10 Essential Tools Every Machine Embroiderer Needs

If you were starting from scratch right now and stocking your work room, what are the things you’d absolutely have to have? Each person’s answer would probably vary in details a little bit, one person advocates for one brand over another, the next person doesn’t see a need to a particular item, but there would also probably be a lot of overlap. In this post, I’m going to spotlight the overlap, the tools that the majority of machine embroiderers would agree are necessary.

Tool #1: Applique Scissors – As you can tell from the design catalog, here at Lynnie Pinnie, we like applique. Really like applique. Because we like applique, we’re also fans of applique scissors. For those who aren’t familiar, applique scissors allow for cutting extremely closely to your stiches with being in danger of accidentally cutting threads you don’t want to cut. Definitely a good investment if you like applique.

Tool #2: Needles – I know, you’re all looking at me and shaking your heads in bemusement. “Oh course we need needles, Kristine,” you’re all saying, “you can’t embroider without needles.” And you have a point, but it’s the type and size of needle that can matter. Even if it’s as basic as a ballpoint or a sharp, the type of needle you use and how often it’s changed can have a real impact on your embroidery. So make sure you’ve investigated what needle types are out there and why you might want to use them.

Tool #3: Hoops – Yes, in the hoop projects are fun, but hoops are for much more than that. Most machines come with a few standard hoops, but there are a variety of types of hoops available, some designed for specific types of embroidery, and others made of specific materials. It’s wise to have a variety of hoops on hand, so you can take on any embroidery challenge.

Tool #4: Stabilizer – I wrote an entire book on this subject, so you had to know stabilizer was going to make this list. The thing to remember here is that there are a wide variety of stabilizers available. Some are more all purpose and some are for a specific job. Make sure you have a good array of stabilizers on hand and that you understand how each type should and could be used.

Tool #5: Machine oils and maintenance tools – Conventional wisdom can tell you that it isn’t wise to mess with your embroidery machine, but there’s a difference between messing and maintaining. At the very least, it’s wise to have some machine oil to keep your machine lubricated. A small set of basic tools could also be helpful. Most machines will come with basic instructions for maintenance.

Tool #6: Seam Ripper – No one likes to think about it, but mistakes do happen. Sometimes the stitches that went in have to come out. A seam ripper allows you to pull out the stitches that ended up where they weren’t supposed to be or how they weren’t supposed to be.

Tool #7: Tweezers – Another handy little tool that allows you to grab loose threads, hold threads that need snipping, and weed those hard to reach areas. A good pair of tweezers can help you tidy up a messy applique or grab those pesky jump stitches that need snipping.

Tool #8: Scissors – I know we talked about applique scissors earlier, but they’re not the only sort of scissors that should be in your arsenal. Depending on what you do, you might need dressmakers shears, pinking shears, basic embroidery scissors, curved embroidery scissors or snips. Not to mention all the scissors with pretty colored or patterned handles.

Tool #9: Fabric marking pen – Want to make sure that applique lands in exactly the right place? Enter the fabric marking pen, or pencil or chalk. This is a tool that allows you to mark your spot on your fabric. Most temporary or semi permanent.

Tool #10: Ruler – The unsung and often forgotten hero of the work room. Need to measure a garment for exact placement? You need a ruler. Need to cut a straight edge for applique? Ruler. Cutting pieces of fabric to exact dimensions for a quilt? Ruler.

While this isn’t an exhaustive list of every tool that a machine embroiderer might need, we think it’s a good start. If you think we missed something, leave us a comment and let us know!

Native BX Fonts

If you’ve been around Lynnie Pinnie for any length of time, you may have noticed we like a Native BX font around here. In fact, Lynnie Pinnie may have one of the most extensive collections of Native BX fonts available. Lyndsie Salcido, Lynnie Pinnie’s owner, has become expert in designing these sorts of fonts and there are some reasons for that.

One big reason we love these fonts is that Native BX fonts can be resized without losing their original properties or integrity. If you try to resize a regular font, the software you’re using will do its best, but there may be distortion. Stitch lengths may become longer, and stitch type may be distorted as well. With Native BX fonts, you can size up or down and the properties that were designed into the font stay the same.

Another great thing about the Native BX fonts is the “nearest point” option, which moves the starting and end point between letters so that the font stitches without any jumps in between. If you’ve spent tons of time cutting jump stitches off a finished piece, then you already know what a time saver a function like this can be.

As Lyndsie explains it, in a video she made about Native BX fonts, the Native font speaks the same language as the software in which it was created, Stitch Artist, by Embrilliance. Because if this, when you bring the font into another Embrilliance program, the two understand each other. If, on the other hand, you’re bringing in a stitch based file, you’re using Google translate. The software will do its best, and you might end up with a decent result, but you also might end up with a garbled mess.

Another fun option for use with BX Fonts is the envelope function. The envelope function allows you to curve text and keep the letters and spacing in relation to each other and also resize. This is different than just using a curve function and provides a slightly different look. Lyndsie provides another helpful video explaining this function.

If you’re not familiar with Native BX fonts and are wondering what they are, native fonts are object based, rather than stitch based, which means you only need a single font to cover all the sizes within the recommended size range. Native fonts resize cleanly, sizing up and down without distortion or adding extra or odd stitches. These are fonts that have been natively designed in Embrilliance Stitch Artist.

Check out the extensive collection of Native BX fonts at Lynnie Pinnie. Learn more about Native BX fonts on the Lynnie Pinnie YouTube channel.

Around the Web

Every once in a while it’s fun to take a trip around the Internet and note some of the fun and educational things that are happening. Many of the people that are mentioned in this post are friends of Lynnie Pinnie, and we know they are very worthy of your support. While we, of course, hope that you’re here to buy all the Lynnie Pinnie designs and fonts, we also want to help you use them to the best of your ability.

First up is a huge sale from Alexis Galloway at Sew Sweet Academy. She’s in the process of moving her site and, before she does, she’s having a sale on all her current tutorials.

For a limited time, gain exclusive access to funfilled tutorials including the Single Needle Hat Stitch, Canvas Lineart Stitch, Pop-up Patch Workshop, ITH Holiday Stocking, ITH Treat Bag, Cancer Awareness Patch, Lady Applique Patch, FSL Ornament, Seersucker Backpack, Lips Applique Patch, and the Towel Stitch.

And guess what? There’s a BONUS – an essential step-by-step guide to setting up your own Etsy shop!

Next up, if you’ve ever wanted to learn how to run an Etsy store, or you have one and want to learn how to run it more effectively, this class is for you. Katie Wubben or Trouble Me Knot Embroidery has years of experience in running an embroidery business and successfully selling what she makes. She’s also an experienced instructor having given many seminars at trade shows.

This class will teach you how to set up an Etsy store and how to make it thrive. You’ll also learn how to manage customer expecations and how to interpret your store statistics. Many Etsy stores fail because the owners don’t understand how to leverage what Etsy offers. This course will give you the ins and outs of doing just that.

And finally, the Applique Getaway is happening in just a few weeks. The deadlines have been extended, so there’s still time to sign up for classes or get in on a VIP Package. This event, founded by the owner of Lynnie Pinnie, Lyndsie Salcido, is a weekend of education, fun, camaraderie, shopping and more fun! If you love embroidery, vinyl, sublimation, rhinestones, crafting, embroidering or really any kind of creative art that involves thread, ink or bling, this is the show for you!

The show offers packages for every budget, and if you don’t want to take classes, you can come and shop using our free shop and social option. Whether you make a weekend of it, or come for the day, the Applique Getaway will be a wonderful experience, and you’ll get to spend time with your tribe.

Fun With Fonts

If you’ve spent even a little bit of time on the Lynnie Pinnie site, you may have noticed we offer a lot of fonts. When I first thought about writing this post, I considered going into the history of fonts and how they’ve changed over the centuries, which led me to the history of printing, and the changes in how the printing process worked and the machines that were used and suddenly I was down a rabbit hole of learning about printing. It was interesting, but not exactly applicable to what we’re doing here. So, I decided, instead, to talk about the types of fonts Lynnie Pinnie offers, and where and why you might want to use them.

Let’s start first with the Native BX fonts. These fonts are scalable, object based fonts that can be resized without distortion using Embrilliance platform products. Lynnie Pinnie has, to our knowledge anyway, one of the more extensive collections of Native BX fonts, and a wide variety of selections within that one category. Whether you’re looking for something fancy (hello, gradient script font) or something simple like a chain stitch, we have you covered.

Next up we have our Sketch and Triple Run Fonts. A lot of these fonts look very similar to hand stitching. Most of you may already know this, but sketch fill has a lighter density and fill then a regular fill stitch. The fonts are designed to let a bit of the cloth show through. This is fun if you’re doing an applique with or embroidering on a piece of a amazing fabric and you want the pattern or color of the fabric to show through a little more. Some of my favorite fonts in this category include The Fighter Chain Stitch and the Whimsy Doodle font.

One of the things Lynnie Pinnie is known for is applique designs (the founder of Lynnie Pinnie is also the founder of Applique Getaway, after all) and applique fonts. These type of fonts, as the name implies, are fonts that are designed to be used as appliques. You can use these fonts for monograms, for birthday shirts, really for almost anything for which you’d use a stitched out font. The difference in these fonts is that they include fabric, which allows you to vary their appearance based on the type of fabric you use. The applique also gives a slightly more 3-D appearance and makes the font stand out a bit more. These fonts are a fun change of pace and allow you to do something a little different with lettering.

Finally, let’s talk about the number fonts. A lot of these are applique, which makes them perfect for use in the monthly pictures of new babies a lot of people now take. You’ve all seen those, where a baby is posed on a quilt or with pillows or something that shows their age so you can record the progress as the child grows. These number fonts are also great for embroidering shirts for the first day of school, creating a shirt for the birthday boy or girl, or even creating a cute team shirt for your little t-baller or soccer player. Most of these fonts are applique as well, so you have the chance to make them unique by varying the fabric.

Do What You Love

For all that everyone these days seems to be promoting the idea of doing what you love and being who you are, we all know there are also judgy people out there. Especially when it comes to something one group likes and another does not. It could be people who don’t get your love of dark chocolate, or horror movies, or anime. Maybe no one in your orbit understand your fascination with space or superheros or horses. It can be tough when you’re the only one sharing your passion.

At Lynnie Pinnie, we’re a judge free zone. We know that there are as many ways to love things as there are things to love, and we just want to give you the designs that help you celebrate the things that resonate with you. Whatever your passion, or the passion of the little (or big) one who might be wearing or using what you make, we have a design for that.

Say monters are your thing. You love the jump scare, and horror movies where the monster shows up when least expected and scares everyone to death. Or maybe you’re totally in love with Monsters, Inc. and just want to huge Sully or maybe dribble Mike a few times. We get that too. Whether you like your monsters adorable and a little silly or more on the scary side, we’ve got a design to suit your needs.

Maybe you’re really into sci-fi and you know all the Star Wars trivia there has ever been or ever will be. Since you loved it so much, you introduced it to your daughter, and now she wants to be a Jedi when she grows up. You may not be able to give her an actual lightsaber, but you can embroider one on a t-shirt for her. It may not make the right sound when swung, but it will still look cool.

Could be you’ve always had a green thumb and your garden is your happy place. You love growing beautiful flowers or tasty veggies, and can’t wait to get outside and play in the dirct once the growing season starts. Whether it’s pumpkins or petunias, we have a variety of nature themed designs to be added to shirts, tote bags or garden aprons. Your love for gardening will be blooming all over your clothes.

Finally, since we’re talking about things we love, I couldn’t resist a plug for Applique Getaway, an entire show built on the love of applique, embroidery and other decoration disciplines. If you want to meet your tribe and spend time with people who geek out over designs, thread and the cool things you can do with them, as much as you do, AG is the place to be. Registration is now open, so come join us!

Choosing the Right Stabilizer

The correct stabilizer can have a huge impact on whether or not a job succeeds or fails. Of course, we all know that specific embroiderer who only uses one type of stabilizer for every job regardless of fabric or design, and does well. In most cases, however, a the right combination of stabilizer, fabric and design is necessary for embroidery to proceed smoothly and for the finished product to look its best. Choosing the correct stabilizer can make your production faster, your sew-out run more smoothly and your finished product look better. Because the decision of which stabilizer to use for a particular job can have such an impact, it seems only right to provide some tips on how to choose.

Let’s start with the types of stabilizer. At the most basic level, your choice will involve either cutaway or tearaway stabilizer. Even if you choose a specialty stabilizer for your project, it will most likely fit into one of those two categories. Because of this fact, knowing when and why you might want to use a particular type is crucial.

We’ll start with tearaway stabilizer. This type, as the name implies, tears away, so it is often easier and faster to remove. If you have a job with time constraints, where cutting away a stabilizer might take too much time, tearaway stabilizer may be a good option.

Cutaway stabilizer, as a general rule, has less stretch to it than tearaway, which makes it the preferred option for performance wear or other types of stretchy fabrics. Cutaway stabilizer may also be a good choice for delicate fabrics when pulling hard enough to tear a tearaway stabilizer away would perhaps cause damage to the fabric itself.

Your choice of stabilizer should take into account the following things:

  • The qualities of the fabric
  • Requirements of the design
  • Time available

The right stabilizer choice should improve both your sew-out and your production time, as well as reducing the amount of effort and time needed to make the final product look its best.

The second thing to consider is stabilizer weight. No one likes the look of a stitch-out that is extremely stiff or weighed down with a huge wad of backing. The general rule is that light weight fabrics should be stabilized by a light weight stabilizer, and heavier fabrics with a heavier stabilizer. The ultimate goal is to find a stabilizer that will stabilize the stitch-out without weighing down or distorting the fabric.

Don’t neglect the fact that the selection of a stabilizer can have a huge impact on how the design works. Specialty stabilizers are designed to work in particular situations and with particular types of fabric, so don’t pass over those options when selecting a stabilizer to use. A specialty stabilizer can have a great impact on how well a design runs and the appearance of the design when it is completed. Some specific specialty backings that should be considered in specific situations include:

  • Poly Mesh (Also called No Show Mesh) can be a useful option for polos and lightweight fabrics.
  • Fusible Poly Mesh (Also known as Cloud Cover) is useful for covering the back of an embroidered design to avoid scratching sensitive skin. It can also be useful for mitigating the stretching of performance wear.
  • R2000 (Also known as Action Back) (a polypropylene stabilizer) is designed to work with performance wear and to counter the problem of stretching.
  • Adhesive stabilizer (Also known as Sticky Back, Sticky or Peel N Stick) is useful for items that are too small to hoop on their own. It can also be used with performance wear to counter the stretching of the fabric.
  • Water soluble topping (Also knows as Solvy or cutaway/washaway) can be used as a topping or a backing. Water soluble can help monograms and other embroidery stand out on fleece or towels. Badgemaster is a useful option for patches. Cutaway/washaway is the perfect option if you want to make freestanding lace.

As has been noted previously, some embroiderers can go their entire careers and use only one type of stabilizer, and that may work for some people. The question is, why would you resist using all the options available? Specialty stabilizers have a variety of functions and qualities that may contribute to the smoother running of your jobs and faster production times. They can also offer the possibility of a higher quality finished design. It is true that the cost of some of the specialty stabilizers may be slightly higher, the end result will be well worth the slightly higher expense.

Stabilizer is the foundation on which everything else contained in an embroidery design is built. Just as you wouldn’t build your house on a quicksand or a volcano, don’t build your embroidery with a stabilizer that can’t stand up to the requirements of the job. Choose your stabilizer with care and after giving thought to the requirements of the fabric and the stitch-out. Taking the time to make an informed and educated decision will ensure that your final choice will be a stabilizer that can meet the requirements of your design and product schedule.

3 Summer Fashion Trends

We all know trends change. What was fashionable last year, may not be fashionable this year, and that’s just something with which we have to roll. Also, being fashionable isn’t something that concerns everyone. Some people are just comfortable going with the tried and true or classic option. Still, fashion can be fun, and keeping up wtih the trends can add some interest and spice to your wardrobe. Adding a trendy piece of decoration can also help upcycle a piece of clothing that may be from seasons past. While Lynnie Pinnie isn’t ncessarily about fashion, we do have some designs that will help you keep up with the trends for Summer 2023.

Florals – Floral patterns and floral motifs are big for Summer 2023. Some are even taking a three dimensional role. If florals are your thing, Lynnie Pinnie is more than prepared to help. Whether it’s an appliqued sunflower or a monogram frame with a perfect rose, we have options for you when it comes to floral designs.

Heart Motifs – They say home is where the heart is, but this summer fashion seems to be where the heart is as well. Heart motifs are popping up on everything, as part of fabric design or added to hemlines. They appear to be particularly popular on dresses. Luckily, if you want to put your heart into your work (see what I did there?) Lynnie Pinnie has you covered with a variety of heart designs.

Mermaid Theme – The live action “The Little Mermaid” coming out this year seems to have inspired an interest in mermaid style clothing. Either in the design or the decoration of the clothing. Lynnie Pinnie has long been a fan of the mermaid and has a variety of designs that will allow you to add a mermaid theme to any piece of clothing. Whether you want a mermaid princess or a mermaid themed monogram frame, we have you covered.

How to Photograph Products

A good product photograph may be one of the greatest selling tools you have, but getting a good photograph isn’t always as easy as we want it to be. Lighting plays a role. Staging plays a role. There are so many factors that go into not just making a photograph good, but making it one that sells a product. If you’re working to photograph your work for your business, here are some tips to help you get the best photos possible.

First up, keep in mind that it is possible to get a good, usuable product photo from a smartphone, if your smartphone has a good camera. If you plan to use your phone to take product photos on a regular basis, it’s wise to do research on cellphone cameras before you buy your phone. According to Digital Camera World, in 2023, the cellphone brands with the best cameras are Google Pixel 7 Pro, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and the Apple iPhone 14 Pro. If you want to take product photos with your phone often, it’s best to invest in one with the best camera that you can afford.

Next, whether you’re using a smartphone or a digital camera, invest in a sturdy tripod. While we all want to think we can hold things perfectly steady, that isn’t always the case. A tripod eliminates any wiggle or shake, even the most miniscule one, and ensures that you’ll have clear, in focus, blur free product photos every time. You can find a mini tripod on Amazon for $20 or less.

Once you have the method for taking the picture set, it’s time to stage your photo. What this means, essentially, is that you’re building the story you want your photo to tell. First, have a good neutral backdrop, which won’t interfere or compete with the product you’re showcasing. Next, build your atmosphere. Include the props you want to use, which should also be designed to be complimentary to and to showcase the main product. If you’re showcasing a baby onsie, maybe you have stuffed animals in the picture, or a baby carriage. If it’s embroidered rain boots, maybe you have an umbrella. The idea is to help set the scene in the viewer’s mind and get them thinking about how they’d use the item you’re showcasing.

It is important to have good light for your photos. Moody lighting has its place, but you want to avoid having photos that look dark, or photos that are so bright everything looks washed out. Your best bet, if possible, is to shoot in a room with lots of natural light. This 6 step tutorial from Shopify should help you use natural lighting for your product shots.

Keep in mind that shooting photos from different angles can help your customers get a full overview of the product. Generally, there are five angles that are useful. Eye level is looking straight at the product. High angle shows the product as if you were looking down at it from an angle. Low angle is the view as if you were looking up from the floor. Bird’s eye, as the name implies, is the view as if you were flying overhead. Lastly, slanted shows the product from one side.

Finally, remember that you can do a lot to create great photos with editing. You can color balance, add brightness, crop out items you don’t want or need and use a variety of other editing tricks to improve photos. If you’re a novice when it comes to editing pictures, this article may give you some useful tips.

Halloween Décor Ideas

Halloween is a fun holiday for a lot of reasons, one being that it’s a great reason to decorate! And yes, sometimes that decoration is crazy spider webs and smoking punch, but Lynnie Pinnie has a lot of great Halloween themed designs to help you make your space suitably Halloween themed. Here are some ideas for Halloween decoration featuring Lynnie Pinnie Halloween designs.

This adorable pumpkin trio would be great for a Halloween or Fall themed table runner. It could run along the edges or be sewn at intervals across the entire surface of the runner.

There’s a certain movie coming out September 30 that a lot of people are eagerly anticipating. If you’re thinking of having a watch party and want to create some suitable decorations, Lynnie Pinnie can help. We have a variety of witch sisters designs, but this one is a particular favorite. Imagine how cute it would be as a wall hanging, or embroidered on cloth napkins.

This next design gets my vote for cutest way to keep your trick or treaters safe while they’re out getting their sugar haul. This design would be cute if it were embroidered in glow in the dark or reflective thread on trick or treat bags. Safety is always important while the little ones are out trick or treating, and having bags which make them more visible would definitely help with that.

The next design could be a fun way to gain admittance to a haunted house or corn maze. Or maybe tokens to win toward prizes at a Halloween party. Badges of bravery for surviving the terrors of a haunted house? The options are endless with these fun Halloween themed badges.

We all know that Halloween is about two things, dressing up and candy. Why not stop beating around the bush and give your little ghosts and goblins a trick or treat bag that states their true allegiance? This bag takes all the questions out of the equation.

If you have a child that’s a bit shy, or one who’s non-verbal, saying Trick or Treat may not be something they’re able to do. In those cases, this design does the talking for them. Embroider it on a trick or treat bag, and they can simply show it. This could also be a great design to go on party favors for bags of candy at a Halloween party.

And finally, we have this adorable treat pocket witch, who is holding her share of the tasty Halloween treats. A perfect Halloween party favor, this could also be a great way to distribute treats to your child’s classmates. Another option for this would be to add store or company names, and sell them to companies participating in civic trick or treat activities.

How to stitch Lynnie Pinnie Faux Chenille Fonts and Designs

Supplies needed:

  • Purchase this font and other chenille fonts and designs HERE
  • HTV: Heat transfer vinyl (Cricut brand iron on was used in this sample – available in many big box and craft stores). PEEL OFF PLASTIC CARRIER SHEET BEFORE STITCHING. Glitter and flocked vinyl are the easiest to tear away. We do not recommend smooth.
  • Tape
  • Your choice of embroidery thread, garment or blank, and appropriate stabilizer for your garment or blank. This is a dense font that you will need to stabilize well.
  • Optional – vinyl weeding tool
  • Optional – embroidery software. I used Embrilliance Essentials to set up my lettering, color sort my design, and print a template.
Heat Transfer vinyl. You will need to peel away the plastic carrier sheet before stitching.
My printed template and heat transfer vinyl with carrier sheet peeled back.

Let’s get stitching!

I hooped and stabilized my garment, and then stitched step 1, my placement stitch, in a color that closely matches the HTV.

Next, I laid the HTV over the placement stitch, making sure to cover all of the placement stitches. I used a bit of tape to hold it in place because the embroidery machine needle tends to lift and move the HTV. The HTV plastic carrier sheet has been removed.

The next step will be your tack down stitch. I used the same thread color again.

If you are stitching the larger faux chenille designs, stitches will go over the HTV to prevent bubbling so its important that your thread is a close color match.

After the vinyl was tacked down, I used my choice of thread colors for the letters and outlines.

The final stitch will be an outline around the letters. Again, I used a thread color that matches the HTV.

Now for the fun part!

Carefully peel away the excess HTV. You can use a vinyl weeding tool to help with small areas. If you stitch this font in a smaller size, like I did, you can leave the small areas that are inside the holes, for example, inside the letter “E”, or you can weed them out. It’s up to you!

Examples of small areas are circled in pink. Leave them or remove them – your choice!
Excess vinyl pulls away, no scissors or trimming required!

Final step – don’t skip this!

Once you have removed all of the excess vinyl, follow the instructions on the vinyl package to fuse the HTV to your garment or blank with a heat press or iron. USE A TEFLON SHEET OR PRESSING CLOTH TO PROTECT THE EMBROIDERY!

All done!

This font is such a great way to achieve a look that would be otherwise impossible (or at least VERY difficult) in a smaller size. Yes, it is a dense, higher stitch count design but personally, I would rather let the machine stitch this out than try to trim a piece of fabric this small with scissors. NO THANKS!

The stitches lie flat – the faux chenille look is achieved with a unique stitch pattern.

Feel free to Contact Us with any questions.

Happy Stitching!