Embroidery Questions!!! which way to go, embroidery or screen printing?
Hey Everyone,
I'm very new to this business, so i'm sorry if these questions seem a bit juvenile. I'm trying to find the best way to go...embroidery or screen printing. I know with screen printing you have to have some sort of vector file (??). Is this the same way with embroidery?? If so...what [lower cost]programs, if any, create vector files besides Adobe Illustrator & Micromedia Freehand? Please help!!!
You can also create vector files with corel draw. There is also a free program called inkscape, although I have not really used inkscape. I myself use both illustrator and corel draw, mostly corel draw.
I am not sure exactly which type of file an embroidery person requires but I do know that they have to digitize the file once they recieve it, and there is usually a cost involved with the digitizing, I dont think a very big charge, but a charge all the same
with screen printing you will have set up fees, for doing artwork seperation (seperating the colors for each screen) and then also for burning the screens, which would be screen charges.
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Always do right; this will gratify some people and astonish the rest. ~~~Mark Twain BobbieLee
For embroidery:
1. Find the highest quality artwork possible (I personally prefer Adobe Illustrator) The higher quality the art, the better quality digitized file.
2. Find an experienced digitizer. When it comes to digitizing a logo for embroidery, every digitizer has their own style and method; certain ones work best in certain situations, and only experience can tell you that.
3. Dont skimp on the stitiches! Although cost is always an issue, you should NOT try to save money by skimping on the logo, since that should be the centerpiece of the order. Generally speaking, the more stitches the better the look, although there is such a thing as "too many stitches".
4. Know that not all logos work for embriodery, some designs just cant make the cut, and that is from my personal experience.
5. And lastly, dont forget to tell your digitizer any specifics you can give him (what type of merchandise the logo is going on, desired dimensions, even target stitch count) If your guy knows his stuff, he will appreciate it; plus this will save you tape edits down the line.
Re: Embroidery Questions!!! which way to go, embroidery or screen printing?
Screen printing is a business that you grow, as you have to buy screens, different ink colors and takes years to master.
Embroidery I'm not saying is easier but the machines know what to do based on the tape given it. I think Corel now has a software that digitizes. I wish you the best of luck in your new adventure.
John
Thanks! I'm sorry these questions are probably common sense, but when it comes to anything technological, I am usually not the first to understand! lol The image you want embroidered, do you draw it, scan it on the computer & then print it when it's been "vectorized"? Or do you create the image on the program all together? What kind of material do you print it out on? Again, sorry about all the questions!
Re: Embroidery Questions!!! which way to go, embroidery or screen printing?
Mommy, first there's no such thing a a dumb question, if you you don't know ask! Logo's and vector art can be digitized. I'm not sure about bitmaps as I don't do it. Maybe someone else can chime in. We were all new to some business at one time or another so feel free to ask away...
John
Re: Embroidery Questions!!! which way to go, embroidery or screen printing?
Digitizing can be costly depending on the size and number of stitches in the design. You have to remember that when quoting a design to your customer. I use two different companies to supply my custom transfers. I use their design books and make them my own or use clip art and microsoft word for fonts. I have never had to use corel or vector. It's all jpegs and word for me.
Re: Embroidery Questions!!! which way to go, embroidery or screen printing?
You can purchase "Stock" designs that are already digitized to sew out in most formats.They do well but sometimes you have to tweak the stitching order depending what you are embroidering on.No matter which machine you go with make sure they offer training and take it. Hit a trade show and see some machines at work and get to know some suppliers.
Re: Embroidery Questions!!! which way to go, embroidery or screen printing?
Dakota collectibles has a 5000 design pack that we use,Great notions is another,these are two good ones. There are many more that offer stock designs.You can buy complete packs or single designs.Try to get bundled packs.They are more cost effective,single designs can really add up,but sometimes you have get them that way as they may not be in your packs. Make sure when you buy a single design you build that into the price.
Re: Embroidery Questions!!! which way to go, embroidery or screen printing?
My favrteplaces to purchase stock designs:
Embroidery Library.com, Embroidery Designs.co, Dakota, Balboa Threads. ALL offer well digitized designs & have great customer service. Hope this helps! Lollie
Re: Embroidery Questions!!! which way to go, embroidery or screen printing?
Hi. When I researched embroidery some time back, I found that digitizing software for embroidery is readily available. Some programs like WinDaisy are low cost shareware.
Although in a totally different environment, I currently use digitizing software myself to convert images to thread colours. It still has to be 'manually tweaked', but achieves in minutes what would take days otherwise.
Perhaps someone can elaborate on why folks don't do the embroidery digitizing themselves, if software 'appears' to be available?
Re: Embroidery Questions!!! which way to go, embroidery or screen printing?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DREAMGLASS
Hi. When I researched embroidery some time back..... Although in a totally different environment, I currently use digitizing software myself to convert images to thread colours. It still has to be 'manually tweaked', but achieves in minutes what would take days otherwise.
Hi Will,
Do you do this conversion for emb? If not, what would you convert images to thread color for? Thanks.
Thanks for the tip on low cost share ware.
Quote:
Perhaps someone can elaborate on why folks don't do the embroidery digitizing themselves, if software 'appears' to be available?
I've read it is time consuming to learn and the software can be expensive, but that's only what I've read in the past on the forum.
Re: Embroidery Questions!!! which way to go, embroidery or screen printing?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lollie Conn
My favrteplaces to purchase stock designs:
Embroidery Library.com, Embroidery Designs.co, Dakota, Balboa Threads. ALL offer well digitized designs & have great customer service. Hope this helps! Lollie
Thank you for the sites! So the stock designs from them are already digitized?
This is a discussion about Embroidery Questions!!! which way to go, embroidery or screen printing? that was posted in the Embroidery section of the forums.
Embroidery Questions!!! which way to go, embroidery or screen printing? 
lol The image you want embroidered, do you draw it, scan it on the computer & then print it when it's been "vectorized"? Or do you create the image on the program all together? What kind of material do you print it out on? 
Re: Embroidery Questions!!! which way to go, embroidery or screen printing? 
