Custom Embroidery Patterns and Designs

The craft of creating stitches with the help of a stitching needle and colorful threads is known as needlework or needlecraft. Embroidery is a type of needlecraft that is used to create stitched decorations on a variety of fabrics including satin, tissue, leather, paper, etc. The smallest component of an embroidery design or pattern is a stitch. A single type of stitch or more than one type of stitches can be used to make an embroidery pattern or design. An embroidery pattern or design is recreated by following a counting chart, or ironed on the fabric or even by drawing freehand. The more elaborate the embroidery design, more the number of stitches. Recording of stitches and patterns using samplers, was done for the first time in the 17th century.

Though, the handcraft was practiced much before, the term embroidery came into usage, for the first time, in medieval times. All designs were painstakingly created by artisans and craftsmen who made sure that each piece was an example of perfection. Over the years, every country developed their embroidery styles and these styles were also imported. For example, blackwork (needlepoint using backstitch or outline stitch and double stitch) was first brought to England by the Spanish wife of Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragon. Gradually, the list of this monochromatic embroidery style expanded to include whitework, bluework, scarlet work and goldwork. Nowadays, metal and other colors are added to lend depth to a single pattern or design.

In the 19th century, new ideas took shape. Transition from folk to custom embroidery was seen. With the fabrication of the embroidery machine, mass production of embroideries gained momentum. Berlin work added new vigor to the embroidery business. Biblical or historical themes, pictures of flowers, and even exotic Oriental paintings were now sought after. As the embroidery designs were painted or printed in Berlin and bought by needlework artisans all over Europe and United States, the style came to be known as Berlin work.

Custom Embroidery Patterns
Nowadays, not all embroidery designs are high-end, handmade ornate patterns employed by fashion designers to decorate garments. Some embroidery like monograms and motif designs are very popular. Embroidery can create different effects like some appear flat, some resemble reliefs, some produce simple lines, while some have fancy stitches. Mostly, an embroidery pattern is known by the stitch it used, like chain stitch or smock stitch (smocking).

Custom embroidery is made to individual order or as per the customer’s requirements. It can be either handmade or machine made. Jewelry, footwear, linen, curtains, patches, emblems, sequined apparel, can be customized to your choice of design and colors. The latter can be all over embroidery designs, laser cut or 3D embroidery, to name a few.

Non-decorative or functional styles have made way for a wide range of objects that are imaginatively sown onto different apparels. You can choose any design and customize it as per your preference of colors, fonts and even stitches. Custom design art or logo embroidery uses tackle twill. This embroidery work is a mixture of letters, numbers or designs taken from a portion of fabric sewn with a zigzag, double running or satin stitch. Embroidery fonts are used to embroider text. Logo embroidery is generally done on left side or on front of apparels. Applique is another form that is used for sports teams apparel having name and number of players, along with logos. This embroidery work has less stitch count.

Many apparel manufacturers offer services, right from logo design to logo embroidery on a wide range of garments like caps, hats, polo shirts, t-shirts, shirts, etc. Other embroidery products include one color and multi-color photo stitch designs. Personalized gifts like custom embroidered golf and sports towels, pet dog accessories, aprons, bandanas, tablecloth, gift ribbons, and what have you, are also on the catalogs of most commercial embroidery services. Along with a mind boggling catalog, competitive pricing has made it a worthwhile option not only for the manufacturer but also for the consumer.

Custom Embroidery Designs
Even the most intricate and exquisite embroidery designs can be mass produced with the help of digital machines and embroidery digitizing softwares. The development of smaller and cheaper versions of digital embroidery machines has been instrumental in creating new avenues of home business or for an occasional hobby embroidery.

Computers, especially the Internet, has widened the growth prospects in both the local and the overseas markets. Rise in the demand for embroidery products as well as quality workmanship has transformed the apparel industry into a dynamic hub.

The use of advanced techniques like automatic digitizing, multiple sequencing, three-dimensional effects, etc. along with digitizing softwares ensure fine finishes and customized designs, making custom embroidery products a highly saleable proposition. With the wide range of thread colors (though not as many as Pantone colors), a collection of embroidery fonts and an embroidery machine, you are all set.

With the new home embroidery machines and digitizing softwares, you can even create custom machine embroidery designs. You need to follow the instructions from the embroidery machine or digitizing dealer and after some practice, you can pick a drawing or clip art to digitize into a format that your machine can understand and convert into stitches. In order for your machine to be able to do that, it is essential that you use high quality prints e.g. a vector file or a .jpeg (high resolution design). You can even buy a program that can either read more than one formats or convert a design from one format to another. Most machines come with preset images and shapes and software that help customize these images to create new designs!

Many web sites offer free downloads, so getting hold of good embroidery designs is not a difficult task. You can even buy one! Either way, once you scan it, you can even customize the embroidery pattern to your needs. The only thing at this point is to be sure that it is in a format that your embroidery machine’s editing program is able to recognize. The editing software will convert the design into a series of embroidery stitches. With the help of a data cable, you can transfer the image from a computer to the embroidery machine. Stabilize the fabric with iron-on tearaway or cutaway (for heavy designs) backing. Thread the embroidery machine and start the machine. You will be able to thread all the colors at one time or you will need to thread each color one by one, depending on the type of machine you're using. This will also determine how much time you take to complete one design; the task could take anything from a few minutes to a few hours.

With a little understanding of computers and machine embroidery, and a bit of creativity, you can customize any embroidery pattern and design.