Circular embroidery attachments from Jaycotts.
I do love machine embroidery but I appreciate that it is not for everyone for various reasons. I was intrigued therefore when I was browsing Jaycotts web site and came across these special machine feet.
These machine attachments are perfect for adding circular embelishing to clothing, table wear and anything else you can think of. They make beautiful quilts and make circular applique incredibly simple.
I also like the idea of circular pockets and felt coasters and tablemats.
This is the BROTHER CIRCULAR EMBROIDERY ATTACHMENT (There is a video showing it in use on the above link.)
This BERNINA CIRCULAR EMBROIDERY ATTACHMENT comes in two models dependant on what machine you have, so if you have a problem deciding which is the best for your particular machine then do telephone Jaycotts.
What do you get in the box? The Brother set comprises of the attachment itself plus the screws ,a quarter circle template, a braiding foot and a cording foot as well as the manual.
The Bernina set comprises of the circular attachment, the necessary screws and a screwdriver as well as the manual.
I am using the Bernina attachment. The two brands work in the same way, but you do need to use the correct one for your machine.
You need to back the area you are going to work on with an iron on tear away stabiliser . Gunold Iron On tear Away Stabiliser is ideal. If you do not stabilise your fabric then the circle will pucker as you sew and you will not achieve a perfect circle.
Attach your circular attachment to your sewing machine and change your foot depending on what you want to achieve.
I found it easier to keep an eye on the stitching by using an Open Toe Foot
Another nice foot to have is a Braiding FOOT this enables you to attach braid or ribbon to your embelishing, or why not try a Cording foot You may already have these feet in your sewing box, so check before buying new ones.
Keep an eye on the stitching as it progresses and make sure that the fabric doesn't bunch up under the foot. The Stabiliser will help to prevent this from happening.
You do not need a machine with fancy decorative stitches, you can obtain really nice results just with your utility stitches - zig zag,blind hem stitch, all make very suitable stitches to choose.
One thing you must do though is to test that your chosen stitch is not too wide for your machine foot.
There is a technical formula for calculating the number of pattern repeats needed to complete a perfect circle but you can do it by eye. Stop sewing when it looks like you are a couple of pattern repeats away from closing the circle and either measure each repeat and the gap left and use that to work out if you need to lengthen or shorten the stitch length to finish the circle, or just do it by eye.
These are two practice pieces I made. It is important to practice a little before trying to go straight onto sewing a garment or using your expensive material. After a short practice session you will be able to use it with ease.
You need to make sure that you have enough stabiliser - if necessary use two layers, and you need to make sure that your stitches work well for your design and that you are happy with the effect, and that's all.
I found that a nice effect was obtained by sewing a circle with an ordinary straight stitch, carefully cut it out and use it as an applique. Do not move the settings so that when you start sewing again you will be in the correct place - right at the edge of the circle. Stitches to use to attach your applique include a blanket stitch, satin stitch or just a zig zag. You can add more rows of decorative stitches as wanted.
You could also add embroidery or just a button to the centre of the design
This is my applique in progress. I have already sewn the circle in place using an open toe foot, and I am now adding another row of decorative stitching.
This is the finished applique. It would look fabulous on table linen or cushions. You can of course add more circles and have them overlapping.There are no rules!
These are my test pieces completed, I am going to keep them for reference. It really is very good practice to make some test pieces then you can experiment with different stitches and threads.
This attachment would make a really great present for somebody or a very nice treat for yourself, it is incredibly easy to obtain some really nice effects with it.
Do contact Jaycotts to check the compatibility with your sewing machine. Contact Jaycotts This is a fabulous attachment and you will not be disappointed.
Happy sewing round and round in circles
Angela
#sewing #sewingmachine #circularembroidery #embelishing #bernina #brother
