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Free-Style Machine Embroidery
Free machine embroidery is the process of creating embroidery using a straight or zigzag stitch stitch without feed dogs in an ordinary embroidery hoop. Free machine embroidery is fun and easy but requires practice at first. It's called "free" because the hoop is controlled freely by hand rather than being fixed to the machine.
Requirements are as follows:
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A sewing machine with a drop-feed control or a plate that covers the feed dogs - in other words, you have to be able to lower or cover the feed dogs so they don't feed the fabric.
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An embroidery or darning foot but some machines will quite happily sew without any foot at all.
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An embroidery hoop
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Fabric
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Thread
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Thread for the bobbin.
The procedure is to drop the feed dogs or cover them with a special plate. Place the fabric in the embroidery hoop so that the surface of the fabric is at the bottom of the hoop. It is very important to stretch the fabric in the hoop as tight as possible - as tight as a drum! The tighter the cloth the better the embroidery. When you place the hoop on the table the fabric surface should rest on the table with the right side of the fabric facing up. Put the embroidery or darning foot on. Place the embroidery hoop in the sewing area. Set the sewing machine for a straight stitch and have fun!
Stippling by Free Sewing
Stippling is a similar technique and is used to give a quilted effect. A hoop is often not used at all, so it is really freestyle sewing. Typically you move the fabric so that the stitching forms wavy lines which evenly cover the fabric but do not intersect. You may need to increase the bobbin tension slightly. The rule is fast foot, slow hand. It takes practice.
Stippled Embroidery Designs.
There are many digitized embroidery designs available now specially created for stippling. Find out more about them in our Redwork Section or see the Stipple Designs available. They enable you to stipple designs in beautiful patterns, automatically without having to move the cloth by hand. You need to be able to place your cloth either in the embroidery hoop, or secure it on top of the hoop with adhesive stabilizer to sew out the stipple design. The hoop is then placed on your embroidery unit, and you embroider the design. Add batting for a quilted effect. | 
