Although embroidery can be traced back to about 1,000 years before the time of Christ, the term embroidery has come to be associated with needlework on fabric, leather and other materials.

Wikipedia.com defines embroidery as “the art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with designs stitched in strands of thread or yarn using a needle. Embroidery may also use other materials such as metal strips, pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. Sewing machines can be used to create machine embroidery.”

What makes embroidery interesting and fun is the door it opens to creativity. Almost any clothing or fabric item can be personalized specifically to an individual’s desires. For example, a name, an organization, a sports affiliation, a symbol, or a favorite saying can be embroidered with just simple lettering or enhanced with a complex and colorful design. The only limitation is one’s own imagination. Because people enjoy unique and personalized gifts, embroidery is very popular.

Most embroidery work today is done by computerized embroidery machines. The process starts by digitizing the design. Digitizing is the process of converting a design to a computerized image. The computer then communicates stitching instructions to the embroidery machine. Once a name or logo is digitized, it can be embroidered over and over for years with each piece looking identical to the previous one. Embroidered promotional items such as caps, shirts, jackets, etc. are very popular with corporations, families, etc.

Wikipedia.com defines a monogram as “a motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other graphemes (letters, numbers, punctuation marks, etc. used in language) to form one symbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbols or logos”.

Historically, monograms have been used for centuries to identify the creator or owner of an article. Over the years, monograms have become much more artistic in nature often adding value to the article itself.   

Although monograms can include one or even two initials, the standard is almost always 3 initials. Usually, the initial of the person’s last name is in the center and is the largest in size. The individual’s first initial is often on the left and the middle initial is then placed on the right. Upper case or capital letters are almost always used to create monograms. See example to the right. If only one or two initials are desired, the term “initial” is more common than the term “monogram”.

When couples create a joint monogram for such things as weddings, towels, linens, etc. the last initial is usually in the middle, the man’s on the left and the woman’s on the right.
The above outlines the usual style for monogramming. However, as is the case for any creative effort, it is personal choice that matters most.