While embroidery has come a long way from what it used to be, a regular question that keeps popping up is if it is actually possible to carry out your embroidery projects on your regular sewing machines or if you have to purchase and have access to a large strictly embroidery machine for your task.
You really won’t be needing to acquire a strict embroidery machine to carry out your decorative projects. you can learn the process of perfectly embroidering with a sewing machine instead.
On your sewing machine, you can easily make use of the built-in stitch options to customize your designs. There are also versatile sewing machines that are highly capable of functioning both as sewing and embroidery machine.
What Do You Need To Start Embroidery on a Sewing Machine?
The most important accessory to get you started with your embroidery is a quality sewing machine. This doesn’t have to be a fancy, complicated or heavy-duty sewing machine as basic sewing machines can also be used for embroidery purposes thanks to their few stitch options.
Another essential item that will be needed is the perfect machine needle. Getting the perfect needle varies as it has to be chosen making sure it complements the fabric thickness and machine size. Other sewing items such as thread, scissors, fabric, and medium-weight tearaway stabilizers.
Other additional items that might be needed include embroidery thread which can be used to provide additional decorative touches to your project. If available, a free motion foot can be a perfect option when performing embroidery using a sewing machine.
The free motion foot doesn’t press the fabric down during the needle movement but instead lifts and lowers along with the needle to make your embroidery process smooth. An embroidery hoop can also be useful as it allows you to easily spread your fabric and prevent any form of shifting and bunching when sewing.
How Can I Prepare a Sewing Machine for Embroidering?
When all the needed items have been put in place, the next step is to make your sewing machine ready. Carefully select the thread you intend to use, take note and ensure the spool gets full before attaching it to your sewing machine. When performing a multi-coloured project, it is vital to inspect the threads and be certain they are accessible.
The presser foot should be fully detached from the sewing machine but should be kept in place if you’ll be making use of the free motion foot. Since there will be no need for the feed dogs to pull through your fabric, they should be lowered.
Select your preferred stitch among the machine’s built-in stitches. The zigzag stitch is the most common preferred choice thanks to its decorative ability and its availability even on basic sewing machines. When working on the edges, a single stitch can be the perfect option as it can easily produce a lovely border around the letters or pictures being attached to your fabric.
The variety of available stitches might differ due to differences in sewing machines model. While some machines come with up to 165 built-in stitches, some come with 11. After getting the needed items and selecting your preferred stitch options, you can then proceed with your embroidery.
How Can Embroider Letter With Sewing Machine?
While letter embroidery might appear difficult at first, you will surely get the old of it once you kickstart. As long as you have all the needed items and accessories, you can start with your embroidery process.
I. Get a Template
The first step to embroider letters on your project is to select your preferred template. There are several available designs online that you can choose from and some can also be purchased. You can as well create your own personal design if you’re great at it.
When creating your personal design, it is important to make use of a thick font to ensure your design comes out pleasingly on fabric. After selecting your preferred design, it should be copied on the medium-weight tearaway stabilizer.
II. Prepare Your Fabric
During the fabric preparation process, the stabilizer gets attached to the back of your fabric to make sure the edges are clean and prevent any frays. You can select the perfect stabilizer for your project by either using single-sided or double-sided stabilizers.
You might want to consider the double-sided stabilizer as it is more convenient thanks to the addition of adhesive to both sides.
III. Securely Locate and Attach the Template
You can proceed with the attachment of the template to your fabric once the stabilizer is in place. You can make use of the built-in adhesive if the double-sided stabilizer is benign used.
If a single-sided stabilizer is being used for the template, you can make use of spray adhesive to attach the printed paper to the fabric. In the absence of adhesive, the paper can be pinned down.
IV. Start Stitching With The Edges
You can proceed with sewing once everything has been put in place. You can begin by making use of the handwheel instead of the pedal. The handwheel should be slowly turned to ensure the fabric gets properly pierced then the needle can be raised to raise the lower bobbin thread.
Multiple stitches should be made in one place to get the threads locked in and prevent them from getting loosed and unravelling.
V. Watch the Hoop
When going through the letters embroidery, the hoop should be held, moved, and turned when needed to finish up your pattern. This method allows the fabric to be easily manoeuvred with little movement to ensure the stitches are precisely spaced and precise with your chosen pattern.
VI. Remove the Remaining Paper
After getting the precise result with your chosen pattern, the final process is to detach the remaining stabilizer paper. You can gently tear the paper starting around the stitches if it is a tear-away paper. You should be very careful as you can accidentally pull on the stitches. Cut-away paper is also required to be approached carefully.
You can make the cut as close as possible without snipping the thread. When the paper has been totally removed, the hoop and stabilizer on the back of the fabric can also be detached leaving you with your nelly embroidered fabric.
Conclusion
Providing your clothes, towel, blanket, pillow, and other different pieces makes them look outstanding and lovely and can be easily distinguished from their plain-looking counterparts. While a beginner might find it difficult at first, it becomes interesting and enjoyable with practice.
What makes embroidery a pleasant process is that it doesn’t require a sophisticated embroidery machine before you can get the job done as a regular sewing machine is also up to the task and can produce an excellent decorative result.