Free Embroidery Designs

I’m new to sewing and don’t know too much about it & the machines, but I’m looking for something that will let me do different fonts and adjust the size of the stitching. Hoping for something that’s no more than $400.. Would Amazon or perhaps Walmart sell ones like this? Thanks

There are two major methods of machine embroidery — free motion, where you guide the hooped fabric, and can be done on any sewing machine, and computerized, which requires a special machine. I do some free motion embroidery — here’s sort of the great grandfather of textbooks of machine embroidery. free motion on a treadle machine: http://archive.org/details/singerinstructio00sing and the best modern book I know of: http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Machine-Embroidery-Creative/dp/0801976480/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1 done just before embroidery machines became commonly available to home sewing.

The other method is computerized embroidery, and there are several types of machines there: combination sewing/embroidery machines like http://www.bernina.com/en-US/Products-us/BERNINA-products-us/BERNINA-Sewing-and-Embroidery-Machines-us/BERNINA-8-Series-us/BERNINA-en (this one was a mere $12.5K when it was first released) or more reasonably, http://www.amazon.com/Brother-SE400-Combination-Computerized-Embroidery/dp/B003AVMZA4/ref=sr_1_1?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1359239253&sr=1-1 and embroidery only machines like: http://www.amazon.com/Brother-PE770-Embroidery-Memory-Stick-Compatibility/dp/B002MQI2NM/ref=sr_1_2?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1359239253&sr=1-2 or a multihead (many needles at a time) machine like: http://in.bernina.com/product_detail-n3-i258-sIN.html which sews many colors at the same time, and is typically used by an embroidery business.

Most of the people I know who do computerized machine embroidery have started with a 4×4" hoop combination machine, then discovered that 1) they wanted a bigger hoop and 2) if they didn’t have another machine, they couldn’t sew while the machine was laboriously stitching out a design. The folks I know who bought embroidery only machines plus a sewing machine didn’t pay much more (if any) than the ones who bought a single combination machine, and most of them seem happier with their initial purpose.

On top of the machine, you usually wind up buying several types and weights of embroidery stabilizer, perhaps a digitizing program so you can make your own designs, another program to help convert predigitized designs into a format your machine can use, and thread. Lots and lots of threads. So the machine is only the tip of the iceberg.

If you can, see if you can find a basic machine embroidery class where they supply the machines. There’s a fairly steep learning curve at first, I understand, and see if it’s something you really want to invest in. Me? I’m happier doing embroidery by hand.

I’ve been embroidering since I was three, and have taught a number of beginners some of the basics. I usually use aida for their first lessons, because it’s easy to see the holes, and you get some practice at working stitches regularly. Here’s a good site:
http://www.needlenthread.com/videos and another:
http://www.embroiderersguild.com/stitch/stitches/index.html

My suggestion: pick a few stitches you like the looks of and play with them a bit. Develop your own variations. Sketch a design and try some stitches on it. Here’s a piece of wrought iron art:
http://dhruvphoto.blogspot.com/2007/03/madien-hair-fern-could-fit-in-graphic.html that I turned into a quilt square for a friend — I used three stitches: stem, feather and a variant of the french knot, and three shades of green — I was pleased: http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/21784677

Head for the library for some books on embroidery — there are all sorts of formal styles of embroidery, ranging from cross stitch to blackwork to redwork to whitework to polychrome; free stitching and counted thread work; work on surface fabrics and work "in the air" like stumpwork. Play. It can be a really cheap hobby, and one you can keep handy for fidgeting — a square of fabric and a needle and a skein of embroidery thread can easily fit in an altoids box.

DMC has, over the years, done tremendous amounts of design books for embroidery ("DMC Library"). Particularly if you’re interested in historical styles, they can be an excellent resource. Here are a few more books, some beginnerish, some advanced… just have fun:






www.amazon.com/Mountmellick-Work-Irish-White-Embroidery/dp/0851055125

Don’t let first projects overwhelm you, think small at first — a little featherstitch or chain stitch variant covers the top of a pocket or around a cuff in very little time, and is much less discouraging than getting yourself into the middle of a needlepoint rug project. And choose a small oval hoop for your first hoop. They’re easy to hold and work around. Me? I mostly work in hand, without a hoop. Even easier once you’ve gotten the idea of thread tensions taught to your fingers.

FWIW, these are the usual types of hoops I give to beginners — easy to adjust, hold the fabric well, light in the hand, pretty cheap.

www.createforless.com/Darice+Spring+Tension+Hoop+7/pid17632.aspx
(aka tension hoop, spring hoop) (and also works for machine embroidery
and the plastic Susan Bates hoops:
www.createforless.com/Bates+Hoop-La+Embroidery+Hoop+_and_+Frame+5/pid69998.aspx which has an adjustment screw.

5" round is a good size for most women to hold. though I still prefer the oval hoops
that are harder to find. //www.nordicneedle.com/PROD/6980B.html

When you turn pro, go for the scroll frames or q snaps and similar, if you want to work in a frame.

I am someone who can’t even sew a button. I am a total beginner, but I’d like to learn how to embroider and something about crewel really appeals to me. I know they sell kits at craft stores. What would I need to make sure the kits have? In other words, what would I need to begin? I’m scared I will go into Michael’s and spend 4x more than I need to because I don’t know what to get. Thanks!

Crewel is surface embroidery with wool on linen — it’s fun, but there are some texture issues for some people, as well as expense. Most of us who embroider started with cotton floss (DMC and Anchor are good brands) on cotton fabric. See my answer to: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101122123123AAk0Aft

If you want to stick with crewel, you’ll want a beginners kit and a hoop — 6" is a good size for most women’s hands — when you get really good you can move to stretchers. Or you may find that you prefer to work without a hoop — some of us are crazy that way. <g> I’d also buy an extra pack of assorted size embroidery/crewel needles, about $1 at Walmart, probably under $2 most other places.

If you want to do embroidery with cotton floss, pick up some colors of floss that you like, a packet of embroidery/crewel needles, and a 6" or so embroidery hoop — the ones I like for beginners look like this: http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Bates-Hoop-La-Embroidery-Hoops/dp/B000GBO9M8 or http://www.beverlys.com/plastic-embroidery-hoop-5.html You’ll also need a pair of scissors or a nail clipper to cut threads (why, yes, I’ve embroidered on airplanes, why do you ask??? <g>)

The book I learned most of my first crewel embroidery stitches from, and still a very good one, is Erica Wilson’s Embroidery Book: http://www.worldcat.org/title/erica-wilsons-embroidery-book/oclc/657147/editions?editionsView=true&referer=br and Erica Wilson’s Fun with Crewel Embroidery: http://www.worldcat.org/title/fun-with-crewel-embroidery/oclc/567395&referer=brief_results — check your local library, they’re likely on the shelves.

I am wanting to get a machine and need to start small but I want something that can grow with my needs. I’ve seen where you can buy appliques for machines and am not sure what all that involves. Are there certain machines that you can buy extra patterns? for? And to the cheaper ones not do as much? I’ve seen some that look like a sewing machine with an extra attachment and others that almost look like small factory equipment.

An embroidery machine has a few built-in designs. Others can be downloaded from the Internet. Some are free and others are for sale. Some are 100% embroidery and others are applique done in the embroidery hoop.

The one I usually recommend is the Brother SE 400. Right now everyone seems to be out of stock until mid-February. This is online. Your local Walmart may have this model in stock.

Visit a Brother sewing machine dealer and ask for a demo. They may have a model that is close in price to the SE 400, which is a combo (sewing and embroidery machine) or one that they have taken in on a trade-up.

It would be best to buy from a dealer even though you will be paying a little bit more (Walmart and Amazon have the SE 400 for around $400). With the dealer you will have access to lessons as well as assistance and service for the machine when necessary.

Machine applique designs come with an instruction PDF that will give you fabric and thread colors; indicate when to place the fabric on the stabilizer and when to trim for the next step. Each section of the fabric is sewn in place with a running stitch and then finished with a satin stitch.

If this is a priority, ask if it can be included in the demo.

This site may add further insight as to what can be done and how to do it – http://www.emblibrary.com/EL/elprojects/holder.aspx?page=techniques

I have been looking and I can only find embroidery or serger thread in multiple colors in a set. I am looking for all purpose poly blend where I dont have to purchase each spool separate.

Gutermann’s Mara 100 polyester thread, about 400 colors: http://www.wawak.com/products/category.cfm?cID=333 (an excellent price); Gutermann premade assortment: http://www.amazon.com/Gutermann-In-Home-Sew-All-Thread-Assortment/dp/B003SBV5ZC

You may also want to read: http://sewing.about.com/library/weekly/aa102100a.htm

I am looking to buy a embroidery and sewing machine and i am not sure which one to get as there are many out there. I have never worked on a sewing machine and really don’t do that much sewing however i would like to be able to make a quilt also. I do the hand embroidery and cross stitches and while i love it i would like to be able to do different patterns of like my pictures and things like that without it takeing me two years to finish a project. Does anyone have any suggestions?

This is akin to asking for a car, when you really want is a Bat-mobile that can travel on the air, road and water. Nevertheless, there are a few things you could look for to make your dream come true.

There are many reviews and buying guides on the web:
Embroidery machines: http://www.galttech.com/research/household-DIY-tools/best-embroidery-machine.php
Sewing Machines and Patterns Review: http://sewing.patternreview.com/news

Whichever machine you select, get the machine’s manual. There is a common assumption that machines are all the same, but it’s not true. Used machines can be wonderful, if they’ve been well cared for. But it does you no good to assume all machines need oil (not true), or to miss out on the machine full creative ability.
Sewing Machine Manuals: http://www.mastersewusa.com/

You can make Couture-level garments on a straight-sew machine, but most modern sewing machines offer more than one stitch. It’s creative use of these that make them powerful. I’m speaking of ordinary sewing machines that adjust stitch length, have a Zigzag or other cover stitches, plus whatever geometric or floral designs. For truly giving these options a workout on ordinary sewing machines, I suggest the public library. Seek out books on Decorative Machine Stitching
Fine Machine Stitching http://www.amazon.com/Fine-Machine-Sewing-Revised-Embellishing/dp/1561585866/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257164512&sr=8-2

And consider Bobbin Work. Many an artist has used a simple machine to create amazing works. If the thread, fiber, or ribbon is too thick to go through the needle, why not run it through the bobbin?
Bobbin work: http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/5025/bobbin-work-when-threads-are-too-thick-for-the-needle

On any machine you’re considering, ask if the Feed Dogs can be lowered. Fabric is advanced under the sewing machine’s foot by way of a moving metal assembly that pulls the fabric through in one direction only. If you can lower the feed dogs, you can move in any direction opening an entire world of creativity. Seek out web articles and books on Free-Motion Embroidery or Free-Motion Quilting it’s a world of hoops and stabilizers – but the work can be done on ordinary sewing machines that have the option of lowering the feed dogs.
Anatomy of a sewing machine: http://www.a1sewingmachine.com/image/basic%20sewing%20machine%20parts.jpg
Watch a video on free motion technique: http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/3833/video-manuels-free-motion-embroidery-technique
Be advised: Manuel is working on an extraordinarily FAST manual machine. But it you note the hoop, the rotation of it, the turning of the work, it will make other Free Motion Embroidery directions make sense.
How to do free-motion embroidery http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_c/C-213.pdf

Machine quilting can be done on any straight sew machine. Some are just better at it than others because they have greater torque, or a larger arm. And these are great when you want to throw money at it. But artists can get a lot out of simple machinery if you learn the concepts of what you want to do. You do not need thousands of dollars to start.

Embroidery machines are quite amazing and you’ll be deciding between a bunch of Disney or the ability to digitize your own designs. Give some thought about the size of your work, what parts you need done for you, what magic you expect of the machine – and I greatly encourage researching what other artists have done with machine embroidery. You might just find they use a less expensive model (than what the dealer is telling you) to achieve their work.

The Art isn’t just in the machine, it’s in you.

I have been asked to transfer and embroidery by hand an image and some lettering on to work uniform of a cousin of mine, this is the first attend at embroidery and actually getting the image of what she wants and the adding the extra words of her workplace is stressing me out, has any one any really simple put affective ways of achieving this project, I have a simple sewing machine and have also have been looking up how to free embroidery by machine, I have the wooden hoop, and nothing else, i.e. water water-soluble stabilizer or pencils etc.. I also have no idea how to place the design on her work tunics and tops. Please help a complete novice. Any tips or ideas would really be appreciated.

If this is your first embroidery project, then tell your cousin to find a professional embroidery shop and have it done. Beginners can very rarely make professional looking embroidery by hand… it takes months and years before you get to the point that you can do lettering in a professional manner, for instance. Lettering by free motion embroidery is almost as difficult.

And in the meantime, practice. But not on someone’s uniform.

Best book I know of on free motion machine embroidery: Fanning and Fannig: http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Machine-Embroidery-Creative/dp/0801976480 Hand embroidery is a much broader subject: I’d probably start you with one of Erica Wilson’s books, and then move you to Royal School of Needlework Embroidery Techniques by Saunders, Butcher and Barret.

In answer to your question: how would I do the transfer? I’d either use a heat transfer pencil, a perforated stencil and chalk, direct drawing with a soft lead pencil, or basting. Depends on the substrate being embroidered.

I’ve just started doing ribbon embroidery, and I’d like instructions on how to make things. (Flowers, birds, dogs, etc.) I really want to make a Cardigan Welsh Corgi, if you know of a pattern…
As for the book, I do know the absolute basics. I’ve made really simple stuff like roses and leaves, but that’s it. I’d like to expand my knowledge. (Also, it would help if it were a fairly popular book, so that I might find it at my local library. I’ve seen books on this there.)
Thanks!

http://www.amazon.com/Simple-Ribbon-Embroidery-Machine-Step/dp/1571204490

Have not seen anything on animals.