| Before computers were affordable, most embroidery | | | | one person to be working on a different part of the |
| was completed by "punching" designs on paper tape | | | | embroidery process, vastly streamlining production |
| that then ran through a mechanical embroidery | | | | times. Until very recently, high quality computerized |
| machine. One error could ruin an entire design, forcing | | | | embroidery has been out of reach for the casual |
| the creator to start over. This is how the term | | | | hobbiest. |
| "punching" came to be used in relation to digitizing | | | | However, as costs have fallen for computers, |
| embroidery designs. In 1980, Wilcom introduced the first | | | | software, and embroidery machines, computerized |
| computer graphics embroidery design system running | | | | machine embroidery has rapidly grown in popularity |
| on a mini-computer. | | | | since the late 1990s. Many machine manufacturers sell |
| The operator would "digitize" the design into the | | | | their own lines of embroidery patterns for those who |
| computer using similar techniques to "punching", and the | | | | don't want to create their own. In addition, many |
| machine would stitch out the digitized design. Wilcom | | | | individuals and independent companies also sell |
| enhanced this technology in 1982 with the introduction | | | | embroidery designs, and there are thousands of free |
| of the first multi-user system that allowed more than | | | | designs available on the internet. |