How to Size Images for Embroidery Digitizing?

Embroidery designs can make any basic top, jeans or jacket into something extraordinary. Creating your own embroidery designs is now a realistic option for the home crafter or small business entrepreneur. By learning and practicing with embroidery digitizing software, you can size images you have designed onto your garments. The key factors will be your machine's existing sizing parameters, your hoop size and your embroidery placement area.

Instructions
Things You'll Need:
Embroidery digitizing software
Embroidery digitizing machine and hoops
Embroidery thread
Embroidery design/sketch
Fabric scrap (optional)
Garment for embroidery http://www.autoemb.com[EMAIL=digitizing@autoemb.com]digitizing@autoemb.com[/EMAIL]
Step 1
Scan your image or freehand design into your embroidery digitizing software. The software must be downloaded onto your personal computer. It will then transfer the scanned or freehand image onto the software drawing tool area. You will be able to re-size your image according to your embroidery machine hoop-size specifications and make any changes directly onto the digitizing software. It will then convert your design into a digitized embroidery pattern. The converted pattern generally will be written on an embroidery digitized card. Insert this card into your embroidery digitizing machine, which will import your design and stitch the pattern out onto your hooped fabric.

Step 2
Pinpoint the location where the embroidery will be set. Measure the width and length of the area on your garment for your embroidery. Set your design approximately 1-1/2 to 2 inches away from bulky seams to avoid any puckering or skipped stitches. Your machine's hoop attachments will have specifics on how you can position your fabric onto your hoop to feed into your embroidery machine.

Step 3
View a visual of the design converted to embroidery stitches prior to writing your embroidery digitized pattern card. Make sure the digitized conversion is what you envisioned it to be. For example, an area which featured a contrast accent color can transform into a dominant thread color once the image is enlarged. This can affect your embroidery design and color scheme.

Step 4
Re-size your image. If your embroidery digitizing software does not have a resizing tool, you will have to manually resize your design. You can reduce or enlarge your image on a copier. It is important to note that certain images and type fonts can become distorted when enlarged or reduced. For re-sized freehand designs, you will have to re-scan your image directly into your digitizing software's drawing area and rewrite your embroidery digitized pattern.

If you presently work with a computer graphic software program, you will have to check if your design images can be read by your embroidery digitizing software. If it is not compatible, print out the re-sized image from your computer graphic program and re-scan it into your embroidery digitizing software.

Step 5
Print your design previews, stitch count and thread color selection. Check your previews against the garment area set for embroidery.You can also print and trace your preview on tracing paper or a transparency sheet. Set the sheet on your garment and check the sizing prior to setting your embroidery stitch.

If your machine allows you to stitch out a partial embroidery, it is best to preview a section of the newly sized image and embroider on a piece of fabric scrap. This will give you the opportunity to check any enlargement or reduction distortion and make any necessary adjustments.