probably Fifth Element- I shudder to admit it, though. I’m sure I should either like something entirely more artsy/obscure or geeky, but if Fifth Element is on, I’m probably watching it.

Favourite Band

Another tough one – my music tastes change wildly with mood- One day I’ll be listening to Neal Hellman on Mountain Dulcimer ( which I also play) another day fairly hardcore rap, another day grunge from my high-school years, and the next I’ll be on to something electronic (like Dysphemic & Miss Eliza). Soundgarden was my go-to in my formative years, so how about that?

Erich Campbell - Ars Longa Vita Brevis - Machine Embroidery

Favourite Book

The Elder or Poetic Edda is a big one for me. I was once a Medievalist in training and my love of early Medieval Scandinavia/Iceland will never die.

Tell us a joke

How about a meme?

Gollum Threading A Needle

 

I’m a large fellow with big hands, and this is sometimes the way I feel when I’m having a bad day threading a multi-head machine. (12 heads x 15 needles, people- do that before your morning coffee some time.)

A little piece of wisdom if you please

Speaking of the Poetic Edda:

The witless man | is awake all night,
Thinking of many things;
Care-worn he is | when the morning comes,
And his woe is just as it was

Havamal, Stanza 23

Erich Campbell - Ohm

 

Thanks Erich! Ghost in the Embroidery Machine is on the second Sunday of each month, and is packed with tips and wisdom for those of you that want to master machine embroidery. Here’s three posts you ought to check out!

Animation of A Sewing Machine Stitch Cycle
The Only Stitch You’ll Need

 

Satin Stitch - Pull Distortion - Thinning Columns
Distortion in Digitizing

 

Drag Boat design showing manual blending
Density is our Destiny
Share The Love

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