There are three main stitch types used in embroidery that makeup the logos being digitized. They are Satin, Walk and Fill stitches. Below we will explain a little bit about each stitch type.
SATIN STITCHS
The most used stitch in embroidery is the satin stitch. It is made of a column with stitches going back and forth within the boundaries of the column to form a line that is wider than a single thread width. Stitches can be spaced close together to form a solid line or further apart to make more of a zig-zag effect. How close the stitches are within the column is called the density. In our software the smaller the density the closer the stitches will be and the bigger the density the further they will be spaced out within the column. Satin stitches are used a lot make outlines on text. Adding an outline to some text can more than double the final stitch count if you were to not have any outline.
WALKING STITCH
Walk stitches are usually only one thread thickness thick and can be used for walking to a different area of the design to be sewn so a trim does not have to occur which will hinder the final sew out time. Walk stitches can also be used to add fine details to designs where satin stitches would not be suitable. Letters can also be outlined using walk stitches, but because stitches push and pull the fabric being sewn they don’t always line up perfectly.
FILL STITCH
A fill stitch is just that, it fills large areas that a satin stitch can’t cover. The widest we recommend sewing a satin stitch is 1/2″due to the fact that they can snag easily and the design could start coming un-stitched. This is where a fill stitch comes in. Designs that have large areas of color that need stitches a fill will be used to fill that void. A fill is kinda like a bunch of walk stitches stacked on top of each other to form a solid object. Sometimes we use a fill stitch as underlay for smaller details in a design. Because stitches like to sink into garments like fleece and golf towels, a fill stitch is sometimes sewn in the same color as the material being sewn to make a good foundation for stitches to lay.
HOW ARE STITCH COUNTS ESTIMATED?
We can give you a rough guess as to how many stitches we think your design might end up being. The fabric being sewn is a huge factor in the stitch count. Some fabrics will need more underlay than others to keep the design looking good. Designs being sewn on hats need to be digitized differently than for shirts and the final stitch count may be different. We can give you a rough guess by just looking at your logo but final stitch count won’t be determined until your logo has been digitized.
