The Maker Studio is a staff-managed prototyping manufacturing environment. Faculty, students, and staff are welcome to submit an embroidery request form and an embroidery consultation form to the IDEA Lab Maker Studio.

Who can submit an embroidery job to the IDEA Lab Maker Studio?

Anyone affiliated with the University of Illinois can submit a request for an embroidery job. If someone not affiliated with the University directly would like to use our embroidery services, email us at idealab@library.illinois.edu for options we may be able to provide.

How do I get started?

Submit either a job request or a request for consultation for embroidery at LINK.

Do I need to bring anything to pick up my embroidery project?

You will need your i-Card for ID verification.

How long will it take to process an embroidery job?

We cannot guarantee a due date as the embroidery process can be unpredictable.

How much does embroidery cost?

Our costs break down in the following way: We have a flat fee of $4.00 per embroidery job plus $1 extra per each additional color over 4 colors requested. The flat fee of $4.00 is per piece, meaning if you request multiple copies of your design, we will assess a charge of $4 per desired copy.

Can I use the equipment in the IDEA Lab Maker Studio?

For safety reasons, currently only trained IDEA Lab staff can operate the equipment.

When should I expect my embroidery job to be ready?

Due to the complex nature of machine embroidery, we cannot give firm completion times at the start of the embroidery process. Times will be based on the job's complexity, the complexity of the individual files, and machine and staff availability.

What happens if my embroidery job fails?

A trained and dedicated staff member will communicate with you on the progress of your embroidery job.

Are there restrictions on what I can embroider?

The IDEA Lab adheres to the regulations stated in the campus-wide University’s Student Code and the Library User Policies. We reserve the right to refuse print jobs that infringe on these policies and guidelines.

How long will you hold my finished object for me?

We will hold the finished job until the end of the semester in which it was submitted. However, due to university billing procedures, we may bill for the job before that time, as we typically process payments monthly. Please review our workflow on the Machine Embroidery Basics LibGuide page.

What colors/kinds of fabric/thread are available?

We have several base fabrics and a wide variety of thread colors to choose from.  We do our best to keep a variety of colors.  However, we may not have all colors in all fabric or thread types.  You may request specific color and material types, but availability will depend on stock.

What if we provide the fabric or thread? Does that affect cost?

We handle these types of requests on a case-by-case basis. Email the IDEA Lab to discuss options.

How does the IDEA Lab finish the edges of a patch?
There are several options open to you for finishing of your job. In the embroidery request form, you can request a raw edge, a folded edge or a stitched border. If you are not sure what finishing style would be best for your project, please feel free to schedule an embroidery consultation.

I want to embroider an object bigger than 4 x 4". How do I go about that?

Currently, the IDEA Lab's machine specs only support embroidery up to a size of 4 x 4".

Are there other places I can do machine embroidery in person?
The Champaign Urbana Fab Lab supports machine embroidery - more information can be found on their website.

Champaign-Urbana (CU) Community FabLab (run by the iSchool)