Creative Machine Embroidery May - June 2017

Dear Readers, I recently presented a sewing workshop to 26 eager students. I began by showing a state-of-the-art high-end sewing and embroidery machine and demonstrated most of the features that separate this machine from a standard beginner-friendly machine. From the moment I turned on the machine and music played as the screen came to life, I had a captive audience. Everyone was amazed at all the bells and whistles: embroidery designs the machine stitches by itself; touch-screen technology akin to iPads; a bobbin that can be wound while you continue to sew; tutorials built into the machine so you don’t have to search through the manual. Each person couldn’t wait to try it. Did I mention they were all kindergartners? After the demonstration, we discussed safety at the machine and…

lisa archer (“In the Hoop:Just in Case” — page 28) is the owner and creative director of Pickle Pie Designs. She loves the challenge of creating in-the-hoop designs that reflect her personal style. Home Base: Holly Springs, NC Visit: picklepiedesigns.com sandra geiger (“Peace, Love, Paisley” — page 50; “Hit the Beach” — page 74) loves to experiment with a variety of fabrics and sewing machines to create new techniques and add extra pizzazz to her sewing projects. Home Base: Sheboygan, WI Visit: sandrageiger.com milinda jay stephenson (“Peekaboo Lace” — page 60) Her latest novel, Annie Laura’s Triumph, published by Mercer University Press, documents the lives of sewing women in Florida in the early 19th century. Included are links to free embroidery downloads of heirloom quilting and embroidery patterns…

RUBBER BANDS & BOBBINS For better organization, wrap a fully wound bobbin around the matching thread spool using a rubber band. Vanessa L., Facebook NEEDLE LIFESPAN Change your embroidery machine needle every 8 hours of embroidering for best results. Angie P., Facebook IDEA JAR Put inspiration photos or list ideas of projects you wish to make into a jar. On a rainy day, shake up your jar and pick out a project to make for the day. Brenda L., Facebook RECYCLED STORAGE Organize fabric in previously used shipping boxes. Decorate the boxes using fabric applied with spray adhesive for a cute look. Corrine H., email PULLING STRINGS Always bring the bobbin thread up first before starting a new color change (if the machine doesn't feature a one-stitch-stop to prevent thread…

1. Get ready for chirping birds, blooming flowers and the migration of the monarchs. The Garden Party Embroidery Design Collection has an assortment of birds, greenery and butterflies that are loosely folk-art inspired. ($4.99/design, $24.99/collection, shopsewitall.com) 2. Get into hand embroidery with Modern Folk Embroidery by Nancy Nicholson. This book is full of folk-inspired projects, techniques and templates. Grab the June/ July Sew News for a free pillow project from the book. ($22.99, interweave.com) 3. When piecing projects together, simplify your pressing by using the Violet Craft Seam Roller. This tool presses seams for you without the use of a hot iron. Perfect for delicate fabrics or laminates. ($14, local shops and online retailers) 4. Inspire yourself to get creative with the Paint by Sticker book collection. Give it a…

STRETCHING STABILIZER Different projects and fabrics call for different stabilizers, so most machine embroidery enthusiasts will accumulate a collection of various types. Stabilizer can get pricey, though, so use these tips to slow your stabilizer usage rate. 1. To minimize waste, purchase stabilizer rolls in sizes that closely match your hoop sizes. 2. When using adhesive stabilizer in the hoop, carefully tear or cut away the finished embroidery, leaving the stabilizer in the hoop. Cut small pieces of adhesive stabilizer to patch the hole and reuse. Adhesive stabilizers can be patched and reused several times before it needs to be discarded (A). 3. Save water-soluble stabilizer scraps. Dissolve them in water and pour the liquid into a spray bottle. The spray can be used in place of starch to stiffen…

Creating personalized items is one of the primary reasons for purchasing an embroidery machine. Using the built-in lettering on the embroidery machine is a great way to learn the basics of on-board editing as well as proper hooping and stabilizing techniques. However, for many reasons, it’s faster and easier to create and customize a design in computer software than at the machine. Software also provides the ability to do other useful things like printing templates, changing colors, resizing, removing hidden stitches, combining designs into a single hooping and more, in addition to providing lots of design options for lettering. TRUE TYPE FONTS True Type Fonts (TTF) are graphics, not embroidery designs (A). They are solid filled and print the exact same way as they look on your screen. To recreate…