Ann The Gran Community

I would like to make snowflake ornaments for Christmas this year.  I have not a clue how to even start.  I am new to machine embroidery and would love to try this out. 

Does anyone have any suggestions of an easy pattern to start with, what to look for and what types of products I actually need to start with?

Christmas Ornaments are my favorite thing to create.  They are fast, look terrific, and almost fool proof!

You first need a strong heavy weight water soluble stabilizer.  I recommend the Badgemaster sold right here.  For one thing, you get a commercial quality product, you only need a single layer and you get enough to last you for at least a year.  It is actually less expensive than what you buy at your dealership. 

Make sure you use the same color in the bobbin and top, and I recommend a #70/11 Sharp Needle. 

When you rinse your snowflakes, be sure you dont put the water down the drain.  Water soluble can reconstitute, so be sure to dispose of it where it won't stay in the drain.

Make sure that your design says "Free Standing Lace" (FSL).  If not, it won't work. 

Since you are new, welcome to the wonderful world of machine embroidery (ME), and check out my blogs which will help newbies as well as seasoned embroiderers.   Other blogs, like Stitchin' Shortcuts will help you too.  Spend lots of time reading, and you will find that it will assist you with your new craft.  Reading is less frustrating than a ruined project.

Pat, The Avid Embroiderer

PVA Film - Better Known as Water Soluble Stabilizer (re:  Snowflake Ornaments and Free-Standing Lace Projects)

Several references keep popping up on the Forum pertaining to water soluble stabilizer as a menace to the average household plumbing.

After reading some of these statements, I started spraying my projects outside with the garden hose. I would watch the stabilizer “goo” and drip; sometimes foaming depending on how much stabilizer was still left in place and then completely disperse onto my brick patio.

Then sensibility took hold. My workplace prior to retirement was a corporation in which diversified products were being developed and manufactured. Some of these ‘firsts’ were water-based adhesives used in disposable diapers, polymer hair care products, wet-end starch- based paper products, corn starch-based packaging peanuts. All water soluble. All developed initially to help the environment.

With that said, it leads to PVA / PVOH Film. Polyvinyl Alcohol. Water Soluble Stabilizer. BadgeMaster is a brand discussed often on this site. I can understand why. After learning about this particular water soluble stabilizer on these forums, I am in love with the stuff. I am currently doing free-standing lace snowflake ornaments for Christmas and many towel sets for Christmas gifts using BadgeMaster. Oh, by the way, for purpose of this post, I have rinsed all in my bathroom sink (chose bathroom purposely because of the smaller diameter of the pipe).

BadgeMaster’s parent company as best as I can figure is MonoSol LLC. I can get into micro-organisms, but that is the boring stuff and I am not a scientist. But, I do know that this stuff dissolves as it was meant to do for the environment; eco-friendly is the term being thrown around these days.

I can understand a plumber stating to not placing a film sheet into a drain. Probably the first thing that would come to my mind if I was told a film was placed in the drain would be saran wrap. Yeah, of course, saran wrap would not go into your drain - ah duh; unless you have a toddler and then anything is possible. And ladies, how many men (plumbers included) would even know what a stabilizer sheet was (no offense to the men embroiderers out there)?

After 3 years of rinsing my water soluble stabilizer in the sink, I will continue to do so. Of course, there are those who will remain on the side of caution and, of course, that is fine. Food for thought though for the skeptics.…Edible Film Strips; Listerine comes to mind and now Film Strips for Cold and Flu meds. Certainly can’t reconstitute there.

But, if you do have a clogged drain from the real culprits like hair and grease; drop 2 tablets of Alka Seltzer (hey, works on the stomach) down the drain followed by a cup of white vinegar.

Joan/NJ 

Thanks Joan and Judy-I love the forum because it allows for differing opinions.  Naturally, there is no single answer, there can be mitigating circumstances to support any opinion. 

I have used wss film for 8 years.  One thing that I have done, was to take some left over scraps and with water, recreated a sheet of film from the scraps.  There is no question that reconstitution is possible, and definately can be made into something quite dense.  Additionally, the first rinse that I would do in a sink has been very grey in color.  If I am uncomfortable with the water's appearance, I would not necessarily want it in my drain.

My opinion is based on several things:

• Not all plumbing can withstand a lot of debris.  Some of us live in homes with older plumbing that may not be really healthy.
• If you have ever tried spraying the wss film, you may have had the same experience I have had, which is goo that becomes difficult to remove without soaking or a full wash cycle.
• It is my opinion that the hair and other debris in the drain does not constitute the only particles in the drain.  I feel it is not a good idea to add more ingredients, especially something with these types of properties. 
• I prefer to err on the side of caution, I don't have a live in handy person who could do this type of clean up if it were to get clogged.
• The qualities that make Badgemaster such a great tool in embroidery, could make it an issue in plumbing.  I know that it would take a large amount of the wss to cause a problem, but sometimes it is the last straw that breaks the camel's back.

I am more comfortable not putting this down my drain.

Pat, The Avid Embroiderer

You are right there Pat,

 It definatly does give all of us all a chance to voice our opinions! Just so you know, I too live in an older home with older plumbing, our houses have both been more than 30 years old, I have never had an issue with the wss, in all the years I have used it. ( don't forget that I was sewing sandals for Moses here, been around forever!) I also do not use any type of spray on it, if I need it to stay put, I either baste it or pin it. I don't like what the spray does to the items I am sewing, See, there again it is personal preference. I also don't like the looks of it when it gets wet, you're right it is very gooey!

As far as having a handy person in the house, well, he is good for some stuff, but the last plumbing project suddenly became a new bathroom fixture! OOps, he broke it,LOL. So I just use drano once in a while, or if you are not comfortable or cannot use it where you live ( I know some places especially apartment homes and condo associations do not allow it), then some baking soda,alka selter(like Joan said), and better yet, even a little bit of fabric softener will work for getting it out of your drains completely. I also run some really hot water after for a little bit to wash it completely out of the drains. You are also correct in saying that it would take a large amount of it to do this,especially with using the kitchen drain so much and the bathroom one getting hair in it. But seriously a bit of softener will take care of it.

So along with all other things with sewing and ME, it is still personal preference by all!

judy

Stitchin' Shortcuts

I am personally older than dirt, but Moses was showing off those sandals at the watering hole. 

Pat,

The Avid Embroiderer

Oh! That's what he was doing! I thought he was trying to show off those nice legs!

I too am new to the Free Standing Lace designs and have no idea how or where to get started to create such designs. I love to digitize, but this is a new area and would welcome any and all suggestions, insturctions, tutorials, how do I create  a pattern? Please help.

Hello,

Welcome! While I am not a digitizer, I have watched these types of designs stitch out numerous times, they are amazing by the way! I would start with the idea to use a great stabilizer for your Free Standing Lace Projects. From what I see most folks like the Badgemaster for that part of the process.

There are, I am sure, any number of folks out there that will know more about the digitizing process for the lace. Just remember that there is 'Lace", then there is "Free Standing lace" (/referred to as FSL), they are two separate entities.

Since you already do Digitizing, my best suggestion is to try a few different FSL designs out and really watch them as they sew out. To me it looks like it involves layering the stitches atop each other, from what I have seen. I am sure someone out there who does digitizing will be able to explain it better, but that is what it looks like when it stitches out. Using different types of fills for each layer, and making sure it attach's to all exposed edges, so that it will hold it's shape.

Again, Welcome and good luck with your designs ,I am sure someone here will be able to answer your design questions.

And, there is so much more than snowflakes. 

This is a lovely Madonna and Child I recently found. 

Pat

Where can I get some of these wonderful FSL snowflakes and angels? I've heard that there's even more than just those as well. Could there be animals, bookmarks and other stuff? I wanna know! I'm dying to try them all!

Hi SewCrazyfor Cats:

Once you have checked out the ATG site for FSL items, go and do a general web search.  A simple Free-Standing Lace Machine Embroidery Designs should lead you to an interesting world out there.  There are snowflakes, snowflake ornaments, whole nativity scenes, Santa and reindeer scenes (all FSL), bookmarks, V-neck tee-shirt lace inserts, doilies, baskets, etc.  Half the fun is the search and the other half is, well, the finished product.

Joan

Joan is on the mark, as usual.

I have a carousel, ornament covers, more and more 3D types of FSL. 

What fun!

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