Embroidery FAQ - Everything You Need to Know

Embroidery is the process of stitching a design directly into fabric using thread and a needle. Machine embroidery uses a computerized stitch file that drives the needle through thousands of precise stitches to recreate your artwork. The result is a tactile, durable decoration that becomes part of the garment rather than sitting on top of it like a print.

Your artwork is converted into a stitch file - a set of instructions that tells the embroidery machine where to put each stitch, what color thread to use, and in what order. The garment is hooped to hold it flat and stable, then loaded onto the machine, which automatically stitches the design at thousands of stitches per minute. A typical left-chest logo takes 5 to 10 minutes per piece to stitch.

Standard production is 5 to 7 business days after digitizing and artwork approval. Rush and same-day service is available for in-stock garments and existing stitch files. Larger orders (100+ pieces) typically run 7 to 10 business days. Digitizing a new logo adds 24 to 48 hours up front.

Almost. We embroider on polos, t-shirts, jackets, hoodies, hats, beanies, aprons, towels, bags, blankets, scrubs, and most woven and knit garments. We avoid certain technical fabrics that scorch under the needle and anything too thick to hoop. If you have something unusual, send a picture and we will tell you straight up if we can stitch it.

Embroidery uses thread stitched into the fabric - it is tactile, premium-looking, and outlasts most garments. Printing (screen print, DTF, vinyl) sits on top of the fabric using ink or film and is better for full-color graphics, photographic detail, and large designs. Embroidery wins on uniforms and corporate apparel. Printing wins on event tees and complex artwork. Our sister shop handles printing if your job needs it.

Pricing is per placement per piece. Left or right chest is $10, full front is $35, full back is $45, sleeve is $10, and hats start at $10. There are no setup fees beyond a one-time $125 digitizing charge for new logos - which is free on orders over $150. Full breakdown on our pricing page.

No. We will embroider a single polo at the same per-piece price as a hundred. Most embroidery shops charge a small-order surcharge or require minimums of 12 to 24 pieces - we do not.

Yes. Pricing breaks at 12, 25, 50, 100, and 250 pieces, with discounts up to 20% off list price on larger team orders. Quantities over 250 get a custom quote. Tiers are listed in full on our pricing page.

The placement price includes the stitching, thread, machine time, basic stitch counts under 10,000 stitches per logo, quality check, and folding. It does not include the garment itself (unless we are supplying blanks), digitizing for a brand-new logo, or shipping. Higher stitch counts add a small surcharge per piece.

New logos are digitized in-house for a one-time $125 flat fee. That fee is waived on any order over $150 - which covers most first-time customers. Once your logo is digitized you own the stitch file and re-orders never pay digitizing again.

Digitizing is the process of converting a flat graphic (JPG, PNG, vector logo) into a stitch file the embroidery machine can read. A trained digitizer decides stitch direction, density, underlay, pull compensation, and stitch type for every shape in your logo - the part that determines whether the finished embroidery looks crisp or muddy.

Because it is real skilled work, not automated. A clean digitizing job on a small logo takes 1 to 3 hours of a trained digitizer at a workstation. Auto-digitizing tools exist but they produce stitch files that look like static. We do it by hand because the alternative is a logo that embarrasses your brand.

Standard turnaround on digitizing is 24 to 48 business hours from artwork approval. Rush digitizing is available for an additional fee when needed. Complex logos with small text, gradients, or photographic elements may take longer.

We produce industry-standard stitch files including DST (Tajima), PES, EXP, and EMB on request. DST is the universal embroidery format and works with virtually every commercial embroidery machine. You own the file and can take it to another shop later if you ever need to.

Standard sizes are 2 inch ($12), 3.5 inch ($16), and 5 inch ($22). Custom sizes and shapes are available - die-cut, circle, square, shield, rocker, anything. The price scales with the dimensions and stitch count of the design.

Sew-on (standard, free), iron-on heat-seal backing (+$2), hook-and-loop velcro backing (+$3), or adhesive peel-and-stick (+$2). Sew-on is the most permanent. Iron-on is the easiest. Velcro is for tactical and uniform applications where you swap patches.

A merrowed border is the classic overlocked edge you see on varsity letters and military patches - a thick raised stitch that wraps the perimeter of the patch. It works on simple round, oval, or rectangular shapes. Custom die-cut shapes use a heat-sealed laser-cut edge instead.

Yes. Morale patches with PVC, embroidery, or mixed construction - typically 2 to 3 inch with velcro backing - are one of our most common patch orders. Minimum order is one piece. Send us your artwork and we will quote.

Polos, t-shirts, button-downs, jackets, fleece, hoodies, vests, hats, beanies, aprons, scrub tops, hi-vis safety gear, bags, towels, blankets, and more. We can supply blanks from major brands (Carhartt, Port Authority, Nike, Under Armour, Richardson, Yupoong, etc.) or you can bring your own.

Yes. 3D puff (foam under the stitches for a raised effect, common on flat-bill snapbacks) is available for an additional charge per hat. It works best on bold, blocky designs - thin lines and small text do not translate well to puff.

Yes - structured caps, dad hats, beanies, bucket hats, visors, all of it. Bring them by or ship them in. We confirm hat compatibility before production (some unstructured hats with stiff backing or unusual seams cannot be hooped cleanly).

Vector files (AI, EPS, SVG, PDF) are ideal. High-resolution PNG or JPG (300 DPI or larger) also work fine for digitizing. Low-resolution screenshots, social-media exports, and tiny logos pulled off a website can be cleaned up but may add time. Send the best version you have.

Not strictly. Vector is preferred because it scales cleanly, but our digitizers can work from any clear high-resolution raster image. If your logo is blurry or pixelated send us what you have - we will tell you whether it needs vectorizing.

Three rules. One, simplify - very fine lines, tiny text under 0.2 inch tall, and gradients do not stitch well. Two, send the highest-resolution file you have. Three, tell us what color thread you want for each part of the logo (we use a Madeira polyneon thread library and can match Pantone colors approximately). We handle the rest.

Yes. We ship anywhere in the United States via USPS, UPS, or FedEx depending on size and speed. Long Island and NYC orders often arrive faster than you would expect because our shop is in Huntington.

Yes. Local pickup is free at our Huntington shop (205 E Main St, Ste 2-1). We will email you when your order is ready and you can grab it during business hours. No shipping cost, no waiting on a carrier.

Same-day rush is possible for small orders on existing stitch files when you call before 11am. 24 to 48 hour rush is available on new orders with a rush surcharge. The constraint is usually digitizing time on brand-new logos - call us and we will tell you what is actually possible.