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Sewing Projects

embellish a plain sweater with flower motifs
Embellish a Cardigan

 

This red sweater is really a mock cardigan, since it doesn’t open at the centre front. We loved the sweet pearl buttons and exaggerated ribbing at the neckline and hem. To accent the ribbing, small monochromatic flowers have been added with hot-fix pearls or silver studs in the centre of each flower. And with no thread changes, these monochromatic designs stitched up in a hurry.

HANDY HINT: If you don’t have an embroidery machine, use the flower attachment to recreate the circular flower designs (for details see the technique - stitched flowers - just click here).

Try out different sized flowers on a sample fabric to determine how big you would like them to be. Follow the directions below for stabilizing, positioning and stitching the design.




REQUIREMENTS

  • Cotton sweater knit pullover
  • Tricot knit interfacing
  • Poly mesh stabilizer (or filmoplast – sticky backed stabiliser)
  • Stretch needle size 80
  • Temporary spray adhesive
  • 24 target stickers
  • Basic machine embroidery and sewing notions
  • Circular embroidery design (we used MEF27 from the CD-ROM included with the book)

Optional: Hot fix tool, Hot fix pearls and Hot fix silver studs

SMART IDEAS
Of course, a combination of three or more colours would look gorgeous as well as the monochrome version we have done. Stitch a small flower on a similar fabric before you make your colour decision. Don’t forget to audition pearls, crystals or studs before embarking on this project. They add just a hint of sparkle.


Plan the Design

1. Fuse tricot knit interfacing to the wrong side of the sweater front. Normally, the stretch of the interfacing is fused in the opposite direction of the sweater’s stretch, but in this sample, I fused the interfacing with the stretch in the same direction as the sweater since it’s tight-fitting and I didn’t want to eliminate all of the stretch.

2. Put the sweater on and stand in front of a full-length mirror. place stickers where you want to embroider the flowers until a pleasing pattern is achieved

3. Use target stickers to designate the position of each flower embroidery instead of printing templates of the tiny flower. Using the MEF27 design, the sticker and flower are approximately the same size. Place the stickers on the sweater, starting at the centre front of the ribbed collar. Keep adding stickers until the collar is framed.


4. Continue adding stickers down the centre front, bordering the buttons.

5. Remove the garment carefully when satisfied with the number of stickers and turn it inside out.


Embroider the Sweater


1. Hoop polymesh and spray it generously with temporary adhesive or use filmoplast stabiliser and remove the protective paper backing to reveal the sticky surface.
 
2. Place the collar area on the hoop and smooth the garment to the sticky stabilizer. Make sure all wrinkles or bubbles are removed, as it’s very important for the stretchy sweater to lay flat in the hoop.

3. Pin the garment to the stabilizer near the perimeter of the hoop.

4. Attach the hoop to the machine, position the needle over a target sticker and then remove the target sticker.

5. Place a piece of water-soluble stabilizer over the design area and embroider the design.

Move from one target sticker to the next to embroider each design, lifting the water soluble stabiliser and removing target sticker first.6. Position the needle over the next closest target sticker. Lift the water-soluble stabilizer and remove the target sticker. Embroider the design. Continue in this manner until you have embroidered all of the designs in the hoop.

7. Remove the stabilizer and garment from the hoop. Trim the excess stabilizer from the wrong side.

8. Hoop a new piece of polymesh stabilizer and spray it with adhesive (or use filmoplast).

9. Place the opposite collar area on the hoop and repeat steps 2 through 7 for this opposite side.

10. Hoop a third piece of polymesh stabilizer once the entire collar is embroidered, centre the centre-front section in the hoop and embroider. With a 12 x 18 cm (5" x 7") hoop, the centre front can be embroidered in one hooping.

15. Remove the garment from the hoop and place it on a protective surface.

Embellish the Embroidery

Detail of finished embroidered area with metal nail heads and pearls attached.

1. Use tweezers to place one metal nail head or pearl in the centre of a flower.

2. Apply the hot, flat tip to the nail head or pearl and lift it up.

3. Wait for the glue to bubble, and then touch the nail head or pearl to the desired location. Hold in position for 20 seconds. Touch the nail head with your finger to make sure it is permanently attached.

4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 for all remaining flower centres for the finished look shown.





Wear with  a white skirt, red pumps, pearl earrings and big sunglsses





 

Stockist information

This project has been reproduced from Contemporary Machine Embroidered Fashions by Eileen Roche with kind permission of publishers David and Charles. Packed with helpful information, the book includes a bonus CD-ROM featuring 32 embroidery designs with colour sequences, 20 projects with step-by-step instructions and co-ordinating outfit ideas as well as techniques and tips galore.

Filmoplast by Vilene – a sticky backed stabiliser with paper backing - is available from craft and haberdashery departments nationally.
 
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