The Best Place To Find Good Embroidery Digitizing Companies

You have a particular pattern in mind to embroider with your embroidery machine. You search the stores for this pattern, but you can't find it anywhere. Frustrated, you look online for the pattern and still nothing. What options do you have?

If you are able to get a picture of what you want or even draw one, you can send it to a company that will digitize your pattern for your use.

But where do you find the company?

If you do an online search for 'digitizing embroidery' many companies will come up. With the large number of websites to look at, you may find it confusing or even overwhelming to choose a company to digitize your pattern for you.

The easiest way to choose a digitizing company is to make a list of what you are looking for. Look at each company's website to see how much experience they have. Check to see if they have pictures of their work on the site. That way you can see how well they digitize and embroider images. Look to see if there are any customer comments on the website.

Most of the companies that digitize embroidery patterns will also offer embroidered items on their websites. Looking at the pictures they display may give you a clue how well they digitize patterns.

If you are still unsure where to turn for digitizing a pattern, check out the online message boards. Do a search for 'embroidery message board' The results will give you a place to start. If you are trying to compare several companies, ask if anyone on one of these forums has heard of any of the companies. They may be able to give you feedback on where to go for someone to digitize your image into an embroidery pattern.

That said, you most likely won't get one straight answer for the feedback. Everyone is going to have a favorite company or two to work with.

Once you choose a company to digitize your pattern for you, you will be asked to submit the file as a .jpg or jpeg format. They will use your .jpg in a program that digitizes patterns to create the file for your embroidery machine.

Depending on the company, the price for this file will vary according to how big you want the finished design to be. Something that takes up the back of a jacket is going to be more stitches and consequently cost more than a logo on a baseball cap. You can generally send in a copy of the image you want digitized to get an exact quote on their charges.

No matter the price, once your chosen company has finished digitizing your embroidery pattern for you, you can embroider it on to as many items as you wish.

Brazilian Embroidery - Breaking The Boundaries Of Traditional Needlework

Things that originate from Brazil usually denote something that is lively or vibrant and can easily capture people’s attention and interest. This is very true for Brazilian embroidery. The colors and patterns used in Brazilian embroidery are one of a kind and will surely merit a second glance from anyone who sees it.

In creating embroidery, there are usually certain rules that you should follow, such as which kind of stitch you must use, what kind of thread is appropriate, or even what kind of cloth to do your needlework on.

However, in Brazilian embroidery, there are practically no rules. You can use whatever stitch you want in your pattern as long as it helps create your desired design.

This is what makes Brazilian embroidery very appealing to creative individuals all over the world. Since there are practically no limitations in the process of creating your work of art, you can make infinitely more designs with Brazilian embroidery than with any other kind.

At this point, you might be wondering how you can possibly create Brazilian embroidery when you are definitely not Brazilian, and you live smack in the middle of Ohio or Arizona.

Brazilian embroidery today actually does not mean it came from Brazil or was created by Brazilians. It simply means that the threads used in the needlework came from Brazil.

The special rayon threads used in Brazilian embroidery have a smooth and silky texture to them, much like velvet. This is the main characteristic that Brazilian embroidery is known and appreciated for. The threads are made by hand and are extracted from a certain kind of wood pulp.

Traditionally, Brazil was the only country in the world that made these vibrant rayon threads which made for very interesting designs and patterns on Brazilian embroidery. However, it does not mean that you have to fly to South America just to get these threads.

These days, there are several manufacturers of this thread in the United States. You can actually choose from an endless rainbow of colors of Brazilian thread from several textile stores across the country. These threads are generated here in the U.S. but all the raw materials are still shipped in from Brazil. For more info see

Items with Brazilian embroidery definitely have a high aesthetic value for many people. But once you start to make your own Brazilian embroidery, you will have a greater appreciation for the beauty of this kind of needlework.

Sewing Embroidery Designs At Home Is Real Fun

When I first learned to embroider, I used a needle and embroidery floss. I learned to do counted cross stitch and to follow the pattern printed on a piece of fabric.

If you walk into a needlepoint area of a craft store now, most of what you see is counted cross stitch. You won't find many patterns calling for a satin stitch or French knot. If you want something more detailed than you can get with a counted cross stitch kit, you are severely limited to what you can find for patterns.

When embroidery machines came out, at first they were too expensive for a hobbyist to own. Businesses had them and would sell either pre-embroidered items or they would embroider items to order. With the cost of the machines going down, now you can buy an embroidery machine for home use. Though chances are, you'll want to sell the results of your work. With these machines, you are only limited by your imagination. You can get results similar to what you would buy in the store, 'Grandma shirts' with your children's or grandchildren's names, an afghan with flowers or other design and your wedding date, or the date of your child's birth. Or maybe you want your company's logo on a cap or shirt pocket. Maybe you want a bag with an embroidered dog or cat, a pumpkin for Halloween, a Menorah for Hanukah or a Christmas tree for Christmas. You can embroider a tablecloth and napkins to surprise someone for a wedding or anniversary.

With an embroidery machine, you get to see the pattern take shape before your eyes. Seeing it go from a clipart picture to a file on a computer to an result that you can touch is thrilling. Watching your pattern form as quickly as a machine will embroider is truly rewarding. It won’t take days or even weeks to get the results that you have planned. You can get your project done in minutes to hours depending on how much there is to the pattern and how many items you are doing.

With an embroidery machine, you get to choose what you want to embroider. If you can’t find the digital file for it either online or in a store, you can have the file specially made for you or you can digitize your own embroidery pattern.

Even with the steep learning curve of digitizing, the challenge of digitizing your own embroidery pattern can be as addictive as watching your embroidery take shape. Knowing that you made a project from start to finish will leave you with a feeling of accomplishment. All you need is a plan for what you are wanting to do, and an embroidery machine to start you off in the right direction.

Custom Embroidery

There are a number of companies available that offer custom embroidery for chairs, cabinets, and other furniture. If you are hosting a trade show, adding your company logo to seats and other furniture will give your event a highly professional look. Using custom embroidery for the furniture in your home will greatly enhance the decorations. When you send in artwork or logos that you want used on your custom embroidery, there are a number of important guidelines you will want to follow. If the quality of the artwork is low, this can cause the project to take longer, and the final product may not be impressive.

The first thing you will want to do is decide what method you want for your embroidery. While some people choose embroidery, others will choose silk screen prints. Embroidery is good for people who have simple logos that are easy to design. It is also a good option for those who don't want to use large sizes. In addition to this, embroidery will often be much more cost effective than using silk screen prints. Some companies will charge a digitizing fee when they transfer your file into one that can be read by a embroidery machine. While embroidery is known for its strength and durability, the lines may not be as clean as you would get with silk screens.

If you want to decorate more than one chair, it will be more expensive to use embroidery rather than silk screen printing. The reason for this is because the design will need to be sewn on each chair. Silk screening is excellent for logos or designs that are complex. The designs will be clean because it is being printed on a surface. Silk screen printing may be cheaper than embroidery for decorating certain types of furniture. If you want to use embroidery, you will want to make sure you submit your design in a high quality .tif file. Before the design can be placed on your furnitue, the file will need to be digitized. While .dst files can work, many companies will not be able to alter or resize them.

When you are looking to have custom embroidery made, it is important to make sure you only use solid colors. Halftones or gradient colors cannot be properly printed on embroidery. Once you have an image that can be digitized, you can have it placed on jackets, bags, hats, and other objects. Your design is not limited to just furniture. When you submit your information to a company, it is important for you to be specific about what you want. A good company can create custom embroidery for virtually any design. This is an excellent option for companies who want to create custom uniforms for their employees, or people who want custom designed embroidery for a specific event.

Whether you need custom embroidery for your home, event, or business, it will provide you with a professional look that will grab the attention of virtually everyone that sees it.

The Brother Brands Of Embroidery Sewing Machine

Brother is a name well known for making products that will make your household better. This company also makes commercial products. Brothers have a plant that is in the heart of the technological country of Japan. You can be sure that you are getting what you pay for with these products.

When you buy an embroidery machine from the rich collection, you may be confused when you about the machines because each one is as different and unique as the next one. To make shopping easier, you will need to find out what it is that you want the machine to do and then that will give you an idea of what machine to start looking at.

If you are looking for a Brothers machine that does not have but a few stitch functions than you will want the SE270D machine. This machine will automatically load your thread into the needle with a system called cassette. The cassette is not a music cassette like you thing it is and unfortunately, no machine has the ability to play music while you work. It may be something for the future. The Brothers machine is part of the rich collection because it has a rich amount of designs for you to pick through.

Another Brothers machine is the PR600II. This machine offers the user a blueprint that will show you the many different colors that can be used for the design. This special tool will help you to have more time to do other things because of the six needles and thread that can be loaded at one time. Before you stat with a project that requires hemming, this machines program will let you program the color exchange before hand.

The IN2500D is another of the Brothers embroidery machines. This model will allow you to look for more designs through the internet. You can comment your machine to your computer by the use of a USB port. The monitor on this machine is LCD and it works like a touch screen. You can use the screen to choose the designs and alter them with your fingertips. This machine allows you to use the software to scale the image, work with the layout of the image, and to number some of them.

The PE700 model of Brothers embroidery machines can run at a fast 650 stitches per minute. Even if you have a small work area, the machine will give you the decorations and embellishments you want. This machine is perfect for every housewife that believes strongly about making sure the family’s clothing is taken care of.

Using Embroidery to Enhance Your Scrapbook Pages

Do you know that you can easily stitch embroidery and other similar threads onto paper? Yes, you absolutely can! Adding embroidery to your paper crafts and scrapbooking pages gives them a new dimension and unique look. Embroidering on your scrapbook pages also allows you to easily add elements to your pages while you are adding the stitchery itself.

You can embroider on paper both by hand and with your sewing machine. While each technique is different, they are both fairly easy to learn to do well. Let’s look at each method:

Hand Sewing and Embroidery on Paper

To stitch on paper you will need some heavy weight paper, a pin to make holes in the paper, a needle, threads, a design to stitch, and scissors.

Using a pencil lightly draw your chosen design on a piece of cardstock. You can use other forms of paper but you need to work with heavier papers and lighter papers tend to tear and become misshapen during sewing. If you do not want to draw on your project itself, you can draw your design on a piece of tracing paper and then tape it onto your project to use as a guide while you punch your holes.

If you are looking for a design to use, you can find them everywhere. You can look online, in books, use your rubber stamps and even use your children’s color book pages.
The one thing that is important about your design is that you keep it fairly simple. Do not try to stitch a complicated design until you have some experience embroidering on paper.

Place your paper on your mouse pad or some other fabric item with some “give” to it. Start at one side of your design and work your way around it punching holes about every 1/8th of an inch with your pin. Once you have your holes then you need to erase any pencil marks still on your paper.

Now comes the fun part – you get to stitch your design. Stitch your design using whatever stitch and colors you want to use. When you are finished you can fill in areas by using colored pencils or markers.

Machine Sewing and Embroidery on Paper

If you can sew on fabric with your sewing machine, then you can sew on paper. The techniques are basically the same with a couple important adjustments.

Before you start to stitch on your paper with your sewing machine you will need to ensure that your bobbin contains enough thread to complete your design. Why? Because, if your bobbin runs out of thread then your project will have holes in it without threads going through them.

Generally when you machine sew you knot the thread ends. On paper you will want to use a dab of glue or a small amount of clear tape to adhere your threads on the back of your work.

Sewing and embroidering on paper is a really fun and easy way to add another dimension to your paper craft projects. You can use any type of paper and threads or fibers to get just the look that you want. You can sew papers together or simply embroider to embellish. The options are only as limited as your own imagination is.

Embroidery Designs By Hand

Embroidery is one of the most interesting crafts that you can do at home and it has been enjoyed for a long time. Instead of it becoming a form of old art, it is still very popular. There have been some major things that have happened with technology that have changed and improved embroidery as an art form. Instead of having to use your hands to slowly create easy designs, the use of digital machines for embroidery, save time and money with this craft.

There are very few people that like the basic traditional way of creating embroidery designs by hand. Instead of using a machine to be the only way to create designs, they prefer to be creative with some of their own patterns. Hand embroidery gives them this option because when you are using a machine, you are depending on the digital machine and what it can do. This removes the user’s creativity because many of the designs are already in the computer.

Hand embroidery is harder to create and it takes up a large amount of time for completion. Otherwise, it would also need crystal clear eyesight and coordination for using the thread and cloth. It would also take a large amount of patience and creative ideas because the sewer would have to use their imagination for the designs. In the crowd of the kind of hand designs you can choose from, ribbon, canvas, lace, and cross-stitch exist.

Many years’ ages, the ribbon and lace embroidery was created a lot to bring about a floral embroidery design. This was an excellent pick for those who were beginners in the world of embroidering by hand because it was simple to learn compared to the other methods.

The cross-stitch has been the major and the most popular type of hand embroidering. This offers the sewer a larger amount of designs to pick from. It is also simple but it is intricate work in counting the amount of stitches and the many colors that are needed to give you the right design. In the use of canvas, the creator would use yarn and fabric to make many unique designs. It is not a good idea for beginners to start with canvas work because it needs a large amount of skills and experience.

It does not matter which embroidery type you pick, hand embroidery can give you a feeling of confidence in your designs because they are yours only. You can be creative and use your imagination in ways you could not before.

Most Popular Embroidery Patterns

Embroidery is a popular hobby enjoyed by men and women all over the world. This historic needlecraft has changed a great deal over its lifetime and has been given a high tech boost through the popular embroidery machines that can whip up a lovely design with a push of a button. When it comes to the most popular embroidery patterns, however, it does not matter if you intend to grab a needle and colorful floss or download a pattern on your whiz bang embroidery machine. The top five most popular embroidery patterns are:

1.) Historic red work.
In days past, red embroidery floss was incredibly expensive and often used by itself to showcase the beautiful color. Red embroidery floss, just like all colors of floss today, was colorfast, so it did not bleed onto any fabric on wash day. Red work patterns include colonial designs like birds, kitchen ware, and flowers. Today, red work is more popular than ever.

2.) Initials.
Personalized items are always a favorite, and the initial trend is certainly not over. Initials, names, or words are great for adding to apparel, towels, backpacks, robes, pillowcases, or anything else imaginable.

3.) Vintage patterns.
Vintage is back and better than ever. Terrifically popular embroidery patterns are the lovely classic days of the week dishtowels. These dishtowel patterns are always a fun way to perk up a kitchen while serving a purpose. Jazz up a pillowslip with a beautiful vintage inspired flower vine or create popular “his” and “hers” towels to give to your favorite newlyweds.

4.) Childhood classics.
Welcome a new baby with cuddly embroidered items or redecorate your child’s room using embroidered classics. From hilarious story book characters to fuzzy baby animals, these childhood classics are always a favorite. Whether you are a proud grandparent or looking for items that will fly off your store shelves like hotcakes, you can never go wrong with these kiddie favorites.

5.) Clothing designs.
Dress up your favorite duds with embroidered details. From unique and creative stitches for hemlines, necklines, or seams to other designs that will set your apparel apart from the rest of the crowd, these clothing designs are always popular. With a new embroidery machine, you can either embroider directly only your garment or create a separate embroidered piece and later attach it to your garment.

These embroidery designs are always popular and come in many different sizes, styles, and colors.

Promotional Items Using Embroidery and Heat Transfers in Promotional Clothing

Promotional items are excellent marketing tools that spread knowledge about your brand. Wearable clothing has become one of the most popular types of promotional items. No matter what the business type whether casual or corporate, athletic or recreational, promotional clothing is a great way to help your business.

Promotional clothing can be created in several different ways. Embroidered clothing is unsurpassed in popularity and gives the best look overall. However, heat transfers can also be used on promotional clothing or items. Heat transfers are ideal for items where you want to display a really large logo or picture, up to 14 inches. Heat transfers have this advantage over embroidery, as well as being a less expensive method to customize clothing. Using embroidery for a logo of that size would be quite costly, as embroidery is priced by the stitch. Also, embroidery of that size is not recommended for light fabrics as the push and pull of the needle through the fabric can cause wrinkling or distortion.

Embroidery is best used with a smaller logo, in which case it can be used on a variety of garments and fabric types. When choosing which logo to use for embroidered clothing remember to keep it simple as more complex logos require more stitching, and are thus more expensive. Embroidery Authority is prepared to design a custom logo for your business or group, or digitize your existing logo to make it embroidery ready. This process of digitizing yields the best looking logos on embroidered clothing, with a clean, efficient, and organized embroidered clothing.

Promotional items are available for any type of group, whether for sports team or company oxford shirt. Heat transfers work great for sports teams where a large logo can be used. Embroidery Authority also has a custom machine that can put heat transfers on sports fabrics like 100% polyester, perfect for uniforms as well as promotional items for fans and team supporters. When creating promotional items for a corporation or business, any method can be used and can be selected to perfectly suit the qualities of the organization.

Whatever your trade, whatever you passion, it is simple to put it on promotional items for all to see. Whether promoting sports, or business, or any other type of organization, using embroidery or other methods to customize clothing is one of the best ways to spread awareness.

Finding Your Niche With An Embroidery Digitizing Business

You have everything in place to start an embroidery digitizing business. You've done all your research. You have a business plan in place and have contracted out for your own website.
With all of the competition out there, how do you make yourself stand out from the crowd?

When you are first starting out, you may decide that you want to focus on a certain type of image to digitize into an embroidery pattern. You may choose dragons, flowers or frogs. If you focus on similar pictures at first, you will get faster at doing these type of images. Not only will you get faster at digitizing these pictures into embroidery patterns, but you will get better at it.

If this is how you decide to start out with digitizing embroidery patterns, you will want to choose a niche that you are interested in. When you are digitizing a new design, you will need to embroider it to make sure that it turns out okay. If you don't like dragons or faeries, and that is the type of image you are digitizing into embroidery patterns, not only will you have samples around that you aren't interested in, but you won't feel the urge to get the images as close to perfect as you would if you love flowers and you are digitizing flower images into embroidery patterns.

If you are going to offer to digitize images that people send you into embroidery patterns, you will eventually want experience at digitizing a variety of images, not just the type of images in your niche. When you work by request, you will be working with a wide variety of images to digitize into embroidery patterns, not simply one specific type.

Something that really needs to be mentioned any time that you talk about doing specialized work for customers. With people sending images to you to digitize into embroidery patterns, you may face another issue that you haven't seen mentioned before. When you buy a digitized embroidery pattern file at the store, the company who digitized these patterns will have paid to use any trademarked images.

That's is something very important that you will want to keep in mind. The NFL, collegiate teams or large corporations such as Disney will sue anyone using their trademarked images without permission. You will get a letter before they take you to court, but don't count on being able to just slide by. The big companies have lawyers and are always looking for people who are breaking copyright laws.

There are plenty of legal ways to get around the copyright laws, however if you have any doubts about whether you are violating these laws, your best bet is to play it safe.

Colors Used In Embroidery Digitizing

Embroidery digitizing is an interesting concept of beautifying clothing and fabrics. Today practically all types of fabrics can be embroidered using the right stabilizer in embroidery digitizing. Though the practice of embroidery digitizing is rather easy where only a computer and embroidery digitizing software is required, there is always the possibility of complications arising with embroidery digitizing. However, with the right information and tips on embroidery digitizing, it is possible to come up with a design that is the eye of envy to everyone.

The most commonly used embroidery thread weight is 40wt thread while 60wt or 90wt thread is used as the bobbin thread. The number of thread breaks and problems that may occur in embroidery digitizing is greatly affected by the quality of thread used for it. The best thread to use is polyester thread as it is the most color safe and durable.

In embroidery digitizing, there is no problem in using different colors from the colors found in a design. There is also no need of fretting if you don’t have the same colors or brand of thread used in the design. Slight changes in the shades and tones of the colored threads don’t pose to be quite noticeable on the completion of the design.

Embroidery digitizing proves to be more interesting if you can adjust different colors for different fabrics colors. It is better to use the background color change feature found in the embroidery digitizing software to determine which color looks the best on the fabric you use. If this feature is absent in your software, keep different colors of felt and fabric nearby to test the different colors on them before starting on the design.

When starting on creating an embroidery digitizing design, it proves to be beneficial to go through the entire design collection to find out where the design look can be changed just with a color change. Even fruits and flower designs look different and more attractive with a color change in the design. So it can be seen that embroidery digitizing does not mean you have to follow the design that you find in the design book or software. You can create much more interesting and appealing designs by using your imagination and color instincts to make the design more interesting.

Embroidery Tried and True Technique

Embroidery is a great way to enhance clothing or other items. Embroidery is long lasting and looks more elegant than the alternative of heat transfers or screen printing. Embroidery is embellishment you can feel and has been used throughout history to enhance the look of various fabrics. There are several classifications for embroidery depending on a few factors.

The first classification is determined by stitch placement and fabric type. Embroidery that is typically seen on garments is known as counted thread embroidery. With counted thread embroidery, a specific number of threads are sewn into a chosen fabric. Counted thread embroidery usually uses woven cotton fabrics and other even-woven fabrics like linens and canvas. The other type of embroidery is free embroidery which does not take into account the weave of the fabrics, as seen in traditional Asian inspired embroidery.

Embroidery is also classified into two different subgroups depending on if the stitches are placed on top of the foundation fabric, or through the foundation fabric. Surface embroidery is the type that is done on top of the fabric. Surface embroidery is typically the free embroidery type as opposed to counted thread embroidery. Most counted thread embroidery is done through the fabric, which is classified as canvas embroidery. In canvas embroidery, the stitches create a dense pattern that completely covers the entire foundation fabric.

Popular embroidery today is counted thread and canvas type. Embroidery is used on all types of items including clothing, bags, hats, and other accessories. Embroidery can be done on a number of fabrics as well, including cotton, denim, twill, fleece, pique, and silk. Embroidered Apparel ranging from outerwear to business casual can be embroidered in any style.

Embroidery has become an advanced procedure including the process of putting the embroidery pattern in digital form. The logo is then created by an advanced embroidery machine that can read this digital format. The result is an impressive piece of art that comes from the ancient art form of embroidery.

Embroidery design

Are you a needle crafts buff? Embroidery is, arguably, one of the most refined of the needle crafts. The very fine thread allows for detailed designs which are almost like paintings. Variations in the number of threads and length of stitches, along with raised work and knots can form intriguing, beautiful effects. Perhaps the most satisfying aspect of this craft is the embroidery design. There is no reason to stick to purchased designs. If you embroider, or would like to learn, you probably have a good eye for color and composition as well as a fair amount of patience. You've got the artistic flair, so just take the artistic license and create your own embroidery design. Let's look at a few pointers and ideas.

Toss around some ideas for designs that appeal to you. If you aren't feeling inspired, go online or visit your library for pictures of embroidery pieces as well as tapestries. Examine the elements of the picture which produce certain effects that catch your eye. See how the ornate borders of 17th century tapestries might be adapted to a small picture frame design. Look at various techniques for coloring a flower that looks three dimensional.

Landscapes, florals and geometrics are good choices for a beginning designer. Keep your embroidery design on the small side for starters. It's common for beginners to bite off more than they can finish before frustration over spoiled stitches or undesirable effects sets in and the project is dropped. An embroidery design of 4 inches by 6 inches will deliver plenty of knowledge and beauty to build on your next design.

If this is your first embroidery design, a sampler of stitches is another good choice. A sampler serves two purposes. First, you get a chance to perfect your stitches and compare effects of different stitches side by side. Second, you can fool around with color combinations and effects of metallic threads in your compositions.

When you've got an idea you like, use a ruler to mark the finished size on your sketchpad. Use pencil (so you can erase) to sketch your embroidery design. Use light strokes until everything's just the way you like it. Use colored pencils to fill in your design. If you have a rose or other element with shading in your design, be sure to use different shades for the three-dimensional effect.

Next, use transfer paper or a transfer pen to trace the design onto your linen. Use masking tape to tape both linen and paper firmly in place until your transfer is complete.

Use good linen for superior results. The high thread count of quality linen allows for precise placement of stitches and will block well.

Now the fun begins! Get your hoop, threads and needles out and begin your masterpiece. Creating your own embroidery design is a satisfying hobby that can last a lifetime. You just keep getting better!

Renaissance Stitchery in the 21st century

The art of embroidery has been a popular craft for centuries. As far back as the 16th century, embroidered clothing was the mark of an affluent household. Knowledge of the art was expected of a noblewoman and this knowledge was passed down through generations of women. Young girls learned to embroider at their mother's knee. Worked in strands of silk or cotton, embroidery decorated necklines, cuffs, hems and bodices. Designs were elaborate and a variety of stitches were developed to create texture and illusions of light, contributing to the beauty and distinction of the finished garment. A single garment might require many weeks, or even months to complete.

Although hand embroidery is still practiced, today you can create complicated designs in minutes. Machine embroidery makes this traditional art quick and easy, requiring no specialized knowledge. Newer sewing machines come equipped with several embroidery stitches. You simply turn the dial to the stitch of your choice and sew away. There are also embroidery machines, with an astounding selection of stitches and capabilities that the 16th century woman would never have imagined possible.

Machine embroidery is easy to learn. All of the stitches are calculated by a computer chip. Stitch length, zigzag effects and curves are done automatically, applied to the cloth with absolute precision. Thus, machine embroidery allows you to effortlessly turn out a perfectly symmetrical design. Hand embroidery cannot replicate this absolute symmetry, even by the most practiced hand. Another advantage to machine embroidery is speed. You can turn out a shirt or dress, embellished with the most ornate designs, in a day. Metallic threads, available in several shades of gold, silver and bronze, can be used in machine embroidery with stunning effects.

When you're making a garment you plan to decorate with complex designs, it's best to choose a garment pattern of simple design. This strategy allows the beginner to concentrate on the stitchery, while showing off the embroidery to best effect. A peasant blouse made with plain cotton is a good choice. Once you've mastered the techniques of machine embroidery, you'll be ready to tackle a fancy Renaissance-style dress.

If you already have a sewing machine, try creating a sampler of a mix of your available stitches. When you see what can be done with machine embroidery, your enthusiasm may prompt an immediate trip to the fabric store for a demonstration of the embroidery machine. That's when the real fun begins!

Embroidery Adds the Finishing Touch to Fashion

Fashion comes in a wide array of styles, but one accent that continues to be a favorite among designers is embroidery.

Embroidered designs are showing up on swimsuits, retro caftan tunics and even on sophisticated eveningwear.

If you like the look of high-end embroidery fashion but don't have thousands to spend on your wardrobe, today's advanced sewing machines make it easy for you to create an embroidered look with off-the-rack clothes - even if you're a beginning sewer.

There are three ways to add details to garments using a home sewing machine, according to Cynthia Scott, educational coordinator for the U.S. division of Janome, the world's largest manufacturer of sewing machines.

The most basic process is called applique, which is simply the process of applying one piece of material to another. Ribbons, lace, pre-embroidered patches or even designs cut out of fabric can be applied to other material by stitching around its edges. Most sewing machines have the ability to apply applique using any one of a number of simple stitches. The satin stitch, zigzag stitch and blanket stitch are all popular applique stitches that both secure your material and add a decorative finish.

Another easy embellishment technique is to use one of the decorative stitches built into most mid-range sewing machines. These stitches range from flowers and other simple designs to heirloom stitches that look like they were done by hand.

To copy the more sophisticated embellishments on fashion items, you need a sewing machine that does embroidery in a hoop. This kind of machine gives you the ability to add professional-looking embroidery, of virtually anything you can imagine, to your garment. You don't even have to know how to sew to use these machines. For instance, Janome's Memory Craft 300E only does embroidery. You simply import a design from a design card or the Internet, put your item in the hoop and press "Start."

For total control, Janome makes the Memory Craft 10001, which connects to your computer. You use Janome's powerful embroidery design software to create exactly what you want, then transfer the design to the MC10001 to add your own stylish signature to any item.

The magic character of embroidery

“Home cannot do without embroidery. It rewards, forgives, and cures…” they used to say in ancient times.

Let’s look at the ancient towels and garments: where the pattern is located, what colour the mistress used, what she depicted.

Every element of the pattern can tell a story, it defends, helps, bringing the worlds of the sky and the earth together. In the times of old girls used to embroider dowry for themselves. The towels were given as presents and used to decorate the house.

A thing without embroidery could not appear in the house. Stitch work was the measure of the hostess’s thrift and skills. Only the embroidered items had magic influence and could protect the house and the hosts. Embroidered towels were hanged above the windows and the door so that neither misfortune, nor diseases could find way into the house; the patterns on the tablecloth protected the food and the table. Clothes were embroidered too.

If murrain occurred in the village, an ordinary towel became a reliable rescue. All the women in the village embroidered it within a single day or night hoping that it should release them from the misfortune.

A towel from the grandma’s chest can tell a lot of funny and sad stories. If you learn to read the stitch work patterns on the towels and to embroider them, you will discover many wonderful legends as well as you will get to know how people used to live, what helped them to deal with trouble and bring joy to the house.

Let’s learn to give happiness. The beauty of embroidery can make anyone happy.

Make money with embroidery

People are all ages are looking to make extra money. Whether you are planning to supplement your current income or looking to replace an income totally, consider using a hobby like embroidery to make some fast cash. Embroidered items are always popular with all types of shoppers, and you can easily begin an embroidery company with a low overhead for those short of start up funds.

When you decide to start a business based on selling embroidered products, you should first consider how you will make the items. Are you planning to purchase pre-made items like shirts, handbags, hats, blankets, or towels or do you plan to make the items yourself? If you plan to purchase items, do you have a source that will supply you with the correct amount you need in a variety of colors or styles? How do you plan to embroider the items? Do you plan to hand embroider the products or are you going to invest in an embroidery machine? If you plan on making many products for sale, consider using machine embroidery to save your fingers and your sanity.

Once you have identified what items you plan to make and sell, begin working on the business logistics of the plan. Where do you plan to sell your items? How are you going to advertise your goods and get the word out about your fabulous items? Many men and women who start embroidery businesses first start at craft shows. These shows are an excellent way to start your fledgling business, since the money needed to participate is generally low, and you are able to show your items to a great deal of people.

Look to the World Wide Web for selling your wares. Popular online auction sites like Ebay or Yahoo! Auctions are a great place to start, since you can create virtual storefronts while gaining access to the site’s customers. Owning your own internet business is very inexpensive and often a great choice for individuals who are just starting out or who do not have the resources to rent, buy, or run a traditional store of their own.

Finally, take the old fashioned route and sell your items in a traditional store. If you do not have the resources to open your own shop, ask local store owners about potentially using their space to sell your goods for a cut of the profits. Also, antique stores or shops that showcase goods from local crafters often allow individuals to rent a small space in their store instead of going out on their own.