Hi There,
First off what machine do you have? If you own a machine that has fonts to embroider I am sure your manual has step by step instructions. If your machine has no embroidery fonts and you want to use just your zig zag setting, I would suggest you practice on scrap material that you have traced your letters on ajust the stitch length and width to determine the look you are going for. You should use a backing on which ever type of machine you use. Hope this helps, I am sure others will respond with more.
Good Luck
Cindy

Thanks Cindy, I guess i will have to try and freehand this. My machine does embroidery and monograms, but y ou have to put the material in a hoop and draw the design on. I ll have to play around with it.

deb

there are some terrific books on the art og hand embroidery. and you can draw the words or get iron on transfers and then sew over them, the transfer lifts with water.

Now that there is machine embroidery, people forget the days when any of us who wanted a name of motif had to do it by hand. Hurrah for you for giving it a try.

The best way to embroidery lettering or monograms is with an embroidery software program where you can just type in the letters and save the file. This is called a keyboard fonts program. Embroidery Magic is one that is easy to use and not expensive at all - Only $39.95 . It also does other thing too. they have it at the Thread Artist site and there is a Tutorial for it also.

Here is a link that might be useful: Embroidery Magic at Thread Artist

barb,thanks for the link. i checked it out, but its for embroidery machines, which i dont have. just a standard machine. i think i need to learn how to do it by hand, LOL

deb

I just started sewing again, and wanted to add some embroidery embellishment to a few baby items for my neice who is expecting. My mom and gramma taught me to embroider eons ago, but I hadn't done it in eons either. I picked up a book at Hobby Lobby for a refresher and found it to be very helpful - "Teach Yourself to Embroidery" by Donna Kooler. It was only $8.96 and has some good illustrations and instruction.

I did a small piece last night in about 30 minutes just to add a little to a bib (my first sewing in ages too). Do NOT look at my ugly uneven machine stitches though. ;)

cindy what a beautiful job you did! you should feel awesome about this!!!! thank you so much for sharing. and for the name of the book. we have a hobby lobby near here that i visit a lot. i will look for this book - great tip and thank you very much!

deb

Why not print off the monogram using your computer, and then trace it onto your fabric if it is thin enough. Or
you could transfer it, using a transfer pencil.

LoRee, that is a good idea! I actually found some of that waste fabric - i had not thought of that but i could transfer a design on that and sew that tear away fabric . now i just need to learn the stitches! thanks, deb