Woven or non-woven material used underneath the item or fabric being embroidered to provide support and stability for the needle penetration during digitizing. Best used when hooped with the garment, but also can be placed between the item to be embroidered and the needle plate on flat bed machines.
Applique is a common digitizing way. Applique means trimming cut from one piece of fabric and stitched to another to add dimension and texture. If appliqué occupies a significant amount of the design, the stitch count is lower.
Complexity is the biggest factor in determining the cost of digitizing. A large circle that is all fill makes the stitch count very high, but the design is simple. A large circle that has a complex design inside, but is not completely filled has a lower stitch count, but is much more time consuming to digitize. ...