WIP: Embroidered Business Cards

The idea for creating some embroidered business/trading cards has been rolling around and around in my head for weeks and months without me finding time to work it out. Frustrating! So with the house all to myself over the weekend, I finally made time for this project!


My idea includes a custom embroidedred design on the front of the card, and turning a design into an embroidery stitch file, or digitizing, takes my full attention. I just can't concentrate with a 1 1/2 year old running around the house or a husband poking over my shoulder! I use the Berninaรข Artista Embroidery Software V5 for digitizing; at one time I was trained to use all the bits and pieces of this super-digitizing program, but sadly only retain those parts which I really use a lot.

And here's my process: after scanning in my artwork, I digitize a rough draft of the design. The design is sent to the embroidery machine, stitched out on white felt (it's cheap, I have a lot of it, and I can really see each stitch on white).


Then the design is removed from the hoop and cut to size. Now I can look at the stitch-out and decide which parts of the design need editing and make the changes in the digitizing software.


After finishing all the editing, the whole process starts again and repeats (stitching out, checking out the design, and editing) until I am happy with the design.

These actually started out rectangular, but after my first edits I decided the "wonky tag" shape looked better, and I really like it. I also added some repurposed trim and buttons to the tags.


After all my work on Saturday afternoon, here is a finished tag! This is the front...


and this is the back.


I think I'd like to try some different colored felt (because the white just seems so boring, no?) and to play with the thread colors a bit more. But, what do you think so far?

Comments

Mary Keenan said…
Words can't describe how adorable this is ;^) I love the wonky cut, too! Such a great idea and oh how I wish I had your sewing room...
Terriaw said…
these are beautiful! I love this idea. I think everything translated so well into embroidery with these tags. You have such a great set-up for doing these!
Sarah C said…
Those are fantastic! They are business cards that set you apart!
Love it! Wish I could spend a month in your sewing room with you....LOL!
Kimberly said…
These look incredible! Much cooler than a standard business card for sure!
Sparky said…
Ok, I am in, sew in, I want to talk to you..seriously lol If not for flicker I would have never found you..yeah...now I am follower and have you on my blog list...please lets connect...
blessings madame samm
Karin said…
These are fantastic! I love them, what a clever idea. What an amazing embroidery machine! What an intimidating machine too! I am impressed that you "know how to drive that thing!"
shen_nanigans said…
I love them!!! Looks great!

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