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Art and Craft Articles and How To's -
Quilting, Sewing and Embroidery
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 There
are important considerations you have to bear in mind before creating or
ordering your own, custom embroidery designs. For D-I-Y (Do-it-yourself) people,
it is easy to get yourself a hi-tech embroidery machine complete with digitized
programs, but the quality of your work will depend on your own artistic
instincts and knowledge of specific embroidery techniques.
In order to create a high quality embroidery product, there are a few basic, but
significant components that you have to watch out for when creating your own
embroidery. These include:
The Thread
The two main types of embroidery threads are Polyester and Rayon. Though the
best looking designs are stitched with Rayon, Polyester is much sturdier than
the former. This is because Rayon is very thin in comparison to other thread
types, which also makes it hard to adjust tension.
The color of the thread also has to complement the colors in the embroidery
design, along with the color of the fabric. Remember that threads can also
appear to be of different shades of color depending upon the angle from which
they are viewed. So choose accordingly. For example, less contrast between the
colors of the fabric and the design can hide small flaws.
Stitches
Fill-stitches form different patterns and stitch directions, and cover large
areas. Too many stitches will create small gaps and too few will show through
the design. So decide what type of design will be most appropriate for your Fill
Stitch. Keep in mind that fabric tends to absorb small stitches, so they should
be avoided.
Underlay stitches, though often overlooked, plays an important part in the final
embroidery quality and design. This is because they stabilize the material held
in the embroidery frame. The method in which underlay stitches are sewn into the
material also paves the way for the top stitches.
Backing Materials
The amount of stability and support provided by backing materials often
determines the quality of the finished product. Backing materials like Cutaways
and Tearaways should be chosen according to the type of garment or fabric used.
For example, cutaway backings are ideal for knit fabrics. Tearaways can be great
for those who want work quickly done because they are the easiest to use.
The Topping
Toppings prevent fibers from getting caught in between stitches on some rough
textured fabrics such as Fleece. This is made possible by stitching the
embroidery through the topping, the fabric, and the backing material. Topping
such as water-soluble films, when laid over stitches-observing fabric types
prevent embroidery stitches from sinking into the fabric.
Locations
The most noticeable area of the garment should be chosen as the central location
of the embroidery design. However, this may be modified according to the type of
garment on which the embroidery is to be applied. For example, the primary
location for Short Sleeve Shirts and Long Sleeve Shirts is the Left
Chest, but secondary location for Short Sleeves is more appropriate on the Left
Arm; while for Long Sleeves, Center Back location looks better.
About The Author: George Royal: Embroidery
HQ offers articles, tips and tricks about embroidery.
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