I learned how to sew when I was 5 years old, I would take great delight in hand stitching little bags and outfits for my dolls. Once I was in my teens I became quite accomplished in dressmaking and would make the majority of my own, personal attire. It had been an instinctive development to embellishing, I learned the basic hand embroidery techniques and I’d accentuate my clothing.
In 1999 I discovered machine embroidery, I believed it was magic, and I still do. In the early days I bought a sewing machine and embroidery machine in one, It was not cheap back then, but it pales when compared with today’s machines. I still have it and use it for sewing constantly and occasionally when my 6 needle machine is otherwise engaged I will still use it for embroidery.
The astonishing thing is the fact when i first bought my single needle embroidery machine I didn’t end up with good results. The explanation for this is that in 1999 there was not the information around to educate machine embroiderers. I get that old machine out now and my results are wonderful, this is because I now understand what I’m doing.
This brings me one of my personal favorite sayings, “First you need to know the rules, you’ll be able to break them”. Being an avid cook, dressmaker, embroidery, and digitizer I find this philosophy pertains to everything. In the kitchen I know what herbs and spices go with what meats and vegetables and I will manipulate quantities and substitute other items. However you need to know the principles, if you understand the foundations and the reason behind them you can then change things to suit yourself.
Correct hooping techniques can make major difference to your result. Hoop the stabilizer with the fabric. Ensure the material is firm inside the hoop but is not distorted. A sheet of nonslip matting on the work bench will help keep your lower hoop stable as you position your fabric.
A dense, high stitch count design on a lightweight fabric will entirely ruin the fabric’s flow. Select subtle designs when dealing with light in weight fabric. And when stitching a design on a towel or high-pile fabric, opt for a dense design that won’t disappear altogether into the pile. Lastly, for stretch fabrics, don’t try anything too dense and large. Keep in mind, the fabric will stretch, although the embroidery won’t.
I might suggest using “Cutaway” on unstable fabrics (e.g. stretchy or knitted); using “Tearaway” on stable fabrics (e.g. woven); and using “Washaway” on freestanding lace or clothes, or some really cool 3D stuff with organza – that is, if you want to eliminate the stabilizer altogether once the embroidery is completed. Always use a water soluble topper on toweling. Again, like everything else, try some out and find out the possibilities for yourself.
Related posts:
- The use of underlay in machine embroidery While there are many tips for good machine embroidery designs...
- Online Homeschoolers Can Have Fun Offline with Kid’s Party Games There are a lot of offline homeschooling activities and games...
- The Best Machine For Scrapbooking When you’re looking for scrapbooking page ideas, you surely want...
- Vintage Sewing Machines: Own an Everchanging Legacy Growing up, I repeatedly listen to the buzz of my...
- Machines Alone Won’t Get You Great Abs|Thinking Of Buying An Abs Machine|Have You Just Bought An Abs Machine|Why A Machine On Its Own Won’t Give You Great Abs Ok so you have ordered your self the most brilliant...