DigitEMB University

Embroidery & machine glossary

Understand the words on your machine, in your software and in your quote. Start with these 36 essentials, then explore the detailed reference when you need more depth.

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Every essential term now has an illustration. Match the numbered details to the caption, or enlarge a diagram to look more closely. Drawings explain the principles; actual shapes and proportions vary.

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36 / 36 terms shown

Machine & setupNeedle: The part that carries the upper thread through the fabric. Choose the needle system, point and size specified for your machine and material.; 1 Needle; 2 upper thread; 3 fabric. The eye is near the point, so the needle carries thread through the fabric.
Machine & setupBobbin: The small spool that supplies the lower thread. Its size, winding and thread must match the machine's requirements.; 1 Bobbin; 2 lower thread; 3 fabric above. The bobbin supplies thread from below the work.
Machine & setupRotary hook: The mechanism that catches the upper-thread loop to form a stitch with the bobbin thread. Cleaning and lubrication are model-specific.; 1 Hook tip; 2 upper-thread loop; 3 bobbin. The hook carries the loop around the bobbin assembly to form a lockstitch. Simplified view.
Machine & setupThread tension: The resistance applied to thread as it feeds. Poor stitch balance can also come from threading, needles or fabric support; tension is only one factor.; 1 Upper thread; 2 bobbin thread; 3 interlocking threads. This enlarged cross-section shows how both threads meet within the fabric; it is not a tension-setting guide.
Machine & setupHoop / frame: The holder that keeps fabric and stabilizer positioned during embroidery. The usable sewing area is smaller than its outside dimensions.; 1 Hoop frame; 2 fabric held inside it. The frame holds the fabric and stabilizer while the machine moves the work under the needle.
Machine & setupEmbroidery field: The area a particular machine and frame combination can stitch. Confirm the actual field before sizing or positioning a design.; 1 Hoop; 2 usable embroidery field. The dashed area is smaller than the hoop opening: a design must fit the machine’s permitted stitching area.
Machine & setupStitches per minute (SPM): A measure of machine sewing speed. Actual job time also includes stops, trims, color changes, hooping and finishing.; 1 One minute; 2 stitches made during that time. This measures sewing speed; thread changes, trims and stops add to total production time.
Machine & setupThread break: An interruption caused by a broken thread. Check the thread path, needle, material and design; one symptom can have several causes.; 1 A break in the upper thread between spool and needle. The gap stops continuous stitching and must be resolved before sewing continues.
Thread & stabilizersStabilizer / backing: Material placed behind the fabric to support embroidery. Choose it for the fabric, design and intended use of the finished item.; 1 Fabric; 2 backing underneath. This separated view shows the support layer that helps resist fabric movement during stitching.
Thread & stabilizersCutaway stabilizer: Backing whose excess is cut away after stitching. The part beneath the design stays in place to provide continuing support.; Back view: 1 excess backing is cut away; 2 backing beneath the stitches stays in place to support the finished embroidery.
Thread & stabilizersTearaway stabilizer: Backing designed so excess can be torn away after stitching. Remove it carefully while supporting the stitches and fabric.; Back view: 1 embroidered fabric; 2 excess backing being torn away. The stitches hold the design while the surrounding backing is removed.
Thread & stabilizersTopping: Material placed on top of textured fabric to help keep stitches from sinking into the surface. Follow its removal and fabric-care instructions.; 1 Topping above; 2 textured fabric; 3 backing below. A topping helps keep stitches from sinking into the fabric’s surface texture.
Thread & stabilizersThread weight: A thread-size designation. Numbering systems differ, so compare manufacturer specifications instead of assuming that equal numbers mean equal thickness.; 1 Example of 40-weight thread; 2 finer 60-weight thread. Within the same weight system, a higher number usually means a finer thread; the drawing exaggerates the difference.
Stitches & digitizingUnderlay: Foundation stitches sewn before the visible top stitches. They help support the fabric and give the top stitching a more stable base.; 1 Foundation stitches shown exposed; 2 cover stitches on top. Underlay is sewn first and is usually hidden by the finished embroidery.
Stitches & digitizingStitch density: How closely stitches are packed. Software often expresses it as spacing: a smaller spacing value usually means denser stitching. Test on the intended fabric.; 1 Wider spacing, fewer stitch rows; 2 closer spacing, more rows in the same area. More density does not automatically produce better embroidery.
Stitches & digitizingPull compensation: A digitizing adjustment that extends stitch coverage to counter fabric pulling inward. The right amount depends on the fabric, stitch structure and test sew-out.; 1 Digitized width extends beyond the dashed target; 2 stitching pulls toward the intended width. The amount depends on the fabric, thread and stitch direction; this is a conceptual example.
Stitches & digitizingRunning stitch: A sequence of individual stitches along a path. It is used for lines, details and some hidden travel or foundation stitching.; 1 Short stitches follow a path; 2 dots mark needle penetrations. The connected segments form a line rather than covering a wide area.
Stitches & digitizingSatin stitch: Stitches spanning across a narrow shape to create a smooth, lustrous surface. Very long spans may need splitting or a different stitch type.; 1 One edge; 2 opposite edge. Closely spaced stitches span the full column width, creating a smooth band for suitable lettering and borders.
Stitches & digitizingFill stitch / tatami: Rows of stitches arranged to cover an area. Stitch angle, spacing and pattern affect its appearance and how the fabric behaves.; 1 Rows cover a broad area; 2 staggered needle penetrations divide the rows into shorter stitches. This is a simplified tatami-style fill.
Stitches & digitizingTrim: A thread-cutting action between parts of a design. Machine support and file interpretation vary; inspect both the file and a real sew-out.; 1 The connecting thread is cut between separated stitched areas. Cutting removes a connector that would otherwise cross the fabric.
Stitches & digitizingJump stitch: A move between stitching locations without forming normal stitches along the route. It can leave a connecting thread that needs trimming.; 1 The thread crosses an unstitched gap between two areas. The machine moves without needle penetrations along that gap; the thread may need trimming.
Quality & approvalRegistration: How well parts of a design line up, such as an outline around a fill. Fabric movement, sequencing and digitizing choices can affect it.; 1 Offset outline leaves a gap on one side; 2 aligned outline meets the fill. Compare outlines and color areas during a sew-out.
Quality & approvalSew-out: A physical embroidery sample made from the stitch file. It reveals behavior that a screen preview cannot confirm, including texture, puckering and material interaction.; 1 Stitch file; 2 physical stitched sample. Sewing on the intended fabric and backing reveals behavior that a screen preview cannot confirm.
Quality & approvalProof: A version supplied for approval of details such as size, spelling, placement and colors. Confirm whether it is a digital preview or a physical sample.; 1 Digital preview; 2 approval check. A proof helps confirm appearance and placement, but it does not replace a physical sew-out.
Software & filesEmbroidery digitizing: Planning and creating stitch instructions from artwork. It includes stitch types, order, underlay and material-specific settings; changing a filename does not perform digitizing.; 1 Artwork; 2 planned stitches; 3 needle execution. Digitizing turns shapes into a stitch sequence with chosen stitch types, paths and settings.
Software & filesNative design file: The software's editable working format, which may preserve objects and settings. Keep it alongside the exported machine file for future revisions.; 1 Editable shape nodes; 2 design properties. A native source file preserves editing information that an exported machine file may not contain.
Software & filesMachine stitch file: An exported file containing embroidery instructions for compatible machines. Confirm format, design size and machine limits before use.; 1 Stitch instructions; 2 embroidery machine. Export a supported format, then check design size, orientation and machine limits before stitching.
Software & filesDST: A widely used embroidery stitch-file format. It does not reliably communicate your intended thread shades, so supply a separate color sequence or worksheet.; 1 A .DST stitch file; 2 a compatible machine. The extension identifies a stitch format, not a guarantee of size, thread-color data or suitability for every machine.
Software & filesPES: An embroidery format supported by certain Brother, Baby Lock and other compatible systems. Check your exact model and supported file version.; 1 A .PES embroidery file; 2 a compatible machine. Check the PES version and design size supported by the particular machine model.
Artwork & productsVector artwork: Artwork described by paths and shapes instead of pixels. It can be resized cleanly, but still needs digitizing before it becomes machine embroidery.; 1 Anchor point on a curve; 2 control handle shaping the curve. Vector paths describe shapes mathematically; they are not embroidery stitches by themselves.
Artwork & productsAppliqué: A method that attaches a separate piece of fabric to a base material with stitching. Placement, tack-down and finishing stages need accurate alignment.; 1 Base fabric; 2 separate fabric shape; 3 securing stitches around its edge. Appliqué combines fabric pieces with embroidery.
Artwork & productsMerrowed border: A wrapped, overlocked edge commonly used on patches. Its suitability depends on the patch shape, thickness and intended finish.; 1 Looped overedge stitching; 2 patch body. A Merrow-style border wraps thread around the patch edge instead of leaving a raw cut edge.
Artwork & productsPrint bleed: Artwork extended beyond the final cut line so small cutting variations do not expose an unprinted edge. Follow the printer's required allowance.; 1 Artwork extends beyond the cut; 2 dashed trim line. The extra printed area helps avoid an unprinted sliver if cutting shifts slightly.
Pricing & businessSetup cost: Work needed before a production run, such as digitizing, sampling or machine preparation. Decide whether it is charged separately or allocated across units.; 1 One setup cost of 30; 2 a batch of 10 items shares it at 3 per item. The illustration shows three sample items; these are example amounts, not DigitEMB prices.
Pricing & businessMargin: Profit expressed as a share of the selling price: (price minus cost) ÷ price. Define which costs you include before comparing margins.; Example: selling price 20, 1 cost 12, 2 gross profit 8. Margin divides profit by selling price: 8 ÷ 20 = 40%. Other business expenses can reduce net profit.
Pricing & businessMarkup: The amount added to cost, expressed as a share of cost: (price minus cost) ÷ cost. A 50% markup is not a 50% margin.; Same example: selling price 20, 1 cost 12, 2 gross profit 8. Markup divides profit by cost: 8 ÷ 12 ≈ 66.7%. It differs from the 40% margin on the same sale.

Go deeper: 285-term reference

Our detailed English glossary includes technical notes, examples and related terms. This essential glossary is available in six languages; the full reference and most linked lessons are currently in English.

Open the full English glossary

Turn knowledge into better work

Before quoting a job, record the finished size, material, quantity, placement and approval requirements. Make a sample, time the real process and use those results to price the work.

Pricing example

Illustration only: if the costs included in your estimate total 10 and you sell for 15, profit before any excluded costs is 5. Markup is 50%; margin is 33.3%. Add labor, setup, materials, overhead and expected rework before deciding whether a price works for your business. This is not an earnings forecast.

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Technical references

Use the manual for your exact machine and software version. Operating limits, needles, cleaning and lubrication are model-specific. The references below are in English; a glossary is not a machine operating manual.

Content updated: September 13, 2026