Free Embroidery Designs

Hello,
I decided I would really like to learn how to sew but right now i have no idea how to. I was just wondering how you started (sewing clothes for dolls, reading books,etc) and any advice on how I should as well.
Thanks!

Although it’s certainly possible to learn to sew all on your own, just from books and experimentation, it’s easier for almost everyone if you take a few classes along the way — either informally from family and friends, or formally from teachers.

Assuming it’s machine sewing you’re interested in, I usually start beginners with projects like pillowcases or drawstring bags, tote bags, tool or jewelry rolls, pj pants or nightgowns. My own first hand sewing experiences were in embroidery, then hemming dishtowels; my first machine sewing was cafe curtains, when I was not quite 6.

Your first challenges will include skills like cutting accurately (easier said than done!), learning to control the sewing machine, stitching straight and curved seams accurately, pressing seams correctly and learning to select fabric and pattern that can work together.

If you’re thinking about buying a sewing machine, and you happen to have classes available that will let you use someone else’s sewing machines, I’d suggest you go that route for first experience; then you can better judge machines when you go looking. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100120140429AApYwiY

Where to find lessons: 4H, if you’re young enough; fabric stores and sewing machine dealers; adult ed and community college classes, private lessons. If you’re in the US and stuck, try contacting the local chapter of ASG, American Sewing Guild (http://www.asg.org) to see if someone can suggest a teacher. Good books to start with include Simplicity’s Simply The Best Sewing Book (which has a home-dec leaning), Connie Crawford’s Guide to Fashion Sewing (strictly garments), and the good ol’ Readers Digest Complete Guide to Sewing. There are also videos and DVDs available; one I particularly like for a beginner is Crawford’s Studio Sewing Skills, which starts with learning to thread a sewing machine and progresses through basic clothing construction, step by step. Check with your local library and grab some books or videos and start playing with some fabric!

I just want to buy a simple basic sewing machine under $100 to hem my pants.

I don’t need it to do any fancy needlework. All I need is to hem my pant legs. Can anyone recommend me any brands?

Thanks alot!

If you’re going to hem pants with a straight stitched-through hem (like jeans), any decent straight stitcher will do. I typically find old Singer 99s and 15s around for $0-20 that just need cleaning, oil and a new needle.

If you want to do a more professional looking hem, such as is used on dress pants, you want a machine with a "blind hem stitch" (and ask for it to be demonstrated for you).

Or you’re going to learn to hem by hand… takes very little time and
costs you a packet of hand sewing machine needles — less than $1.

With a budget of $100, you’re either going to be going for a used machine or a new one that is not going to last long or be repairable.

My standard beginner sewing machine advice:
http://www.cet.com/~pennys/faq/smfaq.htm

What I want for beginners in sewing:

– a machine that doesn’t scare you
– a machine that isn’t balky (cheap new machines are often very
balky or need adjustments often and are rarely repairable —
just too frustrating to learn on!)
– very good straight stitch
– good zigzag (4-5 mm is fine, more than that is gravy)
– a method of making buttonholes that makes sense to you
– adjustable presser foot pressure (which helps some fabric
handling issues)
– accessory presser feet that don’t cost an arm and a leg
(machines that use a "short shank foot" typically handle
generic presser feet pretty well. Some brands of machines use
proprietary or very expensive presser feet)

If the budget stretches far enough:

– blindhem and stretch blindhem stitches
– triple zigzag (nice for elastic applications)
– a couple of decorative stitches (you won’t use them nearly as
much as you think)
– electronic machine because of the needle position control and
because the stepper motors give you full "punching force" at
slow sewing speeds — mechanical machines often will stall at
slow speeds.

Please go to the best sewing machine dealers around and ask them
to show you some machines in your price range, *especially* used
machines you can afford. You’ll get a far better machine buying
used than new, and a good dealer is worth their weight in sewing
machine needles when you get a machine problem — often they can
talk you through the problem over the phone. While you’re trying
things out, try a couple of machines (sewing only, not combo
sewing-embroidery) over your price limit, just so you can see
what the difference in stitch quality and ease of use might be.
You may find you want to go for the used Cadillac. Or you might
want the new basic Chevy. Might as well try both out.

Suggested reading: John Giordano’s The Sewing Machine Book
(especially for used machines), Carol Ahles’ Fine Machine Sewing
(especially the first and last few chapters) and Gale Grigg
Hazen’s Owner’s Guide to Sewing Machines, Sergers and Knitting
Machines. All of these are likely to be available at your public
library.

Used brands I’d particularly look for: Elna, Bernina,
Viking/Husqvarna, Pfaff, Singer (pre 1970), Juki, Toyota

New "bargain brand" I’d probably pick: Janome (who also does
Kenmore).

I’ve started making my own clothes recently (mainly reconstructing old clothes), but I don’t have a sewing machine so I’ve been having to do it all by hand. What is a good, basic sewing machine that can speed things up a bit? I want to not only continue reconstructing clothes, but possibly making jackets, dresses, shirts, etc. from scratch. So it needs to be able to handle some more heavy-duty projects, too.

If you’re on a budget, I highly recommend a used machine. Even a straight stitcher from the thrift store or the back of someone’s closet will do well for you if you’re working entirely with wovens. You *can* sew knits with a straight stitcher, but it takes some special techniques.

Here’s my standard advice for beginners in need of sewing machines:
http://www.cet.com/~pennys/faq/smfaq.htm

What I want for beginners in sewing:

– a machine that doesn’t scare you
– a machine that isn’t balky (cheap new machines are often very
balky or need adjustments often and are rarely repairable —
just too frustrating to learn on!)
– very good straight stitch
– good zigzag (4-5 mm is fine, more than that is gravy)
– a method of making buttonholes that makes sense to you
– adjustable presser foot pressure (which helps some fabric
handling issues)
– accessory presser feet that don’t cost an arm and a leg
(machines that use a "short shank foot" typically handle
generic presser feet pretty well. Some brands of machines use
proprietary or very expensive presser feet)

If the budget stretches far enough:

– blindhem and stretch blindhem stitches
– triple zigzag (nice for elastic applications)
– a couple of decorative stitches (you won’t use them nearly as
much as you think)
– electronic machine because of the needle position control and
because the stepper motors give you full "punching force" at
slow sewing speeds — mechanical machines often will stall at
slow speeds.

Please go to the best sewing machine dealers around and ask them
to show you some machines in your price range, *especially* used
machines you can afford. You’ll get a far better machine buying
used than new, and a good dealer is worth their weight in sewing
machine needles when you get a machine problem — often they can
talk you through the problem over the phone. While you’re trying
things out, try a couple of machines (sewing only, not combo
sewing-embroidery) over your price limit, just so you can see
what the difference in stitch quality and ease of use might be.
You may find you want to go for the used Cadillac. Or you might
want the new basic Chevy. Might as well try both out.

Suggested reading: John Giordano’s The Sewing Machine Book
(especially for used machines), Carol Ahles’ Fine Machine Sewing
(especially the first and last few chapters) and Gale Grigg
Hazen’s Owner’s Guide to Sewing Machines, Sergers and Knitting
Machines. All of these are likely to be available at your public
library.

Used brands I’d particularly look for: Elna, Bernina,
Viking/Husqvarna, Pfaff, Singer (pre 1970), Juki, Toyota

New "bargain brand" I’d probably pick: Janome (who also does
Kenmore).

im making a fleece tie blanket for my boyfriend and i want to put his basketball number and name on it. i don’t have access to a sewing machine and i want it to mean more by doing it by hand.

Sewing websites:

http://www.heritageshoppe.com/heritage/s… – a execellent website for learning sewing stitches

http://www.needlenthread.com/2006/10/vid… – a execellent website for learning sewing stitches

www.needlenthread.com/2006/10/video-library-of-hand-embroidery.html

www.craftsitedirectory.com/embroidery/index.html

http://www.sewing.org/enthusiast/html/el…

http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/…

http://learnhowtosew.com/

http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/…

http://www.tomfarrell.org/textiles/sewin…

http://www.sewing.org/

Home

http://www.simplesewingprojects.com/arti…

www.wikihow.com/Sew-Using-Patterns

www.ezstitchsampler.com/

blog.worldvillage.com/arts/how_to_lear…

www.youcanmakeit.com/comments.asp

www.howtodothings.com/hobbies/a3758-ho…

www.ezstitchsampler.com/

www.eveningstardesigns.citymax.com/f/Entire_Right_Version.pdf

www.craftandfabriclinks.com/stitches/free_embroidery_stitches.html

craftydaisies.com/2007/08/14/embroidery-lesson-1/

Books:

– All books are available at any library or bookstore –

Sew Fast Sew Easy : All You Need to Know When You Start to Sew
by Elissa K. Meyrich
ISBN-13: 9780312269098

Sewing for Dummies
by Janice Maresh, Janice S. Saunders, N. Graf (Editor)
ISBN-13: 9780764568473

Sew U : The Built by Wendy Guide to Making Your Own Wardrobe
by Wendy Mullin, Eviana Hartman, Beci Orpin (Illustrator) , Agnieszka Gasparska (Illustrator) , Beci Orpin (Illustrator) – a execellent book on the subject
ISBN-13: 9780821257401

S.E.W. : Sew Everything Workshop
by Diana Rupp, Lena Corwin (Illustrator) , Andrea Chu (Photographer)
ISBN-13: 9780761139737

Sewing 101 : A Beginner’s Guide to Sewing
by Creative Publishing International (Editor)
ISBN-13: 9781589230699

The Complete Book of Sewing : A Practical Step-by-Step Guide to Every Technique
by Betsy Hosegood (Editor) , DK Publishing
ISBN-13: 9780789496584

Survival Sewing : Emergency Fixes for the Rips, Snags and Tears of Everyday Life
by Valerie Van Arsdale Shrader, Nathalie Mornu
ISBN-13: 9781600591228

The Embroidery Stitch Bible
by Betty Barnden, Debbie Bradley (Editor) – a execellent book on the subject
ISBN-13: 9780873495103

Silk Ribbon Embroidery Bible
by Joan Gordon – a execellent book on the subject
ISBN-13: 9780896891692

Mary Thomas’s Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches
by Mary Thomas, Jan Eaton – a execellent book on the subject
ISBN-13: 9781570761188

Embroidery Stitches : Over 400 Contemporary and Traditional Stitch Patterns
by Mary Webb (Editor) – a execellent book on the subject
ISBN-13: 9781554072118

Elegant Stitches : An Illustrated Stitch Guide and Source Book of Inspiration
by Judith Baker Montano, Barbara Konzak-Kuhn (Editor) , Micaela Carr (Illustrator)
ISBN-13: 9780914881858

Encyclopedia of Embroidery Stitches, Including Crewel
by Marion Nichols – a execellent book on the subject
ISBN-13: 9780486229294

The Encyclopedia of Stitches
by Karen Hemingway (Editor) , Steve Dew (Illustrator) , Shona Wood (Photographer) – a execellent book on the subject
ISBN-13: 9780641905285

The Embroiderer’s Handbook : The Essential Step-by-Step Guide to Creative Stitches and Versatile Techniques
by Margie Bauer – a execellent book on the subject
ISBN-13: 9780715320372

Royal School of Needlework Embroidery Techniques
by Sally Saunders, Debra Barrett (Designed by) , Sally Saunders – a execellent book on the subject
ISBN-13: 9780713488173

Stitch Sampler
by Lucinda Ganderton, Lucinda Ganderton- a execellent book on the subject
ISBN-13: 9780756619008

Donna Kooler’s Encyclopedia of Needlework : Needlepoint, Embroidery, Counted Thread
by Donna Kooler – a execellent book on the subject
ISBN-13: 9781574861846

The Complete Illustrated Stitch Encyclopedia
by Crafter’s Choice, Crafter’s Choice (Compiler) – a execellent book on the subject
ISBN-13: 9781402713804

Embroidery Stitches
by M. E. Wilkinson
ISBN-13: 9781406793512

Embroidery (Quamut)
by Quamut
Downloadable Quamut Chart – Electronic edition
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Available for Download
ISBN-13: 9781411405721

Embroidery (Quamut)
by Quamut
ISBN-13: 9781411497276 – same thing as the download above expect it is in paper back

Start to Sew : All the Basics Plus Learn-to-Sew Projects
by Creative Publishing International, Creative Publishing International (Manufactured by)
ISBN-13: 9781589232068

Lotta Jansdotter Simple Sewing : Patterns and How-To for 24 Fresh and Easy Projects
by Lotta Jansdotter, Meiko Arquillos (Photographer)
ISBN-13: 9780811852579

Simplicity’s Simply the Best Sewing Book
by Anne Marie Soto (Editor) , Simplicity Pattern Company (Editor) , Martha Vaughan (Illustrator)
ISBN-13: 9780739421000

Home Decor Sewing 101 : A Beginner’s Guide to Sewing for the Home
by Creative Publishing international Incorporated, Creative Publishing Internation

And are there new technological advancements in terms of embroidery?

In the early eighties, designs where still being hand punched and the stitched out in factories By the late eighties some where switching to computerized machines.

Few individuals are talented enough to do elaborate free hand embroidery with a sewing machine.http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/3833/video-manuels-free-motion-embroidery-technique

New technologies would include downloading designs from the Internet, software for the home embroidered to digitized their own art work and editing of commercial designs and the USB flash drive which provides large amount of storage space, and connectivity from the Internet to the embroidery machine.

The home embroidery machine has been around since the nineties.

I bought my first one early in the current century.

Most people are familiar with stitches that are used in embroidery. The embroidery craft stitches are the easiest and the more common stitches. The stitches used are thought of by the experts in embroidery as one of the smallest things that is related to this craft. The patterns used in embroidery being made by repeating them or changing them.

The stitches used in embroidery are completed in two ways. The first types of stitches are the hand sewing method and the other is known as the stab method.

For more information on embroidery stitches click here