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    How to embroider small items of clothing. Hooping tricks

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 3 comments, 4,001 views
    How to embroider small items of clothing. Hooping tricks
    Whenever there is a need to embroider small items of clothing, such as future pockets or cuffs, and your machine only has one hoop, these hooping tricks will do the job. There are several ways of hooping a small item, and in this article, I’m describing two of them. Either one will get you a beautiful high-quality embroidery.
    The first way of hooping a small item is to glue it to the tear-away adhesive stabilizer. Just what you need for not-too-heavy designs and small monograms. Adhere the item to the stabilizer and hoop in the usual way; the adhesive will secure the fabric in place and prevent shifting during the embroidery.



    The second way is to hoop the fabric itself. Suitable for smaller and bigger items alike. This is called the fabric extension method. You’ll need a few strips of extra fabric (calico, for example). Stitch them to the main fabric with a straight stitch about 5 mm long.  



    After that, it is advisable to press seams with an iron to make them flatter. Adhere the stabilizer to the wrong side and hoop the item.



    If you're an owner of a Brother Innov-is le sewing and embroidery machine, you can use the built-in camera for the exact positioning of the design.
    This is very handy whenever the accurate placement of the design is crucial, such as while working with checkered or striped fabrics.
    How to use the built-in camera
    Press the Fabric scan key to view the location of the pressing foot on the LCD screen. Pick one of the positioning stickers that come with the machine and affix it within the embroidery field specified by the machine.  



     
    Take away the sticker and your hands and wait for the machine to perform the scan. Now the pattern can be viewed in the Embroidery Edit screen, allowing for the better positioning of the design on the hooped item.  


    When the embroidery is finished, remove the stabilizer leftovers or rip off the extra strips of fabric and iron the item on a soft underlay, right side down.



    Original text by Irina Lisitsa
    Don't forget to buy some lightweight designs from our store!
    See also:
     

    Monogram pillow: a tutorial

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 3 comments, 3,721 views
    Monogram pillow: a tutorial
    A pillow with an embroidered monogram is a home textile classic. It makes a wonderful wedding, jubilee, christening or no occasion gift. Pillows are wonderful for machine embroidery beginners who want to learn the machine embroidery basics and practice to acquire the necessary skills. This is a brief guide into making the embroidered monogram pillows.
    Monogram pillow. Materials
    Fabric Zipper Braided cording with lip Machine embroidery design Cutaway or tearaway adhesive stabilizer Water-soluble stabilizer (optional) Upper thread Underthread Monogram pillow. Cutting
    For a pillow size 40x40 cm cut two squares of side 43 cm. I used non-stretchy upholstery fabric, dense but with a pronounced twill weave. Before you start working, you should finish the edges of this fabric with the serger, in order to prevent fraying.
    Monogram pillow. Embroidery
    Adhere the stabilizer to the wrong side of the fabric. Find the center of each side and draw the crosshairs. Their point of intersection will mark the center of your future embroidery. Hoop your fabric. Attach the hoop to the machine and cover it with a layer of thin water-soluble film (in case the weave of the fabric is a pronounced one).
    Select the basting stitch and stitch the water-soluble stabilizer to the fabric.
    Hit the start button and embroider your design. You may pick a sole-colored or a multi-colored one or embroider a multi-colored design without changing the upper thread color.



     
    Some embroidery/sewing and embroidery machines have an option of monochromatic embroidery. Peruse the manual that comes with your equipment to use its capabilities to the fullest.


    Having finished the embroidery, remove the stabilizer leftovers.

    Monogram pillow. Cording
    Round the edges of your pillow a bit. Stitch the cording to the right side of your pillow, along the edges. To attach the cording at the corners, make small incisions so that it lays more easily.


    Stitch it with a special cording foot or a zipper foot.


    Original text by Irina Lisitsa
    Don't forget to visit our shop to buy some lovely monograms!
    See also:
     

    Patchwork quilt for a child

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 1 comment, 2,465 views
    Patchwork quilt for a child
    If you have a small kid or are expecting one and love sewing, this tutorial is for you. Using only natural fabrics, you can decorate a child’s bed with a patchwork quilt of your own making. Haven't tried patchwork quilting yet? Now is the right time! To create a simple quilt block, you’ll need scraps of bright-colored fabrics and a sewing machine. Let’s go!
    Patchwork quilt for a child. Materials
    For this patchwork quilt, I’ve bought a ready set of fabrics with batik print and a piece of sole-colored backing fabric. There were 40 squares in the bundle, size 12.5x12.5 cm.

    You may cut your own squares or buy a ready fabric set, as I did.
    To make the quilt warmer and puffier, you’ll need a thing called quilt batting, designed specifically for this purpose. It is usually made of cotton, bamboo, wool, or their combinations.
    You’ll also need some lining fabric. As you’re making a kid’s quilt, this fabric ought to be natural. Cotton, calico or lightweight calico will do splendidly.
    Patchwork quilt for a child. Cutting
    For a patchwork quilt, cut the same number of squares out of your sole-colored backing fabric. Place the squares by pairs with their right sides together, a bright-colored plus a sole-colored one. Draw the lines on the sides to mark the seam allowance. In my bundle, the size of the squares didn't ideally correspond to the one I needed. So I drew two parallel lines at a distance of 11.5 cm. That would mark the width of the ready square. Done that? Pin the pieces together.



    Patchwork quilt for a child. Joining the pieces
    Stitch along the lines on the right and of the left.


    Repeat with the top and the bottom of the square. Press the seam allowances.


    Now draw the diagonal lines from one corner to the other. Cut the squares along those lines.


    Join these smaller pieces by pairs, their right sides together. This is the most interesting part; you can “play” with the squares and create various combinations. Remember the kaleidoscope you’ve probably had in your childhood. Choose your pattern, arrange the blocks and pin them together so as not to mess up the whole thing. Baste them together and press the seam allowances. 


    Lay the resulting short strips of fabrics together and sew them to each other. While arranging the pieces, position them so that their seam allowances are oriented in different directions, thus “locking” them. Having sewn the pieces together, unstitch the fabric near the “lock” and press the seam allowance open (see in the photo below).


    In our future tutorial, we’ll tell you how to arrange the quilt blocks into a ready quilt.

    Original text by Irina Lisitsa
    See also:
     
     

    Heart-shaped pincushion with a finish

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 1 comment, 2,415 views
    Heart-shaped pincushion with a finish
    Let’s create a heart-shaped pincushion with decorative stitches as a gift for your fellow embroiderer. In the course of this tutorial, I used the stitches from Brother Innov-is 1E sewing and embroidery machine's memory.

    Heart-shaped pincushion. Materials
    A sheet of paper Pink fabric Underlay Sewing or embroidery threads Quilting and sewing needles Padding (quilting cotton, chlorofibre, etc.) Tearaway embroidery stabilizer
    Heart-shaped pincushion. Sewing
    Select a decorative stitch on your embroidery machine. Make a “sandwich” out of your stabilizer, fabric, and underlay.


    If your underlay has a sticky side, glue it to the fabric.

    Stitch the “sandwich” with decorative stitches, leaving 1–1.5 cm between them.


    Brother Innov-is V7 has lots of decorative stitches; one can find a suitable kind of stitch for any project or even create their own via My Custom Stitch. We’ll cover the latter issue in one of our future articles. Keep your eye on our updates!



    Draw a heart on the sheet of paper or use a ready template. Fold the drawing in half, with its right side inside. Trace the outline onto the fabric. For a hanger, you can cut a piece of band or cord and attach it to the heart’s center. Stick the pin through, using it as a marker for attaching the band.



    With your band/cord pinned, select the triple stitch on your machine and set the stitch length to 2.5 mm. Stitch along the outline.



    While joining the parts, don’t forget to leave an opening for turning out and stuffing. Cut the fabric close to the stitched line. Turn it the right side out. Use a peg or something like it at the corners.



    Stuff the heart with the padding of your choice, then sew the opening with a blind stitch.


    A heart-shaped pincushion is ready!

    Original text by Irina Lisitsa

    Heart-shaped decoration for a garment

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 1 comment, 2,164 views
    Heart-shaped decoration for a garment
    A few strips of fabric, a sole-colored T-shirt or a tank top, and 15 minutes of your spare time—that’s all you need to create a heart-shaped decoration. You can use the tips described in this tutorial to decorate any garment, thus giving your old clothes look new and interesting look. Hearts are perhaps most often associated with the Valentine’s Day, but one doesn't need an excuse for wearing them on any other day of the year. Don’t be afraid to experiment! Not only it will help you to revamp your clothes but also give you lots of joy!
    Materials
    A T-shirt Thin silk cording A gathering foot A Ruffler foot A cording foot for sewing on three cords Strips of non-fraying fabric (netting, tulle netting, thin knitwear).
    Heart-shaped decoration for a garment
    On a T-shirt, mark the center front line. Place a heart-shaped cutout on top of it and trace the outline with a piece of tailor’s chalk or a fabric marker. Cut the non-fraying fabric into strips 3 to 6 cm wide.



    Attach the Ruffler foot to your machine. Select the appropriate pleating depth and stitch the strips along the center line, gathering the fabric as you go. If you haven’t yet used the Ruffler foot, here’s the tutorial (coming soon!):
    If you need narrow pleats of the equal width, you can use a gathering foot instead. For instructions, see this tutorial (coming soon!):


    .
    Pin the pleated strip of fabric along the outline of the heart and straight-stitch it to the fabric. You now have a decorated garment!
    After I had slipped my T-shirt over a mannequin, it became clear that I failed to get the measurements right, so I cut the upper part of the pleats a bit, thus making the decoration even more impressive.



    Alternately, you can use knitwear strips and cords. Cut the thin knitwear fabric into strips 3 to 6 cm wide.
    While cutting, pay attention to the wales. They should be vertically oriented: in this way, the fabric edge won’t fray, and there will be no runs.
    Gather the knitwear strips, using the method described above. Trace the future decoration to the fabric. In my case, these are two halves of a heart, to the right and left of the straight line. Pin the gathered knitwear strips along the outline.



    Attach the cording foot and feed three cords into it. Select a three-step zigzag stitch. Stitch the gathered strip to the fabric by the cord.



    On turns and at corners, raise the foot and rotate the fabric under it. Having adjusted the fabric position, pull the cords slightly and continue sewing.



    Original text by Irina Lisitsa

    Hooping the fabric without hooping

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 4 comments, 3,161 views
    Hooping the fabric without hooping
    Practically any new technique is born in the course of creation. Again and again, we conjure out new techniques that make our production time shorter and our coffee breaks longer.
    The hooping method I’m going to describe in this article was suggested to me by one of the Broidery.ru forum first members. And, just like in the Broken Telephone game, while passing hands the concept changed somewhat, though I tried to stick to the original one. Sergei Demin, who inspired me, endorsed my version and promised to elaborate on the original idea in the nearest future.
    Before you start reading, I’d like to tell you in what cases this wonderful little technique might come in handy:
    Use it to embroider a large number of the same size designs. It will save you a lot of time. If your fabric is of a lightweight and delicate kind, this method will allow you to forego the hooping part. If you do not own a small hoop, and for a larger one the piece to be embroidered is too tiny, this method will spare you sewing on additional strips of fabric in order to enlarge it. You understand, no doubt, that I’ve covered only the basic rules here — it is for you, dear reader, to expand upon them!
    So, happy hooping without hooping!
    The work order
    You’ll need a piece of polyethylene a little larger than your hoop, double-sided painter’s tape, and the hoop.

    Hoop the polyethylene.

    Better pick plastic sheeting they use for covering greenhouses: it is dense enough and doesn't warp (almost). 
    Stick the painter’s tape to the inner side of the hoop.

    After that, unpeel the protective layer. Stick another layer of tape on top of the first. 
    Determine the size of the embroidery area.

    Then, cut the hole with 5 mm allowance.

    Choose an appropriate stabilizer and attach it to the wrong side of the fabric.

    Place the fabric on the prepared surface and start the embroidery.

    Having finished, remove the embroidered piece of fabric and replace it with the new one. Continue the embroidery.

    In order to determine the size of the embroidery area, attach the taped hoop to the machine. Load the design and observe the embroidery area on your display. The machine will determine the boundaries of the design and move the needle bar to outline the perimeter, making short stops at the corners.
    When the needle is directly above the corner, drop it to make a puncture in the polyethylene sheet with the painter’s tape attached to it. Raise it, and the machine will continue the demonstration. Having found the 4 corner points, you’ll draw a rectangle without difficulty. After that, cut the hole the size of the embroidery area with 5 mm allowance.
    Keep in mind that the sticky side of the tape should hold the fabric in place, and therefore, this method may not be suitable for the designs almost as big as the hoop.
    Use the sticky hoop until the adhesive tape fails to hold the fabric in place.

    Idea by Sergei Demin
    See also:
     

    Make your own bias binding

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 4 comments, 2,377 views
    Make your own bias binding
    When sewing a garment, every little detail counts. However, it often happens that the most important one is missing. What if you need a bias binding, and the nearby craft shop has all the wrong colors? In that case, you can create your own bias binding. Read this article to learn how to make the binding of the right size, what tools to use and how to sew bias binding on the garment.
    Bias binding. Tools
    There are all kinds of tools for making bias binding that come in a variety of shapes; you can buy it in a specialty store. The number on a tool shows the width of bias binding with the folded edges. The double binding is two times narrower after being sewn on the edge of the garment.

    Bias binding. Tool size
    6 mm—for the “textile mosaic” technique, which is used for decoration of dresses, shirts and so on.
    12 mm—narrow bias binding, the width on a garment only 0.6 cm. It is cut from lightweight fabrics. Neck holes and armholes of the dresses/tunics, seams of the “high-class” garments, buttonholes on trousers and skirts.

    18 mm—a good edge finishing for the garments or homemade textiles. It is, perhaps, the most common size, for you see it in the stores most often. This kind of binding is 0.9 cm wide when sewn.
    25 mm—mostly for home textiles, table linen, kid’s clothes, such as bibs, pinafores, etc.
    50 mm—almost a cording. It is used in the same way as 25 mm binding.


    The template should be exactly two times wider than the ready binding.
    For example, If you want 12 mm binding, you should cut a 12*2 = 24 mm tape.
    Align your fabric with the weft thread and the crosswise grain of the fabric (the one that runs along the selvage). Trim the selvage. Use a triangle ruler or a quilting ruler or fold the fabric at a 45° angle.



    Bias binding. Sewing the strips into one continuous tape
    Set the quilting foot with a blade on your machine, and select the straight stitch with the needle in a center position.


    Place the ends of the strips one over another with a 7 mm overlap, right sides together. The overlap is there for the stitching line that will join the strips. Stitch back and forth a few times at the beginning and the end.



    After sewing, press the seams open and flat. Trim the “dog ears”.


    Bias binding. Shaping
    Cut your binding on the bias; it will be easier to insert it into the bias binding maker this way. Feed the strip into the wide end of the maker and pull it out of the narrow one. You may poke it with a needle if the fabric is of a heavier kind.


    The strip of fabric will come out with folded edges. All you’ll need is to press them with an iron.


    Bias binding. Sewing
    The methods of attaching bias binding to the garment are aplenty. There are feet designed specifically for the purpose, which can be used in a variety of ways. We described one of them in our previous articles:
     Original text by Irina Lisitsa
     

    DIY anime style embroidered backpack

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 1 comment, 4,289 views
    DIY anime style backpack
    Pause for a moment and consider: how many pairs of jeans are there in your wardrobe and how many of those you haven’t put on for ages? A pair of jeans that is not fashionable anymore or the one you're bored with can be given a new life with just a trifle of effort. Uncover your sewing and embroidery machine! Let’s create an anime style backpack for you or one of your friends. Read this tutorial to learn how. Are you with us?
    DIY anime style backpack. Materials
    A pair of jeans Lining fabric Zipper Bias binding (4 cm wide) Padding fabric Machine embroidery design Sewing and embroidery machine Machine embroidery threads DIY anime style backpack. Embroidery
    For this tutorial, I used a design already embroidered on a piece of white cotton fabric. You may do the embroidery right on the fabric you’ve chosen for your backpack if you want.

    The embroidery itself is easy. Attach a piece of tearaway adhesive stabilizer of appropriate weight to the wrong side of your fabric and hoop the whole thing.
    Load the design into the embroidery machine and attach the hoop. Hit the start button and do the embroidery, changing colors in accordance with the color chart that comes with your design.



    DIY anime style backpack. Sewing
    Out of the legs of your jeans, cut two rectangular pieces. You can make them any size you like; I used a pair of sneakers and a zipper as a reference. The resulting panels measured 40 x 30 cm.
    Place a zipper between the two denim pieces and join them with straight lines of stitches. Use a standard zipper foot.


    Now the front panel is ready. Check the measurements by placing your item of reference (sports shoes in my case) on top of it. Round the edges using a French curve or a soup bowl of a suitable diameter. Cut the identical panel for the back side of the backpack.


    Now you can cut the panels out of the padding and the lining fabrics. Place the back panel on top of the padding piece and draw the stitching pattern (diagonal squares in our case).



    Attach the walking foot and stitch along the traced lines.


    DIY anime style backpack. Appliqué
    Out of the embroidered piece, cut the design, leaving 2 cm allowance along the perimeter. 
    Secure it of one of the two halves of the front panel. You can pin it or use a glue pencil or temporary spray adhesive. 


    Choose the threads to match the color of your fabric. I picked the ones I used while embroidering the design: cyan for the hair, mauve for the skirt, etc. Straight stitch along the perimeter (stitch length 2, the needle in the center position). Trim the extra material close to the stitching line.


    Secure the embroidered panel with a zigzag stitch (the needle in the center position). Many computerized sewing machines with a speed regulator have an option of smooth zigzag width adjustment. Use the manual that comes with your equipment to learn what it’s capable of.  



    Stitch the lining to the front panel along the zipper tape; after that, secure the lining along the edges. Sew the lining to the back panel close to the edge. 


    Cut the denim leftovers to strips 7 cm wide for the side panels. Stitch together the short sides of the strips to make one long piece. Place this piece on top of the padding fabric and join it with the piece of lining. Join them with parallel straight lines of stitches. 


    Trim the projecting edges of the padding and the lining fabrics. Fold the long side piece in two and find its center. Join the center of the long piece to the top of the backpack and baste the panels, leaving allowance on the right side. Having reached the center on the bottom side, mark the crossline and cut the extra material, leaving 1 cm for seam allowance. Sew the piece in the center and baste it to another panel of the backpack. Prepare a rectangular piece of fabric for the strap. Baste the hanger to the back side.  



    Straight stitch through all layers. Trim the edges and finish them with the bias binding. Read about different ways of attaching the binding here: 


    Original text by Irina Lisitsa
    Visit our store for oriental embroidery designs

    Sewing textile envelope: a tutorial

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 2 comments, 1,673 views
    Sewing textile envelope: a tutorial
    Every little fashionista will be happy to have a pretty textile envelope for hairpins, hair ties, and other knickknacks. We’ll find appropriate summer colors, adding a bright touch with a decorative fabric. To add still more flavor, we’ll give the edges a special finish and embroider the owner’s signature. Read this tutorial and how to sew and embroider a textile envelope.
    Textile envelope: materials
    Fabrics (two colors) and cotton fabric band Bias binding (a ready one or made of the decorative fabric) Quilting foot (Art.F057:XC7416252) Edge foot (Art. F056N:XC6441252) Sewing threads, scissors or a rotary fabric cutter, and a cutting mat A piece of Velcro and a decorative button
    See how to create a bias binding in the following article:
    Textile envelope: cutting
    For a 15 x 28 cm, prepare the following: A square 30 x 30 cm out of the main fabric (the one with flowers) A square 30 x 30 cm cut out of the decorative fabric Bias binding (1.8 cm wide), a strip of fabric 30 cm long, and also a strip 150 cm long A cotton fabric decorative band 30 cm long A piece of Velcro size 0.5 x 2 cm. If there is no Velcro, you can use a button or a pair of strings. Textile envelope: sewing
    On your machine, select a straight stitch and lead the needle in the center position. Install the quilting foot with the guide. Fold the decorative fabric square and press the crease with an iron.


    Fold the panels with their right sides together and join them with the stitchline (don’t forget the seam allowance). The blade on the quilting foot makes stitching at an even distance from the edge much easier. Finish the edges with an overlock or use one of the edge seams on your sewing machine.


    Reduce the stitch length and sew on the decorative ribbon, aligning its straight edge with the crease. Fold the envelope so that its lower edge aligns with the seam joining the two fabrics, and the upper one with the folding line. If necessary, you can trim the edges a bit.



    Finish the edges of the bias binding with a strip of the decorative fabric 30 cm wide. If you prepare your binding by folding it in two and pressing the crease with an iron, you will be able to use the quilting foot for sewing it on.



    Now, reduce the length of the envelope to 28 cm. A cutting mat, a rotary fabric cutter, and a ruler will help you with this.

    Round the edges of the outer panel. Finish the edges with the bias binding. The lower part of the envelope and the pocket should be processed together. If you're an experienced sewer, just pin the details together and stitch, and if a beginner, baste them first.



    Stitch the bias binding to the envelope.



    Textile envelope: embroidery
    You can personalize your envelope with machine embroidery. Brother sewing and embroidery machines have lots of in-built character sets for inscriptions. Create an inscription of a suitable size, using a character set of your choice. Hoop the nonadhesive tearaway stabilizer, sprinkle it slightly with a temporary spray adhesive and secure the flap. Do the embroidery and remove the stabilizer leftovers. Place the panel on a soft underlay with the right side of the embroidery facing down and iron it.


    Attach Velcro to the flap and the main part of the envelope so that it could safely close. Sew on a decorative button.



    All finished! Pleasant sewing!


    Original text by Irina Lisitsa

    Sewing toys: a machine embroidered soft ball

    By Irina, in Machine embroidery materials and technology, , 4 comments, 2,610 views
    Sewing toys: a machine embroidered soft ball
    It is relatively easy to sew a child’s toy: there are a lot of patterns on the Web. If you have an embroidery machine, you can decorate the toy with the monogram with the child’s initials, the name of his or her favorite group or sports team. There are tons of possible variants. Read this tutorial and learn how to assemble a soft ball from appliqué panels.

    Sewing toys: materials
    Machine embroidery design Felt 2 mm thick, 3 colors Tearaway nonadhesive stabilizer Upper thread Underthread
    Sewing toys: sewing order
    Load the design into your embroidery or sewing and embroidery machine. Hoop a nonadhesive tearaway stabilizer, attach it to the embroidery machine and embroider the first line, which will serve as a guide for positioning your felt panels. After that, the machine will stop and you will place your felt panels of different colors onto the stabilizer. I've conceived a two-color soft ball. The stitchline of the next color will join the felt and the stabilizer, and the one after that will serve as a guide for the manual sewing of the panels.


    Depending on the design you've chosen (mine is appliqué), you’ll need to change the upper thread color. In appliqué, the layers are sewn on one after the other. In this case, it’s yellow, like the future logo background.


    Having sewn on the detail of your future appliqué, trim the edge with sharp scissors. After that, you embroider the appliqué panel.


    On another panel of my ball, I’ve decided to place a child’s initial. For this, I used the character sets from the Brother Innov-is LE memory. I enlarged the letter using the resize option.


    All manipulations with letters should be performed before the embroidery starts, in the Embroidery Edit mode!
    Having finished the embroidery, remove the leftovers of your tearaway from the panels and cut them, leaving 0.5 to 1 cm allowance. Sew the details like a biscornu pincushion (translator's note: a tutorial will be added in the nearest future!)
    Visit our store for an Embroidery library of logos!
    Original text by Irina Lisitsa

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