What is Free Motion Embroidery?
I’ve been reviewing my textile art journey for the past year and I realised that one of the most frequently asked questions I get, if not the one at the top of the list, is “What is free motion embroidery?”. I get this question from curious visitors who are dropping by the exhibition, and rightly so because many of them are used to one type of embroidery, and that is the traditional shaded embroidery seen on typically seen on clothing and portrait / flower art. So, I thought it would be a good time, to put down my thoughts on what exactly this technique is!
It’s just like drawing with a pencil
Just imagine you have a pencil in your hand. Take the pencil and quickly draw a flower on a piece of paper, or write your name in cursive. Now just imagine if you could do this with a sewing machine. Instead of a pencil you have a needle with thread, and in place of the piece of paper, you have fabric in an embroidery hoop. While you may be familiar with the sewing according being used to sew a garment or a bag, with free motion embroidery, you use your creativity and move the embroidery hoop in whatever direction you want it to go!
Free motion embroidery in the past
Western techniques
Free motion embroidery is by no means a new technique. In fact, it has been around for over 100 years, if not more. Back then, the first sewing machines were not operated by electricity, and relied on using manual labour. Some of you may be old enough to remember the treadle sewing machine that was operated by foot movement on a metal pedal located below the sewing machine. Because of it’s construct, it was definitely not a portable.
I came across this Singer instruction booklet for Art Embroidery in the US archives. It was first published in 1911! The level of detail and instructions are amazing, I’ve included a few snapshots below. The projects include shaded embroidery, gold embroidery, different types of lace, including Hedebo Lace and Cluny Lace, and there is even a section on open net embroidery. It really gives a window into the Western fashion sense at the beginning of the 1900s too, and if you read some of the instructions, DMC thread is recommended!
The instructions are suited for the treadle sewing machine, so if you have one, then it’s worth exploring, but I’m sure it can be adapted to the current version of sewing machine too.
Asian Techniques
I tried to search for uses of free motion embroidery in Asia. The area that cropped up the most was sulam (probably because I was searching in romanised text!). The word sulam in Malay means embroidery.
With the treadle sewing machine the types of sulam created are intricate floral / geometric motifs and patterns on the traditional upper garment worn by the women of South East Asia. These garments are made from colourful lightweight fabrics, with cutwork embroidery. In Singapore, my friend, Heath Yeo, who under the tutelage of late Madam Mok Tai Ee, mastered this technique shares some of his sulam embroidery in this video. It’s in Mandarin but you can forward the video to see his beautiful works.
Heath has earlier lamented to me that it is a shame that this tradition is dying out. Not only do traditional crafts like these need to face the head on challenge of computerised sewing machines, but also the everchanging tastes of the people towards more ‘modern’ fast fashion clothing.
A group of women posing in the traditional Peranakan Nyonya kebaya. Image by Jamieson Teo from Singapore, Singapore
What can you do with free motion embroidery?
There are so many ways to apply free motion embroidery in not just textile arts, but in crafts. Here are a few things that I have tried:
Creating illustrations on fabric - draw your favourite animal or flower!
Creating textures - add depth to your creations by adding layers of thread, or fill in the spaces as though you’re painting a picture.
Creating sculptural forms - the results are endless!
It’s all about adding your touch and creativity to the piece. Free motion embroidery can be the main technique of your creation or a way of adding little gems across the piece.
Adding free motion embroidery on a tea towel
Learn free motion embroidery with me!
Join my online free embroidery workshop from anywhere in the world, and learn at your own pace.
𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘆! Join this comprehensive workshop to master stress-free free motion embroidery! I'll guide you through setting up and maintaining your sewing machine for seamless FME. Learn essential tips and tricks for your first sketch and explore how I translate nature into stitch with patterns of my favorite weeds and corals. To ensure a smooth start, you'll receive a troubleshooting guide to help manage any oops moments!
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