Poppy Treffry - Freehand Machine Embroidery: Learning to draw with your machine

www.sewandso.co.uk

Hello and welcome to my second book on freehand machine embroidery. I have had so much fun putting this book together and there are lots of lovely new projects for you.

Ive divided the projects into four sections: Getting Crafty, New Arrivals, Party Time and Happy Holidays. These chapters seem to encapsulate perfectly the different themes that run through my work, so here you will find tablecloths, knitting bags, baby blankets and all sorts!

The projects within each section go from easy peasy to a bit more tricky but also go from a teeny scrap of fabric to a great big bit of fabric, so there are some great little projects for people just starting out and some ideal projects to make use of all that lovely fabric I know youre all hoarding!

So, pop the do not disturb sign up on the door and get stitching

While its not rocket science, you need a few key things for success with freehand machine embroidery. I think the saying, buy cheap, buy twice is definitely true here and good-quality equipment and fabrics will make your life much easier. That doesnt mean it has to be new though, as if youre a hoarder like me, Ill bet youll find some great stuff in the attic!

Its important to spend a bit of money here and get a really good-quality hoop. Cheaper hoops may damage your fabric or not hold it tightly enough. Choose the size that suits your piece of work. A 20cm (8in) hoop is a very versatile size, but its also handy to have a smaller 10cm (4in) hoop and possibly a bigger one too.

Again, good quality is essential for a pair of tailors shears and a little pair of trimming scissors. Its important to keep them sharp otherwise you make your work harder. So, no chopping paper with them!

Good-quality polyester thread works best. Poor-quality thread will snap constantly and make your life a misery, though you may get away with it for winding the bobbin. Youll need lots of colours I love grey, black, red, orange, blue, green, cream and white.

Collect lots! You want to be inspired by your fabrics, so make sure youve got lots of lovely little pieces hoarded for your projects. Use scraps from previous projects, your own old clothes or hunt out treasures from vintage and thrift stores. Heavy fabrics or ones with a loose weave dont work so well, but cotton patchwork fabrics are ideal.

Big distinctive buttons, and other decorative bits and bobs, are great for giving your projects the personal touch. Dont forget to sew them on with strong thread! And always go for the best quality you can afford the better the ingredients, the better the dish!

In most of the projects I have given measurements rather than templates for the base pieces of fabric but the templates for the appliqu can be downloaded at full size from http://ideas.sewandso.co.uk/patterns. The appliqu works in layers to complete the whole motif so you will need to trace off the individual sections of the template.

Picking just the right fabrics is crucial to the success of your freehand embroidery journey. And lets face it, its the most fun bit too! I love playing with colour and selecting a palette of fabrics to work with. As you get more experienced youll learn to spot a good one at 20 paces. Youll learn to recognize the ones that are a bit too bouncy, the ones that are too fluffy or fray too much and youll hone your collection down to the chosen few that work for you.

These will generally be plain and medium- to heavyweight fabrics. Natural fibres such as cotton, linen and wool make great background fabrics as they provide a stable base. The best place to find suitable fabrics will probably be the furnishing section of the fabric store.

Choose the fabric to suit the project. For example, an evening bag will look very glamorous in light, luxurious fabrics. On the other hand, a shopping bag will need a hardwearing, medium- to heavyweight fabric such as cotton, linen, corduroy or tweed for handles, button loops and lining. Make sure the fabric isnt too thick, though, so that it doesnt make the seams too bulky. You could also add another dimension by choosing colours and patterns to complement or contrast with the main background fabric.

This is where you can have the most fun using all your old scraps, cutting up worn-out old clothes and collecting bits from friends and family. By using vintage and used scraps, you can make your work more original and personal. Of course, you can also buy small amounts of fabrics especially for your projects, and most patchwork fabrics and a lot of dress fabrics are perfect for the job.