Embroidery has evolved over the centuries, going from handmade to machine-processed. This activity has changed further with automation and digitization. Now you can take a photo and turn it into a complex piece of needlework art.
Image to Embroidery – What is It?
An Advanced Method of Embroidery
Embroidery used to be a skill that select members of society could do well. Results are stunning, but it took a lot of time to get it down. With today’s advancements, though, the whole process can be a lot quicker.
Neither the hobbyist nor the professional, depending on who’s producing the product, will have to worry about wasting resources.
Image to embroidery through digitization is great for both professional and personal use. Experts can yield products faster than if they relied on manual labor. And individuals with a little experience with embroidery can make beautiful pieces for themselves and gifts that others will enjoy.
Ease of Access
To convert images to needlework, you’d need the right software to do it. What’s great about that is you can look up various programs online with a simple search. Many of the available options you find will have their unique features, but they all have the same base service of converting your image to an embroidery file.
What you have to understand is that this type of software does not always yield perfect final results. Although the photo will be converted to a file that a machine can embroider, you may still want to adjust particular factors, depending on the program, manually.
Embroidery Digitizing
Embroidery digitizing is the process of translating a photo, usually a JPEG, into an embroidery file. With some knowledge and skill about this method, you don’t have to be an expert yourself, but can have a basic understanding to communicate well with your provider and get the precise design you want.
One procedure the professionals use is to digitize parts of an image. For example, they might separate the foreground and background elements of the photo. Once that is done, they then work on the details using embroidery digitizing software.
Proper Settings
You must be aware of the type of fabric you’re sewing the design on. Materials can vary in softness and count; getting the settings wrong can lead to undesired results. After you’ve made the proper configurations, you can start marking the stitches in the software.
You can now upload your embroidery digitized file onto a compatible sewing machine. Since you’ve input the proper settings, the hardware should be using the right amount of tension. Your apparatus will read the markings you made to complete the design properly.
Is Embroidery Digitizing Expensive?
For the most part, it shouldn’t be. There are two options for paying for embroidery digitizing: hiring someone to do it or purchasing software. This kind of work used to be expensive because software was new and you’d have to find someone with the skill to do it.
It used to be that only large companies could afford to hire people who produce quality work. They might even employ these experts to provide their skills for the company exclusively. Even if an individual could afford to hire such a professional, it usually took time and had varying quality results.
Due to advances in software speeding up the process and making it easier to complete designs, embroidery digitizing is much cheaper nowadays. The internet also made it possible to hire an experienced digitizer from anywhere and not being completely reliant on finding local talent. Getting a professional to do it can be more convenient than doing it yourself. If you still want to try digitizing on your own, then there are some details you should be aware of.
Obtaining the Right Software
There’s plenty of programs online you can download for free or purchase. The free ones might have more limitations on the digitizing details. They could still be good learning tools on the basics of this method.
Before you download any software, check the PC requirements. Some programs online are only available on certain operating systems and possibly older ones. These applications might not give you much direction on using them, but obtaining enough knowledge can make it easier to communicate your specific requests to professionals.
It can take a lot of time to learn about embroidery digitizing. The software can be confusing at first, though you can become an expert after enough practice. However, understandably, not everyone will have the time or desire to master this skill.
Our professionals here at Affordable Digitizing can bring you quality products efficiently and affordably. We turn logos, graphics, and custom designs you send us into detailed embroidery designs. Contact us today so we can get started on your request.