This is a broad category where you’ll find general guides and tips as you start your embroidery and sewing journey.
Want free embroidery designs? Find posts with resources here.
You can also find the best sewing machines, embroidery machines, sergers, and accessories by brand, purpose, and intent.
Find other guides featuring embroidery blanks, sewing supplies, and even computer recommendations for embroidery software.
While most of my quilt designs start with colored pencil doodling on graph paper, I now use quilt software as well to render finished designs. Quilt software makes it easy to arrange block designs together and audition fabrics for a completed quilt before cutting. Not to mention, most quilt software can calculate required fabric yardages…
I love my Cricut and its versatility as a sewing and quilting companion and a vinyl, iron-on, and so-many-other-things cutter. Besides my sewing and embroidery machine, my Cricut may be my favorite item in my crafting room, and it’s survived hundreds of hours of craft use. But for those new to the Cricut universe, how…
I recently purchased my Brother Luminaire XP2, and of all the embroidery and sewing machines I’ve owned, this is the first that’s a licensed Disney embroidery machine with built-in Disney embroidery designs. I had desperately wanted a bigger embroidery machine, and I also wanted to be able to “do Disney” before my girls got too…
Deciding between an AccuQuilt or Sizzix cutting machine and not sure which to purchase? I was there at one point, and, well, I now own both. My AccuQuilt Go! is my fabric cutter workhorse, and my Sizzix Big Shot Plus cuts the occasional fabric but mostly embosses and rocks at cardmaking. If you’d asked five…
If you don’t have a fabric cutting machine, you’re missing out! I LOVE using my fabric cutters to create perfect applique shapes and quilt pieces. And I don’t know about you, but less time spent cutting fabric means more time sewing, which is a win in my books! Interested in purchasing a fabric cutter to…
I’ve had my Cricut Maker for years and finally added an AccuQuilt Go! to my craft room to up my quilting game this last year. My primary use for my Cricut is cutting vinyl, heat transfer vinyl, and other soft materials like the occasional applique or quilt fabric, my AccuQuilt is 100% dedicated to cutting…
It’s no secret that embroidery machines are expensive. I used my library’s embroidery machine for years before purchasing my own home embroidery machine. But, what’s the cost of an embroidery machine, and what features can you expect within different price ranges? Well, there’s no simple answer about the price of an embroidery machine, as it…
As someone who can’t make a straight 1 1/2″ fabric strip over 2 feet long to save her life, I rely heavily on (and very much love) my AccuQuilt Go! Ever since I purchased it, I’ve been quilting MUCH more. I love how much time it “cuts” off of fabric cutting, and it’s so fun…
While big-box stores like Walmart, Hobby Lobby, and JOANN carry standard embroidery blanks like towels, t-shirts, and blankets, purchasing from an actual embroidery blanks supplier has its benefits! Not only is there a wider variety of items to embroider, but embroidery blank suppliers also provide blanks that are more embroidery friendly. For instance, infant bodysuits…
It wasn’t until I purchased my first sewing and embroidery combo machine that I discovered how amazing having a sewing machine with an automatic thread cutter was. I will now never buy another sewing machine unless it has built-in thread cutting. No more having small scissors around my neck or using a dulled thread cutter…
I love machine embroidery books. And yes, the irony is not lost on me that I say this as someone who writes about embroidery online. However, as my home library will attest, I collect print books like nobody’s business. And, thanks to my library’s interlibrary loan program, I could read all the circulating embroidery books…
From in-the-hoop piecing to edge-to-edge quilting, embroidery machines can do all sorts of fun things for quilters. Not to mention stitching applique or redwork block designs, creating quilt labels, and even adding stippling stitches to in-the-hoop projects. Whether you’re first learning to quilt with an embroidery machine or are just looking for new inspiration, here…
I started with a 4″x4″ hoop embroidery machine and upgraded to a 5″x7″ machine soon after. A few years later, I finally bought a much larger hoop embroidery machine because I desperately wanted to embroider bigger projects. As I decided which machine to purchase, I put together this reference to organize my thoughts and help…
I’m embarrassed to admit I recently added the Brother 1034DX serger to my sewing room so I could save time by keeping my Brother 1034D serger threaded with black thread and the new Brother 1034DX with white thread. Upon opening the Brother 1034DX box, I had been led to believe only a few differences existed…
If you’re new to embroidery, purchasing the best embroidery machine for beginners is a crucial first step. However, without hands-on experience, how will you know what features you need and what will be a good beginner embroidery machine? I’ve been machine embroidering for a while now and have put together this helpful guide of starter…
Sewing boxes are perfect Christmas gifts or birthday gifts. They’re also a fun splurge to bring joy when your own box arrives in the mail each month. With companies everywhere jumping into (and out of) the subscription box service, many options exist. Thus, I’ve rounded up some of the best sewing subscription boxes with descriptions…
If you want your projects to have a handmade, not homemade, look, using the right pressing tools when sewing is a crucial first step. My mom always said, “If you don’t have time to press, you don’t have time to sew.” As a rebel beginner sewist, I didn’t always press my projects when instructed. However,…
When I first started embroidering, I imagined putting an SVG or JPG image on a USB, plugging it into my machine, pressing start, and watching my machine magically embroider the image. Well, it turns out, that’s just not how it works. You need embroidery software for everything from editing and customizing designs to creating your…
Babies are everywhere, and they’re the perfect excuse to dust off your embroidery machine for a new project. And, once you’ve seen some of these free baby embroidery designs to download for your machine, I bet you’ll have some great ideas for new things you can create! I especially love to embroider onesies, burp cloths,…
Whether it’s Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or any random day, buying a thoughtful gift for your embroidery-loving friend is never unappreciated! But what if you know nothing about embroidery and have no idea what they might want? In that case, I’ve put together this list of fun, helpful, and unique gifts for embroiderers to…
Fourth of July and Memorial Day are getting closer over here in the United States! And, every holiday I make (or update) a roundup of free embroidery designs offered for that time of year. I think these roundups are great way for embroidery newbies to get to know online digitizers–freebies are how I’ve found most…
I debated forever before deciding to finally purchase a mini-iron. Were they any good? Did I really need one? How often was I really planning to sew or quilt things I couldn’t use my normal iron for? After I finally splurged on two of the coolest mini-irons out there (in my opinion), I have ZERO…
I’m a shameless bargain hunter. I thrift, shop sales, and love my local Dollar Tree. I walk in to buy one thing and walk out twenty dollars poorer but feeling like I won the lottery. The point of this? Dollar Tree is an EXCELLENT place to find cheap embroidery blanks. If you’re new to embroidery,…
If you’ve just opened your new Singer sewing machine and don’t know where to start with threads, this article will show you how to pick the best thread for a Singer sewing machine. The good news is, there are LOTS of good thread options that will work with your machine. However, not all threads that…
Spring is almost in the air, Valentine’s Day has passed, and it’s time to start embroidering for Easter! My favorite thing to do when each holiday rolls around is to bulk up my embroidery design collection with newly released embroidery designs. While I have my own pricey embroidery digitizing program, sometimes it’s just not worth…
Free embroidery software is a good place to start when first learning to digitize or edit embroidery designs. For basic design customization, thumbnail viewing, or file conversion, free software might be all you need. After a year of using free programs myself, though, I ultimately decided to purchase software after doing every trial available. This…
I’m constantly reorganizing my sewing and embroidery threads to accommodate my hoarding. There’s just something reassuring about being surrounded by threads of every color imaginable in the rare event my project requires a very specific shade of salmon, for instance. I have around 400-500 spools of sewing, embroidery, and serger thread right now. Keeping those…
Now that Christmas is over, it’s time to start thinking about Valentine’s Day embroidery project ideas! Usually, I embroider something cute for my niece and nephew and make small items for my daughters’ teachers and classmates. I’m a huge fan of free Valentine’s Day embroidery machine designs! Freebies allow me to view a digitizer’s quality…
As a sewing beginner, there are so many choices to make. What’s the best sewing thread for a Brother machine? Do you need a different thread for the bobbin and upper thread? What about needles? Presser feet? It can seem so overwhelming! Luckily, choosing the best thread for a Brother sewing machine is very easy…
If you’re new to embroidery or quilting, sorting through manufacturer specs for many sewing machines is daunting if you’re not familiar with the terms. To help you out, I’ll review the pros and cons of some of the best sewing machine If you’re new to embroidery, purchasing the best embroidery machine for beginners is a…