PolkadotOrchid's Blog

Flowers and Polkadots
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Excellent Embroidery: Stabilizers 101

Published: 01-31-2012 09:00am
Posted In: Techniques
Embroidering goes against everything fabric normally wants to do. Fabric is flexible and pliable; it wants to shift, move, stretch, and distort. Yet we do everything we can to have the fabric remain flat, still, and stable while we embroider so that we can properly line up our stitches.   There are two main tools that we use to control the fabric while we embroider: the hoop and the stabilizer.  Hoops have been used to aid embroidery for centuries. Hand embroidery requires nothing more, as the artist can adjust where to place the needle if the fabric shifts. Machines don’t care or notice if fabric shifts, so once you introdu... » Read More

Free Motion Quilting Embroidery

Published: 01-17-2012 06:00am
Posted In: Techniques
Did you know that you do not need a special machine in order to embroider something?   You can, if you’re patient, have steady hands, and don’t mind having a design with loose fills. And no, I’m not talking about hand embroidery. You can embroider by hand certainly, but you can also do some embroidery on a standard sewing machine. Namely free motion embroidery and couching. These two techniques could each fill up an entire post, so for the moment, I am going to focus on free motion embroidery.   What is free motion embroidery? Free motion embroidery is essentially sewing without the guidance or assistanc... » Read More

How to Embroider without an Embroidery Machine: Couching

Published: 12-30-2011 08:15pm
Posted In: Techniques
Previously, I discussed one technique that allows you to embroider without an embroidery machine (and without having to do everything by hand): free motion sewing.  Free motion sewing requires an embroidery foot, a hoop, stabilized fabric, and a steady hand (or at least a fair amount of gumption).  This edition will deal with another technique which may seem a little less intimidating: couching. Couching is less intensive in that it does not require stabilizer or an embroidery hoop.  You still need decent motor skills, but if you can draw a line using air-erase pen and then follow that line of stitching on the machine, you can couch usi... » Read More

Machine Embroidery: Polyester vs. Rayon Thread

Published: 12-30-2011 08:13pm
Posted In: Techniques
If you walk into any embroidery studio on planet earth, you'll typically see them using one of two types of thread: polyester or rayon. What is the difference between these two thread types? Rayon Known as viscose in Europe, rayon is a semi-synthetic fiber made from cellulose that has been treated with alkali and carbon disulfide.  As a fabric, rayon is somewhat breathable and does not trap body heat. It can simulate a variety of fabric textures, including linen and silk, and is often blended with more expensive fibers, such as cotton or silk, to reduce cost. In embroidery, rayon thread has a high luster, giving the embroidery a n... » Read More

Zombies, Mola, and Custom Orders

Published: 12-17-2011 08:52pm
Posted In: Shop News
One of the things I love about embroidery is that it's a fluid, flexible medium. I can customize most things. I can change colors, add text, and even create brand new designs to satisfy what people want. Two special requests have come up recently that are particularly interesting: 1) A zombie-inspired grocery tote bag. 2) Potholders to celebrate Panama. Zombie BagThe first request might seem a bit strange for around the holidays. My client had a friend who loves anything related to zombies. So. My client asked for a grocery tote with the following text: Brains! It's what's for dinner. The idea was for a witty parody of the famous Beef advert... » Read More
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