Embroidery has become a hot topic of late. Here are seven interesting facts about embroidery that you may not know:
1. The Purpose
Embroidery has always been used as a means of distinguishing one social class from another. Generally, the higher social classes would have embroidered clothing, while the lower social classes would not.
Fortunately, we have gone from declaring status to declaring our individuality. Today, anyone can wear embroidered clothing, and many have chosen to use it as way to express themselves.
2. Hand and Machine
We all know that embroidery can be done by hand (but faster by machine). Even though machines have now revolutionized the embroidery art, hand embroidery is still quite popular.
To become an expert at hand embroidery, you will require tons of practice and patience. On the flip side, machine embroidery does not require you to learn any stitches. That is not to say you won’t still need a certain level of expertise.
The recent technological advancements have made embroidery faster and easier. With an embroidery machine, you will still need to know how to hoop your fabric and thread your needle, but the machine will do the stitching (and the design) for you.
3. The Right Needles are Important
When it comes to embroidery, one needles doesn’t suit every fabric and design.
If you’re working with tightly woven fabric, then you will need a sharp pointed needle. If, however, you’re working with linen or canvas, then you’ll need a blunt needle instead.
The size matters as well. If you need speed, then a short needle is your best friend. However, if you’re going to be looping your thread around the needle, then you’ll need a longer needle.
Choose your needles, with the fabric and design in mind.
4. Embroidery Revolutionized
Computers have changed the way we do many things; this includes embroidery.
The new embroidery machines come with software that allows you to input a design into the machine, and then the machine will create your art for you.
No, it’s not as simple as it sounds. You will still need to thread the needle, stabilize and hoop the fabric, and then attach the hoop to the machine. You should read through the user-manual before you attempt to create an embroidery with a new machine.
5. Fashion Trend
As I said, today we use embroidery to express ourselves.
This means that even high-end designers like Gucci and Marc Jacobs, and celebs like Kanye West, are all going crazy over embroidered clothing and apparel.
Embroidered fashion can be seen on runways, in magazines and in window displays. From biker-jackets to summer-dresses; embroidery is everywhere.
6. Wooden Embroideries
Yes, you read right. People have learned to embroider on wood.
It’s quite easy, really. Choose a wooden item (wooden furniture, a wooden box, wooden cuff, etc.), then mark it with your design (this could be words too) and drill holes along it. Sand it down to remove splints and the marker. Now thread the holes.
That’s it. If you want to paint or stain the wood, you should do that before you begin threading.
7. Extras
There are a couple of things that are required with machine embroidery that are not necessary with hand embroidery.
With machine embroidery, you need to use a stabilizer (like tear-away, for example), to ensure that your fabric doesn’t wrinkle while stitching. The other thing that you may need is a temporary spray adhesive to ensure that the stabilizer sticks to the fabric securely.
Once you’ve attached the stabilizer to the fabric, hoop this combo, and attach it to the machine.
I hope these facts were useful. Happy stitching.
