How to Get Best Results From Embroidery Digitizing Work

Every time you notice a school boy wearing a school uniform embroidered with the school logo emblem or your favorite players wearing their team jerseys embellished with the team’s logo, did you wonder how they are done? Well, the answer lies in machine embroidery digitizing, which is the latest technology to achieve the highest quality of embroidery.

Embroidery digitizing is the process of conversion of an artwork like logo, symbol or team emblem into a stitch file that an embroidery machine can read. The process involves several designing options in which a small mistake can ruin the entire design. An experienced digitizer who has an artistic talent, aesthetic sense and in-depth knowledge of an embroidery digitizing software knows all the tidbits related to how to get the best quality output with digitizing work.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to ensure the finest embroidery digitizing work:

Analyzing the Original Artwork

Examine the artwork in detail and check if it can be embroidered or needs any editing work. After all, every artwork may not work well for embroidery as it does for print media. Often, experienced digitizers have to edit the original artwork like resizing the logo, enlarging small texts or eliminating outlines from an image with the aim to deliver the highest quality digitized embroidery.

Creating an Outline file for sequencing

Once the artwork has been analyzed and modified digitally, a correct mapping or outline for the sequence of sewing of the design is digitally traced to produce a stitch file.

Determining Path of the Needle

Next, the digitizer has to set the ‘pathing’ of the needle that will be followed by the machine to digitize for embroidery. The ‘pathing’ that the digitizer fixes gives instruction to the embroidery machine about the sequence of stitches from start to finish. This is an important step as it can affect the embroidered design. If it’s not embroidered in the proper sequence, the design may have gaps of fabric or stitching errors.

Selecting Stitch Type for Digitizing and Compensate for Push & Pull of Embroidery

Each section of the design is assigned different stitch types based on the stitches that will best represent the work. Start with underlay stitches since it locks the fabric to the backing in order to give a smooth surface to the embroidered artwork and help create a well-designed logo.

‘Push and pull’ also involves an important part of embroidery digitizing. Often, design gets moved while embroidering and the stitches get shifted causing deformations in the design. Hence, the digitizer has to make adjustments to compensate for the push and pull factors.

Checking the Final Sew-Out

Now, it’s time to check the final output of the embroidered design. Although a well-planned digitized embroidery work with fine details may require some set-up time, the final sew-out is sure to enhance the look of your artwork and help you deliver the highest quality embroidery digitizing work to your clients.

Following this step-by-step guide will help you to create great digitized embroidery. If you are doing it for the first time, it’s advisable to start with a simple design. As you get experienced about how to digitize embroidery, you can take it a notch higher and opt for more complex designs.