Due to some confusion, this post is a little bit late.

This past week we had returned to the FabLab and got to work in a different section than we had the week before. This week, I was able to work with the digital embroidery machines and discovered how to take an image and digitally stitch it. With Suzanne’s help, I was able to understand the software, SewArt, to be able to complete my design.

Here is a video of the digital sewing machines in action:

At first, I had accidentally selected the wrong areas to be printed which completely messed up my design. Thankfully, the software is so easy to use that I was able to go back and re-select everything to ensure it was “printed” properly. This worked, and you can see the before and after image below.

I had no idea how these detailed stitch-images were created until learning about them at the FabLab. These technologies must have revolutionized the textile industry in cutting costs, re-allocating labor, and increasing its production outputs. I didn’t even know that there were digital sewing machines like the ones we had used to create our designs (since I had only used my mom’s electric sewing machine before). These technologies allow people to further pursue their creativity without the obstacles of hand-stitching and improper design tools.

Going further, I don’t expect to use these technologies in my final project. Not because I don’t want to (since I really like them!) but because they just won’t be relevant for my specific project. However, I would still like to use the digital embroidery services for my own personal use and am interested in coming up with and printing unique designs.