How to hire an embroidery Digitizer. The insider’s guide to how hiring an Embroidery Digitizer will improve your Embroidery Business.
In general, when people are looking for an embroidery digitizer, they have a design in mind and want it digitized as soon as possible, done perfectly and within a budget. If you go for good quality, you should have it done by an experienced embroidery digitizer who is also an experienced embroiderer. How else would a digitizer know in detail what you need? If it’s your first time using the service of a specific Digitizer, ask for a reference or a portfolio. Embroidery digitizers can be found by a recommendation, by a Google search, or in embroidery groups on Facebook. Pinterest is also a good idea, use keywords, and follow hashtags. (The digitizing work for the photo examples below was made by me, the Author. Check my website: https://www.embroideryshelter.com )
What people are forgetting is that when hiring an Embroidery Digitizer, the Client has duties as well as rights.
Client’s duties:
- Provide a clear high-resolution image of your artwork, JPEG or PNG format. If you have a vector format it is better.
- If you don’t have a photo of an artwork and you require the Digitizer to do the artwork too, you must have an agreement at the start in that regard. You’ll be charged more because that takes extra time, effort, and talent.
- State the type of fabric you will embroider the design on.
- Give the size and orientation of the hoop you use for embroidering that specific design.
- Give the dimensions of the design itself- that should be a close approximation.
- Specify the date/time you want it ready
- Specify the machine format you need.
- Discuss all the details before awarding the job. If the Digitizer did the artwork, you must approve it before the digitizing process.
- Sign an agreement that you won’t sell the digitized file to any 3rd party.
- Negotiate a price you are both happy with before the work starts.
- Pay the agreed fee as soon as you got the file. Best if you pay by PayPal, it’s instant.
- Very important: you must have enough embroidery experience for getting the results the Digitizer got when embroidering the same design as you saw in the photo that was sent to you.
- If you are a beginner, should be no problem, only you must tell the Digitizer that you need more detailed advice /instructions.
Digitizer’s duties:
- Handle the artwork with confidentiality, and do not publish it in any media.
- Sign an agreement of non-disclosure of the artwork and sign for the exclusivity of the digitized file (not to be sold to any 3rd party)
- Accept the negotiated price before the work starts.
- Upon agreement of the artwork (if done by the Digitizer), do the digitizing process and present the software’s 3D image to the Client, like the one shown below.
- Upon agreement to the software’s image, sew it out and present a close-up photo of the embroidery, like shown below.
- Do corrections to the design if needed, before the deadline.
- Do revisions (within reason)
- Respect the deadline.
- Upon the design’s approval, supply the design file in the machine format the Client needs.
- Include to the Zip file beside the design itself, a photo of the design and a worksheet with instructions, colors and color changes, number of stitches. Like the worksheet below.
When hiring an embroidery Digitizer, good communication is crucial. The Customer and the Designer should answer each other’s questions as soon as possible. It’s in the interest of both parties to keep communicating at every phase of the digitizing process. An instant way of communicating is desirable (messenger , Skype, WhatsApp)
A few more thoughts:
- A good design has to sew out beautifully, but also have the less possible jump stitches and color changes, which will save you time up to 25%
- A good Embroidery Digitizer is not always expensive, a bad Digitizer is not always cheap.
- When hiring an embroidery Digitizer, you two should co-operate, both of you are equally contributing to the design’s success.
The best Digitizers are human too, they make mistakes but they admit it and do the required correction(s). A pleasant tone is desirable from both the Client and the Digitizer.
A good work relationship starts with the first pleasant experience. Having a long-term work relationship with the same Designer will help the Client’s Business grow.
Don’t forget to subscribe and check out my work at https://www.embroideryshelter.com Happy stitching!
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