I've been in a funk lately not wanting to do my "normal" type of sewing. Doing machine embroidery using a normal sewing machine has always fascinated me.
So, yesterday I took out an 8" wooden embroidery hoop, covered it with white cotton strips, and put in my fabric. To start out with I decided to use an electric machine. I am using my recently gifted Necchi Supernova and her tension is beautiful.
I'll show a picture once I'm done if it isn't too bad. So far I've finished the flower and am now working on the surrounding foliage. The design I chose is more like red work rather than a totally filled in design and I think it is going pretty well.
I'm tracing the design on the fabric with a purple disappearing marker. I think I have rayon thread in the machine (it is a spool I found in a cabinet drawer and the spool doesn't have the label on it anymore). The needle is a Schmetz #90 embroidery needle. My upper tension is reduced to #1. I removed the foot and am using my left finger to keep the fabric tight against the needle plate. I am not using the single hole needle plate since there are places where I am using the zig zag stitch. I think the fabric would always stay above the needle plate if I used the single hole needle plate. The machine itself is a portable machine and I have it on top of my kitchen table. The work surface is nice and high and my eyes are inches away from the work which is allowing me to see very well. I also have an auxillary light on the hoop area.
Yes, I can see it will take practice, practice, practice and time, time, time. It is most definately not a "hit the button and walk away" process. I am not interested in those modern embroidery machines by the way.
I'm having fun and am making lots of mistakes. Forgetting to put my pressure foot down, bad drawing with the needle, are just some of the things I keep doing wrong. I've also had thread fraying issues a few times because I started going too fast.