Why isn’t there a single digitizing technique to make all designs look alike?

Digitizing is an art. Every stitch within a design is subject to artistic interpretation. A digitizer must decide which type of stitch, underlay stitch, angle, and placement to use in a design.

While there are only four basic stitch types (manual, run, satin, and fill), the use and combination of those stitches are endless. There are many basic rules applied to digitizing, such as minimum and maximum stitch lengths, density values for proper coverage, and the allowance for fabric push and pull. These parameters are usually consistent within the digitizing process, but things begin to differ when the digitizer determines stitch type, stitch direction, and border types. These settings determine the visual aspects of the design process, which is what makes one design look different from the other. 

When I started in this industry in 1987, someone once told me that if you give the same design to 10 different digitizers, you’ll receive 10 different looks. Now, three decades later, not only is this statement still valid but the level of variance will be even higher due to the added bells and whistles loaded into embroidery software programs.