Help! Embroiderer needed

[Caitriona]

Help!! I need someone who does machine embroidery that can digitize from my .gif/jpeg.

I'm making my Irish dance Solo Dress and can get everything else, but the embroidery done (with a lotta help from a friend).

I'd prefer someone local (philly) but if a Wench/Rogue does it, I'd be willing to ship to support a fellow guild member.

Can anyone help me??

[Abigail Fairbottom]

Well, I can't help you with the Philly area in particular, but here in my area, the Joann's superstore sells those machines. They've got a directory of people who will do machine embroidery. So, if nobody has a rec for you, you may be able to find somebody at your local fabric/sewing machine store.
Good Luck!

[KnightlyJay]

Depending on who you get to do this work, the most expensive part of the embroidery can be doing the transfer from jpg to stitch. Apparently this digitizing is still about 80% done by hand or so said my local person when I had a crest done for one of our customers. They can do this, but you may want to look through the catalogs they have to see if they offer something close. The fee I was charged for the digitising was $65, the work was $40. Also, you need to do this on the raw fabric, not the completed piece and if practical, something not cut out yet. I can point you in the direction of the person I had do the work up here, but it is in Fishkill NY, about 75 miles north of NYC.

[Ysobelle]

Hm. I have to send Jay some leather, so I could put the silk into the box with it, Rho, if you like.

[Drea Beth]

Also, you need to do this on the raw fabric, not the completed piece and if practical, something not cut out yet.

Okay, this one caught my eye... if they're going to embroider on a piece that's not yet cut out, how can we insure the the embroidery is place such that when we go to cut the piece of the dress, the embroidery will fall in the right spot? Trace the pattern piece on to the fabric perhaps? Just curious. I'm just concerned that if the design is plopped on the uncut fabric, there might be a lot of waste getting it in the right spot on the final garment. Or worse, not enough room around it to fit the pattern in.

[Caitriona]

Depending on who you get to do this work, the most expensive part of the embroidery can be doing the transfer from jpg to stitch. Apparently this digitizing is still about 80% done by hand or so said my local person when I had a crest done for one of our customers. They can do this, but you may want to look through the catalogs they have to see if they offer something close. The fee I was charged for the digitising was $65, the work was $40. Also, you need to do this on the raw fabric, not the completed piece and if practical, something not cut out yet. I can point you in the direction of the person I had do the work up here, but it is in Fishkill NY, about 75 miles north of NYC.

Thanks. I understand the cost of digitizing, and I'm willing to pay it to have the design "I" want. This is that important to me. This will probably be my only solo dress ever and I think it's worth the cost.

I have the same concerns as DreaBeth. I was hoping to cut out the dress and send the cut outs to the embroiderer. There will be probably 3 different embroideries. One on the bodice of the dress, one of the front of the skirt and the final on the cape.

Could you PM me the info?? Were they good?? I've seen ALOT of bad embroidery...

[Lady Sarah]

Okay, this one caught my eye... if they're going to embroider on a piece that's not yet cut out, how can we insure the the embroidery is place such that when we go to cut the piece of the dress, the embroidery will fall in the right spot? Trace the pattern piece on to the fabric perhaps? Just curious. I'm just concerned that if the design is plopped on the uncut fabric, there might be a lot of waste getting it in the right spot on the final garment. Or worse, not enough room around it to fit the pattern in.

I'm not too informed on embroidery, but looking at it from a relative rookie's point of view, couldn't you place the pattern onto the fabric, trace it and run a basting stitch along the trace lines so that the embroiderer has an idea of where to place the design? That way they put it (hopefully) where you want it, there shouldn't be any waste and the design will be the right size.

['Nise]

There are a couple of different options depending on your fabric and preferences. You can have the peice done as an aplique. That way you can manipulate it to where ever you want it. All you need to bind it down to your dress is a machine that does a zig zag stich and that will give you a nice satin stich edge. If your fabric is plain, with no nap you can probably just send them a peice large enough for you to cut the piece out of. As long as you give a good margin then you can line the pattern up so the embroidery is in the right place.

[Alianne]

Depending on who you get to do this work, the most expensive part of the embroidery can be doing the transfer from jpg to stitch. Apparently this digitizing is still about 80% done by hand or so said my local person when I had a crest done for one of our customers. They can do this, but you may want to look through the catalogs they have to see if they offer something close. The fee I was charged for the digitising was $65, the work was $40. Also, you need to do this on the raw fabric, not the completed piece and if practical, something not cut out yet. I can point you in the direction of the person I had do the work up here, but it is in Fishkill NY, about 75 miles north of NYC.

Having used to work with a computerized embroiderer several moons ago as part of my job, a lot of the 'hand work' depends on the complexity of the design itself. A crest, which might not make a good intial scan, might cost more for hand work.

If Caitriona's design's the one I think it is, it shouldn't require too much in the way of having hand work done. It's basically line work, without a lot of embellishment, so the digitizing fee might be a little less.

The thing I'd make sure of is once I pay to have that done, is that I get a copy -- that the embroiderer doesn't 'hold exclusive right' to the digitizing, so that the file can be taken locally if other things are to be embroidered in the future.

[Caitriona]

Depending on who you get to do this work, the most expensive part of the embroidery can be doing the transfer from jpg to stitch. Apparently this digitizing is still about 80% done by hand or so said my local person when I had a crest done for one of our customers. They can do this, but you may want to look through the catalogs they have to see if they offer something close. The fee I was charged for the digitising was $65, the work was $40. Also, you need to do this on the raw fabric, not the completed piece and if practical, something not cut out yet. I can point you in the direction of the person I had do the work up here, but it is in Fishkill NY, about 75 miles north of NYC.

Having used to work with a computerized embroiderer several moons ago as part of my job, a lot of the 'hand work' depends on the complexity of the design itself. A crest, which might not make a good intial scan, might cost more for hand work.

If Caitriona's design's the one I think it is, it shouldn't require too much in the way of having hand work done. It's basically line work, without a lot of embellishment, so the digitizing fee might be a little less.

The thing I'd make sure of is once I pay to have that done, is that I get a copy -- that the embroiderer doesn't 'hold exclusive right' to the digitizing, so that the file can be taken locally if other things are to be embroidered in the future.

Of course you know the design!!! :D I use it on everything!!

I wasn't sure about getting the copy, that is really good to know..