Discover Hand & Lock's newest & most contemporary class - The ultimate Digital Embroidery Masterclass. This is a fully bespoke, 5 hour session taught on a 1-1 basis! Digital machine embroidery is fast becoming the go-to technique for cost effective yet creative embroidery designs that can be made in a fraction of the time of hand embroidery. Popular among contemporary fashion designers & influencers - digital embroidery is hugely versatile and can be utilised to customise, upcycle & add beautiful detail to almost any item.

Some of our recent clients and projects in the digital department have included embroidery for Casablanca's SS23 Paris showcase, personalised wedding veils and monogrammed pyjamas for Victoria Beckham. Most notably, for the Queen's Royal Jubilee performance, we fully embroidered a bespoke jacket for Brian May.

Book your 1-1 Digital Masterclass using the listing below. Don't see a time or date that works for you? Please email Liss@handembroidery.com and we will see if we can fit you in.

The session will primarily cover the art of embroidery 'digitising', using our specialist software 'Wilcom'. Digitising is the process of translating an existing artwork, or designing an artwork entirely from scratch- into digital stitch form. Our software allows us to design a 'stitch file' selecting different techniques, densities, spacings & stitch angles to name a few functions- rendering the artwork into a creative digital embroidery design. This class will cover both the basics of Wilcom, as well as specialist insider tips from the H&L digital embroidery team. Students will leave the session with an understanding of the practical applications of digital embroidery and how they can go on to apply what they have learned to their own practice. It is recommended for students to come along with an artwork in mind that they would like to work on during the session. The class will also include an induction covering the basics of programming and running a digital embroidery machine. You will learn how to take your digital artwork from the screen, onto fabric. On request, we can build time into the session to sample a physical embroidery artwork on the machine. You'll have the opportunity to discuss with your tutor beforehand, to tailor the session completely to your personal requirements.

Check out some example outcomes from previous students here.

Hour 1: Brief tour of the H&L Studios with an opportunity to view some of our digital machine embroidery samples. Wilcom Basics - we will spend the most part of the first hour going over the basic functions of Wilcom (e.g. Importing Graphics, created filled shapes & borders, Reshape tool, altering angles & densities, lettering & exporting designs etc).

Hour 2: In Hour 2 we will move on to exploring some of the more complex & exciting functions Wilcom has to offer and how different techniques can be blended and layered (Motif fills, Hand stitch effect, radial effect, Jagged edge effect, Contour, altering spacings etc).

Hour 3: Next you'll have the opportunity to review some of H&L's digitised designs to see how embroidery digitising is prepared at an industry standard. We'll talk about efficiency & quality checks including reviewing underlays & organising colour orders within your file. We'll also discuss setting up designs appropriately for the intended fabric base.

Hour 4: After a short break we will return to take a look at your artwork or design idea and discuss how we could begin to translate this into embroidery. You'll also have the unique opportunity to speak to our staff about our digital embroidery projects and gain some invaluable insights. With the guidance of staff, you'll then have some time to begin exploring the software on your own implementing some of the functions & techniques explored in the morning.

Hour 5: In the final hour of the session we will move into our machine room to do a basic digital machine induction including threading, backing, framing up and programming a design & you will have the chance to see some of our machines in action! if you are already familiar with digital embroidery machines - the last hour can be utilised to continue working on more advanced digitising techniques.