Sewing Techniques

Machine Embroidery Beginnings

Many of us have one of the wonderful computerised sewing or embroidery machines but are a little overawed by the embroidery functions. Help is on hand with machine embroidery beginnings.

Getting started
The dream has turned into reality and you’ve given in to temptation and bought a wonderful computerised embroidery machine, the only problem is that now you’ve taken it out of the box you’re not quite sure what to do with it. Don’t panic, help is at hand! We’ve put together a few hints and tips to help you get started and produce professional results on these fantastic machines.

Setting up the machine
There are essentially three types of embroidery machine - sewing machines with separate embroidery unit, sewing machines with an in-built unit, and embroidery only machines. Most of all these machines have a touch screen and if you have one of the latter two model types then setting up the machine is really a matter of pressing the correct buttons or selecting ‘embroidery mode’. If you have a separate embroidery unit you will need to attach this to the machine following the manufacturer’s instructions. All models will require a special embroidery foot that is supplied with the machine.

HANDY HINT:  Before starting to work embroidery, ensure there is adequate space around the machine for the hoop to move freely.

Stabilisers
Selecting the right stabiliser is key to successful embroidery and it may take practice to get perfect results. Stabilisers provide additional weight and body to support the embroidery and prevent the fabric from puckering. There are lots of different types available but they broadly fall into four categories:

• Tear-away, which is ideal for woven fabric. It is usually white although charcoal is also available, and this can be used in single or multiple layers depending on the weight of the fabric being stitched.
• Iron-on, which is great for stretch fabrics and knits as it stops the fabric being distorted during hooping.
• Water-soluble, this is a very versatile product. It is ideal for sheer fabrics and can be used to create embroidery such as lace that has no backing fabric attached. It is also very helpful when placed on top of fabrics such as towelling as it stops the embroidery disappearing into the pile of the fabric. There are many different thicknesses of water-soluble stabilisers. Use the thicker stabilisers for sculpture stitching and finer ones for lightweight fabrics. 
• Sticky, this is used for fabrics that cannot be hooped in the usual way either because the piece is too small or it would damage the surface of the fabric, eg velvet. The stabiliser sticks to the outer hoop, the fabric is attached to it, and the inner hoop is not used. Another type of sticky stabiliser is Filmoplast by Vilene. It has a paper backing which is peeled away so the fabric can be stuck in place. It is ideal when embroidering cuffs, collars and other small items that cannot be hooped. 

HANDY HINTS: For best results, match the stabiliser with the weight of the fabric, ie: less for lightweight, more for heavyweight. Use more than one type of stabiliser in a project, eg a tear-away under towelling and water-soluble on top to achieve the stitch density required

Hooping
Hooping the fabric correctly is vital to prevent the fabric slipping during stitching as this can cause the stitches to misalign and the finished piece to become distorted. On most machines, the hoop is attached to the bed of the machine thus is moved automatically as the stitches are made.

• To hoop the fabric first place the outer hoop on a firm surface.
• Lay the required layer(s) of stabiliser over the hoop making sure that there is a sufficient overlap over all four edges of the hoop (2.5 cm/1” on each side is plenty).
• Place the fabric, any additional stabiliser (eg water-soluble), and finally the inner hoop section on top.
• Use the template that is supplied with the hoop to check the position of the design. Then push the inner hoop down, ideally pressing on the corners or if using a large hoop two opposite sides, until it sits fully inside the outer hoop. The hoop must fit firmly and hold the fabric taut. You may need to adjust the screw several times and re-hoop but it does get easier with practice and it is worth the effort because it will make a tremendous difference to the finished results.

HANDY HINTS: Use the smallest hoop into which your design will fit, as it is easier to get the fabric nice and taut. A larger hoop may require more layers of stabiliser.

Threads
There is a wonderful array of threads available for machine embroidery and new products are appearing all the time. Most machines can use almost any weight for the top thread (the higher the count the finer the thread) but require a finer thread on the bobbin (called bobbin fill) to ensure that the top stitches are pulled underneath slightly and the underside thread does not show. The following are some of the most popular embroidery threads:

Rayon -  this is the classic thread used for domestic embroidery. It comes in a wide range of colours including variegated. It is usually around 40 count in weight and it will work on virtually any machine, and has a beautiful lustre for evening wear.

Polyester - this is a strong thread that is often used in commercial embroidery. It is ideal for items requiring frequent washing such as children’s clothes or towels and it works well on heavy fabrics such as denim. Neon colours are also available for sportswear.

Acrylic - a strong thread which has a similar lustre to rayon. It is flexible so that even when it has been stitched at high speed the thread ‘relaxes’ which helps to avoid the problem of the fabric puckering.

Metallics - these gorgeous threads are ideal for eveningwear and will instantly give your embroidery a lift. Available in lots of colours and a good range of weights, they can be slightly tricky to use as they are inclined to shred, but using speciality needles and slowing down the speed of the machine will help.

HANDY HINTS: Always use a bobbin thread and ideally the one recommended by your machine manufacturer.
Experiment with different top threads because some will work better on certain fabrics.

Needles
Embroidery machines work at high speeds and the stitching is very dense so you will find that needles will blunt more quickly than in regular sewing and often need replacing. Always start a new project with a new needle and look out for skipped stitches as they usually indicate that the needle should be changed. Special needles are used both for normal machine embroidery and for using with metallic threads.

HANDY HINT: If your machine is making a ‘clunking’ sound check the needle.

Selecting a design
Now the fun really begins! All embroidery machines come with a selection of in-built designs that are accessed via the machine’s touch screen display. It is important to select a design that is appropriate for the fabric. A lightweight fabric such as organza would look wonderful with a light and open design, whereas a very heavy and dense design would be more suitable for linen. You also need to take into account the ‘body’ or drape of a fabric, a very soft fluid fabric will not support a heavy design and will tend to pucker. Most machines will display the stitch count of a design, and/or the length of time it should take to stitch. Compare these figures for designs within the same hoop size. For your first practice piece an in-built design is ideal as you can be certain the design was created for your machine and, assuming you follow the manufacturer’s instructions, you are likely to achieve good results. Set your machine up as above, select your chosen design, press the start button and watch in awe as your machine does its stuff!

HANDY HINT: Embroider the design on to fabric for cushion covers, pockets, front bands etc before cutting out the finished piece so that you can be absolutely sure of positioning the design where you want it.

As well as stitching out in-built designs, consider using rows and rows of the decorative stitches available to you. Add them to hemlines, scarf ends, as decorative features on plain bags etc. Change thread colours, using bright and bold, toning same colour threads or ultra bright neon colours.

HANDY HINTS: This is an ideal time to flick through the latest issue of ‘Sewing World Magazine’, as your machine will automatically stop when it requires you to change the thread colour.
Don’t trim the threads on the underside too close or stitches may unravel.

Purchasing designs
Once you get the bug for machine embroidery you will find that you want to extend your repertoire of designs and there are lots of choices available to you:

• Most machine manufacturers offer collections of designs on cards or disks that can be plugged directly into the machine and accessed via its touch screen.
• Disks are available from manufacturers or independent professional designers containing collections that can be downloaded from a PC to the embroidery machine using simple transfer software and an appropriate cable.
• Card reader/writer boxes are available that enable designs to be transferred from a PC to a blank card. This can then be taken and plugged directly into the embroidery machine.
  

Whichever method is used, the designs must be in the correct file format for your make and model of machine. Each manufacturer uses files in a specific format, eg Janome files have the extension .jef, Brother .pes, Huskvarna/Viking .hus and Singer .xxx. These are not interchangeable. If you wish to use a design created in a different format you need to purchase a special box which converts the design to the required format or use digitising software which allows the import and conversion of file formats.

A final word
As with most things, practice does make perfect. Analyse results as you go, keeping a sample book with sample and creation notes together. However, don’t be over critical or afraid to experiment as it is supposed to be fun.

We will looking at what can be achieved with an embroidery machine’s editing capability and how to use designs more creatively so visit the website regularly.

Ruth Cox is a freelance Computerised Machine Embroidery expert who writes for Sewing World magazine and runs courses on computerised machine embroidery for Janome Sewing machines. For further details or to contact Ruth email: ruthcoxtraining@yahoo.co.uk.

Nb: This article first appeared in Sewing World, January 2004.