This article is brought to you by Brown Paper Stitch, my business that makes your wardrobe pawesome by embroidering your pets on clothing.
This article is part of a series on how to take your e
When you’re first learning to stitch, there are the basic
There are other helpful tools that go beyond the essential supplies to make your embroidery easier and create the designs you always wanted. I’ve compiled your shopping list below.
Scroll down for 8 game-changing embroidery supplies.
Stick and Stitch Stabilizer
As I began stitching custom pet portraits on embroidered shirts, I knew that I needed a better way to transfer the sketch of a kitty onto a collar. That’s when I discovered stick and stitch stabilizer. You just put a sheet of this into your printer and print whatever you want to embroider. It prints onto a special fiber that you then peel and stick onto your fabric. Start sewing like normal and when you’re done, wash it away using warm water. Easy!
Try this:
Water-Soluble Pen
If you like to draw freehand on your fabric but don’t want to use something as permanent as a pen, try a
Try this:
Thread Gloss
I didn’t know what thread gloss was until my friend
Try this: Ponderosa Thread Gloss (in a variety of scents!)
Needle Minder
Nothing annoys my husband more than finding an errant needle on the floor or stuck in the couch. (I don’t blame him!) Getting a needle minder—a magnetic pin that you stick on your sewing—keeps my needle in place. When you’re changing thread or finished stitching, just let your needle hang out there.
Try this: Kiriki Press Lllama Needle Minder
Metal Craft Rings
Your embroidery will benefit from staying organized. So once you’ve selected the thread you’ll use in a project, string your bobbins on a
Try this:
(Sharp) Embroidery Scissors
Scissors, I know, aren’t some great secret; they are an essential tool for embroidery. But you might not realize how much a sharp pair of scissors can make a difference. A good pair of thread-only scissors will ensure that the ends of your thread don’t fray when you cut a piece from your skein. Why is this important? Fuzzy ends make it harder to thread a needle.
A good pair of scissors can also help you remove stitches like a seam ripper—in a pinch. (But you’ll want one of those, too.)
Try this:
Seam Ripper
When I first began embroidering, I didn’t have a seam ripper. To me, a seam ripper was for stitching garments and nothing else. But when I found one among my husband’s stitch supply stash (he’s a clothing designer), I adopted it for my work. And let me tell you—I didn’t realize how much I needed it.
It is no fun to have to rip out your embroidery. And although that sharp pair of scissors will help, a seam ripper will allow you a more precise way to target individual threads because of its long, pointed tip. And also with that end, you can maneuver the seam ripper under a bunch of threads and rip them all once.
Try this:
DMC Thread Card
DMC embroidery floss is the industry standard when it comes to stitching. It’s easy to see why; they have so many colors! If you’ve ever felt totally overwhelmed while standing in front of the thread selection of Joann’s, you’re not alone. (I’ve been there many times.) This is where the
Try this:
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