Of the cutting machines I own, my Brother ScanNCut can do the most, but it was also the most difficult to learn to use. First, the manual isn’t super detailed, and second, because the ScanNCut is not as popular as Cricut or Silhouette machines, online tutorials aren’t as plentiful. However, thanks to trial and error,…
Years ago, I stumbled upon the rip-away applique process popularized by Stahls’. I imagined their vinyl had a specific characteristic that made it rip more easily when appliqued, and since I couldn’t purchase it locally, I didn’t think much more about the technique. However, I recently discovered that most heat-transfer vinyl (HTV) types could be…
Did you know you can use Silhouette Studio to direct your Silhouette Cameo to cut applique fabric for machine embroidery files? How cool is that?! One way Silhouette Studio excels over many competitors’ software is that you can directly import embroidery design files into the software and create cutting lines for applique fabric. Why is…
After hemming and hawing over whether the Brother SE2000 sewing and embroidery machine was worth purchasing, I broke down on Black Friday and bought it to try out. I’ve owned my Brother SE1900 (the SE2000’s predecessor) for almost three years now, and while it’s given me no problems, I couldn’t resist the siren call of…
Whether marking paper patterns for cutting or marking fabric for sewing, it’s important to have different fabric marking tools in your sewing kit. Most tools are interchangeable, but sometimes the fabric type or marking needed (like marking multiple fabric layers) requires a specific marking tool. Want to learn the ins and outs of fabric marking?…
I started using embroidery software on my older 11″ laptop, and let me tell you, I do not recommend that. Not only was the screen MUCH too small to plot out stitches accurately, but my slow processor just couldn’t keep up. Thankfully, that computer was near the end of its life, and I soon replaced…
When I first purchased my embroidery machine, I had NO idea all it could do. For example, I soon learned I could stitch in-the-hoop designs, make free-standing lace, and even quilt with my embroidery machine. In terms of quilting, my machine can piece blocks, create applique blocks, make crazy quilt blocks, and even add quilting…
If you’re not yet sure you want to spend your next month’s (or year’s) rent an embroidery machine, then you’ve found the right article! I hemmed and hawed for almost a year before finally purchasing my first home embroidery machine. Then, I continued to stress myself out with the pros and cons of updating my…
Like buying used electronics, appliances, or cars, buying a used embroidery machine can be a great way to save a fortune. Or, it could be a huge mistake that costs you big in the long run. Thankfully, if you do your due diligence before purchasing a pre-owned embroidery machine, you could save hundreds or thousands…
Brother embroidery machines are known for their ease of use, quality stitches, and affordable prices. I currently own a top-of-the-line Brother embroidery machine and a mid-to-lower-level Brother embroidery machine. I also owned the cheapest Brother embroidery machine on the market for several years before upgrading. All that to say, I love Brother embroidery machines and…
When Fall and Winter roll around, our family gets out the flannel clothing for pumpkin patch pictures, holiday gatherings, and Christmas pajamas. I also start frantically trying to check gifts off my Christmas list and make as many things as possible before the holiday. As I’ve been crafting, I put together these tips for successful…
If you’re looking for embroidery inspiration delivered to you regularly, a subscription to an embroidery magazine might be a perfect fit. While physical magazines (and even digital magazines, for that matter) aren’t as popular now as they were years ago, there are still many exciting embroidery magazines that you can check out. Check out this…
If you’re not a digitizer extraordinaire, manually turning a photograph of a person, pet, or place into an embroidery design can be very difficult. It would mean plotting out every stitch in a photo by yourself and picking exact thread colors to provide visual depth. While digitizing simple images (like single-color logos) is easy, photos…
When I started embroidering, I owned three rolls of stabilizer and two packages of pre-cut stabilizer sheets. It was easy to remember which stabilizer was which, and it didn’t take any organizing abilities to figure out how to store them. Now, three embroidery machines and over 20 rolls of stabilizers later, organizing my embroidery stabilizers…
When we visited Dinosaur World, my daughters got solar-reactive souvenir shirts that were white but changed colors in the sun. \They were a hit, and I wanted to find a way to create projects with similar properties. Now, I’d heard of SolarActive’s color change threads years ago, but after spending years scouring local sewing shops…
I’m an eye doctor who saw too many laser retinopathies in practice; thus, lasers make me anxious. However, I’m also a gal who loves precision when sewing and embroidering, so I’ve gotten used to working safely with lasers. For instance, my Brother Luminaire embroidery machine has laser options for precise seam allowances, and I love…
Since purchasing my Brother Luminaire, I’ve been able to sew, embroider, and quilt more projects than I ever dreamed of from home. Gone are the days of trekking to the local library with a quilt sandwich to stand and ache while using their longarm machine for quilting. Instead, I can piece and quilt in my…
I was a state-ranked cellist during high school and played in a local symphony until I finished my doctorate. Unfortunately, the practice time to get to that point took a toll on my body. The subtle repetitive motion injuries (not to mention, a diagnosis of a connective tissue disorder) put a big kink in my…
One of my first “aha” moments with my embroidery machine was that embroidery was NOT as fast as I thought it would be. In my mind, I’d load my design, press start, and watch my embroidery machine speed through a design. Turns out, some of these 100,000 stitch designs took hours for my single-needle embroidery…
When I started machine embroidering, I had no idea how long a spool of embroidery thread would last. As a result, I ran out of thread in the middle of a design a few times, which was NO FUN. So, how do you prevent this mild fiasco and calculate how much embroidery thread you need…
If you’re budgeting and planning for your first sewing machine or just want to upgrade your current machine, knowing the average price of a sewing machine for your skill level is essential. Unfortunately, the price of a sewing machine fluctuates wildly depending on multiple variables. So, what features can you expect within different price ranges…
I don’t know about you, but I’m usually over it by the time I’m left with just adding the binding and label to a quilt. Thankfully, creating labels with an embroidery machine is quick, simple, and painless. So, are you also ready to put the finishing touch on your quilt by adding an embroidered label…
Need a gift idea for a pet or want to add a new product to your home embroidery business? Or, do you just want to spiff up your pet’s collar or leash with some embroidery? If so, this tutorial on how to embroider a dog collar will help you create the perfect embroidered collar! I’ll…
Whether you need a specific embroidery thread hue for your next project or just want to catalog color possibilities within your favorite thread brand, machine embroidery thread color charts can be beneficial. Not to mention, if you run an embroidery business, color charts with thread samples are helpful to show clients desiring custom colors. Having…
When creating beautiful projects, you can choose from thousands of different machine embroidery threads. However, what if a new design you plan to stitch lists thread colors in a different brand than the ones you own? How do you find the closest color from within your stash? Two helpful tools for this dilemma are a…
As a beginner embroiderer, not only is it essential to differentiate between types of stabilizers, but it’s also important to know how to position and even remove stabilizer on your embroidery projects. Want to learn more about how to use embroidery stabilizer? Read on! I’ll first start by explaining the types of stabilizers and follow up…
What do you do if you need an embroidery design in a different file format? Convert it, of course! Thankfully, converting embroidery machine file formats from one machine file format to another is often straightforward. And, there are so many free embroidery file format converters! Check out my five favorites below. Converting Image Files vs….
While redwork embroidery by hand came first, redwork embroidery created by machines can now mimic the hand-embroidered technique while also stitching designs in a fraction of the time. Redwork designs are relatively quick to digitize if you know what you’re doing. They’re even easier to machine embroider. Want to learn more? Check out what redwork…
There’s nothing more annoying than being in the middle of an embroidery project when your machine starts acting up! My Luminaire recently started messing up when I was (last-minute) finishing a quilt for entry into an upcoming show. Thankfully, the issue turned out to be a worn-out bobbin case, and I was able to replace…
When interviewing sewing machines for my daughter, I purchased a mini sewing machine to test first. It was tiny, portable, lightweight, and cost a portion of what full-sized sewing machines cost. I was underwhelmed, and well, let’s just say that it’s not the sewing machine that she ended up learning to sew on. However, mini…