Trying to Create Embroidery Flops

by Serena Smith

As I am typing, my embroidery machine is stitching away behind me. As soon as the design is finished in the hoop that is on the machine, I have another hoop full of fabric ready for another design. So what exactly am I stitching? Well, you are probably not going to believe this, but I am actually trying to create some bad embroidery designs!

Yes, that is correct! I am trying to make hole in the fabric, misplaced outlines or some design that just didn't turn out right! Our monthly embroidery club class is this Monday and the theme is: Embroidery Flops & Fixes. When the design doesn't look the way it should, can it be fixed or is it destined for the trash? If it can be repaired, how it that accomplished?

In order to show how to fix the embroidery mistakes, I have to have some samples of mistakes that commonly happen. And yes, I have a whole pile of shirts, towels, wall hangings and other projects that just didn't turn out right over the past 5 years. But some errors I have fixed and already given away, so new mistakes need to be made.

I've made plenty of mistakes in the past, so it shouldn't be hard to come up with several, right? Nothing could be farther from the truth! When I want so badly the needle to break and make a hole in the fabric or the outline of the bear to be in the wrong place, guess what? It is finished without holes and the design outline is perfectly in place!

How come is it that when I want mistakes, it is the hardest thing to do? When I need that perfect design with no mishaps, why is it that I have problem after problem? Never fear, I will have that hole in the fabric, even if I have to take a pair of scissors to it! And my design will have a misplaced outline, even if I have to move the design to make to outline out of place!

Will I have mistakes, bad designs and ruined projects to show on Monday? Yes, I will; but it was not accomplished without a struggle!! :)