A long history, but a modern punching solution.
Embroidery digitising (often Americanised to digitization), is the process of converting artwork into a computer file, to load into commercial embroidery machines. Artwork is placed in the ‘background’ of the screen, then individual stitches, stops, colour changes etc are drawn over the design. The finished file is then saved and returned to the manufacturer to be sewn onto garments. Originally, in the mid-19th century, designs woven into fabric were done with complex gears in the loom, this was called a Jaquard. Into the mid-20th century, complex badges could be sewn on bespoke embroidery machines, with the patterns stored on rolls of paper ribbons, called tapes. |
These had holes punched into the tape, and as the machine pulled the tape through its reader, it would use each coded pattern to sew a command. (example, 2 holes on the top line, 5 holes on the middle line might tell the machine to sew 5 stitches left to right…. etc).
Modern computerised conversion still uses a lot of these old words. A design might be known as a tape, or a jaquard. The process might be known as embroidery punching (commonly misspelled digitalisation). We use modern, market leading software for the garment decoration industry, such as WILCOM, CORAL DRAW, and PHOTOSHOP. We pride ourselves on producing low cost, reliable, quick designs that sew fast, and efficiently, all from the UK. We won't be beaten on quality or price. |