The Design process

There are two parts to designing an embroidered image.

• Developing a graphical image of what you want embroidered on the computer
• Setting out the stitches that the embroidery machine will lay down on the final product - embroiderers call this digitising or punching the design.

Developing the initial computer graphic can be as easy as importing an existing graphic file (jpeg, bmp, gif) or creating one by scanning an image from a letterhead, business card or other hard copy material. On the other hand, we have developed unique images for clients who had either a definite concept of a design but no graphics or little idea of what they wanted until they talked to us.

Digitising the design

Digitising is the art of placing stitches on a design. Some embroiderers liken it to "painting with thread". . Utilising the way that different types of stitches will reflect light can achieve very striking results when a design is stitched out. This requires a combination of skill and experience as every traditional hand-embroiderer will tell you. These days digitising is carried out on a computer allowing us to quickly try different effects without hours of work but years of experience with traditional hand-embroidery also play a part in our digitising skill.

Digitising is not automatic. The computer does not just grab the image and turn it into an embroidered object. Many customers are surprised when we explain that it is not just a matter of "scanning" a picture into the embroidery machine. How the stiches are laid out requires a good deal of knowledge of both the digitising software and the embroidery machines being used and how these work with different textiles and stitches.

Adding individual names to a design

This is a useful technique whereby a design can be stored in the computer along with a number of "team" member names. The technique was primarily developed so that clubs could provide each member of a team with an individually named shirt along with the club crest (less confusion in the locker room) but it also has been useful in addding individual boat names to a sailing club logo. There are probably many other uses that we have yet to come across. Adding further names is easy once the file is set up, so the customer has no additional design costs when a different name is added to the image.