Time to Play with Decorative Stitches

One hundred sewing and embroidery tips and tricks - #9

When is the last time you sat down to play with decorative stitches on your machine? Many decorative stitches are far prettier stitched in thread as opposed to an image in your machine machine manual or on the screen of your machine. Thread your machine and see watch as little flowers bloom and a myriad of decorative stitches come to life! I hope this little sampler will encourage you.

Here are some tips:

• Use a (sharp) topstitch needle on a firm woven fabric. I like to make samples on even weave linen purchased in the cross stitch department.
• Place crisp tear away stabilizer on the wrong side or fuse interfacing to the wrong side. I like to use Pellon Shir-Tailor and skip the tear away.
• Choose polyester decorative thread, same as used for embroidery for strong and colorfast thread on the top.
• Wind a matching bobbin, or use bobbin thread. For most stitches the white bobbin thread is ideal. As an added benefit you can stitch multiple colors without changing thread in the bobbin. See right and wrong side below:

Have fun!