What is digitising? Here we show you how it is done with a simple graphic for illustration. Using Photoshop we decide on the image to be used. For this example we have placed two 'Itsmy' heads in helmets together. The colours shown are irrelevant as the yarn colours used can be changed for any area of colour or individual line. We have coloured them to allow us to see the image more easily through the stitches when overlaid. Once we have the size of the graphic we will save the file ready to import into our digitising programme. This image (heads2.jpg) is 60mm wide and 44mm high, which is quite small but will still equal some 6484 stitches in total. The idea is to change the image into a format the embroidery machinery will understand. This involves placing those 6484 individual stitches over the image stitch by stitch. The digitising programme does allow some short cuts, but only so far as filling an area we mask. We need to tell the programme where to start and stop each area and the angle of stitching. The reason for the latter is two fold. Firstly we want an area stitched from one side straight to the other. If the machine stitches an area in two sections the join can show. Secondly if the stitch angle is the same angle as the garment stitched on then the embroidery edges will appear ragged as they won't have a defined edge. The images below show the image turned on and then turned off after each colour change. This allows you to see the process more easily. Normally the first stitching would be an 'underlay' which are basic lines holding the garment firm. We have foregone this in the example. The stitching must be done in layers and the faces would be at the 'back' of the image thus are layed first. We have placed a black stitch to create the left heads mouth and edge part of the left helmet. We have this now to show we can change the stitching order later. This will be stitched with the other edging lines later. Next we have placed the right images brown hair over the face colour As the right image is behind the left we layer the full face helmet first. The left side of the helmet is missing to reduce the over stitching by the left helmet. The left open face helmets visible red inner lining is now laid. We've put the image back on to show you we have overlaid white yarn to create the left open face helmet. It won't be visible to you unless we do this until the image is finished. The next layer is the left open face helmets black visor. The left head eyes have been included and we've added grey to the right helmet to suggest a visor. The eye stitch order will change to be done last. Here we have put a block of black on the right helmet visor hinge and run an outline defining the heads. Finally we have included the white eyes. Again the stitch sequence will be changed to put this under the black outline. The image is now digitised. This wire frame view allows us to check the stitching angle of each layered colour. The stitching will travel down each line at a right angle. Here's a close up of the stitches. Each dot represents a stitch. You're welcome to count all 5484 if you wish. The programmes base toolbar tells us though. The pre stitch example. Notice some areas appear to overlap the borders. That's the clever bit. We know when it's stitched this won't happen as we factor this in depending on the fabric to be embroidered.