Embroidery

Embroidery Through the Ages

July 28, 2023 |

Very few things in life stand the test of time. As natural as the ebb and flow of evolution, most seemingly universal customs are founded and practiced with vigor, only to fade away with a whisper as the years tick by.

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On Design: Mighty Shot

August 16, 2022 |

With this month’s On Design, we travel deep into the jungles of Central Mexico, harkening back to an ancient time where the Aztecs roamed the earth whilst building a formidable empire.

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Embroidery Basics for Hooping Caps

April 10, 2022 |

Embroidering caps on commercial embroidery machines can cause struggles and stress. Most cap styles are unique in their shape and the way they are made. Here, let’s consider different cap styles and ways to hoop them, as well as different types of cap frames that are available.

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Short on Embroidery Supplies?

April 4, 2022 |

Though it’s dwindling in some locations in the United States, COVID-19 continues to linger as a drag on supplies chains. The good news is proactive thinking can ensure your embroidery decorating business keeps moving forward.

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Arabesque Artiste

January 28, 2020 |

Impressions gives apparel decorators from around the world an opportunity to submit their most impressive work, compete alongside their peers and show off their talents to the industry in its annual Impressions Awards decorating competition.

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Basic Embroidery Troubleshooting

October 22, 2019 |

From the runways of New York Fashion Week to the halls of Comic-Con, embroidery is a pastime that consumers and crafters are embracing, as personalization in clothing, costumes and gifts continues to rise in popularity.

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Smooth Stitching

August 23, 2019 |

Have you ever watched an auto-racing pit crew change a tire? There’s no wasted movement because the most efficient procedure has been identified and is followed each time.

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Scaling Stock Monograms

March 26, 2019 |

In embroidery, there is nothing more beautiful than a monogram. In fact, because of its luxury, a monogram on a man’s shirt cuff became a symbol of hope during the Great Depression. And, at a time of economic disaster, this small luxury kept our industry alive.

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Spooktacular Stitches

January 28, 2019 | ,

Impressions gives apparel decorators from around the world the opportunity to submit their most impressive work, compete alongside their peers and show off their talents to the industry in its annual Impressions Awards decorating competition.

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Troubleshooting for Embroidery

October 9, 2018 |

I have an advantage when it comes to understanding the importance of embroidery troubleshooting. I sit 10 yards and a staircase away from a customer sales support team that answers questions and provides helpful solutions for embroiderers.

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Standing Out from the Crowd

August 29, 2018 |

Stock-design companies provide a tremendous service to those embroiderers who don’t do their own digitizing, as well as those who do but may need a starting point.

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The Importance of Embroidery Training

June 19, 2018 |

Growth and change often go hand in hand, and the latter isn’t always easy or smooth. Deciding whether revenue supports the extra expense of adding a new employee to your shop is a big decision; the smaller the shop, the bigger the decision.

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The ‘E’ in Team

May 7, 2018 |

There’s more to sports apparel than meets the eye. Sure, the team gets the most attention, but behind the scenes, practice happens before those players and uniforms ever hit the field or court on game day.

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Embroidery Time-Savers

March 27, 2018 |

It’s past midnight and you’re still awake as your embroidery machine hums away. At this point, you must face the following inevitable truth: It’ll probably take all night to finish that large order.

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Making Impossible Embroidery Possible

February 23, 2018 |

Hardly anyone thinks of T-shirts as delicate — they make bold statements, and are ubiquitous, affordable, easily laundered and even disposable. But in the embroidery world, a T-shirt’s lightweight knit renders it a delicate fabric.

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Sheer Impact

January 10, 2018 | ,

Each year, Impressions invites decorators from around the world to enter their most impressive work, compete alongside their peers and show off their talents to the industry in the Impressions Awards decorating competition.

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Easy Embroidery Alignment

October 6, 2017 |

Let’s say you just finished an embroidery job — a left-chest logo stitched on shirts and hats — and now the customer wants jackets. What’s more, he wants the same logo on a jacket back.

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Pointers for Appliqué

October 3, 2016 |

Appliqué may be a fancy-sounding word complete with an accent mark, but the process is nothing more than simply sewing a piece of fabric on top of another and adding a neat border of stitches. 

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Pointers for Appliqué

September 7, 2016 |

Appliqué may be a fancy-sounding word complete with an accent mark, but the process is nothing more than simply sewing a piece of fabric on top of another and adding a neat border of stitches. 

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Back to Basics

May 17, 2016 |

When it comes to getting the biggest bang for your embroidery buck, the right backing or topping makes the difference between a ho-hum product and results that truly pop.

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Font Secrets

April 18, 2016 |

As most embroiderers inevitably discover, some customers expect you to
take a symbol they have chosen, add lettering and create a logo. This
leads to a certain amount of freedom to choose the ideal font.

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Hat Tricks

March 15, 2016 |

Experienced embroiderers know when a design will result in a quality sewout, and their customers will be happy with the results. But embroidering on headwear presents a special set of challenges, which leads many embroiderers to avoid these projects.

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Do Sweat the Small Stuff

February 11, 2016 |

If you are baking a cake and forget to add the eggs, you won’t get the desired results. The same goes for your embroidered orders. Forgetting just one thing could result in the loss of a good customer. 

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Embroidery Thread Update

March 20, 2015 |

We all know that 40 weight is the embroiderer’s every day, go-to, general-purpose embroidery thread. But if you are looking to turn out designs that are unique, customized and considered beyond the norm, it’s important to know the other thread types that are at your disposal.

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Special-Effects Thread Options

March 17, 2015 |

As embroiderers, we experiment with all kinds of materials to create special effects. From 3-D embroidery foam to appliqué and Mylar-enhanced creations, we go all out to add glamour and interest to our embroidery. 

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How to Embroider on Performancewear

March 13, 2015 |

Is the thought of embroidering on today’s popular performancewear sending you running in the opposite direction? There are reasons — billions of them — to master embroidering on this sometimes slippery, shiny, stretchy, skinny stuff. 

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Pairing Shine and Stitches

March 11, 2015 |

As an apparel decorator, you probably see bling in tasteful touches, as
well as in excess. You may even be feeling the pressure to add a little
shine to your offerings for customers.

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Training for the Large Shop

November 24, 2014 |

The larger your embroidery operation, the more you need a defined training program. Having your new-hires learn by “on-the-job osmosis” usually results in uneven job skills, an unpredictable time frame to develop trainees and no way to measure progress and retention. 

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In the Details

February 26, 2014 |

This year marked the 35th annual Impressions Awards, and it represents our showcase of the industry’s  best designs from decorators of all sizes and experience levels. 

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Essentials for Your Embroidery Shop

October 3, 2013 |

This
list of 10 necessities can help provide you with the right tools to
make for an enjoyable embroidery business. – See more at:
https://reddot10.nielsen.com/CMS/WebClient/PreviewHandler.ashx?Action=RedDot&FormEdit=true&Mode=2&PageGUID=A5BCD35519314C65BF68AB72F30BEA94&EditPageGUID=A5BCD35519314C65BF68AB72F30BEA94&EditLinkGUID=22D2F08B1C834E7E890BC275AFE21DBA&TargetContainerGuid=&Opener=1#CloseRedDot#CloseRedDot#CloseRedDot#CloseRedDot

10 necessities can help provide you with the right tools to make for an enjoyable embroidery business. 

This
list of 10 necessities can help provide you with the right tools to
make for an enjoyable embroidery business. – See more at:
https://reddot10.nielsen.com/CMS/WebClient/PreviewHandler.ashx?Action=RedDot&FormEdit=true&Mode=2&PageGUID=A5BCD35519314C65BF68AB72F30BEA94&EditPageGUID=A5BCD35519314C65BF68AB72F30BEA94&EditLinkGUID=22D2F08B1C834E7E890BC275AFE21DBA&TargetContainerGuid=&Opener=1#CloseRedDot#CloseRedDot#CloseRedDot#CloseRedDot

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Made in the USA: A Case Study, Part 2 of 2

October 3, 2013 |

In the final installment of this two-part series, contributing writer Deborah Jones shares her findings as she revisits an embroidery company that has retooled aspects of its embroidery operation to make it more functional and efficient.
 

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How to Applique on Fleece

August 28, 2012 |

Appliqué on fleece, like any appliqué, is a fairly straightforward process. The two variances when compared to “normal” embroidery are the placement line in the design and getting the fabric cutout to fit inside that placement line.

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