Embroidery digitizing, explained
Digitizing turns artwork into the path the needle follows. Done well, the design sews clean the first time; done badly, fabric and thread go in the bin.
The decisions in digitizing
Stitch type
Narrow columns and lettering get satin, wide areas fill (tatami), fine lines a running stitch. The wrong type is the most common defect.
Density and underlay
Underlay holds the fabric, the top stitching sits on it. Too dense and the patch goes stiff; too light and the fabric shows through.
Pull compensation
Thread pulls the fabric: unless stitches are stretched a little, gaps open between areas and circles turn into eggs.
Order and trims
A good file travels the shortest way between areas, trims where it must and keeps colour changes to a minimum.
A digitizer or an automatic tool
| By hand (a digitizer) | Automatic tool | |
|---|---|---|
| Turnaround | Usually a few hours to a day | Seconds |
| Pricing | Mostly per 1,000 stitches, with a minimum | Per design or subscription |
| Strength | Complex art, shading, fine detail | Logos, lettering, flat shapes; quick tries |
| Risk | Hard to see the result before sewing | Quality varies hugely between tools; measure before you trust |
How to tell a good file
- No (or very few) stitches under 0.3 mm: short stitches break thread and make bird nests.
- No (or very few) 1 mm² cells with more than 6 needle holes.
- A trim before every jump longer than 12 mm.
- Lettering at least 5 mm tall (capital height).
- The design fits the machine's hoop with 5 mm to spare.
Our File Doctor shows these numbers for any file you have, and the tool shows them automatically when it makes a new file from your logo.
Ask before you order
- What fabric is it for? Knit tees, woven shirts, caps and towels need different settings.
- What's the finished size in millimetres, and which hoop must it fit?
- Which format and how many colours, and do you get thread numbers?
- Is there a sew-out or a simulation, and are edits free?
Related guides
Logo to embroidery file
How to get from a logo to a file your machine reads: which artwork, which size, which format, and what to check before you sew.
Open a PES file
Open a PES embroidery file on a PC, Mac or phone with nothing to install: stitch count, size, colours and the stitch-out simulated.
Guides
Logo to embroidery file, opening PES files, digitizing and the file format each machine brand reads: short, accurate guides.
See your own logo stitched
Free preview, real needle path, no signup. Download PES, DST, JEF, EXP or VP3.
Try it free