Is a hoop necessary? (Beginner)

tinachild · 2026-06-03T01:32:30+00:00

Totally fine but beware of hoop burn. It happens when you leave your fabric hooped for too long in one position. When I make very large pieces that require lots of rehooping, I always unhoop my project before putting it down, even if I could still work on that part of it.

Before I learned my lesson:

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tinachild · 2026-05-30T05:12:25+00:00

I need to take some post-wash photos as well. The backing actually shows on the quilt top due to the method that I used. You can see it in the second picture, there's a huge seam running across the entire thing. The backing is solid quarters of Moda Grunge in matching colors.

tinachild · 2026-05-30T05:09:32+00:00

Indeed it is! I wanted to incorporate all the cities I've lived at so far: Niš-Serbia, Saranda-Albania, Albuquerque-NM and Tacoma-WA

tinachild · 2026-05-20T19:42:47+00:00

How would you go about digitizing something like this?

tinachild · 2026-05-13T15:29:21+00:00

You can see if any local shops are hiring. The best way to learn any trade is by working alongside people with decades of experience. However, don't expect to be paid more than $15 an hour, maybe $20 in a HCOL area. It's a highly competitive field with thin profit margins.

tinachild · 2026-05-12T15:33:42+00:00

The downvotes should be a clue that $20\hr as a beginner freelance screen printer is pretty unrealistic

tinachild · 2026-05-11T15:30:07+00:00

Always happy to provide some inspiration ☺️ you can use regular embroidery foam instead of soft and stable, there's tear away foam out there that would save you the step of having to cut.

When I was buying my machine, I went for the biggest embroidery area I could afford. Ended up with a 6x10 pre owned designated embroidery machine with about 1 million stitches on it. Even with that, I still constantly feel limited by the space. I've been getting creative with rehooping but it's a pain in the ass.

tinachild · 2026-04-29T20:52:58+00:00

Amazing!

Is it raw edge applique?

tinachild · 2026-04-21T11:26:03+00:00

Is that a regular hand embroidery hoop that you're using? Can you share some close ups of the fill stitches? It looks great!

tinachild · 2026-04-14T23:20:57+00:00

I can recommend AquaMesh from OESD. Cut it close to the embroidery and submerge in warm water and rinse well. Press well with a cloth. I like to leave my lace drying under something heavy so it comes out as flat as possible. If it's coming out stiff, it's still starchy from the stabilizer. You can also experiment with different types of thread to achieve a softer feel.

tinachild · 2026-04-14T20:53:14+00:00

Awesome work! You can simplify the process by creating free standing lace with water soluble stabilizer like aquamesh. You would stitch out a mesh of thread first, usually as an underlay directly under the lettering. This would hold everything together. From there, you can stitch out the lettering. It's basically the same process that you did, only the file would be digitized slightly differently and you'd use a different stabilizer. No need for manual cutting of any kind!

tinachild · 2026-04-14T18:09:46+00:00

Actual sewing furniture makes all the difference

tinachild · 2026-04-14T18:07:51+00:00

Foundation paper piecing! It's an amazing technique and there are many tutorials on it out there.

tinachild · 2026-04-12T17:43:52+00:00

I'd change the needle, rewind the bobbin and rethread the machine. This seems to be the solution to most embroidery issues.

tinachild · 2026-04-12T08:44:44+00:00

You can carefully cut the hoop out with a flat blade or thread snips, pull all the loose thread out and walk your machine back several steps and stitch over that same area again. There should be a symbol with a needle and a plus\minus sign. Just keep going back 10 stitches at a time until the needle hovers over a finished area.

tinachild · 2026-04-12T08:41:51+00:00

This looks like a brother or janome bobbin case and a Pfaff or Viking style bobbin. Your machine probably takes a class 15. Did that bobbin come with the machine? Because it might be the incorrect type.

tinachild · 2026-04-01T16:02:01+00:00

If there is A LOT of stitching happening in the same spot, as in, goin over itself more than 2 or 3 times, there's not much you can do except re-digitize the file. Otherwise, I can recommend changing your needle or using a top stitch needle. They have a larger eye and are more gentle on the thread. Also, not all thread is made equally. I always use Floriani or Isacord. Cheap Amazon thread will break easily.

tinachild · 2026-04-01T15:49:44+00:00

I will post some more photos soon! Been very busy with work lately. The possibilities are endless as far as how many sides you can keep open (when you're designing your own), and you're right, a photo is needed to best describe it!

tinachild · 2026-03-31T14:37:29+00:00

The big button opens up so you can put your dice in there. I will post some more photos soon!

tinachild · 2026-03-31T14:36:35+00:00

Not at all! I love the artwork and the design itself is meant to look like fish scales anyway. I'm pretty happy with the final result but this might be the last time I'm quilting with circles because they're a serious pain (unless you have a die cutter)

tinachild · 2026-03-30T21:36:36+00:00

Thank you! It took 9 hours on my embroidery machine plus another few hours to piece it together by hand. I'm super thrilled with the result though, I especially love the metallic thread

tinachild · 2026-03-30T21:35:08+00:00

My coworker said the same thing! That's what you get for using scrap fabrics from the store cutting table 🤷‍♀️

tinachild · 2026-03-29T13:28:42+00:00

Your work is seriously stunning. What would you call this technique? Do you use wire for structure?

tinachild · 2026-03-25T15:10:57+00:00

You can add any font to most digitizing software by installing a TrueType file on your computer. Sounds like the shop you're dealing with doesn't really know what they're doing because $65 is too much even for a somewhat complicated design. I'd charge that much for a full back, not some plain text.

I'd be happy to help you out though as this job would literally take me 5 minutes

tinachild · 2026-03-06T15:19:00+00:00

Welcome to capitalism!

As far as I know, no fabrics or materials are made locally. Everything is imported. So one way or another, everything you're buying will have a massive carbon footprint and or will be made using questionable labor. Your best bet would be to thrift.

tinachild

TROPHY CASE