Updates
Blue Dots - The Importance of Feedback

Blue Dots – The Importance of Feedback

Nobody likes feeling like they are blindly stumbling through their work. Though those trying to forge new paths with their businesses try to train themselves to deal with uncertainty comfortably, most people in most situations want some way to know where they are going and how far they’ve come. They need regular waypoints- guideposts to . . . Read More

14 Oct 2016
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How do I prevent mistakes in my embroidery shop? – The Approval Process

Nothing is as useful in preventing decorating mistakes as a solid preproduction approval process. I don’t mean to contradict myself- I still believe that the first step and most important step toward making your decoration conform to customer expectations is a good interview process and clear communication. That said, approvals are the last, best line . . . Read More

07 Oct 2016
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DIGITIZING FOR PRODUCTIVITY

How to Digitize Embroidery Designs for Productivity

Those of us in production know that looks aren’t everything in commercial embroidery digitizing, but what can we do to make sure that we’re digitizing with productivity in mind? Luckily, I’ve laid out my process in this month’s Printwear Magazine! If you have time, I wholeheartedly suggest that you check out the full article, but for those . . . Read More

02 Sep 2016
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In Commercial Digitizing, Looks aren't Everything

Commercial Embroidery Digitizing – More than Meets the Eye

With commercial embroidery digitizing, looks aren’t everything. Though I encourage people to work on the aesthetic quality of their apparel embroidery designs, prioritizing the look over other important characteristics can compromise their value, both for shops and for end customers. No apparel embroidery design is the best it can be unless it satisfies all these conditions: . . . Read More

26 Aug 2016
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Desining For Headwear (Not Against It)

Designing For (not Against) Headwear

Headwear success can have as much to do with the design of your source art as it does with digitizing and embroidery execution. This week, I hosted a live webinar on embroidering caps (linked here and embedded at the bottom of the post) with the excellent crew at Madeira USA. If you know machine embroidery, you’ve heard . . . Read More

12 Aug 2016
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What’s the ‘Best’ Embroidery Machine and Software?

I take a deep breath whenever I hear either of these questions from someone who is new to this business: What’s the best embroidery machine I can buy? What’s the best embroidery digitizing software? These seem like simple questions, but they are absolutely loaded. I tend to be pretty agnostic with my tools and supplies; If I . . . Read More

29 Jul 2016
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6 tips for Home Embroiderers on the Transition from Hobby to Pro

6 Tips on Going Pro for Hobby Embroiderers – Erich at Mr. X Stitch

What are the key things that most hobbyist embroiderers miss when they first start becoming professional embroiderers? This commercial embroiderer has 6 answers (to start). I usually favor my Friday posts being all-new work, but a post I recently wrote for my Ghost in the Embroidery Machine blog under the banner of the always interesting Mr. . . . Read More

15 Jul 2016
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Celeste Schwartz Fuzzy Thread Tag - Closeup - by Erich CampbellCeleste Schwartz Fuzzy Thread Tag - Closeup - by Erich Campbell

Specialty Threads improve your Designs and your Bottom Line

What can adding specialty threads do for my business? We all know that specialty threads like metallic thread, glow in the dark thread, solar-active threads, matte-finish threads, and fuzzy, thick threads can help us express ourselves artistically and make our designs stand apart. That said, how many of us know how to take what could . . . Read More

08 Jul 2016
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Ars Longa Vita Brevis Jacket design by Erich Campbell

Why I Share and Teach

When we share and teach, we grow. On my last day at Black Duck before I leave to do a week of consulting for the Printwear Tune-Up, I find myself reflecting on the time I’ve spent educating. I’ve written an interminable stream of words from my earliest time on mailing lists and forums through my years of . . . Read More

17 Jun 2016
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