Emoji Embroidery Project

Introduction

See also: Emoji Embroidery Project (en français)

Prototyping on old sweaters

The Emoji Embroidery Project aims to create a resource for creating emoji embroideries. Over time, it will include hundreds of reusable designs.

So far, documentation only exists in french (in the sister wiki) It includes:

• A database of digitized emoji, reusable for commercial purposes under a CC-BY-SA licence (expanding, yet to be documented): fr:Liste des emojis à broder (This page also includes essential information in English)
• Tutorials on how to use them (to be done)
• Tutorials on how to create your own scans from "free" emoji font designs: fr:InkStitch - broder un emoji and fr:Stitch Era - broder un emoji
• Activities such as the fr:atelier upcycling avec des broderies émoji
• Educational material that makes use of emoji designs, for example the fr:Cours d'initiation à la broderie numérique (FacLab UniGE) course.
• A technical and conceptual introduction to fr:Emoji (to be refined).

Objectives:

• To bring embroidery to a wider audience.
• To contribute to sustainability (by showing an easy path to upcycling: your sweater which emoji-covered moth holes will look better than before)
• Contribute to digital embroidery education (emoji are relatively easy objects to digitise)
• Spreading the idea that digital embroidery is an interesting medium to develop digital skills, making skills and some soft skills.

Participants

This project is led by Daniel K. Schneider (FacLab Université de Genève and Arbores Tech SARL) and Lydie Boufflers (TECFA). It is supported by the FacLab University of Geneva and its infrastructure.

Using the Emoji Embroidery Project Library

First, let us recall that the files are available under the Attribution-ShareAlike license. So you can use them for commercial purposes, but you must replicate the same license when you redistribute a file or a derivative of a file.

Dimensions

By default a design has a maximum length or width of 4.5cm (1.8 inch). This allows you to embroider it with a small 5x5cm (2 inch) frame and cover a small hole. Some simple designs are also available in 3x3cm (1.2 inch).

File type

• .SVG SVG source file, slightly adapted.
• *-inkstitch*.SVG InkStitch design file. You can use it as is, change just parameters (including density and offsets), or adapt it
• .DSG Stitch Era design file, semi-professional software with a very good price/performance ratio
• .PES Machine embroidery file for Brother embroiderers (You can use conversion software to translate it to another brand compatible format)
• .DST Machine embroidery file for Tajima embroiderers. Most reliable format, but without color information
• .PNG Usually a simulation is created with TrueSizer software
• .JPG Usually a photo of an embroidery (often just a simulation)

File name

The file name starts with the official UniCode name (Emoji List, v14.0, unicode.org). Then comes other information, like the font name (especially Noto and Twemoji), "inkstitch" (if made with InkStitch), size (if different) etc.

About like this:

 Unicode-name - Fontname - (inkstitch) - Extras - Size 

Examples:

scientist-twemoji-inkstitch.svg

avocado-twemoji-inkstitch-3cm.svg

backhand-index-pointing-left-twemoji-inkstitch.svg

Usage

Dense design

Most of the patterns are set with a strong density (5 lines/mm = 0.2mm distance between the threads). This allows to cover a hole in a sweater. Satins and fillings often have a strong compensation. We also overlay the embroidery objects. Since the design files are included, you can change parameters.

You can embroider these embroidery designs directly on a garment, but we advise to do a test because (1) some designs have not been tested and (2) the designs are optimized for an unstable fabric like sweaters.

Appliqués and Patch

The AA_PATCH_APPLIQUE folder includes templates for creating patches and appliqués.

Type	size	fabric size	size emoji
Round patch	62mm	62mm	4.5cm (standard) + very short lettering
Round patch	64mm	62mm	4.5cm (standard)
Square patch	62mm	62mm	4.5 (standard) + small lettering
Round patch	46mm	46mm	3cm
Round patch	48mm	46mm	3cm

To the left: appliqués 48mm (wider border). Right: 46mm patch (patches, thinner border)

Copyright

Copyright and license: The embroidery design and machine files of the Emoji Embroidery Project © 2021 by Daniel K. Schneider et al., FacLab and Lydie Boufflers, TECFA, University of Geneva are licensed under CC BY-NC-SA Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike

Pictures

• 

  Emoiji-sample-pics-2021-12-05.png A list of simulation images for Ink/Stitch embroidery designs

• 

  Emoiji-sample-svg-2021-12-05.png Some Ink/Stitch SVG design files