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Machine Embroidery Series – Re-Think Those Old Sweaters
This series is written by guest blogger, Pamela Cox. Pamela is an expert embroiderer, designer, digitizer and all around wonderful girl! We are so happy to have her contributing to the Sulky Blog! We all have sweaters hiding in our closets which are still very near and dear to our hearts. Although we cannot part with them, we also would not be caught dead actually wearing them!!!! Let’s think of a way to make these memorable sweaters into practical items bringing comfort to our busy lives. For success in stitching with knits, begin with a basic understanding about their construction. All knits, whether manufactured or hand-knitted, incorporate a series…
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Machine Embroidery Series – Linen
Linen is the perfect fabric for summer clothing and it is also very popular for home linens and decorative pillows. Let’s not forget accessories such as aprons, purses/totes, guest towels or handkerchiefs. Although the natural flax fiber can be combined with synthetic ones, linen fabric is at its best when 100% natural fibers are used. Linen can be found in a wealth of colors and in a variety of textures: delicately smooth and refined through to a nubby, coarse appearance. How the flax stalks are “processed” and the fibers spun all play a part in the look and weight of the fabric. Linen fabric should always be pre-washed and dried…
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Machine Embroidery Series – Denim
To round out our discussion on Heavy Weight Fabrics, let’s take a look at Denim. Denim Supplies: Stabilizer: Sulky® Soft ’n Sheer™ – This is a viable stabilizer option, even though we generally suggest tear-aways for wovens and cut-aways for knits: The general thought process when selecting a stabilizer for any project tends to be that a “heavy” fabric requires a “heavy” stabilizer. However, with few exceptions, the opposite holds true. Think about it. The main purpose of a stabilizer is to provide a solid “foundation” for the fabric to accept the intended embroidery, as well as enabling the fabric to be secured in an appropriate size hoop to allow for the necessary machine movement…
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Machine Embroidery Series – Duck Cloth
Today we are continuing to explore machine embroidery on heavy woven fabrics. Here is a great example of embroidery on Duck-cloth. Duck-cloth Supplies: Stabilizer: Sulky® Tear-Easy™ Design is a free download to all members of the Sulk Embroidery Club: #870 Spoolie 5. Membership is free – just sign up. Topstitch Needle – dependent upon the weight of cloth: 90/14 or 100/16 The Spoolie design has a lot of detail stitched on top of other stitched embroidered spaces, producing several fairly dense areas. The larger needle was chosen for this fabric. Thread: Sulky 40 wt. Rayon thread Step 1 Layer the fabric on top of the stabilizer and secure both in the machine embroidery hoop. Keep both…
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Machine Embroidery Series – Embroidery on Canvas
Today we are continuing to explore machine embroidery on heavy woven fabrics. Here is a great example of embroidery on canvas. Canvas Supplies: Stabilizer: Sulky® Sticky+™ Design is a free download to all members of the Sulk Embroidery Club: #1090 Heart Scrollwork-Small-an outline design Needle: 100/16 Topstitch Thread: Sulky 12 wt. Cotton Blendables® Thread #713-4123 Hot Batik Step 1 Hoop Sulky® Sticky+™ in a 120mm (minimum) hoop, with the grided release sheet still intact and facing up. Score the paper making sure the exposed surface, at minimal, is large enough to accommodate the size of the design. Any extra surface exposure offers additional adhesive security. Step 2 Firmly, but smoothly, press the canvas to the sticky…
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Machine Embroidery Series – Heavy Woven Cottons
This series is written by guest blogger, Pamela Cox. Pamela is an expert embroiderer, designer, digitizer and all around wonderful girl! We are so happy to have her contributing to the Sulky Blog! Heavy Woven Cottons What do Denim, Duck-Cloth and Canvas all have in common? All three are considered “utility fabrics” because they are sturdy, heavier-weight, woven, cotton fabrics. Denim and duck-cloth are often used for slacks or jackets while all three are great for many home-dec projects and just perfect for tote bags!! Although woven fabrics can be secured directly in an embroidery hoop, often times the weight of a utility fabric precludes this from being a viable…
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Machine Embroidery Series – Embroidery on Mid-Weight Cotton
This series is written by guest blogger, Pamela Cox. Pamela is an expert embroiderer, designer, digitizer and all around wonderful girl! We are so happy to have her contributing to the Sulky Blog! The term “mid-weight/medium weight” cotton fabric covers many fabrics known by other names such as oxford, “quilting cottons” pique, broadcloth, just to name a few. They are often used, but not limited to, tote bags, throw pillows, table-toppers, garments, quilts and other patchwork projects. They are the most common fabrics used for machine embroidery and by following a few simple tips, your machine embroidery on these kinds of fabrics will always turn out great.…
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Quick and Easy Vinyl Placemat – Tutorial
As an added bonus to our Machine Embroidery Series, Pamela Cox has designed this wonderful tutorial for a quick and easy vinyl placemat. If you have never tried machine embroidery on vinyl, check out Pam’s blog post here and then try this great project. Quick and Easy Vinyl Placemat Materials: 12-1/4” x 17-1/4” piece of textured vinyl, Usually sold by the yard with the intention of being used as a tablecloth, this type of vinyl will have a fuzzy, very thin, batting/backing. (1/2 yd. of 54” wide vinyl will yield 4 placemats) 90/14 Leather Needle Thread: Sulky® 40 wt. Rayon or Poly Deco™ 40 wt. embroidery thread – your choice of colors for your design Sulky…
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Machine Embroidery Series – Embroidery on Vinyl – Probably Not What You’re Thinking!
This series is written by guest blogger, Pamela Cox. Pamela is an expert embroiderer, designer, digitizer and all around wonderful girl! We are so happy to have her contributing to the Sulky Blog! Vinyl – Not the clear stuff! Since “summer fun” is right here at our finger tips, let’s explore vinyl, another material which might never be considered as an acceptable foundation for machine embroidery. Yet, it is perfect for quick summer or party accents, not to mention, it is actually useful for totes or accents on hand bags or even throw pillows. Once again, vinyl, even displaying beautifully embroidered designs, will never be considered an “heirloom”. However, with…
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Machine Embroidered T-shirt + Tips for Stabilizing Knits
Machine Embroidered T-shirts Machine embroidered T-shirts are often the first project beginners want to make. But taming those stretchy knits in the embroidery hoop can prove challenging. Light-weight cotton Jersey knits are tough to stabilize without stretching and puckering as the end result. With a few tips from expert Pamela Cox, a plain T-shirt is easily transformed into a “one-of-a-kind” special gift. Knits stretch, which is why we love them. However, we need to control this property during the embroidery process and yet still enable this wonderful trait to return. Because Sulky offers a variety of quality stabilizers to choose from, even within each category- Tear-Away, Cut-Away, Wash-Away, and Heat-Away–…
