Free Embroidery Designs

It is a New Home Model 609. Says CHAIN STITCH on upper left. Probably from the 70’s. It has 29 stitch patterns + buttonhole stitch settings. It is a nice machine. Obviously it must lockstitch, I don’t know. I’m confused. I read about chain stitches and lockstitches. Still confused.

Chainstitch ability is relatively rare among home machines (though it’s now found on a serger fairly commonly). I suspect one of the stitches the machine is capable of is a two-thread chainstitch, which can be useful for something like embroidery or basting. The other stitches are probably standard lockstitches.
You may need an adapter of some sort to get the chainstitch.

Try out the stitches. You’re looking for one that looks like straight stitch on top, but the bobbin thread makes a chain on the bottom:
check figure 1 here: http://www.sewnews.com/library/sewnews/library/aamach22.htm or you’re looking for a 1 thread chainstitch like this, done by a chenille machine:
http://www.chholderby.com/Embroidery/chenille.htm

Here are some chainstitched examples from an old Willcox & Gibbs treadle:
<http://www.thetreadlersvillage.com/Chainstitch_Machine_Projects.html> Farther down the page is a piece of a Kenmore manual showing converting a lockstitch capable machine to a chainstitch. Some of the older machines did a 1 thread chainstitch.

Lockstitch looks like the diagram on this page– same top and bottom:
<http://www.moah.org/exhibits/archives/stitches/tech.html>

My MIL’s clothes, when she was a girl, were made on a Willcox and Gibb chainstitcher she now owns. When she wanted to get sent home from school, she’d unravel part of her dress. She found the chainstitch very helpful in that endeavor. <g>

You might try asking questions specific to your machine in the yahoo group "wefixit" — it’s a group of sewing machine "shade tree mechanics" and includes a number of professional machine repair people. There is a tremendous collective knowledge pool in that group, and I wouldn’t be surprised to find someone might be able to tell you exactly how to set up your machine for chainstitching.

Jacob Schiess started the first commercial embroidery manufacturing establishment in 1848 in New York. He came from Switzerland and within a year had his own embroidery plant in operation. All the stitching was done by hand by fifteen woman stitching exquisite designs by hand.

The development of machine embroidery did not take place until the 1800s. Joshua Heilmann from Mulhouse worked on the design of a hand embroidery machine. Though he did not sell many, it revolutionized the embroidery industry. Heilmanns invention was quickly followed by the “shuttle embroidery” and the “chain stitch embroidery” methods.

The beginnings of shuttle embroidery dates back to the 1860s when Isaak Groebli, from St. Gallen, Switzerland, was inspired by the work produced on the sewing machine.

Around the 1870s there were fourteen companies manufacturing embroidery machines in Switzerland manufacturing hand loom embroidery machines. Today there are four companies manufacturing schiffli embroidery machines.

In 1873, Alphonse Kursheedt imported twelve of the ten new embroidery hand looms from St. Gallen, making him the first American to use a mechanized embroidery process. The looms used multiple needles and were an unbelievable improvement over the age-old process of stitching by hand. They were, however, powered manually.

Immediately afterwards, Isaak Groebli of Switzerland invented the first practical Schiffli Embroidery machine. This machine was based on the principals introduced by the newly invented sewing machine. Groeblis machine utilized the combination of a continuously threaded needle and shuttle containing a bobbin of thread. The shuttle itself looked similar to the hull of a sailboat. “Schiffli” means “little boat” in the Swiss dialect of the German language, so his machine came to be known as a schiffli machine.

In 1876, Kursheedt began importing a number of schiffli machines to America, thereby making him the real founder of the schiffli embroidery industry in the United States.

Dr. Robert Reiner, founder of Robert Reiner, Inc., of Weehawken, came to the United States in 1903 in his early twenties. Realizing the potential of the embroidery industry, he persuaded the Vogtlandishe Machine Works of Plauen, Germany, to appoint him its American agent. This began a mass importation of embroidery machines into northern New Jerseys Hudson County. The banks arranged long-term credit to purchasers. Dr. Reiner made it possible for hundreds of Austrian, German, and Swiss immigrants in New Jersey to become manufacturers of embroidery.

The industry grew until 1938, when suddenly the two sources for the manufacture of machines in Plauen, Germany, and Arbon, Switzerland, ceased operation because of World War 2. No additional machines were produced until 1953, when Robert Reiner Inc. introduced the first American-made schiffli machine. Gradually in time, improvements were made to the machine in America as well as in Switzerland and Germany.
Today computers are playing a major role in the embroidery process.

Jacob Schiess started the first commercial embroidery manufacturing establishment in 1848 in New York. He came from Switzerland and within a year had his own embroidery plant in operation. All the stitching was done by hand by fifteen woman stitching exquisite designs by hand.

The development of machine embroidery did not take place until the 1800s. Joshua Heilmann from Mulhouse worked on the design of a hand embroidery machine. Though he did not sell many, it revolutionized the embroidery industry. Heilmanns invention was quickly followed by the “shuttle embroidery” and the “chain stitch embroidery” methods.

The beginnings of shuttle embroidery dates back to the 1860s when Isaak Groebli, from St. Gallen, Switzerland, was inspired by the work produced on the sewing machine.

Around the 1870s there were fourteen companies manufacturing embroidery machines in Switzerland manufacturing hand loom embroidery machines. Today there are four companies manufacturing schiffli embroidery machines.

In 1873, Alphonse Kursheedt imported twelve of the ten new embroidery hand looms from St. Gallen, making him the first American to use a mechanized embroidery process. The looms used multiple needles and were an unbelievable improvement over the age-old process of stitching by hand. They were, however, powered manually.

Immediately afterwards, Isaak Groebli of Switzerland invented the first practical Schiffli Embroidery machine. This machine was based on the principals introduced by the newly invented sewing machine. Groeblis machine utilized the combination of a continuously threaded needle and shuttle containing a bobbin of thread. The shuttle itself looked similar to the hull of a sailboat. “Schiffli” means “little boat” in the Swiss dialect of the German language, so his machine came to be known as a schiffli machine.

In 1876, Kursheedt began importing a number of schiffli machines to America, thereby making him the real founder of the schiffli embroidery industry in the United States.

Dr. Robert Reiner, founder of Robert Reiner, Inc., of Weehawken, came to the United States in 1903 in his early twenties. Realizing the potential of the embroidery industry, he persuaded the Vogtlandishe Machine Works of Plauen, Germany, to appoint him its American agent. This began a mass importation of embroidery machines into northern New Jerseys Hudson County. The banks arranged long-term credit to purchasers. Dr. Reiner made it possible for hundreds of Austrian, German, and Swiss immigrants in New Jersey to become manufacturers of embroidery.

The industry grew until 1938, when suddenly the two sources for the manufacture of machines in Plauen, Germany, and Arbon, Switzerland, ceased operation because of World War 2. No additional machines were produced until 1953, when Robert Reiner Inc. introduced the first American-made schiffli machine. Gradually in time, improvements were made to the machine in America as well as in Switzerland and Germany.
Today computers are playing a major role in the embroidery process.

Jacob Schiess started the first commercial embroidery manufacturing establishment in 1848 in New York. He came from Switzerland and within a year had his own embroidery plant in operation. All the stitching was done by hand by fifteen woman stitching exquisite designs by hand.

The development of machine embroidery did not take place until the 1800s. Joshua Heilmann from Mulhouse worked on the design of a hand embroidery machine. Though he did not sell many, it revolutionized the embroidery industry. Heilmanns invention was quickly followed by the “shuttle embroidery” and the “chain stitch embroidery” methods.

The beginnings of shuttle embroidery dates back to the 1860s when Isaak Groebli, from St. Gallen, Switzerland, was inspired by the work produced on the sewing machine.

Around the 1870s there were fourteen companies manufacturing embroidery machines in Switzerland manufacturing hand loom embroidery machines. Today there are four companies manufacturing schiffli embroidery machines.

In 1873, Alphonse Kursheedt imported twelve of the ten new embroidery hand looms from St. Gallen, making him the first American to use a mechanized embroidery process. The looms used multiple needles and were an unbelievable improvement over the age-old process of stitching by hand. They were, however, powered manually.

Immediately afterwards, Isaak Groebli of Switzerland invented the first practical Schiffli Embroidery machine. This machine was based on the principals introduced by the newly invented sewing machine. Groeblis machine utilized the combination of a continuously threaded needle and shuttle containing a bobbin of thread. The shuttle itself looked similar to the hull of a sailboat. “Schiffli” means “little boat” in the Swiss dialect of the German language, so his machine came to be known as a schiffli machine.

In 1876, Kursheedt began importing a number of schiffli machines to America, thereby making him the real founder of the schiffli embroidery industry in the United States.

Dr. Robert Reiner, founder of Robert Reiner, Inc., of Weehawken, came to the United States in 1903 in his early twenties. Realizing the potential of the embroidery industry, he persuaded the Vogtlandishe Machine Works of Plauen, Germany, to appoint him its American agent. This began a mass importation of embroidery machines into northern New Jerseys Hudson County. The banks arranged long-term credit to purchasers. Dr. Reiner made it possible for hundreds of Austrian, German, and Swiss immigrants in New Jersey to become manufacturers of embroidery.

The industry grew until 1938, when suddenly the two sources for the manufacture of machines in Plauen, Germany, and Arbon, Switzerland, ceased operation because of World War 2. No additional machines were produced until 1953, when Robert Reiner Inc. introduced the first American-made schiffli machine. Gradually in time, improvements were made to the machine in America as well as in Switzerland and Germany.
Today computers are playing a major role in the embroidery process.

Jacob Schiess started the first commercial embroidery manufacturing establishment in 1848 in New York. He came from Switzerland and within a year had his own embroidery plant in operation. All the stitching was done by hand by fifteen woman stitching exquisite designs by hand.

The development of machine embroidery did not take place until the 1800s. Joshua Heilmann from Mulhouse worked on the design of a hand embroidery machine. Though he did not sell many, it revolutionized the embroidery industry. Heilmanns invention was quickly followed by the “shuttle embroidery” and the “chain stitch embroidery” methods.

The beginnings of shuttle embroidery dates back to the 1860s when Isaak Groebli, from St. Gallen, Switzerland, was inspired by the work produced on the sewing machine.

Around the 1870s there were fourteen companies manufacturing embroidery machines in Switzerland manufacturing hand loom embroidery machines. Today there are four companies manufacturing schiffli embroidery machines.

In 1873, Alphonse Kursheedt imported twelve of the ten new embroidery hand looms from St. Gallen, making him the first American to use a mechanized embroidery process. The looms used multiple needles and were an unbelievable improvement over the age-old process of stitching by hand. They were, however, powered manually.

Immediately afterwards, Isaak Groebli of Switzerland invented the first practical Schiffli Embroidery machine. This machine was based on the principals introduced by the newly invented sewing machine. Groeblis machine utilized the combination of a continuously threaded needle and shuttle containing a bobbin of thread. The shuttle itself looked similar to the hull of a sailboat. “Schiffli” means “little boat” in the Swiss dialect of the German language, so his machine came to be known as a schiffli machine.

In 1876, Kursheedt began importing a number of schiffli machines to America, thereby making him the real founder of the schiffli embroidery industry in the United States.

Dr. Robert Reiner, founder of Robert Reiner, Inc., of Weehawken, came to the United States in 1903 in his early twenties. Realizing the potential of the embroidery industry, he persuaded the Vogtlandishe Machine Works of Plauen, Germany, to appoint him its American agent. This began a mass importation of embroidery machines into northern New Jerseys Hudson County. The banks arranged long-term credit to purchasers. Dr. Reiner made it possible for hundreds of Austrian, German, and Swiss immigrants in New Jersey to become manufacturers of embroidery.

The industry grew until 1938, when suddenly the two sources for the manufacture of machines in Plauen, Germany, and Arbon, Switzerland, ceased operation because of World War 2. No additional machines were produced until 1953, when Robert Reiner Inc. introduced the first American-made schiffli machine. Gradually in time, improvements were made to the machine in America as well as in Switzerland and Germany.
Today computers are playing a major role in the embroidery process.

Satin stitchand#151;Bring the needle up to the right side of the cloth on
one side of the outline. Insert the needle on the opposite side of the outline.
Bring the needle under the fabric to return to the starting edge. Repeat the sequence
to create a smooth row of even, side-by-side stitches. This stitch fills in a
design with rows of straight or slanted stitches across a small, outlined area.
Its a very easy stitch to learn.
Seed Stitch is a filling stitch made up of short stitches scattered
randomly but evenly.
Eye stitchand#151;which is also known as eyelet stitch is made using the
same construction principle as Algerian stitch.

This stitch is simple to work as can be seen in the diagram you simply work
a straight stitch into central hole.

The trick is to create neat central hole. In order to do this be sure that when
you insert the needle into the fabric that the needle is taken down in the center
and reappears through the fabric on the outside of the square. If you want to
make the holes larger with each stitch pull the thread slightly so that the
fabric distorts slightly as it this tensioning action that creates the holes
in the center of each stitch. If you want larger holes again, work on linen
or a fabric that is used for pulled and drawn thread work and use a stiletto
or a fine knitting needle to further define the hole.
Shadow stitchand#151;On the right side, this stitch resembles two rows
of backstitch and on the wrong side the catch stitch. Slant the needle the same
as if making a catch stitch, make a single back stitch, first on the lower side
and then diagonally across on the upper side. Work this stitch on transparent
material so the crossing of threads show through to right side. This stitch
is often called herringbone stitch when crosses are worked on right side.
Chain Stitchand#151;Bring thread to right side of material, hold thread
toward you with left thumb, take a stitch into same hole where thread was brought
up, forming a small loop. Do not pull thread tightly. Bring needle out a short
distance forward and over the loop. Make a second loop overlapping the first
one. Continue along marked line.
Bullion stitchand#151;Bring your needle up (in point 1 lets say) pulling
the thread until taught. Hold the thread in your left hand, thumb and index
towards where the thread came up. (reverse if you are left handed)

Now poke the needle back into the fabric about 1cm away (or however long you
want the bullion to be) – point 2. Dont pull the thread all of the way through
yet.

Bring the needle up again part way at point 1. With needle half in half out
of the hole, wrap the thread around the needle several times. (enough times
to equal the distance between the two points.)

Poke the needle back into point 2, with your left hand hold the needle and coils
against the fabric, while carefully sliding the needle out of point 1 and into
point 2. Once the needle is all the way through keep holding the coils against
the fabric until you have pulled the excess thread all the way through.

This is a stitch which really requires quite a bit of practise so work on a
scrap fabric for a while first.
Stem Stitch or Outlineand#151; This stitch is worked from left to right.
Bring needle up through fabric to right side on the line to be outlined. Holding
the thread toward you as shown (or the thread may be swung to the left away
from you), take a short slanting back stitch along stamped line. Make the next
and each successive stitch from right to left and bring the needle out to the
left at the end of previous stitch. Repeat along Line, keeping stitches small
and uniform.
Straight stitchand#151;are made of single isolated stitches. This stitch
can be worked in a regular or irregular manner, in a uniform or varying size.
Single satin stitch is simple to work, with the only concern being that the
stitches should not be too long or too loose. Contrasting threads adds interest
particularly when worked in a free manner at different angles. Straight stitch
is often used to illustrate grass and other landscape details.
Lazy Daisy Stitchand#151;Bring needle up at inner point of petal, hold
thread toward you. Thrust needle down at inner point of petal, 1 or 2 threads
to right of point where thread emerges; bring point of needle out at outer end
of petal, going over thread. Draw loop up to cover petal, thrust needle down
outside of loop to fasten it in place. Bring needle out at inner point of next
petal to left or right.
French knotand#151;Bring the thread out at the required position, hold
the thread down where it emerges with the left thumb and encircle the thread
twice with the needle (see 1). Still holding the thread firmly with your thumb,
twist the needle back to the starting point and insert it close to where the
thread first emerged (not in the exact place or it will simply pull back through).
Pull the needle through to the back, leaving a small knot on the surface, as
shown, or pass on to the position of the next stitch as at 2.

Satin stitchand#151;Bring the needle up to the right side of the cloth on
one side of the outline. Insert the needle on the opposite side of the outline.
Bring the needle under the fabric to return to the starting edge. Repeat the sequence
to create a smooth row of even, side-by-side stitches. This stitch fills in a
design with rows of straight or slanted stitches across a small, outlined area.
Its a very easy stitch to learn.
Seed Stitch is a filling stitch made up of short stitches scattered
randomly but evenly.
Eye stitchand#151;which is also known as eyelet stitch is made using the
same construction principle as Algerian stitch.

This stitch is simple to work as can be seen in the diagram you simply work
a straight stitch into central hole.

The trick is to create neat central hole. In order to do this be sure that when
you insert the needle into the fabric that the needle is taken down in the center
and reappears through the fabric on the outside of the square. If you want to
make the holes larger with each stitch pull the thread slightly so that the
fabric distorts slightly as it this tensioning action that creates the holes
in the center of each stitch. If you want larger holes again, work on linen
or a fabric that is used for pulled and drawn thread work and use a stiletto
or a fine knitting needle to further define the hole.
Shadow stitchand#151;On the right side, this stitch resembles two rows
of backstitch and on the wrong side the catch stitch. Slant the needle the same
as if making a catch stitch, make a single back stitch, first on the lower side
and then diagonally across on the upper side. Work this stitch on transparent
material so the crossing of threads show through to right side. This stitch
is often called herringbone stitch when crosses are worked on right side.
Chain Stitchand#151;Bring thread to right side of material, hold thread
toward you with left thumb, take a stitch into same hole where thread was brought
up, forming a small loop. Do not pull thread tightly. Bring needle out a short
distance forward and over the loop. Make a second loop overlapping the first
one. Continue along marked line.
Bullion stitchand#151;Bring your needle up (in point 1 lets say) pulling
the thread until taught. Hold the thread in your left hand, thumb and index
towards where the thread came up. (reverse if you are left handed)

Now poke the needle back into the fabric about 1cm away (or however long you
want the bullion to be) – point 2. Dont pull the thread all of the way through
yet.

Bring the needle up again part way at point 1. With needle half in half out
of the hole, wrap the thread around the needle several times. (enough times
to equal the distance between the two points.)

Poke the needle back into point 2, with your left hand hold the needle and coils
against the fabric, while carefully sliding the needle out of point 1 and into
point 2. Once the needle is all the way through keep holding the coils against
the fabric until you have pulled the excess thread all the way through.

This is a stitch which really requires quite a bit of practise so work on a
scrap fabric for a while first.
Stem Stitch or Outlineand#151; This stitch is worked from left to right.
Bring needle up through fabric to right side on the line to be outlined. Holding
the thread toward you as shown (or the thread may be swung to the left away
from you), take a short slanting back stitch along stamped line. Make the next
and each successive stitch from right to left and bring the needle out to the
left at the end of previous stitch. Repeat along Line, keeping stitches small
and uniform.
Straight stitchand#151;are made of single isolated stitches. This stitch
can be worked in a regular or irregular manner, in a uniform or varying size.
Single satin stitch is simple to work, with the only concern being that the
stitches should not be too long or too loose. Contrasting threads adds interest
particularly when worked in a free manner at different angles. Straight stitch
is often used to illustrate grass and other landscape details.
Lazy Daisy Stitchand#151;Bring needle up at inner point of petal, hold
thread toward you. Thrust needle down at inner point of petal, 1 or 2 threads
to right of point where thread emerges; bring point of needle out at outer end
of petal, going over thread. Draw loop up to cover petal, thrust needle down
outside of loop to fasten it in place. Bring needle out at inner point of next
petal to left or right.
French knotand#151;Bring the thread out at the required position, hold
the thread down where it emerges with the left thumb and encircle the thread
twice with the needle (see 1). Still holding the thread firmly with your thumb,
twist the needle back to the starting point and insert it close to where the
thread first emerged (not in the exact place or it will simply pull back through).
Pull the needle through to the back, leaving a small knot on the surface, as
shown, or pass on to the position of the next stitch as at 2.

Jacob Schiess started the first commercial embroidery manufacturing establishment in 1848 in New York. He came from Switzerland and within a year had his own embroidery plant in operation. All the stitching was done by hand by fifteen woman stitching exquisite designs by hand.

The development of machine embroidery did not take place until the 1800s. Joshua Heilmann from Mulhouse worked on the design of a hand embroidery machine. Though he did not sell many, it revolutionized the embroidery industry. Heilmanns invention was quickly followed by the “shuttle embroidery” and the “chain stitch embroidery” methods.

The beginnings of shuttle embroidery dates back to the 1860s when Isaak Groebli, from St. Gallen, Switzerland, was inspired by the work produced on the sewing machine.

Around the 1870s there were fourteen companies manufacturing embroidery machines in Switzerland manufacturing hand loom embroidery machines. Today there are four companies manufacturing schiffli embroidery machines.

In 1873, Alphonse Kursheedt imported twelve of the ten new embroidery hand looms from St. Gallen, making him the first American to use a mechanized embroidery process. The looms used multiple needles and were an unbelievable improvement over the age-old process of stitching by hand. They were, however, powered manually.

Immediately afterwards, Isaak Groebli of Switzerland invented the first practical Schiffli Embroidery machine. This machine was based on the principals introduced by the newly invented sewing machine. Groeblis machine utilized the combination of a continuously threaded needle and shuttle containing a bobbin of thread. The shuttle itself looked similar to the hull of a sailboat. “Schiffli” means “little boat” in the Swiss dialect of the German language, so his machine came to be known as a schiffli machine.

In 1876, Kursheedt began importing a number of schiffli machines to America, thereby making him the real founder of the schiffli embroidery industry in the United States.

Dr. Robert Reiner, founder of Robert Reiner, Inc., of Weehawken, came to the United States in 1903 in his early twenties. Realizing the potential of the embroidery industry, he persuaded the Vogtlandishe Machine Works of Plauen, Germany, to appoint him its American agent. This began a mass importation of embroidery machines into northern New Jerseys Hudson County. The banks arranged long-term credit to purchasers. Dr. Reiner made it possible for hundreds of Austrian, German, and Swiss immigrants in New Jersey to become manufacturers of embroidery.

The industry grew until 1938, when suddenly the two sources for the manufacture of machines in Plauen, Germany, and Arbon, Switzerland, ceased operation because of World War 2. No additional machines were produced until 1953, when Robert Reiner Inc. introduced the first American-made schiffli machine. Gradually in time, improvements were made to the machine in America as well as in Switzerland and Germany.
Today computers are playing a major role in the embroidery process.