Creative Machine Embroidery March - April 2018

One of the best things about sewing is being able to completely customize a project, from the silhouette to the fabric to the embellishment. Creating your own fabric adds another level to customization and lends itself well to the addition of embroidery. Oftentimes, manufactured fabric prints compete with embroidery. I find myself choosing mostly solid color fabric for embroidery projects so the stitches will have the most impact. But I do love prints, and many of them complement embroidery motifs nicely. So I try to at least incorporate fabric prints into linings, borders, straps, plackets or cuffs. A great workaround to using prints with embroidery designs is to create your own fabric print. Upload an inspiration image, sketch or more tech-savvy digital graphic or illustration to Spoonflower and have your…

lisa archer In the Hoop: Bunny Ears—page 22 picklepiedesigns.com ramona baird Alpha Mat—page 64 kandi christian Cherries Jubilee Jumper—page 52 sewtimeless.com “Reverse action tweezers. When not in use the points are closed but when you pinch the handle together, the points open. They’re great for picking up jump threads during the embroidery process, for holding threads as the back of an embroidery is cleaned and to thread the sewing machine needle.” pamela cox Heirloom Effects: Pulled Threadwork—page 30 “My most unexpected tool is my dog, Beckett. She reminds me to get up from the machine and move. She makes me take a break and go outside for a short game of keep-away, which Beckett thinks is much more fun than fetch.” nancy fiedler Quilt This: From Practice to…

MIND THE GAP If you notice gaps in your stitching, switch to a thicker thread or change the stabilizer. Renee C., email ROTARY SAFETY Use large medication bottles to store used rotary cutter blades for safe disposal. Peggy M., email SPOOL TOOL Use an empty serger thread cone as a funnel when inserting weighted stuffing pellets into stuffed animals and dolls. MJ S., Facebook GREAT CRATE Use a ceramic egg crate to organize your thread spools and wound bobbins in correct stitching order. Karen P., email TAPE TACTICS When cutting out pattern pieces, write the name of each pattern piece on blue painter’s tape and place it on the fabric wrong side. Sandra B., email Send your tips and tricks to info@cmemag.com or post them on our Facebook fan page…

1. The new pink 6” Double Curved Machine Embroidery Scissors from Pickle Pie Designs are perfect for in-the-hoop and appliqué projects. The unique pink coating uses the same material applied to surgical instruments for a comfortable, non-slip grip with less fatigue. ($29.99, picklepiedesigns.com) 2. If you have trouble threading a hand-sewing needle, treat yourself to the cutest notion around, the Hummingbird Needle Threader. This tool is easy to hold, use and access with its small lanyard hole and innovative design. ($3.99, dritz.com) 3. The Nishikiito Cosmo Hand Embroidery Thread is made in Japan by utilizing the technique for the gold thread used in Kyoto’s wasou (traditional Japanese clothing). Nishikiito offers two kinds of thread with different glosses in 33 colors, all featuring a very lustrous look. ($3.30/ea, lecien.co.jp/en/) 4. If…

BASIC TIPS Rippling, wrinkles and puckers introduced during embroidery aren’t always eradicated with even the best pressing techniques. The optimum way to achieve the best results from pressing is to reduce the need to press in the first place. Follow some of these tips to avoid wrinkling and puckering problems that occur during the embroidery process. Choose a suitable design. Great embroidery is a marriage of two suitable partners: a good design and an appropriate fabric. Not only do you need a fabric that can support the chosen design, but you also need a fabric that has the right amount of “breathing space” in the weave. For example, a design with very short stitches will fall apart on a very open weave because the stitches can’t form properly (A). On…

Fine fabrics: Delicate silks and silky fabrics are luxurious companions for embroidery. These types of fabrics absorb heat quickly and therefore only need a light touch on pressing. Insert a piece of paper between the stabilizers (or seam allowance) and fabric before pressing if seams or backings could cause a ridge. Over-pressing or too much pressure can cause fabrics to scorch or ripple. Napped fabrics: Textured, napped fabrics such as corduroy, velvet, velveteen and other pile fabrics require a light touch to prevent crushed pile. You may find a needle board to be a useful addition to your pressing tools if you frequently work with these fabrics. Novelty fabrics: Fleece, faux fur and leathers, vinyls and metallic fabrics are a few examples of novelty fabrics. Heat can melt these fibers…