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Seeing the Light
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They always say that less is more,
and in the case of embroidery, it
can be the surprising truth. There's
something really impressive about
rich designs with lots of stitches
and many colors ... but in many
cases the subtle simplicity of a
light-stitching designs is exactly
what you need. And if you're
stitching on a lightweight fabric,
then light-stitching designs are
your best friend. Read on to
discover the joys and tricks of
lightening up your stitching! |
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Each stitch in an embroidery design
is like a little hug around the
fibers of the fabric, pulling them
closer together. That's why fabric
can pucker around embroidery,
especially if the fabric is too
light for the design or it's not
paired with a supportive enough
stabilizer. The more stitches, the
more hugs, the more tendency for the
design to pucker a given fabric, and
the stronger your fabric and
stabilizer need to be to fight back.
That's one of the reasons
light-stitching designs, with low
stitch counts, are so easy to work
with. They're quick to stitch, too! |
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Redwork is a traditional style
of embroidery made up of simple
lines of red stitching. The shapes
can be cartoonish or detailed --
thin lines of stitching can create a
lot of different looks. |
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Blackwork is another traditional
form of embroidery, made up of
counted stitches in black thread
over evenweave fabric. Its patterns
create a rich look, but the
stitching is lightweight and
flexible. |
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Toile designs are modeled after
incredibly detailed French fabric
prints. Lots of little stitches
paint a picturesque scene. |
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But quilting designs aren't the only
ones that can be used this way! Try
using redwork and more for the same
purpose -- just remember to match
your bobbin thread to your top
thread. These
trapunto leaf designs have been
used to stitch together the layers
of this autumn quilt. |
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For all light-stitching designs like
the ones above, you'll want to make
sure to choose a fabric that suits
them. Avoid fabrics with a plush
texture, nap, or pile (such as
terrycloth, faux fur, minkee, or
sweater knits) because the thin
lines of stitching can get lost in
the fibers of the fabric. Fabrics
with a flat surface will allow the
design to show.
When using light-stitching designs
on thin fabrics,
adjust the thread tension if
needed to make the design look good.
By default, a machine expects a
layer of fabric, a layer of sturdy
stabilizer, and substantial design.
If you're stitching, say, a redwork
design on a T-shirt with a sheer
cutaway stabilizer, this is a great
combination, but you might want to
make some slight adjustments. |
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Light-stitching designs are
especially suitable for lightweight
fabrics because there are fewer
stitches to pull and pucker the
fabric.
T-shirts look best with
light-stitching designs to match
their soft feel. Use a sheer cutaway
stabilizer to keep the back of the
embroidery soft while giving the
design lasting stability. |
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Tea towels look great with
redwork and other light-stitching
designs. While we don't often
recommend tear-away stabilizer, this
is a good occasion for it. |
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Quilter's cotton is a relatively
light fabric, too. Whether you're
making a quilt or something else,
light designs help preserve the soft
flow of this fabric. |
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Ever wanted to embroider on sheer
fabrics such as
organza? Choosing open,
light-stitching designs will give
you the best result. |
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Experiment with light-stitching
designs, including
redwork,
blackwork,
toile,
quilting designs, and any others
that you find. Designs made up of
thin lines of stitching, and even
designs that have lots of open
areas, offer a whole new set of
sophisticated possibilities for your
embroidery! |
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Kenny is a
master digitizer and Vice President of
Production at Embroidery Library, Inc.
Ask Kenny! Send your questions to
stitch@emblibrary.com.
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Previous "Korners"
can be found by clicking on the link below:
See
Them All |
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