As with any industry, there can be a wide range of skill levels and common mistakes that can be found. The world of embroidery digitizing is no different. Here are 18 mistakes that you’ll want to avoid to become a world-class embroidery digitizer.
1. Following the wrong stitch direction
This is one of the biggest mistakes an embroidery digitizer can make as it has such a big impact on the overall quality. Going in the wrong direction is likely to negatively affect the stitch angle and the overall look of the final product. Careful consideration is needed to avoid such a mistake.
2. Not using the right style
Many parts of embroidery digitizing get easier the more experience you have. Choosing the right style every time is an example. Knowing what type of underlay should be used for your stitch type is an aspect that should be deeply considered.
3. Not using underlay
Using the right underlay is vital to embroidery digitizing and using none at all could cause a potential disaster. This can distort the design, especially when using multiple fabric types. Take time to consider the right underlay for you otherwise you could make your life very difficult.
4. Exceeding the stitch limit
As an embroidery digitizer, it’s important to work within the limits to ensure the high quality of the work. Trying to get your machine to do more than it’s capable of will lead to poor results. It’s important to remember your stitch limits and stick with it. Your client might have budgeted on a certain stitchcount so if you present them with a design that is double of what they expected means their costing will be way out and hence eat into their profits.
5. No forward planning
Planning is vital to all areas of design and embroidery digitizing is no different. Without it, you could end up making mistakes and end up with a poor design. A detailed planning session is required before you get started. A great embroidery digitizer will be meticulous about their work.
6. Not considering the digitizing aspects
A failure to consider digitizing aspects can be seen all around us. This often happens when push and pull compensation takes place. This will be caused by a flat frame being different from the curved substrate. Not acknowledging the difference can be a big mistake.
7. Lack of pathing
Setting the correct path is vital for embroidery digitizing. It’s important to position yourself correctly to match your design to what you see on the screen. This will prevent the machine from jumping and causing too many trims in the final product.
8. Overlooking the bobbin
The thread tension needs to be checked whenever you change the bobbin. It’s a part of embroidery digitizing that needs to become a habit. Once it is, it will allow you to complete the work to a higher standard and more efficiently. Falling into bad habits can seriously affect the work of an embroidery digitizer.
9. Not knowing the minimum height of text for different fabrics
When it comes to text, mistakes are blatantly obvious in the world of embroidery digitizing. If you go too small then it can lead to writing that is impossible to read or no spacing. This is avoided by knowing that the minimum text height is for each fabric that you use.
10. Not sewing from the center
This is going to be vital when working with hats. It’s important to know the requirements of each material and product you are working with. This is vital to get the right amount of push in each direction for a great finish.
11. Using the wrong design application
You can always fall into bad habits with embroidery digitizing and using the wrong design application is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. It will make your life a lot harder and cause a lot more issues along the way. Make time to know exactly what applications suit your different tasks.
12. Poor compensation
It’s always important to know how to perfectly fit your design. Using the wrong dimensions could mean ending up with a poor quality product. You will also have issues such as the underlay sticking out or having a poor fit in general.
13. Incorrect density
Using the wrong density can destroy a design. It could end up with you having a product that is either too thin or too thick. Both can be big issues that can affect the quality of the finished product. Having the wrong density can be a huge mistake.
14. The wrong stitch width
Using the wrong stitch width can leave you with a finished product that looks unprofessional with looping stitches and excess trims. There can also be a difference in the density of the stitching to cause further issues to leave you with a very poor finished product.
15. The wrong stitch length
Using the wrong stitch lengths can have a huge impact on the overall quality of the design. It can cause underlay to stick out and other key problems, especially with lettering. The problem is also made worse with small lettering and using the right stitch length is vital to get a professional finish.
16. Using the wrong fill type
Embroidery digitizers need to know how to use the right fill type and many can get it wrong. To avoid this mistake you need to have a clear understanding of what type of fills are going to be available. Once you know this, you’ll be able to choose the right fill every time without making any mistakes.
17. Not locking the stitches
Lock stitching isn’t always required and it can lead some to become lazy and try and leave it out in the places where it should be used. This is especially important on thicker materials and it’s important to use it when required.
18. Lack of creativity by not using the correct stitch type
Being a great embroidery digitizer involves using your creativity to come up with the best possible design. Issues can be caused, however, if you are not using the correct stitch type as this will have a big impact on how creative you can be.
