Hi everybody...
I need to pick your brains.. We started offering cad cut vinyl custom designs from our retail store in the UK.. It has been a great success especially with the young ladies who love having there name on a back of a hooded sweatshirt.. Fushia pink AWD hoody with neon pink text seems to be favourite LOL..
Anyway the way we work is you select a hoody off the shop floor fill out a form giving us your choice of font, font colour give us 20 min to an hour to get it done then come back to collect...
But since I like to move forward and come up with new ways of doing things I would love to be able to offer the same service but instead of offering only vinyl how cool would it be to offer your name appliqued onto a hoody in a abercrombie /holister style effect..
So how do I do this? Embroidery machine is a given so that will be an investment in itself but how do I cut the letters for the text?
Outsourcing is not an option as we have to be able to offer an almost while you wait service..
My research so far has uncovered a few choices Laser bridge? yeah, if was rich LOL
Ioline 300/350 cut and sew ... seems like a great option but price seems a little steep when compared to some laser cutters that I have seen especialy those from china..for example ioline 300 $6000+ laser cutter from china $3000 or even $6000 for a USA branded versa laser cutter (looks nice).
Maybe I am over complicating the whole thing, should I just stick with a pair of scissors ..
I expect and hope to be doing upto 10 individual named tops a day using the aplique method but I need one operater to turn a job around within 15 minuites for it to be viable..
Is there alternatives out thereOr is laser the way to go... My head is spinning , but that might just be the wine LOL
Maybe consider starting with reverse applique. This would allow you to get a jump start while you're exploring and learning more about applique.
Using an outline font, you would lay your letters out in your embroidery software.
Choose a fabric to show through the reverse applique.
Hoop this way: 1st laydown your stabilizer (I'd use cut-away), then lay down your applique fabric (1 piece, larger than the entire name you're sewing, then place your sweatshirt on top.
Stitch the lettering. Cut out the sweatshirt material inside the lettering outline to expose the applique fabric. Trim the back.
When you trim the sweatshirt fabric, leave 1/8 to 1/4 inch of fabric next to the stitching. With wovens, the fabric will ravel a little bit....sweatshirts don't usually ravel, but it will still create a distressed look.
15 minutes to setup the design, hoop the garment, sew it and trim it upon completion seems a little tight?
If all you are doing is names with one or two font choices and a limited number of applique material choices, why can't you do a box full of precut letters and pull them as needed?
We use a laser for all of our applique work but not on a while-you-wait basis and doing custom applique names is a bit of a challenge only because you have to setup each individual embroidery design and most customers won't cover the expense.
Your right pre cut letters could be an option, but we currently offer 20 styles to chose from in over 30 colours of vinyl... We could restrict choice but I would hate to do that If the workflow and software work together I am hoping or it can be done....
Your right pre cut letters could be an option, but we currently offer 20 styles to chose from in over 30 colours of vinyl... We could restrict choice but I would hate to do that If the workflow and software work together I am hoping or it can be done....
You may not need to offer as many styles in the pre cut letters as you offer with the vinyl. Pick the 5 top styles and top 5 colors you sell in the vinyl and offer those in pre cut letters. It might be a lot of inventory but it will cost less than buying an embroidery machine. You can sew them on with a basic sewing machine - using a running stitch probably. It's also a lot easier to learn how to operate a sewing machine than it is to operate an embroidery machine.
I use a roland gx-24 to cut applique. A little over 2 grand with software. Very easy to cut lettering out of twill with it, and then embroider a satin outline if you want or just sew a v stitch around the edges. Lasers seal the edges of twill but if you cut them, they need some kind of edging. You can also cut the twill, and then encapsulate the edges with vinyl so no sewing is required. Both are nice looks and done quickly and can give you different colors.
with small scissors (I like to use cuticle scissors because they have a little curve). You don't need to worry about it being a perfect cut, because it's a distressed look.
So I am barking up the right tree, laser is the only way I am going to pull this off correct?
yes if what you have explained is what you want then laser is the way to go........ cut the letters out.... use same guideline to stitch a running stitch on the garment to give you a guideline for placement....then follow it up with a running stitch about 5mm inside the appq to hold it onto the garment...
Applique cutting abercrombie style? 
