need help to start simple embroidery business

By collegekid1 on Mar. 25, 2009

Hello everyone

I'm so glad i ran into this site. I'm a college student and i've been looking around for ways to start a business an d make some money to reduce my loans. Please help me with ideas of how i can lock into the embroidery business by tapping into the student body here at school as my customers. I was looking at the brother PE 700 II machine to start off. Please please please am new at this...i badly need your help.
Thanks in advance.

Worn Id's picture
Submitted by Worn Id on Wed, 03/25/2009 - 10:36

Do you know how to digitize? If you can get a fresh version of your school logo you might try putting it on a handful of polos or hoodies and handing them out to your friends... nothing like a walking billboard to help you out in your type of enviroment.

When ever we make a new screen design that we want the school to see, we make 3-4 shirts to put on our kids. It places one new shirt in each building! We did this for state FB this year and sold over 750 pieces of 3 designs!! For embroidery, I just created a new version of the schools logo, put it on 3 different type of items, including a jacket which I personally wear and I have gotton inquirys AND orders!

Good Luck and keep us posted!

Laurie :)

WORN IDENTI-TEES
wornid@yahoo.com

Submitted by collegekid1 on Thu, 03/26/2009 - 01:57

Worn Id wrote:
Do you know how to digitize? If you can get a fresh version of your school logo you might try putting it on a handful of polos or hoodies and handing them out to your friends... nothing like a walking billboard to help you out in your type of enviroment.

When ever we make a new screen design that we want the school to see, we make 3-4 shirts to put on our kids. It places one new shirt in each building! We did this for state FB this year and sold over 750 pieces of 3 designs!! For embroidery, I just created a new version of the schools logo, put it on 3 different type of items, including a jacket which I personally wear and I have gotton inquirys AND orders!

Good Luck and keep us posted!

Laurie :)

Thanks a lot for your reply. It opened my eyes about the possibilities. I don't have any digitizing experience. which one do u think is the best digitizing software? And do you think i should start a website with a couple of designs to get sneak preview of my potential customers before i invest some hard earned savings into embroidering?

Submitted by pittaok on Sun, 11/01/2009 - 12:57

Worn Id wrote:
Do you know how to digitize? If you can get a fresh version of your school logo you might try putting it on a handful of polos or hoodies and handing them out to your friends... nothing like a walking billboard to help you out in your type of enviroment.

When ever we make a new screen design that we want the school to see, we make 3-4 shirts to put on our kids. It places one new shirt in each building! We did this for state FB this year and sold over 750 pieces of 3 designs!! For embroidery, I just created a new version of the schools logo, put it on 3 different type of items, including a jacket which I personally wear and I have gotton inquirys AND orders!

Good Luck and keep us posted!

Laurie :)


you can open yourself up to a lawsuit with trademark issues. We sew for many college bookstores and we pay to use the college logo. Every piece we sell, we have to pay the school,, so be careful and they will go after you
Worn Id's picture
Submitted by Worn Id on Thu, 03/26/2009 - 10:43

The better softwares are going to cost you a bit.
Wilcom or WINGS are your best bets that I am aware of.
I have neither and work with a very barberic program that has made learning interesting to say the least! Another option is to have someone digitize for you, there are some great places out there that are inexpensive and very good. I just had something done a couple weeks ago, as I couldn't do what I wanted to or needed to in my current software.
That way you could create your website and see what kind of a reaction you get.

Although I firmly believe you will get better results if you have actual product!
You can look at something online and say, "Hey thats pretty cool" and that be the end of it. You hand something to the same person, to touch and see... they say "This is awesome, how much?"

Embroidery is a BIG investment. We bought an exsisting business and have been up and running for 1 1/2 years now... its tough with the ecnomy for sure. That is why I am still working with acient stuff... can't afford to upgrad yet! I love the work though so I continue to just make it happen as I can. Good Luck and let me know if you have any other questions!!

Laurie :)

WORN IDENTI-TEES
wornid@yahoo.com

Submitted by pittaok on Sun, 11/01/2009 - 13:01

Worn Id wrote:
The better softwares are going to cost you a bit.
Wilcom or WINGS are your best bets that I am aware of.
I have neither and work with a very barberic program that has made learning interesting to say the least! Another option is to have someone digitize for you, there are some great places out there that are inexpensive and very good. I just had something done a couple weeks ago, as I couldn't do what I wanted to or needed to in my current software.
That way you could create your website and see what kind of a reaction you get.

Although I firmly believe you will get better results if you have actual product!
You can look at something online and say, "Hey thats pretty cool" and that be the end of it. You hand something to the same person, to touch and see... they say "This is awesome, how much?"

Embroidery is a BIG investment. We bought an exsisting business and have been up and running for 1 1/2 years now... its tough with the ecnomy for sure. That is why I am still working with acient stuff... can't afford to upgrad yet! I love the work though so I continue to just make it happen as I can. Good Luck and let me know if you have any other questions!!

Laurie :)

dont even think about digitizing until after a year of sewing,, you would be wasting your time and money. we have 4 stations of the top of the line Wilcom and it does take years to learn. Send the digitizing out and learn how the logo was made beore you even think about wasting your money on a digitizing package

Submitted by Flint54 on Thu, 11/05/2009 - 12:02

Listen to everyone here, list your abilities and believe in yourself. Digitizing is complicated but not impossible. Learning your program will take time no matter what software you buy, I can only recommend that you "DO NOT RELY ON AUTO DIGITIZING PROGRAMS" They are the wrong way to go. Yes, to learn digitizing you need to watch and see what your designs do. So, while you are learning use a digitizer.

I would highly recommend buying new so you can take advantage of TRAINING, WARRANTY, TECH SERVICES ETC. Unless you have a VERY CLOSE RELATION that is in the business that has a Premier Deal. Also realize that there will be other high end costs such as Hooping Aids, Thread Assortments, Tools/Hardware, Backing, Topping, Bobbins/Needles, Steamer for the Topping Removal, SPACE FOR EVERYTHING & Stock to Embroider on.

You can do it but RESEARCH WELL before you spend your first $. Best Wishes and Wishing You Success.

P.S. Heed any and ALL Comments on Trademarks, You can easily LOOSE EVERYTHING!;)

Submitted by collegekid1 on Thu, 03/26/2009 - 19:06

I was thinking of maybe investing in learning how to digitize so i can tap into the market for people who need to get their designs digitized. i was planning maybe getting a not so expensive software program but modern software to get me started and then maybe get a small machine to start off with and just take small orders and when that gets kicked off- i could buy the commercialized machines. For now i just really need to get something going to bring in some income to avoid being in deep hole of debt after graduation. O and by the way if i didn't say this before - i really truly appreciate your comments ad suggestions. Thanks

Submitted by pittaok on Sun, 11/01/2009 - 12:55

collegekid1 wrote:
Hello everyone

I'm so glad i ran into this site. I'm a college student and i've been looking around for ways to start a business an d make some money to reduce my loans. Please help me with ideas of how i can lock into the embroidery business by tapping into the student body here at school as my customers. I was looking at the brother PE 700 II machine to start off. Please please please am new at this...i badly need your help.
Thanks in advance.


Keep in mind, you cant just have your college logo digitized and start embroidering shirts with the school logo.. There are trademark issues. These home embroidery machines are nice but can be tough gettting the shirt hooped. They are great for one or 2 pieces but any kind of business embroiderying, these home machines are not the way to go.

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