Friday, January 2, 2009

Embroidery Patterns and Your Embroidery Project

There have been lots of embroidery patterns available. You can get them from your favorite embroidery design magazine or download them from embroidery websites available on the Internet. However, it is much more fulfilling if you are the one who created your patterns. Don’t you think so?

Many successful embroiderers, especially those who own embroidery machines, are creating their own patterns. Aside from the fulfillment, there are other benefits and they are as follows;

• When you create your own pattern, you can make a more personalized one as you can adhere to your own ideas. This is beneficial especially if you are to make customized embroidery project for your love ones.

• This can develop your creative skills. As you need to use your imagination, you can further enhance the creativity within you.

• Simplify or make your pattern intricate. You can decide whether you will have a simple embroidery pattern or make the most detailed one for your next project. It’s all up to you.

So, What Really are Embroidery Patterns?

If you have seen a blueprint use in constructing building or a house, that is very similar to embroidery patterns. In fact, these patterns are considered to be the blueprints of embroidery. It is being used in creating embroidery designs for either hand embroidery or machine embroidery.

Patterns can be bought from shops or downloaded from different embroidery websites. You can also draw pattern using your own hands.

Two Types of Embroidery Patterns

Basically, the two types of embroidery are hand embroidery or machine embroidery. And if you want to create patterns for your embroidery project, you have to decide whether it’s for hand or machine embroidery.

Creating hand embroidery patterns include the following;

• Iron-on transfer – these patterns are usually sold by books. You simply need to iron the patterns on fabrics so you can have them embroidered.

• Computer-print outs – using photo editing software, you can create embroidery designs and use a transfer pen so you can trace the design onto the fabric.

• Stencils – this is commonly used in paper embroidery. But, if you are a newbie in embroidery, you need to be more careful or may want to skip on this as it needs more embroidery experience.

• Transfers – using transfer pens, you can copy a design from books or magazines onto the fabric for embroidering.

Now, for machine embroidery, you may also use the mentioned methods of creating patterns. Here are other ways;

• Downloads – most crafting and embroidery websites offer patterns which you can download for free. And they are available in different formats depending on the model or make of your machine.

• Hand-drawn on computers – PhotoShop or other photo editing software can help you create great embroidery patterns.

If you don’t have time to create your own patterns, you can always look up on the internet for free patterns. That’s right. Free patterns. You know, you don’t have to pay much for patterns as there are even free ones available. The manufacturers of your embroidery machines will mostly have website which offers hundreds of free patterns that are compatible to your machines. Just make sure to download the correct format of the pattern.

Now, if you need ideas for designing your patterns, you can always search the internet. You ill mostly come across thousands of search results. Just remember that there is no wrong or right pattern, nor there is good or bad. It is just a matter of choosing wisely and one that’s compatible for your project.

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