Basics of embroidery - tools and materials

This PowerPoint presentation on the basics of embroidery serves as a comprehensive introduction to the art. It begins by defining embroidery and its historical significance, tracing its roots across various cultures. The presentation delves into the types of embroidery, distinguishing between hand and machine techniques. Each type is detailed with vibrant visual examples and descriptions of fundamental stitches like the running, back, and satin stitches.

Additionally, the presentation outlines the essential materials and tools required, including different types of needles, threads, and hoops. It offers guidance on selecting appropriate fabrics and transferring designs, ensuring that beginners understand every step of the process. Advanced sections cover more complex techniques and modern advancements in embroidery machines, illustrating how technology has enhanced traditional practices.

Practical tips on maintaining and finishing embroidered pieces are provided to ensure the longevity and quality of the work. The presentation also highlights contemporary applications of embroidery in fashion and home decor, showcasing its evolving relevance. By combining historical context, technical knowledge, and practical advice, this presentation equips viewers with a solid foundation to explore and master the craft of embroidery. It's an ideal resource for both newcomers and those looking to refine their skills.
Embroidery requires several key tools to create intricate designs. Needles vary in size and shape to suit different types of embroidery. Hoops or frames stretch the fabric taut, ensuring precision. Threads, available in various materials like cotton, silk, and metallic, add color and texture. Scissors, specifically embroidery scissors, help cut threads neatly. Thimbles protect fingers during stitching. Transfer tools, such as carbon paper or water-soluble pens, help trace designs onto fabric. Each tool plays a crucial role in achieving detailed and professional embroidery work.
Embroidery relies on diverse materials to craft beautiful designs. Common threads include cotton, silk, and metallic, each offering unique textures and finishes. Fabric choices, like linen, cotton, and silk, affect the design's appearance and durability. Stabilizers, such as tear-away or cut-away types, provide support to prevent fabric distortion. Beads, sequins, and ribbons add embellishments and dimension. Floss bobbins keep threads organized. The careful selection of these materials ensures the quality and aesthetic appeal of embroidery projects, allowing artists to bring their creative visions to life.
Fabric embellishments go far beyond embroidery, enhancing textiles with a variety of textures, colors, and designs. Beading is a popular technique, where beads of different sizes, shapes, and colors are sewn onto fabric to create intricate patterns. This method is often used in evening wear and traditional costumes, adding a touch of sparkle and sophistication.

1. MODULE 1 Basics of Embroidery Couture Techniques

2. This session deals with the topics…… Introduction to hand embroidery Materials and tools for hand embroidery Design transferring methods Basic embroidery stitches and its application Module 1 – Basics of Embroidery

3. Art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials By means of specific stitches or painting and so on Enhance the beauty of the fabric It tells the story of people, civilization and culture or from nature Simple to detailed intricate work Introduction

4. Types of Surface Design Applique, Patch work Embroidery – Stitches Embroidery - Region Beads, mirrors,.. Quilting Cutwork Drawn Thread work Canvas work Couching Ribbon work Printing Macramé Smocking Painting Tie and Dye Batik

5. Surface Enrichments

6. Decorative / make attractive Value addition Product better Add beauty Increase profit Making good/better according to demand and customers taste Significance

7. Advantages Disadvantages Identity Creativity Increase value Add beauty Attract customers Many designs Aesthetic expression More expensive Less durable Difficult to wash/iron Extra care Irritation at times embellishment – heavy and not presentable Heavy work – less usage

8. Stitches are formed by needle going in and out stitches are made by moving thread and needle at different positions Raw materials used: Frames, Needle, Thread, Scissors, Thread cutter, Design, Tracing paper/Carbon paper, Fabric, Ruler, Thimble, Stitch repair Embroidery

9. Raw materials

10. Types of needles for hand embroidery Beading needles: used for adding beads. The needles are long and thin. Chenille Needle: has a very long eye, the tip is very sharp. Used in ribbon embroidery. Used for crewel work Crewel Needle (or) Embroidery needle: much like a tapestry needle , but tip is sharp. Needle is thinner and eye is medium size. They’re used for crewel work and most surface embroidery where piercing through the fabric threads is necessary to the stitching. Used for cross stitch

11. Tapestry needles: proportional length as a crewel needle, but the tip is much more blunt. The eye of the needle is very long - easy to thread and even several strands of thread is possible. Pushes weave fabrics instead of piercing them. used for counted thread embroidery Petite tapestry: shorter in length than tapestry makes stitching faster since needle size is small, easy to pull through the fabric with each stitch Double eye tapestry: needles with two eyes. Useful when using different types of floss or two or more colors (blending colors) Types of needles for hand embroidery

12. Milliner Needle: This is a very long, thin needle , with small round eyes. doing French and bullion knots or any stitch where the needle must pass through multiple wraps of thread. Quilting needles: Quite shorter and have a small, round eye and a sharp point. They are perfect to do short stitch quickly and precisely. Types of needles for hand embroidery

13. Needle anatomy of machine embroidery

14. Embroidery machine needle selection Needle sizes: vary from very fine 60/8 to a heavy duty needle 120/19. Types of needle: 1. Ball point needle : Rounded tips slips between yarns rather than piercing them to eliminate damage in knit fabrics. Used for coarse knits, mesh fabrics, interlock knits and other fabrics. 2. Universal point needle is better for finer knits. Has very slightly rounded point with quite sharp, used in most woven and knits

15. 3 . Denim Needle : It has an acute point, lean eye and a stronger shaft. Used for heavy fabrics denim, canvas etc., 4. Self threading needle: slot, so sewers with limited vision can easily set. 5.Embroidery needle: Has larger eye and special scarf (groove above the eye) to protect decorative threads (lustrous rayons and acrylics) from shedding or breaking

16. 6.Leather needle: wedge like shape at point, which gives superior piercing power. Used for pure leather, suede or heavy vinyl. Needle makes a clean, large hole as it enter the fabric. 7. Quilting needle : stitching in multiple layers. 8.Metallic thread needle : The large eye accommodates heavier threads, needle threading easier.

17. 1. Cotton Floss Cotton floss is the standard thread for cross-stitch.  It is made from mercerized cotton, to make the floss stronger, smoother, and give it a lustrous appearance.  Divisible - strands can be used individually or in groups of strands 2. Pearl Cotton Pearl cotton is a S-twisted, 2-ply twisted thread with high sheen. non-divisible - the strands cannot be separated.  Pearl Cotton can be found five sizes or weights 3, 5, 8, 12 and 16 3 being the heaviest and 16 the finest Embroidery thread for machine embroidery

18. 3. SATIN/RAYON FLOSS Rayon Floss is highly lustrous and soft.  4. Polyester Threads  popular and economical choice. available in a wide assortment of colors similar to that of rayon it won't shrink, fade or bleed. Made with matte finish to look like cotton, with a medium sheen, or high sheen finish to look like rayon or silk. High strength and color fastness - become most popular embroidery thread 

19. 5. Metallic threads available commercially in gold, silver and bronze. The texture of threads is rough 6. Nylon Threads synthetic thread occasionally used in the form of a monofilament clear thread or as a textured fuzzy ( woollie -like) thread. 

20. 7. Silk Threads Silk is an elastic, lustrous thread though very strong thread natural fibers high sheen creates a distinctive look in embroidery Bleaching agents should not be used as they can damage the threads. 

21. 1. PEARL COTTON or perle cotton or french coton perle Pearl cotton is a S-twisted, 2-ply twisted thread with high sheen. Unlike other embroidery threads it is non-divisible Pearl Cotton can found five sizes or weights 3, 5, 8, 12 and 16 3 being the heaviest and 16 the finest Threads for hand embroidery:

22. 2. Matte embroidery cotton or french cotton matte finish (not glossy) twisted 5 thread

23. 3. Woolen thread Medici is a fine light weight woolen thread Crewel yarn – fine 2 ply yarn of wool or wool like acrylic Persian yarn loosely twisted 3 strand yarn of wool or acrylic, often used for needle point Tapestry yarn : tapestry wool is tightly twisted 4 ply yarn

24. Hoops and frames are necessary for all types of stitching where the fabric needs to be kept tight, they give better tension and help to prevent distortion A hoop is a set of two rings – either wood or plastic , each ring fitting inside the other, holding the fabric tight while stitching. The hoop usually has some hardware on it ( a bolt for tightening ) and is usually held in the hand. A frame is made of wood , and the embroidery fabric is stretched taut and pinned, tacked, or sewn in some way onto the frame. Frames are normally held on some kind of stand or supported on the edge of the table during stitching unless they are small and light. Hoops and Frames

25. Type of hoops 1. Wooden Hoops are popular, versatile and are available in many sizes . Some embroidery hoops are oval rather than the traditional round. Embroidery hoops consist of two rings , one smaller which fits inside the other and the outer ring has a screw for tightening . Quilting hoops are the same but thicker to allow more layers to be held.

26. 2. Spring Tension Hoops again made up of inner and outer rings inner ring - spring metal hoop outer is plastic tension is very good Place the outer plastic frame under the fabric squeeze the clips of the metal ring and place it onto the fabric gently pushing it into the underneath hoop release the clips so that the fabric is trapped.

27. 3. Flexi Hoops Inner ring - solid plastic outer ring - flexi rubbery outer ring without the screw available in many colors often used for small projects Tension is not good.

28. Types of frames 1. No frame which donot use frame Ex: canvas work 2. Ring frame 1 inch deep wood frames both rings wrapped in muslin - to prevent the fabric from slipping. fabric is bigger, difficult to keep tight in frame. Fabric- heavy duty or thin it can slip easily. Wooden ring frame are preferable to plastic. In plastic fabric slips more.

29. 3. Stretcher bar frames fixed size frames sold in pairs Two pairs make a full frame They lock together with “dove tail” teeth on the corners the fabric is tacked onto the resulting frame they maintains good tension they can be accommodated on many floor and table stands they are relatively inexpensive

30. 4. Slate frames made of two types of bars: side bars (or slats) - that fit into roller bars (top and bottom of the frame) The slats have holes in them and allow to adjust the up and down tension on the fabric sewn onto the roller bars. The sides of the fabric are laced onto the side slats so that you can tighten the lacing and therefore tighten the side to side tension on the fabric. they can accommodate large pieces easily maintain the best tension on embroidery ground fabrics

31. 5. Scroll frames are somewhat like slate frames but they don’t allow for the top-to-bottom stretch that a slate frame allows and the fabric isn’t usually laced on the sides widely available relatively easy to set up accommodate a range of different sized projects

32. 6. Q-snaps Inexpensive Plastic bars and fabric together clipped into plastic frame by slotting another piece of plastic over the fabric. The fabric can slip and does not stay consistently tight. So to avoid that bottom frame can be wrapped with calico strips to keep fabric tight.

33. Fabrics used for embroidery Cotton Calico Bedford cloth Cambric Canvas Linen Damask Denim Sateen Satin Drill Duck Egyptian cloth Felt Velvet Upholsterers crepe Gingham Terry cloth Pique Organdie Muslin Khaki Silk Wool Huck a back Etc.,

34. Various Methods Of Surface Embellishment - Embroidery And Surface Ornamentation

35. TYPES HAND MACHINE CLASSIFICATION: According to foundation fabric and relation of stitch placement TYPES OF EMBROIDERY

36. Free embroidery Counted thread embroidery Classified according to fabric

37. Counted-thread embroidery It is any embroidery in which the fabric threads are counted by the embroiderer before inserting the needle into the fabric. Even weave fabric is usually used; it produces a symmetrical image as both warp and weft fabric threads are evenly spaced. The opposite of counted-thread embroidery is free embroidery. Among the counted-thread embroidery techniques are: Canvas work Cross-stitch

38. Classified according to stitch Surface embroidery-free embroidery and counted embroidery Canvas work-stitched to fabric mesh to create a dense pattern Ribbon embroidery

39. Canvas work is a type of embroidery in which yarn is stitched through a canvas or other foundation fabric. Canvas work is a form of counted-thread embroidery.

40. Special Embellishment Techniques Ribbon work, Appliqué work, Quilting work, Patch work, Smocking, Honey comb, Gathered with embroidery Fabric painting Hand Stencil Dabbing Spraying

41. Dyeing and printing Advanced tie and dye techniques Batik Block printing

42. Trimmings and decorations Laces Tassels Tucks Show buttons Eyelet and cord Bead and Sequins work Cut work

43. Theme End Use – customer, occasion etc… Availability of resources Type of fabric, materials What type of ornamentation Factors influencing the selection of ornamentation