A system for in-line treatment of thread for use with a thread consuming device is provided. The system comprises at least one treatment unit being configured to dispense one or more coating substances onto the at least one thread when activated and a thread speed sensor being driven by the motion of the at least one thread. A method is further provided.

A computer-implemented method for generating thread stitch coloring data for an in-line thread coloring process, comprising: obtaining first thread stitch coloring data based on a digital representation that is to be produced as a decorative thread pattern; obtaining at least one thread color boundary defining a color change from a first color to a second color; determining residual stitch data based on the at least one thread color boundary being indicative of a number of residual stitches required in order to carry out said color change in an in-line thread coloring process; and generating second thread stitch coloring data based on the residual stitch data such that the color change of the first thread stitch coloring data is accounted for in the in-line thread coloring process.

A computer-implemented method for generating thread stitch coloring data for an in-line thread coloring process, comprising: obtaining first thread stitch coloring data based on a digital representation that is to be produced as a decorative thread pattern; obtaining at least one thread color boundary defining a color change from a first color to a second color; determining residual stitch data based on the at least one thread color boundary being indicative of a number of residual stitches required in order to carry out said color change in an in-line thread coloring process; and generating second thread stitch coloring data based on the residual stitch data such that the color change of the first thread stitch coloring data is accounted for in the in-line thread coloring process.