Machine stitching
Sewing machines have a variety of stitch settings which can be used both decoratively and functionally. Refer to the sewing machine manual to see stitch settings and what they can be used for.
Free motion embroidery
Free motion A collection of decorative stitches that can be produced by hand, a sewing machine or an industrial CAM embroidery machine. is drawing with machine stitches. A A tool that can be fitted to a sewing machine to ensure even stitching and prevent snagging or embroidery foot is used instead of a An attachment for sewing machines that keeps the fabric flat as it is fed through under the needle. and the Teeth-like ridges that are located beneath the needle plate on a sewing machine to grip the fabric as it is sewn are lowered to enable the fabric to be moved freely. For safety reasons fabric should be stretched in an Two wooden hoops that interconnect to hold the fabric firm while sewing when sewing with an embroidery foot, so that you can hold on to the frame and keep your fingers away from the needle. It also stretches the fabric, stopping it from puckering whilst sewing.
Computer-aided design - the use of computers to assist in any of the phases of product design. embroidery machines can be used to produce pre-programmed embroidery designs and personalised lettering onto fabrics. Computer software is also available to design your own custom-made embroidery designs which can be embroidered onto fabric.
Seams
A seam is the join between two pieces of fabric that have been sewn together. Seam allowance is the space between the edge of the fabric and the line of machine stitching. This is usually 1.5 cm wide.