Embroidery Digitizing Tutorial
In 1903, Dr. Robert Reiner came to the United States and began importing embroidery machines from Plauen, Germany, to northern New Jersey's Hudson County. Switzerland and Germany were the leading embroidery machine manufacturers until World War II, when manufacturing ceased until 1953. As technology advanced, embroidery digitizing machines and software were developed. The two components work hand in hand and produce digitized embroidered patterns.
Things You'll Need
- Sketch paper
- Dark pencil
- Scanner
- Personal computer
- Embroidery digitizing software
- Embroidery digitizing machine
- Embroidery thread
- Lettering software (optional)
- Reader-writer box
- Cable (USB port connection)
- Embroidery digitizing cards
Instructions
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Draft your image on sketch paper. Use a dark pencil. Your image must be clear to scan and upload into your computer's embroidery digitizing software program.
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Scan your image into your digitizing software. Save your free-hand design in a separate file. Open the file in your drawing tool area.
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Define your image in your drawing tool. Use your design editing tool to make any necessary adjustments to your sketch. Keep in mind your hoop attachment and embroidery field's set parameters, which can not be altered. Use your resizing tool to adjust your design's dimensions.
Each digitizing software manufacturer offers different tools within each program. You can opt to use the auto digitizing function, which converts artwork into embroidery. If you are working with a photograph as your image, your software will need photo embroidery conversion capability.
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Apply your stitch filler tool. Select your desired embroidery stitch placement as well your thread colors. If your artwork includes free-hand fonts or letter type, your software will need an embroidery font creation tool. You can also opt to install a lettering software program to your digitizing software, which includes a wide range of built-in fonts as well as a true type font auto feature. By using the on-screen stitching simulation tool, you will be able to view the stitched out design before embroidering. Save your digitized artwork in a separate file.
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Transfer your digitized artwork onto your reader-writer box, which is a separate hardware attachment. The box is connected into your computer's USB port with a compatible cable and then writes the program onto a digitized embroidery card. It is best to write your patterns onto reusable embroidery cards.
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Remove the digitized embroidery card and insert it into your digitizing embroidery machine. Set up your thread colors and stitches according to your machine's specifications and stitch selectors. Most current digitizing machines have LCD touch screens. Once you have hooped and positioned your fabric, your digitizing embroidery machine will embroider your digitized design pattern.
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Tips & Warnings
Download 30-day free trials before purchasing embroidery digitizing software or machine. This will give you the opportunity to work with different manufacturer brands.
Take notes of the features you most often use to help you in making your purchasing decision.
It is very important before purchasing your digitizing machine and software that you are aware of the system requirements needed for your program to run. Product compatibility is extremely important. These programs are expensive and oftentimes can not be returned once purchased.
