Hi everyone, 

     I have a great but older embroidery machine (Husqvarna Viking #1+) which I haven't used a lot recently (got it when my kids were small and had lots of fun with it then), now my youngest is a high school senior, and I've been asked to use my machine to help out with a school Robotics team project.  I've been doing some research, and would really appreciate some guidance on making the early decisions from those who have been around the block a few times already.  Thanks so much!

     So the team has bought 50 heavy cotton welding jackets (here they are: 

http://www.toughweld.com/products/1287-stryker-fr-welding-jacket-black-w-red-flames

      They would like to embroider names onto the jackets, on the left chest, over or under the logo.   The team has an "official font"  which is Bank Gothic.   I have 2 embroidery hoops, one standard (100x100mm), one large (100x170mm I think).  I have the Husqvarna Professional Embroidery System 5.

     OK, so here are the first 2 decisions I have to make:

1. Should I 

a. embroider directly onto the jackets, or

b. embroider names with a border to make into badges to sew or iron on, or

d. embroider onto purchased badges?

and,

2. Should I use

a. 20 mm Script font that is already on the machine (seems easier, but team doesn't like it too much, and I'm not sure how I would do the longer names, seems like only room for 6 letters across the hoop, can you do them the long way across the large hoop?)

b. A font already installed in my software (could type all the names in, would work, but they don't look too much like the official team font either)

c. purchase a font that looks more like their "team font" (haven't found one yet, also not sure how to use it, can you just add it to the fonts already in my customize program?)

d. digitize the team font (I think that's way too hard for me as a novice?)

I would love to make this a learning project for the kids as well, bring the machine to the school meetings and they can learn about sewing and computerized machines, etc.

Thanks so much for any guidance, tips or wisdom anyone may have!