Glossary

Editing – changing an embroidery design in machine format. This can be done with embroidery software, or to a limited degree with some embroidery machines. Options include changing colors, removing unwanted areas, and changing stitch order, along with many others. New embroidery designs cannot be created in editing software; this requires digitizing software. Editing software works exclusively on existing embroidery design files.

Embroidery card – memory card used to transfer designs from the embroidery software on a computer to the embroidery machine. Embroidery machines that use memory cards require specifically-designed embroidery cards – generic memory cards will not work. Many machines also have limitations on the number of stitches or designs they can read from a card, which overrides the embroidery card’s stated capacity.

Embroidery designs –  fall into two categories: hand embroidery designs and machine embroidery designs. Hand embroidery designs are intended to be stitched out manually by an individual. Machine embroidery designs are a type of computer code that must be transferred to an embroidery-capable machine which then reads the code and stitches the design. Machine embroidery designs usually do not include instructions or templates to allow the design to stitched out by hand.

Embroidery machine – a machine which can import computer code, read the code and stitch out the designs the code represents. Can be either for home use (either a sewing and embroidery combination machine, or an embroidery-only machine) or commercial use (embroidery only). Machines that can only do preset decorative stitches are not embroidery machines. Embroidery machines have a connection for a hoop, and at least one port, such as a USB slot, for loading designs.

Embroidery unit – embroidery machine attachment that controls the movement of a hoop. It allows increases the machine’s range of movement, allowing it to stitch out embroidery designs. The embroidery unit on a home embroidery-only machine is built into the machine, while the embroidery unit of a machine that does both embroidery and normal stitching is a separate, removable unit.

File format – the type of file used by a program. Every computer file has an extension – the three letter code at the end of every file name (.hus, .jpg, etc.) File formats refer to different types of files – image files, text files, embroidery files, etc. Programs can only use specific file formats. In some cases a file can be converted into a different format with software, but only if the file formats are both for the same type of file. For example, a .jpg file can be converted into a .png file because they are both raster image files, but a .jpg file cannot be converted into a .doc file because .jpg is an image format and .doc is a text format. In addition, almost all programs have a format that they create. This format, often called its native format, is not recognized by other programs, even if it is for a type of file (like images or text) the other programs can use. Files in a native format must be converted into a more universal format (like .dst, .jef or .sew for embroidery files) before they can be used by other software.

Fill – a solid area made of lines of stitching, generally close together and in a pattern.

Fonts – in machine embroidery, files in the form of letters which can be added to a design by typing. Also called keyboard lettering. Embroidery fonts can be customized in more ways than alphabet embroidery designs can. Font files are not recognized by embroidery software programs other than the one for which they were created.

Graphics card – also known as a video card. Responsible for all of a computer’s image processing functions. Graphics cards can be part of the CPU, or can be separate hardware (known as a dedicated graphics card). Dedicated graphics cards process images more efficiently, removing some of the computing load from the CPU.

Hardware – the mechanical parts that make up a computer, like the CPU and disk drives.

Hoop – holds the fabric securely while embroidering. The hoop attaches to the embroidery unit and is related to the sewing area of the machine. All embroidery designs are sized to fit within a hoop of a certain size – if it exceeds that size, the machine cannot stitch it without splitting. Applique and in the hoop designs usually cannot be split to fit smaller hoops. The hoop itself is larger than the machine’s stitching area to allow flexible placement of the design within the hoop. In spite of this, the size that can be stitched is still limited to the sewing field of the machine. Machines cannot use hoops that are larger than their sewing field. A machine with a 4”x4” sewing field cannot use a 5”x7” hoop, nor can it stitch out 5”x7” embroidery designs without splitting. Each machine brand has its own hoop style, so a 5”x7” hoop from one brand will not work with a machine of a different brand. In addition, different machines of the same brand may also have different styles of hoops, so a hoop from one machine in the brand’s line may not work with another model of the same brand.