The phenomenal popularity of machine embroidery has given rise to many new brands of stabilizers coming to market and the task of sorting them all out can be daunting. But there are still only a few basic types and they are all designed to support the fabric while the embroidery machine stitches the designs, helping to prevent puckering and bunching of the stitches.

Stabilizers or backings can be permanent or temporary. Excess permanent backings are removed by cutting around the design after e...
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Embroidery Software and Embroidery Cards both play a part in allowing your embroidery machine to make professionally embroidered pieces in a fraction of the time. It is important that you understand how they work together.

An embroidery card is computerized and machine-format-specific, and fits directly and specifically into your embroidery machine. It works with the built-in computer in your machine to stitch out designs.

Embroidery Cards may be purchased with designs already on them or you m...
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Having a sharp needle is one of the most important factors in machine embroidery.  Note that the embroidery needle has a more elongated eye than a regular sewing needle.

Most makes of machine embroidery needles carry two main lines;  Sharp needles and Ball point needles.

• Ball point needles penetrate between fabric fibers making marks or damage to fabrics less of a concern.  For example, a knit should have a ball point needle to prevent runs or holes in the knit.
• Sharp point needles actually pi...

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How you store your extra cones of thread is very important. The thread that is not on your embroidery machine should be stored covered and away from dust and sunlight. Cones should always be stored standing in their upright position with the end of the thread attached to the bottom of the cone. If you do not have a holder on your thread cone for the end of the thread to fit into, wind up the thread and attach the end with a piece of masking tape to the bottom plastic portion of your cone. Nev...
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Rayon and Polyester are the most common embroidery threads. Always choose a good quality thread to ensure the best results with your embroidery.

Rayon Threads

Rayon is the one of the favoured threads among professional embroiderers.  It is a soft thread, available in great colours and suitable for all forms of machine embroidery.  Rayon thread holds up well with high-speed stitching without breaking or fraying and it also consistently performs well.  It is easily available in many embroidery st...
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Once you've selected a stabilizer for your project, it's important to hoop the stabilizer and fabric correctly to get the best results. Use a dedicated machine-embroidery hoop or a third-party hoop that will fit easily under your presser foot.

Below are some hooping tips for embroidery. They're aimed at users of machines with built-in hoop control for digitized embroidery with dedicated hoops but can easily be adapted to third-party hoops for free-motion embroidery.

1. Baste the fabric to the stab...

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From improved appliqué to the creation of entirely new fabrics and embellishments, there's hardly a decorative sewing process that hasn't benefited from the explosion of new stabilizers recently ignited by the popularity of machine embroidery. Designed to support, or even replace, fabric under the stress of dense and multi-directional machine stitching, stabilizers can be applied in many ways, but are usually used in conjunction with an embroidery hoop to hold fabric as flat and inflexibly a...
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Even though machines have been designed and constructed to prevent production problems, thread break will occur and can be a troublesome to many embroiders. There are some simple solutions to keep them to a minimum.

There are actually many elements that can cause thread breaks such as:

For the top thread

• there is a scratch on the hole of the top plate;
• the machine is not threaded correctly;
• the thread is trapped under the spool;
• the wrong needle selection has been made;
• there is oil or dust in the b...

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My first job in the embroidery industry was as a machine technician. More specifically, I was a phone support (or Help Desk) technician. Some of the toughest calls I would get were from people dealing with thread break issues with their machines.

That sounds like it would be an easy call, but there are so many things that can cause the thread to break that it is tough to narrow it down in just a phone call, especially if the person on the other end hasn’t really paid attention to when it i...
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