Even before computers are introduced in the embroidery industry, embroiderers are already stitching designs with intricate pattern. They do it through a process called punch needle embroidery, an old needle art done by punching Before computers became affordable, embroiderers most embroidery was done by punching designs on the paper tape (also called as punched tape), which will be ran through and embroidery machine.
Creating designs through punch needle embroidery is very painstaking because a single error could ruin the entire design and allows the embroiderer to start all over again. Fortunately, Wilcom introduced the first computer graphics embroidery design system in 1980 and this brings in a number of innovations in the embroidery industry. One of them is of course the discovery of embroidery digitising, which is very popular nowadays.
So what is embroidery digitising? Well, it is a process of converting the original image/text, which will serve as embroidery design, into digital data or stitch. This converted file is very important in the overall operation of the computerized embroidery machine since it is the one that determines the needle penetrations, color changes, stitch characteristics, start and stop points, etc.
For a person to produce a good quality digitized file, a computer software meant for embroidery digitizing is very much needed. This digitising software (also spelled as digitizing software) is equipped with a number of tool programs essential for converting analog designs for embroidery to stitch files. The embroidery digitising software, just like any other computer design programs, requires the user to have an artist’s talent as he or she is expected to deal with a lot of experimentation such as but not limited to finding the right combination of layers, patterns, colors, and shadowing effects for a particular embroidery design. Aside from that, the embroidery digitizer should also be a good embroiderer or knows how to select fabric types, needles and machine because a good quality digitized file for embroidery will be useless if it will be set up on an incompatible materials or equipment.