Embroidery is the art of decorating fabric or other materials with designs stitched in strands of thread or yarn using a needle. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as metal strips, pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In the commercial embroidery industry, large computerized sewing machines are used to create the embroidery.  This method of embroidery is called machine embroidery.

In Machine embroidery, embroidery designs are stitched with an automated embroidery machine. These designs are "digitized" with Embroidery Software. They can have different types of "fills" which add texture and design to the embroidery. Almost all basic types of embroidery can be created with Machine Embroidery. These include: Applique, Free Standing Lace, Cutwork, Cross-stitch, Photo Stitch, and Basic Embroidery. Most often this type of embroidery is associated with business shirts, gifts, team apparel and commercial use.

The computerized machine embroidery process

These are the basic steps for creating embroidery with a computerized embroidery machine.

• purchase or create a digitized embroidery design file
• edit the design and/or combine with other designs (optional)
• load the final design file into the embroidery machine
• stabilize the fabric and place it in the machine
• start and monitor the embroidery machine

Embroidery Machines

Some machines are for embroidery only. Some machines are a combination of embroidery and sewing. Commercial embroidery machines can be purchased as 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 15, and 18 head machines. The number of heads indicates the number of garments that can be embroidered simultaneously. At University Fashions, embroidery machines with fewer heads are used for smaller jobs and machines with more heads are used for larger orders.

Commercial and Contract Embroidery Factories

Contract embroidery is a term used to describe embroidery being done on goods that are supplied by the customer to the embroidery house. Contract Embroidery is limited to the trade. A company offering "Contract Embroidery" is embroidering wearable items for brokers, other embroiderers, Ad Specialty firms and Screen Printers at a wholesale rate. The customer of a Contract Embroiderer usually supplies the items to the factory and only pays the factory for the embroidery service. Commercial Embroiderers offer their services to the public and supply the wearable items. At University Fashions, we offer Contract Embroidery and Contract Screen Printing through our partners AJZ Embroidery & AJZ Printing.

Embroidery Glossary

Appliqué

French term meaning applying one piece of fabric to another. A cut piece of material stitched to another adding dimension, texture and reducing stitch count.

Backer/Stabilizer

Materials, generally non-woven textiles, which are placed inside or under the item to be embroidered. The backing provides support and stability to the garment which will allow better results to the finished embroidered product. Backings come primarily in two types: cutaway and tear-away. With cutaway, the excess backing is cut with a pair of scissors. With tear-away, the excess is simply torn away after the item is embroidered. Additional types which are dissolved either by water or heat also exist. For all of these the terms backing and stabilizer are often used interchangeably.

Bobbin

A bobbin is a small spool of threads inside of the rotary hook housing. The bobbin thread actually forms the stitches on the underside of the garment. The bobbin on an embroidery machine works in the same manner and for the same purpose as on a standard sewing machine.

Digitize

The computerized technique of turning a design image into an embroidery program. Special software is used to create plotting commands for the embroidery machine. The commands are transferred to the machines logic head by a designated embroidery "language."

Fill Stitch

Fill stitches are a series of running stitches sewn closely together to form broad areas of embroidery with varying patterns and stitch directions.

Hoop

A clamping device used to hold the backer and fabric in place in the machine.

Running Stitch

A running stitch is one line of stitches which goes from point A to point B. A running stitch is often used for fine details, outlining, and underlay.

Satin Stitch

Also known as the zig-zag stitch by which a line, border or edge is produced by thread being alternately stitched to either side of a baseline. Satin stitches are generally limited to a maximum of 1/2" in stitch length before some alternate technique such as split stitching or fill stitching must be used.

Underlay

A stabilizing pattern of embroidery which, if used, precedes the main body of satin or fill stitching. It consists of one or a combination of running stitches for centering, edging, paralleling or zigzagging the design area..