What kind of Embroidery Thread?

[AnneinSC]

I've been machine embroidering for about 4 years now. Thread?? I've had great results with Marathon poly, and it is less expensive than a lot of the others. I've also used & like Madeira poly; Sulky has not been so reliable... regarding easily breaking with my machine. For metallics, the very best I found is by Yenmet; it is not as temperamental as some of the others I tried. Rayon... I like the Madeira rayon a lot; about a year ago, one of the online sites, I think it was Hancocks, had a half price sale on the thread chest with a great assortment of colors, and I bought one. The thread does so beautifully!

Stabilizers... for me, have been a trial & error. There are so many offered under various brand names, and so many types. All available in different weights for different uses are water soluble, tear-aways, cut-away, iron-ons, mesh types. It can be confusing! I like the Sulky TearEasy & Sulky Iron-on, Pellon SofStitch cutaway (walmart), and the water soluble type at walmart (don't remember the brand name). One I've recently tried is Hollingsworth Tearaway/washaway, which seems nice, since the stabilizer under the stitches remains to continue support of your design even tho' the excess around the design washes away. Works great, in fact, it is recommended by one of the digitizers on a forum I visit. Check out the Martha Pullen Phorum for a lot of helpful info and advice.

I haven't been able to take lessons locally, but learned a lot through the internet, forums, books, google searchs, and trial & error. There's a lot of free designs offered by a lot of the companies and some of the Yahoo user groups.

I really love using my machine, and have found so many uses for it. I've put designs on t-shirts, fleece throws, baby bibs, towels, embroidered squares for quilts, pillow covers, and today I just finished 5 Christmas stockings with a small design and names on the cuffs. Then, of course, you can make lace, using the water soluble stabilizer. I've made lace angels & ornaments to send with my cards this year. Oh yes... you can do quilt designs also. I posted a photo (in the photo section here) of a baby quilt I made recently, using a sashiko type quilt design on the printed fabric squares.
http://www.quiltinaday.com/community/to ... opic=14005

This is getting longer than I meant to write, but I hope it is of some help. There is so much to learn, and I'm still learning. The only thing is, what do I do next... embroider or quilt?

Anne

[TooMuchFabric]

AnneinSC, Thank you for the great information. Jo Ann

[ParrotLady]

>>>I use "Isacord" brand thread for my embroidery unit. What kind do you use?
Isacord here too.

>>>Do you use a different brand for Metallic?<<<
I use is Yenmet. Note: Use a thread net when using metallic threads & slow your machine down. My machine (Bernina Artista 200E) also has a thread stand attachment that has high loopers. You can also use one of those that stands behind your machine & holds a single spool.

>>>What kinds of things have you embroidered?<<<
Tote bags, Jeans, Jean pockets, T-shirts, Sweatshirts, Quilt labels, leather patches, placemats, pillows, Christmas stockings, etc.

>>>What kind of stablizers do you use? <<<
The 3 I use most are Cut-away, Med weight Tear-away & sticky back. For "Free Standing Lace" I use a Wash-away. Last year I made allot of angel ornaments.

>>>Have you taken classes? What do you want to learn? Where are you taking classes?<<
Bernina dealer.

There's tons of things you can embroidery on. Just use your imigination & let it run wild . A word of caution...it gets addictive. Once you get going you'll be embrodering everything.

[sewbug]

I do a lot of free motion embroidery and Coats metallic thread does not fray or break on my machine.

[WeeOne]

I use Isacord because that's what my Bernina dealer carries. Use OESD (Oklahoma Embroidery Supply & Design) stabilizers for the same reason.

Have only taken a couple of classes, but anytime I have a question I call the dealer and get answers. One of the first things I embroidered was a Captain in a boat on a tee shirt for DH. I tested this on an old white one before trying the new shirt. Old one came out OK, but new one had the knit break around the edge. I called OESD, since it was their design, and got several suggestions...but have been too busy to try again. Bernina dealer told me you should always stitch out a test first, so you don't mess up.

When my DH bought the 440QE with embroidery unit for me, he also told me to get the best software. At the time I didn't think I would want to digitize anything, but about 6 months later I found myself scanning a giraffe from an old coloring book and digitizing an applique to but on a fleece blanket for DGD.

Got my machine just before DGD was born. I was making a Jungle Song quilt for (unknown) grandchild. OESD had just come out with Jungle Song embroidery CD. Since the quilt wasn't done I altered the design and in each corner I embroidered a block with a Jungle Song animal & then one block has Kaylyn's name, another date, another weight/height and the last made by Grandma.
I'm getting ready to do the same for DGS....way behind on his quilt!

I wish I could take my embroidery stuff in the RV, but I have limited room.

I've made a couple blocks for SIL to use in an Anniversary quilt for her DD. Also a couple pillow cases.

I think the most favorite thing I've embroidered are the Minkee Pals that OESD has(http://www.embroideryonline.com/index.aspx)search Minkee. The grandkids love these little stuffed toys. DGD used to bite on them and pull them over her gums when she was cutting teeth. They are really easy to make.

Happy Stitching!
Lyn

P.S. 4 suggestions:
I write the Isacord thread number on the inside bottom of the spool with perm. marker. That way if the paper label on top comes off, I'm not in a panic.
I always steam iron my stabilizer(paper looking type, not plastic wash away)before I use it. I found out that some of it shrinks, just a little.
I am blessed with a DH who bought me all the Isacord colors. They have plastic, expensive, boxes you can store them in. But, I found a 3 draw Sterilite plastic container that the Isacord stand up in great. I have 4 sets, they stack.
My thread is in number order. When I pull a spool, I replace it with a piece of PVC pipe. My DH took 2" PVC, cut in 2" lengths. It makes it really easy to see where the thread goes back when done. OH, and I keep these PVC pieces in a paint bucket, which the grandkids love to play with when they visit.

[Quilter7]

Lyn - I am totally in awe of your organization of thread!! I do not have a large choice of colors so I have mine in a plastic shoe box. LOL I did not get the best software, but certainly see that something other than what I currently have would be desirable. (My Bernina 630 is only a year old so maybe....)

[CoyoteQuilts]

The magic I have found with my thread is to use a Topstitch needle. I was having problems with the thread shredding and breaking until I switched to this needle. It has a larger hole and 'groove' (can't remember the proper term for it). I tried the oil type stuff that is suppose to help-as others say---bleck! I use sulky, YLI, Robson Anton and Maderia threads. Any type of polyneon or rayon. Rayon has more shine. I don't care for Coats & Clark in any of my machines any more.

I have gotten in the habit of putting the clear wash away stabilizer on the top of things. It helps with the pull on the fabric & if your fabric is terry it keeps the nap down & the stitching looks better.

Linda, I too, have problems with centering & even hooping. It is much nicer to use spray baste stuff on the stabilizer and 'stick' the fabric/clothes to that instead of hooping.

One of my 'to dos' this year is to take a class that helps me hoop better. I would love to be able to use my embroidery with quilting more. So many ideas in the brain, not enough time or knowledge to get it done......

Sharon V.