From Software to Stitch: The Art of Gradient Machine Embroidery

How we create our gradient machine embroidery designs

To achieve a realistic, three-dimensional look in our embroidery designs, we use multiple shades to create beautiful, lifelike, richly colored fruits and vegetables.

This effect calls for overlapping shades. The stitch density in these types of embroidery designs is carefully balanced so that embroidery machines can handle the overlaps with ease. Only two thread colors ever overlap at a time — and even that only as much as absolutely necessary.

Let us show you a technique we truly enjoy using in our designs.

Our digitizing software gives us the tools to create beautiful, uniform gradient surfaces — a technique we continue to refine and use in our designs.

The software places each stitch with exceptional precision, so we can create gradient embroidery designs with minimal overlap. This incredible accuracy results in smooth, even embroidery surfaces that machines can stitch out easily. 

We can use this technique for both straight-direction fillings and curved-line embroideries.

We’d love for you to experience what this embroidery technique can offer — so we’ve digitized a sample design, which is now available for free here:

Gradient cloud machine embroidery design

Stitches: 6927
Size: 48.0 / 74.5 mm (1.89 / 2.93 in)

Histogramm
(2) Needle 1
(727) Needle 2
(1740) Needle 3
(2819) Needle 4
(3019) Needle 5
(3754) Needle 6
(5865) Needle 7
(6926) Design end

Gunold-Sulky
1 – 1044 – Gunold-Sulky – 3.21 m
2 – 1294 – Gunold-Sulky – 4.70 m
3 – 1283 – Gunold-Sulky – 5.08 m
4 – 1165 – Gunold-Sulky – 0.90 m
5 – 1291 – Gunold-Sulky – 3.26 m
6 – 1071 – Gunold-Sulky – 10.08 m
7 – 1234 – Gunold-Sulky – 5.51 m

Underthread: 16.40 m

If you feel inspired to explore more, feel free to browse through the embroidery designs we’ve created so far.