Each month we will highlight a sewing accessory and explain how it works.  The first in a series of Specialty Presser Feet will be Embroidery/Darning Foot

                                EMBROIDERY/DARNING FOOT

 Our first foot is very versatile, it can be used for embroidery, darning, thread sketching, monograms, appliqué and stippling.                                                                                                    

To make a free-motion embroidery you will need a 5 to 7 inch round hoop, a thin wooden hoop works best to hold the fabric taut.

Use a new needle every time you embroider. An old, bent or dull needle will cause snags, thread breakage or skipped stitches. Use a fine needle with lightweight fabrics and a heavy needle with heavyweight fabrics. Embroidery needles range in sizes 70/9 to 90/14.

The thread you use is also important. For best results use machine embroidery threads, rayon, cotton, acrylic or metallic.

The bobbin thread does not have to match the color of the needle thread. If sewing on a light colored fabric use a light colored thread, and dark thread for dark fabric. Use a lightweight thread in the bobbin. A basting thread, lingerie thread or bobbin embroidery thread is recommended.

It may be necessary to use stabilizer under the fabric to prevent puckers, especially if sewing on lightweight fabric or if the embroidery design is large. Stabilizers make it easier to control the fabric and also prevent skipped stitches and broken thread.

Setting Up The Machine

STEP 1:  To attach the embroidery foot, remove the standard presser foot. If your machine has a snap-on foot, remove the foot and snap-on presser foot adapter by unscrewing and removing ankle screw.

STEP 2:  Attach the embroidery foot by slipping the metal finger on the top right of foot over the needle clamp screw and wrap the claw on the middle left of foot around the presser bar. Replace ankle screw.

STEP 3: Locate the feed dog control and lower the feed dogs (they feed the fabric through the machine). If your machine does not have this capability, you will have a embroidery darning plate that covers the feed dogs. place the plate over the feed dogs as describe in your sewing machine instruction manual. you will now be able to maneuver the fabric in any direction. this procedure will be used with all techniques applying to this foot.

The feed dogs will be lowered or covered in all techniques using the embroidery foot.

Using a wide zigzag run a satin stitch on a sample piece of fabric to test your embroidery thread in the needle and a lighter thread in the bobbin. This will help keep the bobbin thread from appearing on the top of your fabric. If the bobbin thread is still showing through loosen the needle tension toward zero (righty tighty and lefty loosey).

With practice you will be able to move the fabric smoothly as you stitch. You control the stitch length since the feed dogs are down and no longer feeding the fabric.

You can now create stitches that are close together by moving the fabric slowly and the foot control (like the accelerator on your car) at a moderately fast speed.

Getting Started

The circle square design is great for learning free-motion embroidery basics.

STEP 1:  Cut a 7” piece of organza for a 5” hoop or a 9” piece for a 7” hoop. In the center of the fabric make a 3” square; draw a 2” circle in the middle of the square; draw a line from the left to the right in the center of the circle. While sewing this line must stay horizontal.

STEP 2:   Place fabric in the hoop so it is taut. make sure the screw on the side of the hoop is finger tight or tighten with a screwdriver.

STEP 3:  Place the hoop under the presser foot on machine. draw up the bobbin thread at the upper left corner of the square: holding the threads stitch in place several times in order to lock in stitches.

STEP 4:  Set machine width to 5 millimeters. Rest your hands on the side of the hoop in a relaxed manner. Do not grip the hoop!

STEP 5:  Stitch from the left top corner to the right top corner (slow with your hands moderately fast with the foot control ). Clip the thread tails at the beginning of stitching.

STEP 6:  To sew a satin stitch move the hoop from front to back on the right side line.

STEP 7:  Complete the square sewing the front line from right to left and the left side from front to back. Dial stitch width to zero and sew in place several times to secure the stitching.

STEP 8: To do the circle, lift the darning foot and place it on the left side of the horizontal line. Secure stitches. Place stitch width to 5 millimeters. Keeping the horizontal line horizontal sew around the circle. Do not turn the hoop! 

STEP 9:  Sit along the horizontal line, from right to left.

STEP 10: you will continue sewing from left to right and right to left until the bottom half of the circle is fill in. Finish by sewing the top half of the circle. Secure stitches and cut thread tails.

 Thread Painting

This type of embroidery is similar to painting, your needle is your paint brush and your fabric is your canvas. the only difference is you cannot move your needle ( brush ) so you move your fabric ( canvas ).

STEP 1:  Transfer your design to fabric.

STEP 2:  Draw in your horizontal or directional lines.  

STEP 3:  Stitch in place at the border of design, such as the base of a leaf or a flower petal. outline and fill in a portion of the design for the first thread color, working from the border in. Leave a serrated edge for blending the next color. Continue blending new colors along the edge serrated of the previous color to complete the design.

STEP 4:  Use a dark, contrasting thread color to add detail stitching such as veins in a leaf. Narrow the stitch width. Sew. Secure stitches.

 Thread Sketching

Thread sketching is created by using a straight stitch instead of a zigzag. The out line and detail lines are sewn instead of filling in the design with thread. Use the free-motion techniques to sew your designs.

Monograms

STEP 1:  Draw an upper case script “J” about 2” high on fabric. Draw a horizontal line under the letter.

STEP 2:  Place fabric with stabilizer on the underside of fabric in embroidery hoop. If sewing on a nap fabric such as corduroy, velvet or terrycloth use a water soluble stabilizer on the top of fabric. it is also easier to draw your design on the water soluble stabilizer than directly on the nap fabric.

The water soluble stabilizer also keeps the fabric nap from popping up between stitches. Use a zigzag stitch with a width of 4 millimeters for the 2” letter. For large letters use a wide width for smaller letters use a smaller width.

STEP 3:  Set the stitch width to zero. Draw up the bobbin thread at the beginning of the letter. sew several time in place to secure stitches.

STEP 4:    Adjust the stitch width accordingly. stitch backwards up the top left curve of the “J”; keeping the horizontal line horizontal. Satin stitch the length of the straight segment and backward up the bottom left curve. Finish the remainder of the letter and secure stitches.

When making a monogram, stitch them just like cursive writing with a pencil.

 “No-Show” Appliqué

The “No-Show” appliqué is the same side stitch method. We use it to fill in the borders of the appliqué.

After making your embroidery hand wash in cold water, pat thoroughly with a dry cloth and hang dry.

STEP 1:  Cut away excess fabric.

STEP 2:  Spray underside of embroidery appliqué with a spray adhesive or a fabric glue and position on fabric to be appliquéd.

STEP 3:  Place stabilizer under fabric and place right side up in a 5 to 7 inch hoop.

STEP 4: Thread the needle with the same color thread as the appliqué. This will make the whole design look as if it was embroidered directly on to the fabric.

STEP 5: Place zigzag to 5 millimeters.

STEP 6: Begin with the needle in the fabric near the edge of the appliqué. As the needle swings from to the left to the right it should swing on the fabric then on the appliqué. Continue the needle moving off and on the fabric. Secure stitches.

 Satin Stitch Appliqué

Satin Stitch Appliqué is a bold outline around the edge of the appliqué.

STEP 1: Thread your needle with a contrasting color to the appliqué.

STEP 2: Place the appliqué vertically centered under the presser foot.

STEP 3:  Keep the appliqué vertical by slowly turning the hoop as you sew. Secure stitches.

Stippling

Stippling is a technique used for quilting or texturing fabric. It give the effect of puzzle pieces interlocked.

STEP 1:  Center the quilt under the foot.

STEP 2:  Pull up the bobbin thread.

STEP 3:  Set stitch width to “zero” and stitch in place several times to secure stitch.

STEP 4: With a continuous running thread, make swirl type movements, avoiding crossing over any other threads. this is similar to a serpentine stitch.

STEP 5:  Sew the quilt moving slow with your hands moderately fast with the foot control. Starting in the center of the quilt sewing outward toward the edges. This will prevent the fabric from puckering. when finished stippling, sew in place to secure the stitches.

For embellishing light weight or sheer fabric for garments or crafts use a stabilizer and a hoop. This will prevent puckering. If puckers are desired for a fuller texture do not use a stabilizer or hoop.

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