Tips for Beginner Machine Embroidery Projects

There are a lot of things the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has taught us in terms of how we learn, work, engage socially, dine, and spend our time. More than ever, Americans are looking for ways to occupy their time with new crafts or hobbies as they spending more time at home. If you’ve always wanted to take up embroidery, now might be a perfect time to start. Projects don’t need to be complicated, in fact, there are many beginner projects to tackle that you’ll love. 

Take your time

Rome wasn’t built in a day right? It takes time and patience to tackle a new craft and embroidery is no different. Try to relax and gather all your supplies before you begin and be kind to yourself. You might have to scrap a few projects and start over but you’re learning along the way and pretty soon you’ll improve your skills enough to finish a project and you can look back and be proud of your efforts! Here are some befits to learning a new skill. 

• A sense of accomplishment and pride
• It’s FUN!
• Your brain chemistry changes
• Your learning speed increases 
• You could stave off dementia
• Learning something new will make you happier

Start at a Small Scale

Before you bite off more than you can shew ask for the advice of seasoned experts and start with something small so you don’t get frustrated. A small scale project is a great starting point until you hone in on your skills and move up to more complicated projects. 

Take notes

Remember when you were studying for a test in school and took good old fashioned notes in class to learn? The same principle can work for your first project. Lean along the way and take as many notes as you can about the type of thread you, fabric colors, and designs to help you along the way. 

Be organized 

They say creative people have an organized brain but a messy area to work in, try to break that mold and stay well organized so you’re not scrambling to find something. Having a dedicated area for all your supplies doesn’t have to be an elaborate undertaking, a simple caddy in your room to keep your supplies organized will work just fine and will help you focus on your project.  

What Essential Supplies Will I Need to Get Started?

If you’re new to any hobby you will need to have the proper supplies to be successful. Here are some tips from Hatch to consider before getting started on your project. 

Fabric

You can embroider on a wide range of materials, but the most common is cotton fabric. 

Stabilizers

Stabilizing your fabric correctly is essential for great embroidery results. 

Needles

You will need machine embroidery needles, which are slightly different from machine sewing needles and completely different from hand embroidery needles. 

Threads

Machine embroidery threads are very different from hand embroidery floss. There is a variety of threads available made of different materials.

You don’t have to be a seasoned crafter to get started on some unique and beautiful one-of-a-kind DIY projects. Machine embroidery is a fun hobby and with time and practice you can hone in on your craft and only become better! Friendly Stitches Sew and Vac (Downers Grove, IL) are experts in vacuum and sewing machine repair in-house and in-house servicing. We’re a friendly, cheerful place to do business, offering high-quality vacuums, sewing machines, and parts, in addition to sewing, embroidery or quilting classes and events. Stop in today so that together we can find the best solution for you, or call us at 630.541.8388. Visit our website and please follow us on Facebook!

Sources:

https://nataliesisson.com/11-benefits-learning-something-new/

https://blog.hatchembroidery.com/beginners-guide-to-machine-embroidery/

https://www.migdigitizing.com/blog/10-machine-embroidery-tips-beginners