Creating Machine Embroidery Designs

Embroidery Designing and Pattern Making

Unfortunately, many people have no idea of the limits of the embroidery machine. It is certainly not a printing or weaving machine. There are limits to the size of the stitches in length and width. Of course, the price is also a consideration. Embroidery is always the addition of art to a finished fabric, but it is not simply the addition of stitching or color. The use of embroidery on virtually any fabric will help make it more beautiful and more saleable.

Embroidery machines not only will be able to stitch almost any yarn but will do so on almost any base cloth, from lightest sheers and knits to lightweight vinyl and leather. The limitations that might arise are the limits of the machine on which the embroidery is to be stitched. Threads can vary as much as the base cloths on which we embroider. Also, ornaments are available such as sequins and stones which can further enhance the design. Dimension can be added by building up certain parts of a design with underlay stitches, flowers can be made to appear three dimensional.

With all of the above factors, much always be taken into account, and that is the eventual cost. Beautiful embroidery does not necessarily have to be expensive, but consider when making your drawings that stitches can be converted into time, which is the main cost factor for embroidery. Never skimp or spread stitches so far apart that they destroy the design. It is better to redesign the product than ruin it with cheapening or reducing the stitches.

People Involved Creating Embroidery Designs

Designer

The designer is the artist who creates the idea. He or she should know the capabilities of embroidery and what it can do to enhance fashion. However, without an understanding of the basic machine language involved, it will not be possible to create beautiful embroidery.

In order to keep up with the latest state of the art, it is essential to keep in touch with the latest developments concerning new materials, yarn, ideas, technology, know-how, and trends. The designer’s sketch is scanned and then translated into a technical drawing.

Enlarger

At the beginning of the embroidery, it was necessary to draw the designer’s ideas six times enlarged to do the very exact punching. The enlarger had to present the puncher with an accurate drawing. A complete drawing set was required for the enlarger. Special tools were necessary to draw circles, subdivide them into equal parts and draw symmetrical curves as part of the design.

In the 1970’s these routines began to change. So much could be done with the use of photocopy machines to change sizes, copy identical parts and reverses.

In 1990’s most of the enlargers started to make technical enlargements of designs on computers. With the advent of the computer, the profession of the enlarger became rare.

Puncher

The puncher determines the start point and end point of the design and the position of each stitch. The puncher bears a big responsibility for the final look and the machine run ability of the embroidered design.

The basic punching knowledge can be studied in embroidery schools, but to become a punching master you have to gain a lot of experience on your own. It is essential for a puncher to not only work with the computer. In order to achieve satisfactory results, it is absolutely necessary that the puncher checks his work directly while running the sample on the embroidery machine. The puncher should be both a patient and the exact person with a feeling for the machine and the design.

Nowadays the puncher mostly makes both, drawing and punching and in addition editing. Various drawing and punching programs are available on the market facilitating the work of a puncher. The bringing together of the puncher’s knowledge about drawing, punching and the capabilities of the machine will produce the end product.