Next Class is how to use FEET!

Our next class is going to  be how to use sewing feet. We are going to do a sampler using all the regular feet that come with a machine. We will also use a few specialty feet. This is going to be a great class because I have learned so much about these feet I can hardly wait to share with the class.

One of the most important things about sewing a SAMPLER with many different stitches and decorative stitches is what THREAD to use for each. When going to our decorative stitches, we often just leave the thread we were sewing with in the machine and then complain if the machine's stitches weren't as pretty as we thought they should be....it's the thread you are using that makes or breaks the beauty of all our decorative stitches!!

If you are going to use a "pictograph," or a heavily filled-in stitch, you want to adjust your thread accordingly. Remember, all decorative stitches are EMBROIDERY stitches just like the big fancy embroidery machines! Think about the size and the type of thread you want for a decorative stitch and then remember to stitch it out on a Thread Journal first. The thing you need to think about on the Thread Journal (please read my page entitled THREAD JOURNALING) is that is backed with Pellon stabilizer. We forget when pushing the button to use a decorative stitch that we have to remember to stabilize it. There are many ways to do this, and I will put some of these techniques in my THREAD JOURNAL page.

So, I will let you know how the  FEET CLASS goes. Just remember to adjust the type and size of thread to the decorative stitch being used and don't forget to stabilize it! The machine embroidery sewer wouldn't think of NOT using stabilizer, yet us quilters forget it all the time. Give it a try and let me know what you think of using a #50, #40, or even a #30 thread on certain decorative stitches. Often we use decorative stitches on bindings and children's quilts, go to your thread stash! Play with the threads you have and pick the decorative stitch that seems to go with that quilt. 

TaTaForNow - Shawnee