Embroidery tips for machine embroidery designs

Embroidery Tips

Service Your Machine Regularly

I’m as guilty as the next person for not always taking my machine in for servicing. No one wants to be without his or her precious machine for even a day, but it is well worth the trip to the shop. After all, the machine does stitch much quieter and smoother once I get it back. I do call ahead to the shop to arrange for a convenient day to ensure that my machine will be serviced quickly. No sense in having it sit in the shop for a few days waiting for them to get to it.

Ok, enough nagging LOL...here's the tip...
I keep a small note pad and pencil beside my machine, so if I notice anything peculiar about the machine when I’m stitching I can quickly jot it down. When I’m ready to take my machine in for servicing, I don’t have to rely on my memory to remember that I wanted to have them check on an intermittently sticky button (for example).

Check with your local dealer to determine how often you should have your machine serviced. At least once a year is recommended even if you have not used it often. It is after all a mechanical machine and time alone can have an effect on its inner workings. Like our own muscles and joints, they can become stiff if not used regularly. If you do a lot of stitching, you will want to get it serviced more often.

Golf Tees

Did you ever get mixed up on which spool of thread goes with which design color sequence? Well golf tees are useful for more than just golf. Grab a few tees, some paper and tape. Cut strips of paper about Ľ” wide by 2-3” long and tape them to the head of the tees. Strips of post-its are a nice length. Click HERE to see a photo. Then line up your threads for your next sewing project and place a tee into the hole of the spool. Use a pen or pencil; write the corresponding color sequence on each of the spools of thread. If you use a thread color more than once, you can write both numbers on it. Once you use that color sequence, just cross off the number. No more losing track. Also you can cut strips of paper for future use while you baby-sit your machine when it is embroidering.

Muffins

Ok, it’s not an embroidery hint but we all make muffins right? After filling your muffin tins, do you ever have just a bit of batter left over for 2-3 muffins (or sometimes just one more?) I hate to have my oven run for another 20 minutes or so for just a couple more muffins and I wouldn’t want to throw out the batter either. If you have those metal egg poaching cups, then throw a muffin paper in it and fill it up with batter. Place it in the oven along with your muffin pan and voila…one or two extra muffins. They are the perfect size, so no more wasted batter or electricity/gas.

Sharpies

I just picked up a package of Sharpies in 24 different colors. Here is where they come in handy for embroiderers. No matter which stabilizer I use (tear-away or cut-away) there is always a little bit of white showing around the edge of the design when the stabilizer is removed. I simply chose a sharpie in a color close to the thread color of the outside of my design and go around it lightly with the Sharpie. It nicely hides any of the remaining little flecks of white stabilizer. It really does give the design a very professional finish. You can also use it for the inside of designs to color in any missing stitches caused from improperly hooping or insufficient stabilizer. With the Sharpies being permanent ink, they with withstand multiple washings.

Embroidery Foot Maintenance

We all know that we are supposed to service our machines on a regular basis and most machines also require periodic oiling in between maintenance. But, have you ever considered oiling your embroidery foot? Have a close look at your embroidery foot and you will notice that it has a little spring and the bottom “ring: moves up and down along a shaft. This is the area that can use a little oil. Grab your sewing machine oil and place a couple of drops on the shaft. Then give it a quick wipe to remove any excess oil and perhaps a bit of black soot from where it was chafing. Now your foot is as good as new.