Embroidery Patterns

What are Embroidery Patterns?

Embroidery patterns are blueprints used to create beautiful embroidery designs either by hand or machine. They can be hand-drawn, downloaded from various Web sites, or purchased in crafts or fabric stores. Some of the items that can be embroidered include:

• Towels
• Tableclothes
• Handkerchiefs
• Baby blankets
• Potholders
• Pillowcases
• Baskets
• Cushions and pillows
• Paper products such as card stock

Patterns for Hand Embroidery

For many generations, hand embroidery patterns consisted of stencils or transfers of a design onto fabrics. Sometimes, those patterns were hand-drawn from memory, so reproducing them is nearly impossible. Today, there are many ways to create hand-embroidered designs similar to the ones your grandmother used to make. Some of them include:

• Iron-on transfer patterns: Usually sold by the book, these patterns can simply be ironed on various fabrics to be embroidered. The books come in small and large formats.
• Computer-printed patterns: Create your own embroidery design on your computer or print out one from the Internet. Use a transfer pen, which comes in many colors, to trace the pattern onto a piece of fabric.
• Stencils or templates: More commonly used in paper embroidery, these patterns are drawn with the use of stencils. However, this type of craft requires more embroidery experience.
• Transfers: With tissue paper and a pencil or transfer pen, you can copy a simple design from a book to your favorite fabric by tracing it.

Patterns for Machine Embroidery

With the popularity of home embroidery machines on the rise, finding and creating patterns is becoming easier. Many of the above methods for creating hand-embroidered patterns can be used with embroidery machines as well. Others include:

• Downloadable formats: Available on many crafting Web sites, these patterns are downloaded into your computer. They can be used as is or manipulated to your liking. They come in a variety of formats, depending the make and model of your machine.
• Hand-drawn on your computer: With programs such a PhotoShop or Print Shop Pro, creating embroidery patterns is easy to do on your home computer. You can also purchase digitizing or lettering software to create patterns.

Free Embroidery Patterns

You don't need to spend a lot of money for embroidery patterns. Many Web sites and sewing machine manufacturers offer free embroidery patterns that can easily be downloaded and stored on your computer or printed out and filed. If you are using these patterns do machine embroidery, make sure you download the correct format.

Ideas for Designing Patterns

There is no right or wrong way to create an embroidery pattern, nor is there a design that is good or bad. Keep in mind a few things when designing a pattern:

• Read manufacturer's instructions for your machine and software.
• If you are creating a seasonal item, allow yourself enough time to complete the project in case of an error.
• Practice on scrap pieces of fabric if you are new to this craft.
• When in doubt, either ask someone who embroiders or look up your question on the Internet. There are thousands of sites dedicated to embroidery patterns.
• If you are designing a pattern with words, make sure you check your spelling before you begin.

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