Free Embroidery Designs

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.

My sewing machine has a lot of "built in stitches" besides monogram…I was wondering if I could use it for embroidery..
I hate to have to have a special machine for the little bit of embroidery that I would want to do…

So long as your sewing machine can do zigzag stitches, go in reverse and forward and you can set the machine with zero pressure on the pressure foot, you can make some pretty darned cool embroidery. Just so long as you’re not trying to make precise stitches, as you would need for monograms.

What you need: An embroidery hoop, practice cloth, lots of thread, paper to back the design. A rough idea of what you want to do, as well as a washable drawing medium such as a chalk pencil. This works especially well on smaller, more free-form designs.

How to do it: Set the stitch for zigzag, draw the design on cloth, back with paper, set in hoop. Place under presser foot, with no pressure on foot. Go back and forth over drawing, experimenting with stitch length and bobbin tension. Caveat: doing this free-hand will not produce the smooth, professional style embroidery. More of an artisan style.

These instructions came with my sewing machine and I’ve used them with varying degrees of success. If you’d like more info, please just e-mail me; I’d hate to type exact instructions if you’re not interested!

I’m looking for an embroidery machine with many of the same capabilities of the Husqvarna Viking Designer 1, but for a much cheaper price. Any suggestions?

Make a list of what you like about this machine and take it to a Brother or Babylock dealer and compare the features and the prices.

Ideally – you want a hoop area larger than 4"x 4" and USB connectivity.

The larger hoop will allow you to stitch out larger embroidery designs. Whatever the size hoop is the largest design size the embroidery machine will stitch out.

Some users think if they buy an additional hoop that is larger than what came with the machine, the machine will stitch larger designs. Not so. The embroidery machine is computerized for certain features and that cannot be changed.

USB connectivity can be either a cable that connects the embroidery machine and PC, or a removable flash drive. These are what you use to move design downloads from the PC to the embroidery machine.

You can get the Brother 400se (sewing and embroidery) at Walmart that has a larger hoop and cable connectivity for around $500.

You may want to buy from a dealer for assistance in using the machine and for service of the machine.

You do need to have a PC as 99.9% of software programs for machine embroidery require the Windows operating system.

You can begin a collection of designs from the many sites that offer free downloads.

Create a folder on the hard drive and name it Emb Downloads.

Download .pes formatted designs for Brother or Babylock.

Most downloads are zipped files and have to be opened or extracted and then saved to the folder you created.

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

On the Brother BM-2600 sewing machine, can the feed dog drop for free-hand machine embroidery?
On the Brother BM-2600 sewing machine, can the feed dog drop for free-hand machine embroidery?

Yes u can do free motion embroidery but you will need a darning
foot which is sold seperatly for about $15 from brother but u will need the code which is in the your manual so u know you have the right 1

also u will need a hand embroidery hoop ,stabilizer and a design that u want 2 stitch out like a car or a Disney character.

the darning foot is a screw on. and cover feed dog with ur darning plate

I want to use some of Clotilde’s embroidery patterns, and Jo-Anns is having a decent sale on Singer. But what about Brother? Help?

I prefer Brother or Babylock and I would suggest buying from a dealer if you have never used a sewing machine – the embroidery machine has some similarities.

If you do not buy from a sewing machine dealer, try the Singer – it should connect via cable to your PC and this is where you will store designs and then send to the embroidery machine.

You choose designs by the format of the embroidery machine and the the hoop size. Watch this when downloading.

An embroidery machine that has a maximum embroidery area of 4 x 4 will not stitch a design that is larger.

The least expensive method to obtain designs is downloading from the Internet to the computer, then send to the embroidery machine as you want to stitch out a design.

Methods for sending designs to an embroidery machine:

Memory card only (you will need a reader box and card compatible with the brand/model of the machine.
Memory card and USB cable (connects directly to the PC)
Memory card, USB cable and USB flash drive.

The more options, the more expensive the embroidery machine.

Clotilde does not sell machine embroidery designs.

Each of the two books listed in her catalog has a CD with free designs, which you upload to your PC. You cannot just stick these CDs into an embroidery machine and start stitching.

You have to have a method (reader box/card, cable or flash drive) of getting the designs from the PC to the embroidery machine.

The designs at Nancy’s Notions are her choices, but they are Amazing Designs products.

http://www.amazingdesigns.com/en/products/

There are many Internet sites that have free designs you can download to your PC.

Once you get an embroidery machine, you may find this site helpful – http://www.annaboveembroidery.com/embroidery-tips.html

I want2do free motion embroidery using a embroidery hoop,so tht i can make my own designs.Pls advise as i want2buy a machine.

The 4220 does have droppable feed dogs, I’m not sure about others also bearing the "inspiration" tag. Check the features for the exact model you’re interested in. Generic low shank or snap on darning feet are easily available.

Doesn’t really matter, though, as you can set the stitch length to 0 on any sewing machine and cover the feed dogs with something like an old credit card that you’ve punched a hole through for the needle, then taped down around all edges. Sometime when you’re at the library, look for "Singer Instructions for Art Embroidery and Lace Work", first published in 1911, and republished a number of times since — the work was all done on a treadle machine, with non-droppable feed dogs. http://thesewbox.blogspot.com/2009/01/singer-instructions-for-art-embroidery.html

Free machine embroidery designs in a very simple term are designs usually done using a machine that can make a zigzag pattern and the embroiderer holds the embroidery hoop. The reason for the term “free” refers to the embroidery hoop being held by the free hand not the patterns cost.
With such kind of nature, free machine embroidery designs are said to be easy and fun to do. The simplicity of this type of stitch can be accomplished with an ordinary sewing machine so it takes the added expense of buying specialized embroidery machines out of the equation.

However, the free machine embroidery designs can’t be made professional in style and look if you are not adept to handling the embroidery hoop as freely as it should be. So if you think you are not yet capable of handling everything that is involved in the craft, pay some time practicing a lot for it. While practicing, know exactly what things you may need to prepare to create your free machine embroidery designs.

For more information on free embroidery designs j click here

Free machine embroidery designs in a very simple term are designs usually done using a machine that can make a zigzag pattern and the embroiderer holds the embroidery hoop. The reason for the term “free” refers to the embroidery hoop being held by the free hand not the patterns cost.
With such kind of nature, free machine embroidery designs are said to be easy and fun to do. The simplicity of this type of stitch can be accomplished with an ordinary sewing machine so it takes the added expense of buying specialized embroidery machines out of the equation.

However, the free machine embroidery designs can’t be made professional in style and look if you are not adept to handling the embroidery hoop as freely as it should be. So if you think you are not yet capable of handling everything that is involved in the craft, pay some time practicing a lot for it. While practicing, know exactly what things you may need to prepare to create your free machine embroidery designs.

For more information on free hand embroidery stitches click here

Free machine embroidery designs in a very simple term are designs usually done using a machine that can make a zigzag pattern and the embroiderer holds the embroidery hoop. The reason for the term “free” refers to the embroidery hoop being held by the free hand not the patterns cost.
With such kind of nature, free machine embroidery designs are said to be easy and fun to do. The simplicity of this type of stitch can be accomplished with an ordinary sewing machine so it takes the added expense of buying specialized embroidery machines out of the equation.

However, the free machine embroidery designs cant be made professional in style and look if you are not adept to handling the embroidery hoop as freely as it should be. So if you think you are not yet capable of handling everything that is involved in the craft, pay some time practicing a lot for it. While practicing, know exactly what things you may need to prepare to create your free machine embroidery designs.

Speaking of things to prepare, I have listed below some of the basic needs for creating free machine embroidery designs. If you are serious with your embroidery plan, then read on and take note of the following:

Fabric: Chose a fabric that will fit within your hoop comfortably. A fabric that is too small or one that is too large will not allow the proper tension needed for you to create your design.

Zigzag Sewing Machine: This is but another essential thing to consider when creating free machine embroidery designs. Try to use the one with the so-called “drop feed control”, as well as the one that is capable of lowering its dogs teeth. This will allow you to make your zigzag stitches in varying degrees.

Embroidery Hoop: This is essential. You can not create your design without a hoop so does not forget one.

Embroidery Foot: The embroidery foot is a needle that keeps your fabric in place and makes your work easier a bit.

Stabilizer: Keeps the material where you place it. Does not let the movement of your craft move the materials.

Thread: An essential part of every embroidery work. Just choose the right thread for your free machine embroidery designs. You can use a 100% rayon thread or the polyester all-purpose type.

Once youve got all such essentials, you can start creating your free machine embroidery designs anytime you want. But, make sure that you know exactly what you will create and how to do so.