Once you’ve seen the crisp, professional designs that can be done with machine embroidery you were hooked, right?
And the idea that you can make money doing it, from home, is a real thing.
But you may have a few questions, like “Is it hard?” or “What do I need to get started?” The good news is modern embroidery machines have made it easy for beginners to start an embroidery business.
Plus, machines like the Avancé 1501C and the Avancé 1201C, are powerful, but compact. This makes them perfect for home and retail use. They come with rolling stands. Fit in a closet or corner when not in use. But still are specifically designed for business.
The Avancé Embroidery Machines also have some fun new features that make embroidery easier and more efficient, but we will go through that later. So, to answer all your questions about creating custom embroidery, we’ve created this guide to talk through what you’ll need to get started.
Embroidery Supplies & Equipment
One of my favorite things about embroidery business startups is that it has a low overhead and startup cost.
You don’t need tons of supplies to get up and running. And the supplies you’ll need to buy as your business grows are super affordable.
Computerized Embroidery Machine | The Avancé
As we mentioned earlier, first and foremost you’ll need a computerized embroidery machine. There are some different options here, depending on what you want out of your business.
At stores like Walmart and Target you can find hobby sewing machines like the well-known Brother line. But these sewing machines don’t have the same power as commercial embroidery machines.
You’ll notice a few differences right away. Commercial embroidery machines are multi-needle AND have a much bigger sewing field. Because more colors and more stitches mean bigger designs and more money!
Here at ColDesi we have two options: Avancé 1501C & 1201C. Both these machines have exciting features like:
- 28 on board fonts for easy monogramming and lettering projects
- HUGE design memory on board - 800 designs or 100 million stitches
- Super Quiet – perfect for home or retail use
- 10.1" Full color, high resolution touch screen interface
- USB Port - Convenient design load
- Network Ready - load designs from anywhere
- Thread break detection
- Control precision - min. controllable stitch intervals is .1mm
- Wide Cap Frame - 270 degree
- Real time stitching preview
- Pinpoint laser for perfect embroidery positioning
- Extended light - so you can see what you're sewing
- Wifi
The Avancé 1201C was developed in response to customer desire for a smaller more compact machine. So, we created a version of the Avancé 1501C that is just as powerful, yet more portable, with less needles, and more affordable.
Accessories | Thread, Hoops & Needles
To successfully sew patterns and designs onto garments you will need couple accessories like hoops, thread and needles.
Hoops
Hoops are what you use to secure your garment into the embroidery machine. The Avancé Embroidery machines comes with a great set of hoops of different sizes. This selection is perfect to get your business up and running.
We also love the Allied Gridlock Hoops. These hoops feature premium, high-grade plastic, a metal tension knob, and gridlines that help you line up your embroidery.
Needles
The Avancé Embroidery Machine comes to your door set up to sew. This means that it is already equipped with needles.
The needles that come standard are the GrozBeckert Sharp Point 75/11. On colmanandcompany.com you can find a variety of different needle sizes and styles.
Groz-Beckert Needles have been designed for high-speed embroidery machines. The DBxK5 needle has a larger eye opening and helps reduce thread breaks.
The Groz-Beckert chrome needle is an excellent all-purpose workhorse. Available in both light ballpoint and sharp point styles with a round shaft.
Thread
Polyester thread is the best for embroidery because it is strong and it’s color last longer and doesn’t fade.
Royal thread is our house brand of thread and comes with the Avancé machines. We highly recommend it for its value, quality, and color selection.
Digitized Designs for Embroidery
Embroidery machines take a specific design file. This is not your typical PNG or Jpeg. Embroidery files must tell the machine where to place each stitch.
Basically, your logo, monogram, or pattern need to be digitized. Now there are a couple of ways to do this, do it yourself (takes time and learning) or have someone else do it.
To do your own digitizing you will need digitizing software like the Sierra Stitch Liberty Software that comes with the Avancé Embroidery Machines.
ColDesi’s world-class training will teach you the basics of digitizing, but practice makes perfect. After all, it is a form of art.
Now the other way is to simply have someone else do it. ColDesi-Graphics.com is a premium art service that never auto-digitizes and even sends you a photo of our design sewn out, so you know before you even put your garment on your machine that it’s going to look great.
Support & Training
Something that a lot of people starting an embroidery business don’t realize, is that they are going to need help.
When you purchase a machine from ColDesi you automatically get ColDesi’s world-class training and support.
Training
We offer live online training with our embroidery professionals who have been in the industry for years. They walk you through the all the steps and I include several tips and tricks to help you succeed.
Many of our Embroidery machine owners love the self-paced training courses. These courses are designed with you and your busy life in mind.
The Avancé self-paced training consists of training modules that include videos and article to help you along the way.
Support
The best part about getting a machine from ColDesi is our support team. They know the Avancé Embroidery Machines inside and out and know the embroidery business.
Getting support is easy. Customers can either put in a support ticket online or just give us a call!
Blank Clothing and Accessories
Another thing you will need is something to embroider on. Now there are two different ways that embroidery business owners usually set up their business.
Some of them allow customers to bring them blank clothing and then they will embroider on those garments. This means they don’t have any inventory lying around and they don’t have to worry about getting a wholesale apparel account.
The other way to set up your business (and the way we recommend) is to have a variety of blank apparel that you offer your customers for customization. This way you have some control over the quality of the blanks.
The good news for new business owners is that colmanandcompany.com has made it easy for them to order blank clothing without having to buy in bulk and without having to be approved for a wholesale account.
You can find tons of polos, oxford button-ups, bags, towels, and other embroidery blanks right here.
Profitable and fun things you can make
- Initial Wallets
- Monogrammed Robes
- Logo Polos
- Sneakers
- Beach Totes
- Names on Backpacks
- Letterman Jackets
- Uniforms
Fun Ways to Grow Your Embroidery Business
Now there are tons of other embroidery supplies that you can get that can help you expand your embroidery business.
PatchKit
Custom patches are a unique and popular item that you can make with your embroidery machine. Patches are used on school, military, police, scout, and motorcycle clubs’ uniforms.
The PatchKit Pro Bundle comes with some material and equipment that will help you make patches more efficiently:
- PatchMat
- PatchTwill
- HotKnife
- Heat Spun
- Heat Seal
- Heat Press
These products ensure your patch is high quality, sturdy, and can be heat applied to a variety of substrates.
Embroidery Grip
While polos, jackets and towels are very easy to hoop and put on your embroidery machine, you may want to embroider on some more specialty items like tennis shoes and wallets.
What we like to say is if you can’t hoop it, grip it! The Embroidery Grip my Coldesi uses a strong clamping system that allows you to embroider hard to hoop items.
Sublimation Printer
Now if you start sewing logos onto polos or woven shirts for some local companies in your area, you’ll probably notice they are getting other custom supplies like printed t-shirt and company mousepads from somewhere else. Well, why not from you?
By adding a sublimation printer to your embroidery business, you can start making custom digitally printed t-shirts, mousepads, coasters, keychains, and tons more.
Sublimation printers are extremely versatile and an affordable way to expand your business and offer your customers something new.
Graphtec Cutter
A great way to kick up your embroidery a notch is to add glitter! Our favorite way to do this is by using glitter heat transfer vinyl.
This can turn an ordinary embroidered hat into something special that can have a higher retail value.
A vinyl cutter like the Graphtec ce7000 is also an affordable way to make specialty items like simple t-shirts and custom drinkware.
Take the Next Step
They can answer and questions and help walk you through the basics of embroidery and starting a business.
Plus, they can help you set up an embroidery machine bundle so you can get everything you need and want for your business.
