How to "digitize" my logo for embroidery?

[MCSN]

point of contention, they said there's probably a way to do it yourself but they didn't know how. if you wish to use their service pay the fee. or do like others say and learn embroidery and get the machines and do it all yourself.

just because there might be a way around the
$50 fee, or that you might be able to rasterize it, you will likely have to find someone else to do it, if it is not compatible with their software or hardware.

 

[alextarun]

Learing curve is huge for embroidery digitizing. Mastering the nitty-gritties of digitizing eats up more of your time. Instead try for a local digitizer who could get you the job done for less than $50.

 

[mnance777]

A little info from an artist who has worked with embroidery digitizers/embroiderers for around 10 years:

When a logo or artwork is "digitized" for embroidery, it is setup by someone who knows how to get the stitches to "plot" correctly and most efficiently by the 'sewing machine.' It's not just changing it from one file format to another. An embroidery program is used to digitally plan out pretty darn accurately how the thread will go onto the item. As in, all the stitches, thread changes, thread trims, etc. will be set up and previewed prior to the information being sent to the machine(s).

There are different stitch types, stitch densities and lengths, and stitch directions used for different purposes that go into making artwork look and embroider best (not pucker, pull, draw up, etc.). The item material type, surface shape, and all sorts of things are taken into account.

The digitizing process only relates to the file format you provide in that they have to import your file into their embroidery software to start their work on it. Some embroidery software programs auto-digitize...to a degree at least; and most of those still require a knowledgeable person to tweak the trims, stitch types, thread changes, etc. Pretty much unless you are an embroidery digitizer, there's little to no chance that you have or will have access to the software to set up your own embroidery file that will be usable by the pro equipment most shops use. Thus, you provide whatever file format they can work with and they digitize it for you.

You can get artwork digitized by many different companies/sources, possibly for cheaper than Lidz $50 fee. Some digitizers work independently; some work for embroidery shops. In my experience, you're better off letting the company who will be embroidering your goods do the digitizing. They know what particulars will work best with their equipment. If your separate digitizer provides a file they have to re-work, they may charge you the fee anyway.

Thank you for a great explanation.

 

[Bigpapad]

You're right on one count. The file is already "digitized" when you give them the GIF or JPG. What they should really say is that the file needs to be rasterized.

rasterize
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: to convert an image into points on a grid, to convert an image into bitmap format​

The GIF or JPG needs to be converted from a image made from pixels to an image made from thread. That must be an interesting process. I'd like to see the software and hardware needed to make it happen. In my mind a $50 set up fee sounds more than reasonable.

Or, you can always learn how to embroider.

Most good software to digitize cost around 8000 to start and go up from there so 50 is not alot to ask for a job that most people do not have the ability to do. If you want cheap it will look cheap. Spend the 50 and get quality work.

 

[DevNull0]

You're right on one count. The file is already "digitized" when you give them the GIF or JPG. What they should really say is that the file needs to be rasterized.

rasterize
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: to convert an image into points on a grid, to convert an image into bitmap format​

The GIF or JPG needs to be converted from a image made from pixels to an image made from thread. That must be an interesting process. I'd like to see the software and hardware needed to make it happen. In my mind a $50 set up fee sounds more than reasonable.

Or, you can always learn how to embroider.

Wow. Just...wow.

You'd think someone as condescending as you would at least have some basic inkling of an idea of what they're talking about. You clearly don't.

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raster_graphics
Image storage
Most computer images are stored in raster graphics formats or compressed variations, including GIF, JPEG, and PNG, which are popular on the World Wide Web.

GIF and JPEG are raster file formats. I'm not sure why you are bringing up rasters since it is totally irrelevant to what the OP is talking about. I guess you just enjoy being a condescending piece of work but you're just not smart enough for the task.

The format needed by the embroidery machine is most likely *not* a raster but a set of needle and thread paths like a plotter. More like the file you send to a 3D printer from your slicer as opposed to the 3D Cad file you make and import into the slicer.

[doublepost=1489278470][/doublepost]

The file needs to be in vector form. So you either need to start with vector art or trace your bitmapped art to convert it to vector.

You know....vector is basically the opposite of raster. So you're saying that first it needs to be rasterized, then converted to vector.

 

[Bosh81]

Just open the .jpeg in AI (Illustrator) and select "Convert to outlines" and voila, you have a digitized vector ready for print. If the company you are dealing with does not accept this format then find a new company. The file format listed above (vector) is the industry standard for print on clothing (hats, t-shirts, uniforms etc.). I have dealt with numerous vendors/print companies that do clothing over the years and vectors have always been accepted and in fact recommended by them. I have never had a problem with a job using a vector file format.

Converting to outlines won't help with embroidery. Also, taking a jpeg and selecting "convert to outlines" won't change the jpeg at all - it will do nothing. Converting to outlines is, for instance, for taking live fonts and changing them to a static shape. You can, however, select a jpeg and convert it to a (very crude) vector with the live paint tool and expand tool, but again, that has nothing to do with embroidery. It's just changing a jpeg to a vector file.

"Digitizing" for embroidery is simply taking an vector image and converting it to a format that plots out thread paths and densities, as someone else said above. You can't do that with illustrator. The people you deal with probably accept the vector file and do the digitizing on their own software.

 

[iamgalactic]

 

[Teri Young]

Re: Digitized File

I just got my bowling logo digitized to a dst file I've tried looking for free programs but you would need to understand the digitizing process so I just got mine done for $10 the work was good and got my design back the next day it was through Embroidery Designs Shop you can do a google search to find them.

[doublepost=1503009136][/doublepost]Which digitizing program did you find for $10?

 

[patseguin]

He sent it to someone to digitize it for $10. Probably crappy work from India or China. I use Wilcom Embroidery Studio for my digitizing. I've been doing it for 25+ years.

 

[patseguin]

If there is any interest, I'll put together a YouTube video of me digitizing something. It's very similar to working with Illustrator or even a 3D program like Sketchup. You do need to have a good understanding of embroidery though.

 

[Apple Bite]

any Graphic designer can do that. is a format. you need to know what brand and machine model is used for the embroidery. with a PC and the correct software you export the format and let them have it. If they can't work with your logo you need to pay that amount requested. it worth the try.

 

[jerwin]

He sent it to someone to digitize it for $10. Probably crappy work from India or China. I use Wilcom Embroidery Studio for my digitizing. I've been doing it for 25+ years.

Yikes. Those prices!

No wonder the digitization fees are steep.

 

[patseguin]

any Graphic designer can do that. is a format. you need to know what brand and machine model is used for the embroidery. with a PC and the correct software you export the format and let them have it. If they can't work with your logo you need to pay that amount requested. it worth the try.

You're wrong on every count. Just because you can do graphic design doesn't mean you can digitize for embroidery. What tatami spacing do you need for sewing well on pique fabrics? What is a good pull compensation value for fleece? Do you know how to do center for caps? The list goes on.

Also, for a digitizer, the machine brand and model have no bearing at all for digitizing. Most good digitizers will want to know what you are sewing on i.e. caps, pique, cotton, twill, etc.
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Yikes. Those prices!

No wonder the digitization fees are steep.

View attachment 714230

Yep digitizing software is very industry specific, thus the cost. I paid in the neighborhood of $20,000 for my software back when I first started. The prices have actually come down.

 

[hotsauce]

You're right on one count. The file is already "digitized" when you give them the GIF or JPG. What they should really say is that the file needs to be rasterized.

rasterize
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: to convert an image into points on a grid, to convert an image into bitmap format​

The GIF or JPG needs to be converted from a image made from pixels to an image made from thread. That must be an interesting process. I'd like to see the software and hardware needed to make it happen. In my mind a $50 set up fee sounds more than reasonable.

Or, you can always learn how to embroider.

I’m pretty sure you have that backwards. Most embroidery machines require a vector file not a raster. All GIF and jpeg files are raster.

 

[patseguin]

I’m pretty sure you have that backwards. Most embroidery machines require a vector file not a raster. All GIF and jpeg files are raster.

Embroidery machines only accept digitized embroidery files like Tajima .DST, Barudan .UXX, etc.\

For digitizing, virtually any image file is usuable for a good digitizer. I've been doing it for 25+ years and I've used crappy GIF's and even hand drawn images. In this day and age, most of my customers provide a PDF, EPS, AI file. I'll size it to what I need and export a 600dpi BMP and it's perfect to work from! I still want to record a demo of me digitizing for you guys.

 

[deanambro101]

Not sure what these people at Lids are talking about. I want to get a logo I made on Photoshop onto a blank hat, basically. They told me I need to "digitize" the logo. Naturally, it is already digitized, just not the right format they need.

They said something about DMT or EMF... I prob have those completely backwards and wrong but they told me what format I needed. The only thing I know is that it is not a natural format in Photoshop.

Lids has some pretty standard software that runs on Windows and I'm not sure what they use but if I did I could probably get somewhere. I was in the store today and didn't think to ask them to click on File >> Open to see what kind of files that the program would accept. I am sure they knew what they were talking about when they said "DMT or EMF" (again, I haven't the slightest recollection of what they actually said) but it still might of helped to go that extra step.

If anyone knows what I need to do, it would be great, as I am trying to keep everything uniform between my shirts, website, and hats.

Thanks.

Digitizing logo for embroidery can’t be done neither in Photoshop nor in illustrator. For this

1. You have to buy embroidery software like wilcom or pulse (expensive).

2. Learn embroidery digitizing skill (it takes enough time to learn).

Then you will be able to do this.

It’s far better to get work done from embroidery digitizers.
Just you need to send your logo picture to digitizer.

Recently I have used this company https://zeedigitizing.com which is excellent in quality and cheap in pricing.

 

[adrenablossom]

Step 1: The first step is to import your brand's logo into the embroidery digitizing software. The uploaded file should be in a machine-readable format, such as JPG or PNG, and then cropped to fit the software's particular needs.

Step 2: After you've uploaded your logo, make sure it's the size you want it to be on your product. This is the final size of the logo that will be applied to the garment.

Step 3: Select a stitch style, such as a straight stitch, fill stitch, or satin stitch, based on the type of stitching you want for your logo. Each stitch has its own set of criteria, feel, and length that determine the design's final appearance.

Step 4: After choosing the stitch type, the following step is to choose the stitch's direction. This specifies the direction in which the stitch should fall on the cloth.

Step 5: Now that all of the primary criteria have been chosen, it's time to choose the colour scheme for the logo digitization threads. Colors on the thread should match the colours on the logo.

Step 6: The file is now ready to be transmitted to the embroidery machine through a flashcard, USB cable, or any other method compatible with the embroidery digitizing software.

Step 7: The final step is to set up the machine for the logo digitising and embroidery procedure. The needles, threads, sequence, and orientation are all decided during this process. It's crucial to arrange the fabric in the actual loop for embroidery after you've established the machine's guidelines.

 

[patseguin]

Step 1: The first step is to import your brand's logo into the embroidery digitizing software. The uploaded file should be in a machine-readable format, such as JPG or PNG, and then cropped to fit the software's particular needs.

Step 2: After you've uploaded your logo, make sure it's the size you want it to be on your product. This is the final size of the logo that will be applied to the garment.

Step 3: Select a stitch style, such as a straight stitch, fill stitch, or satin stitch, based on the type of stitching you want for your logo. Each stitch has its own set of criteria, feel, and length that determine the design's final appearance.

Step 4: After choosing the stitch type, the following step is to choose the stitch's direction. This specifies the direction in which the stitch should fall on the cloth.

Step 5: Now that all of the primary criteria have been chosen, it's time to choose the colour scheme for the logo digitization threads. Colors on the thread should match the colours on the logo.

Step 6: The file is now ready to be transmitted to the embroidery machine through a flashcard, USB cable, or any other method compatible with the embroidery digitizing software.

Step 7: The final step is to set up the machine for the logo digitising and embroidery procedure. The needles, threads, sequence, and orientation are all decided during this process. It's crucial to arrange the fabric in the actual loop for embroidery after you've established the machine's guidelines.

Obviously a VERY simplified explanation but a very good one! Step 4 can take a few minutes up to a full day or more depending on experience. Most every image will have a combination of stitch types (statin, running, tatami) and some more advanced ones. There are also considerations like pull compensation depending on fabric and underlay. Also you want to optimize connecting your objects to minimize the machine stopping and trimming and even color changes. I’ve been digitizing for 32 years and still develop new techniques.

 

[Lihp8270]

Why did I read this whole thread?

 

[buttongerald]

Wow. 5 years dormant and here we are.