Embroidery Newb

[Fleetee]

I'm focused on screen printing at the moment. But I know that I will eventually also get into DTG for the low volume and/or high detailed shirts. I know the very basics of what embroidery is. But can someone please generally explain what it's specifically used for? It also seems very challenging. For those who do commercial embroidery; how long did it take you to fully develop the skill on the commercial level (not hobby level) and how did you go about learning the skill?

[RICK STEFANICK]

Here you go..

https://www.instructables.com/id/Embroidery-101/

[Doug B]

  I was fortunate enough to work at a place that did screen printing and embroidery. I graduated from printing to
art/separations and then to embroidery supervising. I've been printing 50+ years, embroidering 25+ and digitizing
10+ years and every day I still learn something and some days I feel like I've just scratched the surface. Mostly
self-taught but I have taken digitizing training seminars from Gunhold and Wilcom. and another Software company
I can't remember the name of. The key phrase here is "mostly self-taught".

[Fleetee]

Here you go..

https://www.instructables.com/id/Embroidery-101/

I appreciate the link Rick! Actually about to read through it now.

[Fleetee]

  I was fortunate enough to work at a place that did screen printing and embroidery. I graduated from printing to
art/separations and then to embroidery supervising. I've been printing 50+ years, embroidering 25+ and digitizing
10+ years and every day I still learn something and some days I feel like I've just scratched the surface. Mostly
self-taught but I have taken digitizing training seminars from Gunhold and Wilcom. and another Software company
I can't remember the name of. The key phrase here is "mostly self-taught".

Wow, you are exactly at the level I desire to be at. 50+ years? You must've seen it all. When you say "mostly self-taught" I assume you mean the internet? Like google, youtube, forums like this. But there was no internet 50 years ago, let alone 30 years ago haha. Was it all trial and error for you?

[Fleetee]

1 more question guys! I'm planning on getting a DTG printer eventually. I know that others use a heat press to do the final cure of the t-shirt when printing DTG. I was thinking of just using the conveyor dryer that I already have to do the final cure instead of spending more money and purchasing a heat press. Can someone confirm that I can use my workhorse powerhouse quartz dryer to do the final cure for DTG? Thanks so much guys, really appreciate it!

[Audifox]

We started with embroidery 24 yrs ago and expanded into printing about 20 yrs ago. When we bought our first machine it came with three days of training.
Pretty much self taught, by trial and error. 
Having a grasp on sewing in general helps. Back then, Stitches magazine was one way of learning, as was seminars at the trade shows.

We were lucky, the digitizer we used was an award winning business. She used to do stuff for Disney etc.
Learned a lot by watching how her designs sewed out, vs some of the stock designs that came with our machine. Doesn't take long to see good from bad.

  I was fortunate enough to work at a place that did screen printing and embroidery. I graduated from printing to
art/separations and then to embroidery supervising. I've been printing 50+ years, embroidering 25+ and digitizing
10+ years and every day I still learn something and some days I feel like I've just scratched the surface. Mostly
self-taught but I have taken digitizing training seminars from Gunhold and Wilcom. and another Software company
I can't remember the name of. The key phrase here is "mostly self-taught".

I agree with Doug, still learning stuff everyday.

I did find some articles that may help as well, they are a little scattered but you should find some good stuff.
https://www.embroiderydesigns.com/emb_learning/articles.aspx
Narrow the search by clicking on the education and tutorials in the catagory drop down list.

[Homer]

  I was fortunate enough to work at a place that did screen printing and embroidery. I graduated from printing to
art/separations and then to embroidery supervising. I've been printing 50+ years, embroidering 25+ and digitizing
10+ years and every day I still learn something and some days I feel like I've just scratched the surface. Mostly
self-taught but I have taken digitizing training seminars from Gunhold and Wilcom. and another Software company
I can't remember the name of. The key phrase here is "mostly self-taught".

Wow, you are exactly at the level I desire to be at. 50+ years? You must've seen it all. When you say "mostly self-taught" I assume you mean the internet? Like google, youtube, forums like this. But there was no internet 50 years ago, let alone 30 years ago haha. Was it all trial and error for you?

  no no, self taught around here means lots of $$ in replacement goods, broken parts and a whole lot of swear words... I call it "paying your dues"....a lot of us didn't go to college, but we still need to pay tuition....

[Audifox]

  I was fortunate enough to work at a place that did screen printing and embroidery. I graduated from printing to
art/separations and then to embroidery supervising. I've been printing 50+ years, embroidering 25+ and digitizing
10+ years and every day I still learn something and some days I feel like I've just scratched the surface. Mostly
self-taught but I have taken digitizing training seminars from Gunhold and Wilcom. and another Software company
I can't remember the name of. The key phrase here is "mostly self-taught".

Wow, you are exactly at the level I desire to be at. 50+ years? You must've seen it all. When you say "mostly self-taught" I assume you mean the internet? Like google, youtube, forums like this. But there was no internet 50 years ago, let alone 30 years ago haha. Was it all trial and error for you?

  no no, self taught around here means lots of $$ in replacement goods, broken parts and a whole lot of swear words... I call it "paying your dues"....a lot of us didn't go to college, but we still need to pay tuition....

Exactly this^^^

Still get these moments..... Not paying attention usually

[mooseman]

Embroidery is like golf you can buy a $3000.00 set of clubs but does not make you a good golfer.
You tube. the books and all the fancy stuff just helps but you have to learn from somebody. and unfortunately that is you. The learning curve is long and often times very steep and just when you thing you have it you discover another element of the process you never seen before.
Ultimately it works but it will take you a couple of minutes to even get your head thinking the right way.
My best day in embroidery was the day my 4 head machine arrived. My next best day in embroidery was the day I sold my machine. In between was a 14 year learning curve.
mooseman