Emb. quality example attached. Did I really get screwed?

[Dottonedan]

I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. I have a local guy that does Emb. and I occasionally do some things for him.  I'm not sure what contract Emb. was worth here (on an order of I think it was 26 Polos). He charged me $5.75 per.  He had the shirts in about 1.5 weeks in advance and held them till about 2 days before the event to do them. (I kind of expected that a little). So, I'm sure he rushed them to get them done faster.

This was my first order with this Church. They usually get EVERYTHING from one other person from the church who does Emb. signs, printing etc. (but all basic stuff).  SO they gave me a shot and I marked them up trying to be competitive to the previous person who always does them. In the mean time, I get them back, not 2 days before the event, but the 1 day before. I needed to turn them in that day so they can pass them out that evening. I rushed them over without looking at them (not that I could do anything about any issues at that time anyways).  I get the call that they were not satisfied. Once I got a look at them, I can understand.

I'm not getting my money back or anything from the previous embroidery shop. I'm not even going to let him know. I just won't use him for that again. I am taking them to another. So when I take to the new shop to lay out my expectations, I would like to provide them with good "embroidery" information as to what needs to be done.



Some puckered badly. Some lettering worse than others. Some "thread colors were replaced with a different color. etc.
Here is the question. What should expect in terms of quality? Below is a pic of the vector art supplied.

Here are some pics of the average quality. In one section (a bit hard to see in the picture) but he used two separate colors that were close but still noticeably different.

[Fresh Baked Printing]

Dude, I even sent you a sample of my gals work! Yes, you got screwed.
Remove vendor from list promptly.

[inkman996]

Where do I start?

First off the embroider sucks he obviously does not have all heads running consistent and same. That is important on our machine every single head embroiders exactly the same.

The small llettering "church" is horrible. First off with lettering spaced that far there should be cuts for each letter. The letters should be bolder to compensate for the pique crappy material. I cannot guess why the center line underlay peeks out but it should not. Not sure if he used it or not but he should have and that is solvy topping.

The larger letters also have improper underlay I would have used a outline run and then a zigzag underlay with close spacing. Again needs topping.

As for the unraveling on the step satin fill that could either be poor or no underlay or bobbin missed there.

As for puckering if it did not do it on all shirts then chances are he hooped poorly, to tight and not evenly stretched all directions. Or the backing underneath had a fold in it.

I could pick it apart all day Dan but bottom line you are right to not use him again but being a professional you should show him and inform what is wrong that is about the only way he will learn to increase his quality.

[JBLUE]

Looks like dog sh!t. Make him replace it.

[jesterapparel]

I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. I have a local guy that does Emb. and I occasionally do some things for him.  I'm not sure what contract Emb. was worth here (on an order of I think it was 26 Polos). He charged me $5.75 per.  He had the shirts in about 1.5 weeks in advance and held them till about 2 days before the event to do them. (I kind of expected that a little). So, I'm sure he rushed them to get them done faster.

This was my first order with this Church. They usually get EVERYTHING from one other person from the church who does Emb. signs, printing etc. (but all basic stuff).  SO they gave me a shot and I marked them up trying to be competitive to the previous person who always does them. In the mean time, I get them back, not 2 days before the event, but the 1 day before. I needed to turn them in that day so they can pass them out that evening. I rushed them over without looking at them (not that I could do anything about any issues at that time anyways).  I get the call that they were not satisfied. Once I got a look at them, I can understand.

I'm not getting my money back or anything from the previous embroidery shop. I'm not even going to let him know. I just won't use him for that again. I am taking them to another. So when I take to the new shop to lay out my expectations, I would like to provide them with good "embroidery" information as to what needs to be done.



Some puckered badly. Some lettering worse than others. Some "thread colors were replaced with a different color. etc.
Here is the question. What should expect in terms of quality? Below is a pic of the vector art supplied.

Here are some pics of the average quality. In one section (a bit hard to see in the picture) but he used two separate colors that were close but still noticeably different.

Sucks, I have a guy I use who is on the east coast, does best work ever if you want his name.

[Dottonedan]

but being a professional you should show him and inform what is wrong that is about the only way he will learn to increase his quality.

I considered that. Then I remembered that he's been doing embroidery here in this town for 15 years. My past dealings with him led me to have a hunch that he was comfortable being at the level he is at and the customers he has. I think for me, he didn't care all that much about doing my business or the quality outcome. To my face, he's all for it and friendly but the results speak otherwise.

[Evo]

Man. I could do better freehand on my sewing machine. And it's a mini walking foot...

 


Seriously though, don't be silent about it. Sure you won't use him again, but let him know (calmly and professionally) why you are unhappy with the results and maybe you will spare his next customer some grief if he can make improvements.

[Evo]

but being a professional you should show him and inform what is wrong that is about the only way he will learn to increase his quality.

I considered that. Then I remembered that he's been doing embroidery here in this town for 15 years. My past dealings with him led me to have a hunch that he was comfortable being at the level he is at and the customers he has. I think for me, he didn't care all that much about doing my business or the quality outcome. To my face, he's all for it and friendly but the results speak otherwise.

Ok screw my last post, blast him in an email and walk away.

 

[Dottonedan]

Is any of this the fault of the digitizer? He said he paid a guy in India $10.00 I told him that I'm not worried about paying for digitizing and would pay for better but he said this guy was good.  Is it a combo of poor digitizing as well as execution?

If it cost $10 in India and 30-50 in the states, I'd of paid $100.00 to make sure it was done well.

[Evo]

Is any of this the fault of the digitizer? He said he paid a guy in India $10.00 I told him that I'm not worried about paying for digitizing and would pay for better but he said this guy was good.  Is it a combo of poor digitizing as well as execution?

If it cost $10 in India and 30-50 in the states, I'd of paid $100.00 to make sure it was done well.

Looking at those pics I'd think he'd take the $100 in digitizing and botch it all to hell on the machines.

[inkman996]

Dan take apicture of the inside I can also tell a lot from whats going on there. Improper backing, incorrect tension etc.

I do not think it is all about the digitizing I see lots of issues with his machine parameters, incorrect tensions incorrect hooping etc. I also could not tell you how involved the digitizing is with poor sew out with out having the file to open and examine. I think i see to much fill on the step satin and probably incorrect underlay.

[mk162]

Looks good to me.

Just kidding.  I am having a go around with a customer right now about their logo, it was fine sewing at #.25" wide, then they wanted to go to 2" wide.  Well, letters that are .13" tall aren't going to look good and the holes will fill in, so we bumped them a slight bit taller and 2 years later, one of the guys notices.  After he's worn the shirt I can't tell you how many times.

It already looked bad small, it would have been illegible any smaller.

He didn't trim it at all, which irritates me.  Ink is right about the heads being off, each head should sew the same, or don't use it.  I have 1 head off right now because I am not happy with it.

[Dottonedan]

back

[alan802]

Wow, that is some fine work!  I don't inspect other shops embroidery like I do screen printing so I can't say I'm an expert in what good embroidery looks like, but I know what bad embroidery looks like and that is F'ing terrible.

[killergraphics]

Is any of this the fault of the digitizer? He said he paid a guy in India $10.00 I told him that I'm not worried about paying for digitizing and would pay for better but he said this guy was good.  Is it a combo of poor digitizing as well as execution?

If it cost $10 in India and 30-50 in the states, I'd of paid $100.00 to make sure it was done well.

Most of it is in the tape and then a combo of bad hooping and a lose white.
 It even looks like some cotton thread and some poly.