Embroidery with a sewing machine is sometimes called thread painting. Or also free-motion embroidery. In this tutorial, I will show you how this decorative sewing technique works very easily.
The most important things at a glance
- In this post, you will learn how embroidery with a sewing machine works
- I will explain how to prepare the fabric and which materials are suitable for thread painting
- ✂️ Sewing level: easy
- ⏰ Sewing time: approx. 1 afternoon
Embroidery with a sewing machine can be totally simple!
Embroidered home accessories with an Anthropologie look are currently very trendy. It is simply wonderful to give self-sewn unique pieces an individual design with free-motion embroidery.
Unfortunately, hand embroidery is much too slow for me. That's why today there's a guide where you can see how embroidery with a sewing machine works. I can already tell you this much: It's totally easy!
Which stabilizers are suitable for thread painting and machine embroidery?
In this example, I will show you how thread painting works with water-soluble stabilizer. The whole thing also works with various other Vlieseline products. My sewing friend Jeannette Knake (you might know her from our joint sewing podcast episodes) writes:
Instead of Solufix*, both tear-away embroidery stabilizer* and adhesive embroidery stabilizer* also work wonderfully.
My tip: It's best to try out which stabilizers you prefer to work with for this method. Please also feel free to leave me a comment and let me know how your first projects turned out!
Reading tip: Reinforcing fabrics
What you need for embroidery with a sewing machine
- White cotton fabric (approx. 5 cm larger all around than your motif) for the front and back
- Solufix*, adhesive embroidery stabilizer*, tear-away embroidery stabilizer*
- Color-matched sewing thread made of polyester or cotton
- Printed woven fabric
- Water-erasable marker*
- You can find insect motifs, for example, HERE
- Embroidery hoop* that is large enough for your motif
- A free-motion embroidery foot (sometimes called a darning foot) suitable for your sewing machine - but you can also sew without an embroidery foot, that works flawlessly as well!
- Print out a motif and trace it onto the front of the white cotton fabric with an erasable pen. Leave about 5 cm of fabric all around so that you have enough seam allowance later.
2. Cut Soluvlies (alternatively: Thermolam or embroidery stabilizer) to the size of the white cotton fabric.
Soluvlies dissolves upon contact with water. The holes were created by dripping water onto the Soluvlies:
3. Then you can stretch the fabric into the embroidery hoop:
How to prepare the sewing machine for embroidery
- Lower the feed dogs
2. Unscrew the presser foot and holder:
3. Place the embroidery hoop on the sewing machine and then attach the embroidery foot:
Let's get started
- Set the stitch length to zero
- Thread the top and bobbin with the selected sewing thread
- Lower the presser foot
- Secure the thread at the beginning and end
- Sew over the pre-drawn lines (this is why it's also called "thread painting"), tracing the lines multiple times; this gives the motif a vivid look.
Finishing
- Trim the motif according to your needs and desired pillow size
- Edge with fabric strips of varying widths
- Press the seams well in between.
- Once the necessary size is reached, trim all around with a ruler and rotary cutter.
- Rule of thumb: Pillow size + seam allowance (in our case, the pillow is 50 x 50 cm, so the finished front measures 51 x 51 cm)
Preparing the envelope closure
- Cut 2 pieces of fabric measuring 52 x 40 cm and 52 x 35 cm each
- Fold the top edge under twice by 1 cm each and sew with a straight stitch
- Place the back pieces right sides together on the front of the pillow and pin them in place.
- Sew all around with an overlock machine or with the overlock stitch of the sewing machine.
Images
Do you like my insect pillows? Then feel free to leave me a comment.
Happy simple sewing, your Sabine
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