Let’s Explore – Machine Embroidery

There’s been lots of requests to explore this wonderful skill that has endless possibilities. Again, no single tutor, but several members on hand (with a large book collection) to help guide the exploration of basic skills.

This is an experimentation/practice day to introduce free machining, not a project day. The plan is to further extend free machining skills one Sunday early in 2026, and then quite possibly to contract a highly skilled tutor to run a 3 day workshop down the track. The skills to practise can range from simply gaining control over the beast when you drop the feed dogs, to exploring texture and design as you become more competent.

 We are not digitising. This is free machining. 

Inspiration 

• Irene Manion and Deb Campbell introduced some basics in recent Stitching and Beyond workshops. Use Google to explore work by these artists and many, many others.
• Google videos by Dionne Swift for example.
• Check out Pinterest, but don’t go down too many rabbit holes!!
• Or work on whatever takes your fancy!!

What to bring

• Threads!! Don’t buy extra for this experimentation day but possibilities include cotton, rayon, polyester threads in various colours, including light and dark, black, white and grey.  Variegated and metallic if you already own these. Easiest to organise if you choose within a colour palette that you enjoy working with e.g. monochromatic, white through to black. You should find something with which you feel comfortable among these suggestions that Irene Manion made, although your choices may be limited by your stash! e.g. Turquoise and brown, turquoise and purple, cool blue and yellow, warm blues with greys, pink and green. The colours can be contrasting or harmonious. Matching variegated threads will work well and include these if you have them in your stash.
• Some people choose to wear safety glasses when machine embroidering.
• You can choose to use calico in a fairly large hoop (the inner ring bound with calico), OR prepare some A4 pieces of plain white cotton or calico fused together to make a stable surface OR fuse some wadding to calico or cotton sheeting to give a stable surface.
• Your usual collection of scissors, notebook etc…
• Or work on whatever takes your fancy!
• Your lunch (or cash to purchase lunch nearby)
  Note: your membership provides tea, green tea, instant coffee, milk and mugs

How to find Kingborough Women’s Club Rooms

Upcoming Explore Days

• 14 September – Embellishing by machine or hand (NOTE: 2nd Sunday due to Father’s Day)
• 5 October – Social Stitch Day
• 9 November – Dyeing threads (NOTE: 2nd Sunday due to Tasmanian Craft Fair – Deloraine)
• 7 December – Maximising the cabochon effect with stitch and no glue!

How to join KWC and attend our regular Explore Days

• Any financial member of the Kingborough Women’s Club (KWC) ($40 per annum) is welcome to join our monthly Let’s Explore Sundays at no extra cost.

• If you aren’t already a KWC member you can apply here then scan or photograph your form and email it to [email protected] with “KWC Application” in the header.
  Alternatively, you could bring the form with you on a Let’s Explore Sunday.

• Once we reply to your email, then please make payment directly to KWC.
  The annual fee is $40 and is due 1 July each year.