There are multiple makerspaces available to UIUC on campus spread out between multiple departments and libraries. However, not all of them provide machine embroidery services. The IDEA Lab, located in the lower level of the Grainger Engineering Library, offers machine embroidery fabrication services and has authored this libguide. The details in this guide will be specific to the IDEA Lab machine embroidery service and policies.

The CU Community Fab Lab also provides embroidery machines for patron use!

If you can design it, you can machine embroider it! The IDEA Lab embroidery machine workflow allows for any digital image to be converted into an embroidery file and stitched out on our machine. You can also find a wealth of pre-made embroidery machine files on sites like Etsy.

The most successful embroidery projects come from images with limited and well-defined colors: think more "cartoon" than photograph. Our machine is also limited to a 4 inch square work area, so designs must be sized appropriately. If you have questions about the suitability of your desired design to machine embroidery, please reach out to the IDEA Lab for a consultation!

The goal of this guide is to provide a thorough over of the processes of machine embroidery. Additionally, this guide will introduce the reader to the resources available all around Urbana-Champaign with an emphasis placed on the resources and practices of the IDEA Lab in the Grainger Library. This guide will provide information regarding preparing a project to embroider, the process it entails, where on campus to go for embroidery services, and what resources we have within our collection of literature and guides to help you. This guide focuses on the resources and expertise available through the IDEA Lab, although additional resources, both virtual and brick and mortar, will be provided. Thank you for taking the time to read this guide.

Various labs across campus price out their embroidery machine services differently. At the IDEA Lab rates are as follows:  $4.00 base cost per embroidery project, which includes one 4x4 inch square work area and up to 4 different thread colors. If you would like to use more than 4 colors in your design, each additional color beyond 4 will be an extra charge of $1.00. If more than one copy of a design is desired, each copy will require an additional $4.00 base payment.