First up,  we have a great post on digitizing lettering from All Things Embroidery.    Me favorite piece of advice in this post is to watch designs with lettering that sew well so you can see how letters join and corner.  This will help you get a better understanding of what lettering that is digitized correctly for the fabric and application should look like and how it should path.  There’s a lot of good information in this post,  whether you digitize your own lettering or have someone else do it.

Second on the list we have a post from Erich Campbell which talks about dealing with distortion in embroidered designs.    I love it when Erich talks about digitizing because he has a great way of making things I know are probably pretty complicated seem pretty simple.  This post is no exception.   I think the best piece of advice in this piece is to look at embroidery holistically,  taking into account how an embroidered design will interact with the fabric and the machine and not just looking at it as something static on a computer screen.  This is another helpful post about digitizing that will be useful whether you digitize yourself or not.

Third on the docket we have a post from Retail Minded which details how to tell if a specific vendor is a good seller for you or not.   Considering that you’re giving space on your website or in your store to every garment and blank vendor you offer,  knowing which ones are maximizing profit potential and which ones aren’t can be the difference between a year in the red and a year in the black.    This is a great reminder that space is money and you shouldn’t be giving any space, whether real or virtual,  away to goods that aren’t generating income.

Fourth at bat we have a great post on embroidering with metallic thread from Sadia Sews.   This post has a lot of common sense tips for making your metallic thread work for you, not against you.   As someone who works for a company that sells a great metallic thread,  I’m always happy to see more people encouraging the use of metallic thread in general.    If you’re thinking of trying embroidery with metallic thread, or if you’ve tried it in the past and had problems,  pick up a spool of thread from EnMart,  read the recommended post from Sadia, and give it a try again.

Fifth, just because the marketing geek in me likes it,  is this post from brandsavant.   It frames the question of what your brand and your company means to your customers in a unique way that I think will generate some unique answers.    A lot of times we ask customers questions designed to find out what they think of us and how they found us,  but this question gets right to the heart of what our brands mean to our customers and what they do for them.    I like the question and I like this post.  You may see this question turn up on the EnMart Facebook page soon.

Finally, again because of the marketing geek in me,  we have a post from UnMarketing, which makes the point that social media shouldn’t always be used just to reply to complaints and put out fires.  A good social media program also ensures that someone is there to say thank you for praise and to comment when customers post nice things about the product.   You need to keep abreast of everything that is being said about your brand,  and engage with it all, not just the negative items.

Subject:  Backing

Backing Basics: Specialty Backing

Backing Basics: Eco Friendly Backing 

Backing Basics:  Backing Weight

Backing Basics:  Types of Backing 

The Basics of Backing 

Subject: Embroidering Specialty Materials

Embroidering Performance Wear

How to Embroider Knit Fabrics 

Dry Weave Fabric 

Subject:  Patches Blank and Sublimated

Embroidering Single Patches: How To

Deciding Size and Type 

Sublimated Patches 

Why Buy Blank Patches from EnMart 

Subject:  Machine Embroidery Thread

Troubleshooting Thread Problems

Working with Metallic Thread 

Thread Conversions

The High Cost of Cheap Thread 

Now please do keep in mind that this blog has been in existence since 2007 so some of these posts may be a bit old.   Still, after reading through them,  I do think they still contain helpful information.  Hopefully you will as well.

The Clearance Bin is the place where all the discontinued,  overstock or one of a kind merchandise will be sold.   Prices of products in the bin, as the name implies,  will be at clearance levels.   The goal is to move some merchandise that is otherwise taking up space while giving our customers a deal.

Things you might find in the Clearance Bin include:

The “Why Did We Buy This” Products – The Nigiri thread clips,  which we think are Japanese,  but may not be,  are in this category.   We don’t know when or why they were purchased,  but they showed up on our shelves one day and languished there until we decided to create the Clearance Bin.  They’re not something we’d normally order or sell,  but they’re here all the same.

The “We Don’t Need This Anymore”  Products – The fabric that was just added last Friday is a good example of this type of product.  Once upon a time it was used for samples,  but is no longer needed.   The branch manager for our Michigan location would love it if we could sell this fabric and get it off her shelves.

The “It’s Not in Pristine Condition”  Products -  Occasionally we get a pack of backing that’s been smooshed,  or have thread that was once used as display thread for a show.   Those items can’t be sold as new,  so we offer them to you at a discount.

The “They Just Didn’t Sell At Full Price” Products – Some products have a pricepoint that works for them,  which might be below the regular price.   Sometimes we buy something we think will be a big seller and it just isn’t.   These types of products end up in the Clearance Bin as well.

While we think the whole of the EnMart website offers pricing that is reasonable and easy on almost any budget,  the Clearance Bin is the place where you can really find deals.   We update the bin as new items become available so make sure to bookmark our site and check back often.

First up today we have a blog post from Eileen at Designs in Machine Embroidery.  She’s talking about the embroidery machine features that everyone needs.  From what I can tell, it appears that she’s discussing home embroidery machines and not commercial embroidery machines,  so I’d love to hear what you commercial embroiderers think are the must have features for the machines that you have.   Is the list roughly the same?

Second at bat is a post from Joyce Jagger on her Stitches Magazine blog.    This time,  she’s talking about financial pitfalls that could greatly impact your embroidery business.   When you’re just starting out,  or once you get comfortable with how your business is running,  it’s easy to forget the basic, simple things that can keep your business in the black.  Joyce points out three areas which you should be watching.

Third on the docket we have Bonnie Landsberger’s latest post from My Two Stitches.   For those who don’t know,  Bonnie hurt her leg a while back and one thing I’ve found inspiring is how she’s found the good in something that really sounds like it’s mostly been painful and not a lot of fun.  This post is no exception.   As someone who doesn’t like crutches,  I can identify with the story about being in one part of the house and realizing that your crutches are somewhere else entirely.  I just like how the post emphasizes the good and the interesting in what must mostly be an annoying experience.  That’s the attitude we should all take when life throws a problem our way.

Fourth on the list we have some upcycling tutorials from Urban Threads.      With these tutorials you can turn a sweater into a skirt,  two t-shirts into a cardigan,  t-shirts into purses and a lot more.   I love the idea of transforming old clothes in new ways and reducing waste.   Plus,  as a woman who has changed clothing sizes a time or two,  I know how expensive clothes can be.  Taking clothes that are too big or too small and upcycling them seems like a much better option.

Finally,  I have to mention a blog post from Black Duck Inc. about sublimation and what it can do for your business.   I mention this post for two reasons.  One is that it does outline very well what benefits sublimation can offer your business and your customers.  The second is because EnMart played a small part in helping Black Duck on their sublimation journey and I’m so excited to watch that journey continue.   Anyone who has seen Erich Campbell’s work at Black Duck knows he’s immensely talented and I can’t wait to see what he and Black Duck do with sublimation.

First up,  embroidery over direct to garment printing.  Granted,  this is an advertisement used to sell DTG printing to embroiderers,  but you’ve got to admit it’s pretty cool.   I love how the embroidery makes certain elements stand out from the printed picture.  In a weird way it almost looks like a comic book.

Second,  we have a post from Ann the Gran  featuring some little touches that can add a bit of pop to your embroidery.   I love the idea of embroidering a design and adding something other than embroidery in the appropriate place.  In the example given,  the extra element is a button,  but it gives a bit of dimensionality.  I also like the silk flowers on the lampshade idea.  Again,  adding something three dimensional to the embroidery adds more visual interest.

Third, we have sublimated and embroidered patches,  which,  I have to admit,  I’m kind of wanting to try here.    It looks like basically the same theory as the embroidered DTG print,  you simply print your image and then embroider certain parts of it.   Of course,  patches do tend to be smaller, so size might be an issue here,  and I imagine it would be easier if you did a sheet of images,  embroidered them all, and then cut and merrowed them to form emblems.   Still,  it’s a cool idea,  and one I would love to see our parent company try.

Fourth,  we have embroidering on vinyl.   Now this is more the sort of vinyl used for dining room chairs or boat seats,  but it’s still interesting.    I also know embroiderers out there who have been asked to embroider on boat or car seats.

Sadly,  I didn’t find a good example of sublimation and machine embroidery,  but that is something I’ve been pushing our sublimation gurus to try here.   Hopefully we’ll get the time to experiment a bit this year.    Hopefully, you all will get the time to experiment as well.  If you do create some multi-media embroidery,  particularly if you use EnMart products to do it,  please do share with us.  We love to see what you create.

Reason 1:  We added sublimation supplies – In 2007, when I wrote the original post,  our parent company was doing sublimation,  but we were not yet selling the supplies and equipment.  Today EnMart sells sublimation printers,  sublimation ink and sublimation packages,  as well as sharing our experience and knowledge with both beginning and advanced sublimators.    If you are just starting out with sublimation and need support,  or if you’ve been sublimating for a while and are looking for a supplier who will ship you goods quickly and sell them at a fair price,  EnMart is here to help.

Reason 2:  Knowledgeable staff – We don’t just get a one hour seminar on the products we sell,  we use them every day.  Chances are if you encounter a problem,  we’ve encountered it in the past.    Anyone who has spoken with Tom Chambers at one of the trade shows knows he’s a sublimation guru,  and our sublimation tech, Bill, is very knowledgeable as well.   We also have years of machine embroidery experience under our roof,  so we can answer a wide variety of machine embroidery questions.

Reason 3:  Our product lines keep expanding -  We started out with poly and rayon thread.  Then we added gold and silver metallic, and after that colored metallic.  Variegated thread came along soon after and we added glow in the dark and solar activated thread in 2012.  We’ve also added new types of backing,  and even introduced an entirely new type of topping, Q-104,  to the industry in 2012.

It’s true,  there are bigger companies out there,  and there are probably companies that sell the same supplies we sell but for a cheaper price.   Still, I’d be willing to bet that there isn’t a company out there are few, if any,  companies out there that are as knowledgeable about sublimation and machine embroidery as we are,  or who are as willing to share that knowledge.    If you’re looking for a company to sell you something,  then you can make your purchase anywhere.   If you’re looking for a company that will not only sell you a product,  but provide support and education as well,  then take a look at EnMart.

We wish you all a happy and safe Christmas.

EnMart will be closed on Monday, December 24 and Tuesday, December 25, 2012 for the Christmas holiday.   We will reopen on Wednesday, December 26, 2012.

All orders placed on 12/22 – 12/25 will ship on Wednesday, 12/26 when we resume normal operations.

We will also be closed on Monday, December 31 and Tuesday, January 1, 2013.  

                                                                                        Happy Holidays!

Small thing #1 – Keep your machine lint and dust free – Dust and lint can cause problems with your power supply and with how the machine runs.  Make sure you keep a can of Clean Jet near your machine.   Lint brushes are also handy to have and useful for cleaning out the small crevices.

Small thing #2 – Keep your machine oiled – Proper lubrication will help ensure your machine runs smoothly.    White sewing machine oil can be used for lubricating large moving parts.   A zoom spout oiler, which also contains white sewing machine oil,  is useful for smaller or hard to reach areas.

Small thing #3 – The H Test – The H test will help ensure that your tensions are set correctly.   To perform this test,  set your machine to sew out the letter H.  When you look at the back of your sew out,  you should see 2/3 embroidery thread and 1/3 bobbin thread.  If you see a different ratio,  then your tensions are most likely off.

Small thing #4 – Clean your bobbin case -  This step is a simple thing but can make a big difference in how well your machine holds tensions.   Lint and dust can accumulate under the tension spring and should be removed.  Used the edge of playing card or a business card to clean away the debris.   Do not use anything metal as that could cause damage to the bobbin case.

On the list of things for which we are thankful,  you all rank at the top!

We will be closed on Thursday, November 22 and Friday, November 23 in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Normal business operations will resume Monday, November 26.

Second on the list is a post from Erich Campbell advising all of us creative people to cut ourselves some slack!   His recommends that all of us who do creative work remember not to be so hard on ourselves and not to expect perfection right out of the gate.    It is,  he says,  about giving ourselves the space to follow blind alleys and attempt things that don’t work,  trusting that we’ll finally find the right path.  It’s a good reminder for all of us,  certainly for me.   Being creative is tough enough without adding the burden of our own expectations to the mix.

Third at bat is a contest from Urban Threads.    This contest only goes until lunchtime on Monday so you’d better enter fast.   It’s pretty simple,  just select the Urban Threads design pack you’d like to win and pin it to your Pinterest account.  Make sure you use the required hashtag and that you only pin one pack.  Multiple entries with the hashtag will not be counted.  Contest ends at noon central time on Monday.   If you’ve been waiting to buy a specific Urban Threads design pack,  this contest is a great chance to get that pack for free!

Fourth on the docket is the news that Pinterest has created business pages.  I love this and have already converted the EnMart account over to a business page,  but thought some of the rest of you may need instructions to do the same.  Luckily, Hubspot has provided a tutorial on converting your current profile into a business account as well as some information on how to promote your account once you’ve created it.  Pinterest can be a great marketing tool for decoration companies,  so be sure to check this out.

Fifth in the round-up is a post from Chris Reimer from Rizzo Tees.   He has a great sense of humor and I love what he does with the fact that some people will take any current event or common experience and build a blog post around it.  His post, distinctly tongue in cheek,  tells us what proctology exams can teach us about social media and it’s both funny and insightful.  If nothing else,  it spotlights the absurdity pegging a post on the last big thing that happened rather than creating original, thoughtful content.