How do the digitizing techniques fit together?

A logo on screen is a set of shapes. A machine file is a list of stitches. Digitizing turns one into the other, and for each shape the digitizer works through the same questions, roughly in this order:

  1. Stitch type. Narrow shapes become satin, wide shapes become fill, fine lines become running or bean stitch. See satin stitch vs fill stitch and tatami stitch.
  2. Underlay. The foundation sewn first, chosen to suit the stitch type and fabric. See embroidery underlay.
  3. Density. How close the top stitches sit, set for the thread weight and fabric. See embroidery density.
  4. Pull compensation. Extra width so the shape finishes at its drawn size. See pull compensation.
  5. Sequence. The order the shapes sew in, and where the thread is trimmed. See trims and stitch sequencing.

Why can't each setting be chosen on its own?

Because each one changes what the others need. The Wilcom EmbroideryStudio help puts it in one line: an object sews out correctly only with correct stitch spacing, sufficient pull compensation and a suitable underlay for the combination of stitch type, object shape and fabric.

  • Good underlay lets the top stitches be lighter and still cover, so density can come down.
  • Heavier density pulls the fabric harder, so the shape needs more compensation.
  • The stitch type sets the direction of the pull, so compensation follows the satin width or the fill angle.
  • The sequence decides which shapes sew onto fabric that has already moved, so it affects how much compensation outlines need to meet their fills.

This is why changing one number in a finished file rarely fixes a problem cleanly. A machine file such as DST stores only stitches, not these settings, so adjustments belong in the working file. When a design sews badly, the fix is usually a small adjustment to several settings at once.

What changes the techniques from one job to the next?

Two things more than any other: the finished size and the fabric. Wilcom notes that stitch spacing may vary from one fabric to another and one object to another, and its pull compensation starting values run from 0.20 mm on cotton drill to 0.40 mm on fleece. Size matters because it changes stitch lengths: a satin that is fine on a left chest can become too long to hold when the same file is enlarged for a jacket back.

That is why a file should be built for the size and fabric it will sew on. Our fabric guides cover the details, starting with embroidery by fabric, and caps, which need their own sequencing, are covered in our cap embroidery guide. If a design is already puckering, start with our puckering guide.

How do we apply these techniques?

Every file we make is hand digitized, never auto-converted, with stitch type, underlay, density, compensation and sequence set for each object at the size and fabric you give us. A second digitizer checks every file before delivery, and each order includes all machine formats and a stitch simulation preview. Pricing is a flat fee per design, from $10, never per stitch. See our embroidery digitizing service, or check any design's stitch count first with the free stitch count estimator.

Frequently asked questions

Choosing the stitch type (satin, fill or running stitch), setting underlay, density and pull compensation, and planning the sequence the design sews in, including trims and color changes.
None on its own. Underlay, density and compensation depend on each other and on the stitch type, so they are set together for each shape.
Most programs apply default underlay, spacing and compensation, but the defaults assume an average fabric and size. A digitizer adjusts them per object. See our comparison of embroidery digitizing software.
No. Tell your digitizer the finished size, the fabric or garment and your machine format, and they set the techniques to suit.

Sources

Sources checked 19 September 2026.