Many new to embroidery have experienced numerous problems because of the inferior quality of free embroidery design files that they downloaded over the internet. One of the biggest mistakes that many new sewists make is using free designs patterns that have problems built in. Even if you are lucky enough to do everything else right and use inferior designs, results will probably not be good. Many of the free embroidery designs files that one can download are the first efforts of someone that has just begun to digitize and thus are not very well made. Many new to this great hobby use these because they are free and easy to download without using a credit card, but this is where the trouble begins. Then when outlines are off or there are gaps in the sewing and poor results are evident, how does one know where the problem lies? Is it the designs or the stabilizers or even worst - Can it be the new embroidery machine? We have a test so one can determine if the design is at fault or if the stabilizer is the problem. We make available free designs, free sewing lessons, free thread color charts and info that you may need to learn so you can get great results with your embroidery designs projects.

There is a big difference in the way embroidery designs patterns sew out because of how the designs files were digitized. All designs should have a foundation, underlayment stitches that sews before the design itself, to help stabilize the fabric. These underlayment stitches are put in so that the stitches on top have a minimum stretching effect on the fabric, so stabilizing will be easier. - this takes careful planning as one needs to know what top stitches are needed to make the design and what stretching effect this will have on the finished design pattern and fabric. The goal is to put the underlayment in so that the thread art designs on top will have no or very little effect on the fabric. (no puckering, no cupping or off outlines or miss-aligned parts) Without proper underlayment, it is almost impossible for a design to sew out well, even with the best of stabilizing. Another important consideration for sewing ease is thread changes and jump stitches. Skill and careful planning is necessary to eliminate all unnecessary jump stitches and thread changes. So choose your embroidery designs well and avoid the disappointment and frustrations of trying to use poor designs. Even free designs can cost a lot more in time, garments, frustrations and disappointment that a purchased quality one - there really is no comparison in the pleasure you will have while sewing quality embroidery designs patterns.

Terry Carter is the webmaster and author of embroidery articles at embroidery designs by Thread Artist. He has an article about embroidery software for digitizing and lettering fonts at embroidery software. There is free embroidery digitizing Tutorial at this web address - embroidery by Thread Artists. You can email Terry at this address - ThreadArtist@qx.net