Free Embroidery Designs

I am new at sewing…how should i start? i want ot make one of those square patch work ones – should i sew it by hand or with a machine? how do i start etc?

when I started making quilts I did a nine patch lap quilt. It measured 54 in/54 in. You cut a strip(now they call them jelly rolls) 2 1/2 in by 2 1/2 in.You will need at least three (can be different colors or two strips the same and one a different color.You can use solid material ,small prints, crazy prints, bold colors,etc. I always buy the fat quarters for this and I buy one main color for the backing and the borders,4 colors that I can use to make the squares, I have use 6 different colors.I sew the strips together. Then go back with my rotary cutter and ruler cut the strips to 2 1/2 inches. Line them up to make a square that has nine total 2 in squares in it (when you have sewn them together the little square will measure 2 inches). I did 6 of those squares across and down (total of 36 finished squares) in three rows. then I took a contrasting color for the sashing(if you want to separate them).You can just sew them all together. Then use a color from the square to make a 2 or 3 inch border. The strips for the border to frame in the squares is measured for the length of the quilt sides,then top and bottom. Sew the strips on the sides first then come back to the top and then the bottom. then measure your quilt top, if you want to make it still bigger go and take the contrasting color and make a 6 inch border to sew on the smaller border. It should now measure at least 54 x 54 or larger. Your material for the backing should be the same length maybe even 6 ot 8 inches more all around. Now you are ready to make the quilt. I use a color from the quilt top for the backing, batting for a twin size to cut the right size. I would recommend warm and natural or warm and white.Here’s the part that is up to you- it is very easy to quilt on a machine if you have the attachment and some decorative stitches or you can hand quilt . I would recommend that you sew all of the squares on the machine and then hand quilt your first quilt. If you do not work it should take you a week to do the top and then quilting about 4 hours a day by hand about two to three weeks to finish. When sewing on the machine I would also recommend that you get an embroidery needle or an in-between. These needles will not poke holes in your material. I also use cotton material. Then look for quilting thread-machine or hand quilting thread. Be bold and use color thread if you are making decorative stitches or just use a thread that will match the main color in the quilt top. You can buy stencils to draw on the top to follow if you like or you can free hand the design.When you have finished the quilting you can either take binding tape and sew around the quilt to finish the edge or turn the rough edges under and sew them together. If you want to see some simple blocks go to quilterscache.com you can see the blocks and get instructions on how to make it down to how much material you will need plus the pattern for free. Good luck

My mother has made quilts all her life. some completely by hand, others completely by machine or a combination of the two. I think I would like to pursue quilting on a mahine. Any advice on how to get started? Not that it matters, but I’m a guy.

Sure you can, sewing is not just for girls! Quilting is an art form, and guys do art. And guys quilt.

There are several, as you pointed out, kinds of quilts, patchwork might be good to start with. It has to do with some math, a ruler, some precise cutting and sewing, perfect for a guy’s brain.

There is also applique, where designs are cut out, and top stitched onto a quilt. I have a handmade applique quilt the design is dogwood. This might be great for someone who loves color and design, but can’t draw or paint very well.

and there is embroidered, where a quilt block is obtained, it may have a embroidery design printed on it, or this can be done from scratch. You embroider the quilt top, an then choose a backing and filling just like the other quilts. My Grandma did this kind, I have several.

The internet is loaded with how to instructions, mostly free, and patterns and ideas. About.com, e-how, and this place: www.quilting101.com/styles/patchwork-​quilts.html -all three have some nice help, the browser, when you type in how to make a patchwork quilt has pages of ideas.
In my area, we have several quilting stores, they sell the fabrics and supplies, and patterns, one even has quilt blocks and other household goods with blank patterns. They also sell antique and newly made quilts. Go find a store, or look online, and see what the quilts sell for. You will definitely be considering starting quilting. It can be profitable. And quilt making is definitely back in style. and I found the employees at all the places to be very knowledgeable and helpful.

There are also sewing classes in my area, my friend teaches some for someone. She teaches quilts, and just taught a class about aprons, they are back in style too.

You could find joy in creating an heirloom, for your own heirs, or for someone else. And they make marvelous gifts, an heirloom baby quilt for new parents, a wedding quilt. Patchwork purses, tote bags, Xmas decor, lap warmers, the list goes on and on.

Find a simple design, where you do not have to match a design, in other words avoid stripes for you first project. Find a pattern you like, and follow it. It should tell you how many yards of how many fabrics to purchase. And give you templates, or instructions of how to cut the pieces, and how to lay them out and sew them.

there are competitions, and showings out there for quilts, there is one in this area every year. Oh, my goodness, so ornate and beautiful.

things you should know? Buy the best dacron quilt batting you can, so it will not bunch up and ruin your work. Be precise with your work, one little error can snowball, since each pattern on the quilt depends on the precision of the one before it. You could have a really ugly mess very quickly. Learn to bind the quilt, put it together yourself. My grandma belonged to a church group who did this for people, to make money for the church. They were good. You can also hand quilt, this can be very beautiful It involves buying quilt frames, my Aunt inherited my Grandma’s frames.
Check out tying a quilt instead of quilting it. That could be cute for a casual quilt, I have one of those, too. I made that one.

I hate to ask, but is your Mom still available for lessons, or does her work still exist? It might honor her, if you wish or want to do so, to utilize some of her work, finish something she never got done, recondition something, remake, or re-purpose things. I have an old patchwork quilt I am going to repair and use, it is just waiting for Rivers to have the time. Don’t know who made it, probably Grandma.

I am a beginner at embroidery and love what can be done with it. For the life of me though, I cannot get my stitches even and consistent so it always looks like a two year old did it. Any suggestions?

If you are doing free-hand embroidery – make a visual pattern with a self-erasing (air disappearing) pen. You can mark even intervals for the stitches – use a ruler if you need to.

There are a huge number of pre-printed embroidery patterns that you can download for free and use for your embroidery. Use a light-box and transfer to your material and indicate where each stitch is to begin, end.

I often use my pinky finger nail to measure where the next stitch is to be taken so as to make my handwork stitches more even.

If you are doing work on an even fabric – a cross stitch fabric – evenweave – linen – then you can count the number of threads for each stitch.

If you are doing cross stitch as the stitch — be sure to count the number of threads, squares. Make sure that the thread goes in flat — untwist the thread while still in the air — I use something called a laying tool (a small dull pointed long cylindrical metal tool) to make sure that the thread lies perfectly flat for each stitch – yes, I admit, I am a perfectionist!

HTH – Please remember to leave a note when you vote!