Saturday, March 28, 2009

Embroidery Supplies for Hand and Machine Embroidering

Embroidery Supplies for Hand and Machine Embroidering

Do you want to adorn your living room or bedroom by displaying pillows embroidered with eye-catching designs? The secret doesn’t lie on whether you made it by machine or by hand but on the embroidery supplies you use to craft it.

Before you make embroidery as a hobby, you have to determine first the method of embroidery you are comfortable with. Then, familiarize yourself with the various embroidery supplies and accessories available. Whether you’ll use machine or hand embroidery, it is important that you have the right tools you need for the type of work and the design you chose.

Hand Embroidering Supplies

• Thread

The threads used in embroidery are further classified into two – the stranded cotton and the soft cotton. The former is made up of six loosely twisted mercerized strands while the latter are designed for tapestry projects and bold hand embroidery.

• Needles

Crewels, another term for embroidery needles, are offered in sizes that range from 0 to 10. These sharp hand needles are medium in length and have long eye that provides a room for a number of embroidery cotton strands that need to be threaded at the same time.

• Patterns

If you want to embellish a piece of fabric, say pillow cover, you need to have beautiful and creative patterns. There are now a good number of embroidery supply stores that offer attractive patterns for towels, quilts, pillowcases, and the likes. Novice embroiderers also have nothing to worry about as there are various beginner patterns and starter kits offered especially at online stores.

Machine Embroidering Supplies

As expected, a switch from hand embroidery to machine embroidery means additional supplies. To mention some are the machine itself, the computer software, and various digital patterns.

• Embroidering Machine

The machine you’ll get, particularly the new ones, contains basic patterns you can use. If you wish for a creative and more unique design, the net has lots of patterns to choose from. Some can be customized so you can put your personal touch. Just don’t forget though to bring with you the model name and number of your machine so would be able to choose the patterns that work on it.

• Editing Software

So you now have your design file. The next thing you can do is to edit or alter it to make your own design. Among the software editing programs to choose from are:

Digitilizing: This software includes stitch, and line types as well as border frame, and texture styles.

Lettering: Such software comes with choices of fonts and lettering styles as well as underlay types.

Other important features of software editing programs include display hoop, design locator, on-screen rulers, and lock stitches and trims.

• Needles and Thread

These supplies are less expensive but are really important to achieve the embroidery project you have in mind. The thread used for machine embroidery is a special thread that’s different from the ones used for hand embroidery. Though available in various sizes, the 40-weight needle is the commonly-used thread.

Such thread is also offered in various fiber choices ranging from natural to synthetic. Rayon, polyester, silk and cotton are among thread choices available in the market.

Before you went off to shop, be sure to bring with you a list of these necessary embroidery supplies because these are the stuff that will help you create quality embroidery result. Remember: with the right supplies, you will be able to do away with the usual embroidery problems.

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