Design guidelines for Coloreel

Embroidering with Coloreel’s thread dyeing technology offers flexibility and vibrant results. However, to achieve the best possible outcomes, there are a few key guidelines to follow. Here are some tips to ensure your Coloreel-embroidered designs are top-notch:

1. Optimize lettering size
To ensure clarity and readability, make sure your lettering is not smaller than 8mm. Smaller text may lose its definition, making it hard to read and less visually appealing.

2. Maintain minimum line thickness
Lines should be at least 1.5mm thick. Thin lines can become indistinct and may not hold up well, compromising the design’s overall look.

3. Connect your design sections
Coloreel can transition seamlessly from one color to another, eliminating the need for trims during embroidery. To take advantage of this feature, ensure that all sections of your design are connected. This not only enhances the visual flow but also prevents unnecessary thread cuts and jumps.

4. Avoid distressed graphics
Avoid using distressed or worn-out looks in your graphics. This style often doesn’t translate well into embroidery and can result in a less clean, polished appearance.

5. Simplify realistic images
Realistic-looking images are difficult to embroider accurately. Photographic artwork should be simplified into solid shapes. Simplified designs with clear, distinct areas work best for embroidery.

6. Plan for color changes
Consider color changes carefully when designing. Coloreel’s technology needs space to transition from one color to the next, which should be cleverly hidden. If your design contains small shapes, consider adding an outline or border. Outlines not only aid in color transitions but also help to stabilize your design, preventing it from warping over time.

7. Use large, simple shapes
For smooth color transitions between solid colors, opt for large, simple, and filled shapes. Avoid graphics with many small elements, as they can complicate the embroidery process and lead to less smooth transitions.

8. Avoid intricate details and hard color changes
Designs with intricate details and abrupt color changes can be challenging to execute cleanly. Simpler designs with fewer color shifts will produce cleaner and more professional-looking embroidery.

9. Avoid run stitches in multicolor designs
Run stitches don’t have underlay space for color changes, making transitions noticeable and less smooth. If your design includes multiple colors, avoid using run stitches.

10. Use consistent gradients for small shapes
If your artwork contains multiple small shapes, use one gradient for all the shapes instead of small or short gradients. Multiple short gradients can cause stitching issues and color misplacement.

11. Fill empty spaces
Empty spaces in your design can lead to deformities and an uneven appearance on the fabric surface. To achieve a clean, retail-ready finish, fill in gaps where the fabric shows through. If negative space is essential to your design, ensure the fabric is dense enough to support it. This will help avoid uneven edges and deformed designs due to embroidery shifting, pinching, and puckering.