Embroidery Basics | Bernina Sew n Quilt Studio
Feel the need to add some flair to your next big project? Whether by hand or by machine, embroidery can be used to add a fun and personalized touch to all things fabric!
Hand Embroidery Basics
If you’re good with your hands, hand embroidery is the simplest way to give embroidery a try. With a small investment of time and the purchase of some basic supplies, you can hit the ground running!
Start by collecting the supplies that you’ll need for practicing embroidery:
Fabric: You’ll want to start with light quilting cotton or linen.
Embroidery floss: Pick out a few colors of cotton embroidery floss. Try to have your test designs visualized ahead of time to make color selection easier.
Embroidery hoop: Hand embroidery requires a hoop to keep your fabric taut for your project. Don’t get too swept up by all the options available. A basic six-inch wooden or plastic hoop will serve as a versatile tool for a variety of projects.
Needles: Any sharp needle with a large eye for embroidery thread will work. You may want to pick a variety pack labeled for embroidery so that you have options.
Scissors: You probably have scissors already. Just make sure that yours are still sharp and will cut your fabric and your floss cleanly.
Water-soluble pen: A washable pen is essential for tracing or drawing your design to embroider.
With your supplies on hand, it’s time to select the stitches that you’ll use for your embroidery project. The classic straight stick and back stitch are good staples of embroidery that you probably already know!
Now, just draw or trace out your first design, and get started! Your first design won’t look perfect, but your technique will improve as you continue to practice.
Once you’re done stitching and ready to finish your work, rinse or soak your finished piece to remove markings from your pen and wrinkles in your fabric. Gently press out excess water, and then press your work from the back with an iron over a folded towel.
Machine Embroidery Basics
If you love embroidery but find hand stitching to be uncomfortable or tedious, you may be ready to consider updating your standard sewing machine to create some machine embroidery.
Whether you decide to manually control your fabric position to create free-form embroidery or you opt to use embroidery design software and techniques, your machine needs special supplies for embroidery. To start, you’ll want to choose a top thread that works well with your machine and that will create designs that are durable but not bulky.
You’ll also want to change your machine’s needles. Start with needles that are specified for embroidery for best results, and make sure that you’re changing your needle after every eight hours of sewing.
While you’re embroidering with your machine, maintaining proper tension on your fabric is essential. Using a proper hoop and stabilizer will add stability and tension to your fabric!
At Bernina Sew N Quilt Studio, we have everything you need to get started on adding a touch of embroidery to your projects! Drop by to shop supplies or visit our website to learn more about our embroidery design software and available classes.