presents

FREE
4 CUTWORK
PROJECTS

3 4

cmeEbook TOC_COV.indd 1 1/25/11 12:48:19 PM

 FREE
4 CUTWORK
PROJECTS
While cutwork designs may seem complicated, they’re actually very simple and provide a
stunning finish on both home-dec items and garments alike. Most cutwork designs follow a
similar three-step process. First, the design outline is stitched. After the outline is complete,
the hoop is removed from the machine, and then the fabric inside the outline is trimmed
away. After the trimming is complete, the hoop is placed back onto the machine to stitch
the remaining design.
The four projects included in this e-book are sure to get your creative juices flowing.
Create a stylish blouse in “A Cut Above,” an adorable Easter table runner in “Bunny Trail,”
a sassy asymmetrical top in “Fashion Forward” and a cute bag in “Simple Chic: Straw Flow-
ers.” These four inspiring projects will make you a cutwork pro in no time!

Happy embroidering!

Colleen Exline
Associate Editor, CME

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A Cut Above
Shannon Dennis .................................... PAGE 3

2 Fashion Forward
Stephanie Corina Goddard ................... PAGE 5

3 Simple Chic: Straw Flower

Annette Bailey ................................. PAGE 8

4 Bunny Trail
Diane Kron, courtesy of Baby Lock ................ PAGE 10

cmeEbook TOC_COV.indd 2 2/15/11 4:01:27 PM

 by Shannon Dennis

3 CREATIVE MACHINE EMBROIDERY cm em a g . com

CMEP-cutabove.indd 3 1/14/11 4:29:37 PM

 Cutwork embroidery provides a beautiful finish for garments,
giving the illusion that you’ve spent days in the sewing room.
But cutwork designs can be embroidered with minimal
effort, so you can embellish a ready-made top in no time.

area over the stabilizer. Use the perimeter-baste

function to secure the shirt to the stabilizer.
SHOPPING LIST Embroider Step 1.
† button-down shirt • Using blunt-end scissors, cut away the shirt fabric
† coordinating polyester embroidery thread from the cutwork areas. Trim as close as possible
† lightweight tear-away stabilizer to the outline running stitch (A). Use the design
† small, blunt-end scissors template, instruction booklet or other visual aid
† cutwork embroidery design to determine the cutwork area locations, if de-
sired. Be very careful not to cut the stabilizer.

Instructions • Embroider Step 2. Make sure the cutwork areas

have clean edges. Trim any thread tails or fraying
Most cutwork designs contain three steps. Step one edges. Embroider Step 2 again, if needed.
is a running stitch that creates the design outline.
• Embroider Step 3. After the embroidery is
Step two is a reinforced running stitch and/or a
complete, remove the shirt from the hoop.
narrow zigzag that secures the fabric edges. Step
Carefully remove the remaining stabilizer and
three is the satin stitch, or embroidery work, that
clip any jump stitches. Press the shirt from
conceals the raw edges.
the wrong side.
• Load the cutwork design onto the embroidery
machine. Many designs show the three steps in
one color. To better identify each step, change
each step to a different color in the embroidery
machine or in embroidery software.
• Hoop two layers of lightweight tear-away sta-
blizer.
• Print a template of the design and audition it on
the shirtfront. The featured cutwork design was
positioned along the upper-right shoulder. Keep
in mind that the cutwork will expose some skin,
so make sure bra straps or excessive skin won’t A Trim close to outline running stitch.
show when planning the embroidery placement.
Or plan to wear a shirt underneath for a pop of DESIGN
Cutwork design: Pfaff Collection #392, Grand Dream Richeliu, Design #13;
color and strategically place the embroidery to (800) 997-3233, pfaff.com or myembroideries.com
achieve the desired look.
SOURCE
• Unbutton the shirt and position the embroidery Hilos Iris supplied the embroidery thread: hilosiris.com or theninaline.com/iris.

cmemag.com CREATIVE MACHINE EMBROIDERY 4

CMEP-cutabove.indd 4 1/14/11 4:29:40 PM

 fashionforward
Part 1 of 6

By Stephanie Corina Goddard

L.J. Designs
Annapolis Spice up single-color
cutwork with a scattering of
beads on a breezy asym-
metric top.

Supplies
Asymmetric pullover top pattern of
your choice
 Fashion fabric according to pattern

envelope,
plus 1 ⁄ 4 yard extra for rough-cutting
the front
neckline and sleeve hems
 Mesh water-soluble stabilizer

 Embroidery, bobbin and monofila-

ment thread
 Size 75/11 embroidery needle

 Pattern tracing supplies, including

dressmaker’s
tracing carbon and ruler
 Assorted beads

 Hand beading needle

 Cutwork embroidery design of your

Ken Clubb Illustration

choice
Preparation
 To support the weight of the beads and the
open areas in the cutwork, choose woven cotton, linen
or/blend fabric. Because some of the garment sections
will need to be soaked after embroidery,
be sure to prewash the fabric. Tissue-fit the pattern
and make any adjustments necessary. Determine
the finished sleeve length and draw it on the pattern
piece. Omit the front facing pattern piece.
 Print or stitch templates of the embroidery motifs.
The motifs must be mirror imaged for embroidery on
each side of the neckline. Be sure to include all cross
marks and hoop marks on the templates.

5 CREATIVE MACHINE EMBROIDERY cm em a g . com

CMEP-070400-074076.indd 5 1/21/11 7:06:29 PM

d
 On the pattern front, draw a line to
indicate the center front. Use the tem-
plates to audition the motif for a pleasing
arrangement around the neckline.
(It’s OK if some of the embroidery runs
off the
shoulder.) Motifs must meet at the center
front.
 Tape the template in place on one side
of the neckline pattern. Mark the center
and crossmarks onto the pattern. Flip
the template over as if mirror imaging
the motif and mark the other side of the
neckline.
 Pin the pattern to the fabric following
the guidesheet layout, allowing extra fab-
A Mark shoulder stitching and cutting lines.
Mark center and cross marks for each motif.
cmemag.com
CMEP-070400-074076.indd 6
ric above the front shoulders and below
the sleeve hems for hooping.
 Cut out the front and back pattern
pieces; rough-cut the front neck and
shoulder area for hooping ease. Before
removing the pattern, slip dressmaker
tracing carbon between the layers. Mark
the shoulder stitching and cutting lines.
Mark the center and cross marks for each
motif (A).
 Repeat to audition and mark the fabric
at the sleeve hem edges (B).
Embroidery
 Wind a bobbin with a thread color to
match the embroidery thread.
C Begin cutting at upper edge of fabric,
B Mark fabric at sleeve hem
edges.
 Cut a piece of mesh water-soluble stabi-
lizer larger than the hoop. Mark a cross-
mark onto the stabilizer using a ruler.
Hoop the stabilizer matching the hoop
notches with marks on the stabilizer.
 Begin at one shoulder. Position the fab-
ric onto the stabilizer; aligning the marks
on the fabric with the marks on the stabi-
lizer. Lightly pin in place.
 Make any positioning adjustments
necessary. Pin or baste (by hand or
machine) the layers together outside
the stitch field.
 Following the digitizer’s directions,
begin the embroidery process. When
directed to trim the continuous edge,
avoiding seam allowance at shoulder and
angling to dot.
CREATIVE MACHINE EMBROIDERY 6
1/21/11 7:06:31 PM
 remove only enough basting stitches
to free the fabric for cutting.
 Begin cutting at the upper edge of
the fabric, avoiding the shoulder seam
allowance and angling to the dot (C on
page 75). Trim the fabric close to the
stitching line; do not cut the stabilizer.
Pin the excess fabric away from the
stitching area.
 For cutwork areas within the motif, trim
out fabric areas close to the stitching line.
 Continue embroidering the design until
all the satin stitch areas are complete on
the first design.
Construction together, with the garment front shoulders
sandwiched between (F).
Skip through any stitch-  Re-pin the front pattern piece to the
 Stitch from shoulder to shoulder, pivot-
es falling beyond the embroidered front and cut out the
shoulders. At the neck edge, remove the ing at the neckline. Reinforce each pivot
seam allowances or sim- remaining front neckline seam allowance point by re-stitching the corner for about
1 ⁄ 2” on either side, using a short stitch
ply allow them to stitch above the cutwork (D).
length. Trim and clip the neckline edge.
out on the stabilizer.  Construct the garment following the
Turn the facing and press all seam allow-
pattern guidesheet, substituting the ances toward the back. Understitch the

following directions for the shoulder back neck facing as much as possible.
Repeat to embroider the other half of
and back facing.
the neckline. Be sure to mirror image the  Complete the remainder of the garment
 Pin the shoulders right sides together,
motif. according to the pattern guidesheet.
 For each sleeve hem, repeat to embroi-
aligning the cut edges at the armseyes.
 Hand stitch beads as desired using the
There should be 5 ⁄ 8” empty space at
der in the same manner as the neckline. hand beading needle and monofilament
the front neck edge. Stitch but do not
 Following the manufacturer’s directions,
press (E). thread. 
soak the fabric in warm water and allow  Interface the back neck facing and
the pieces to dry. Press from the wrong Cutwork design: Husqvarna Viking, Disk
clean-finish the longer edge. #155, design 6
side.
 Pin it to the back neckline, right sides

Convert to sewing mode and satin stitch to bridge

any gaps in the cutwork. Use matching embroidery
thread to satin stitch.

E Pin shoulders right sides together, F Pin to back neckline, right sides together,
D Remove remaining front neckline seam
aligning cut edges at the armseyes. with garment front shoulders sandwiched
allowance above cutwork. between.

7 CREATIVE MACHINE EMBROIDERY cm em a g . com

CMEP-070400-074076.indd 7 1/21/11 7:06:32 PM

 simplechic
Embroidering details with style

Straw
By Annette Bailey
Makeover a plain,
ready-made straw bag with
embroidered cutwork.

cmemag.com
Flowers CREATIVE MACHINE EMBROIDERY 8

CME-0706-SIMPLECHIC.indd 8 1/21/11 7:12:49 PM

 Choose a simple appli-
qué design and use only
the placement stitching.
Remove the satin stitching
in editing software or
simply skip past it. Because
faux suede is a non-raveling
fabric, there is no need to
finish the raw edges.
Supplies
 Ready-made straw bag or bag
with straw front
 Large scrap of faux suede
 Cut-away stabilizer
 Three to six 1 ⁄ 2”-diameter sew-
on
buttons
 3 ⁄ 4 yard of 3 ⁄ 8”-wide flat trim
 1 yard of eyelash trim with
header
 Embroidery, bobbin and mono-
filament thread
 Temporary spray adhesive
 Chalk marker embroidery process.  Glue the eyelash trim around the outside
 Beads  Embroider the designs, stitching only three edges of the bag.
 Hand beading needle  Repeat these steps to embellish the bag
the appliqué placement outlines. Un-hoop
 Clear-drying fabric glue
but do not remove the stabilizer. back, if desired.
 Rotary cutter, ruler and mat
 Use small, sharp curved scissors to cut
 Flat toothpick Flower centers
 Floral appliqué design of your just inside the stitching line on the designs
choice and stabilizer. This creates the cutwork Using the hand beading needle and mono-
effect. filament thread, sew beads to the
Construction  Measure and mark the rectangle long top of the sew-on buttons. Thread a needle
edges on the faux suede wrong side with with monofilament thread and poke it
 Use software to combine several designs
the dimensions recorded earlier. Center through one of the holes in the button
in one hooping, if available. Otherwise
the cutwork in the rectangle, measure from the wrong side; thread a bead on
re-hoop as needed.
1 1 ⁄ 2” above and below the design edges; top. Poke the needle back through a
 Measure the front of the bag from side different hole in the button and knot the
mark.
to side and record the dimensions. Cut a  Use the rotary cutter, mat and ruler to end securely on the underside. Continue
rectangle 7” by this dimension, plus an in this manner until several beads are in
carefully cut out the rectangle.
extra 2”. place at the button center. Glue the button
 Using a flat toothpick, dab fabric glue
 Print or stitch a template of the design at the center of the flower. 
on the wrong side of the embroidered
and mark the fabric for placement,
rectangle perimeter edges. Carefully place
beginning at the center of the rectangle Daisy design: Creative Machine Embroidery,
it on the straw bag front, and matching Big Daisy; quiltandsewshop.com
and working your way toward each long
upper edges and sides, finger-press the
edge. Hoop cut-away stabilizer, spray with
fabric in place. Dab glue under the edges
temporary adhesive and adhere a rectan-
of the flower cutwork and finger-press in
gle of faux suede cut larger than the hoop.
place.
 For this project embroider only the
 Cut the flat trim to fit the width of the
outline stitching on the design. Use editing
purse. Glue in place where the faux suede
software, if available, to remove the satin
and straw meet (use the photo as a guide).
stitching or simply skip past it during the
9 CREATIVE MACHINE EMBROIDERY cm em a g . com

CME-0706-SIMPLECHIC.indd 9 1/25/11 12:51:38 PM

 Bunny
TRAIL By Diane Kron, courtesy of Baby Lock

cmemag.com CREATIVE MACHINE EMBROIDERY 10

CMEP-100400-BTR-028031r1.indd 10 1/21/11 7:24:29 PM

 Create an adorable table runner just in time for Easter.

11 CREATIVE MACHINE EMBROIDERY cm em a g . com

CMEP-100400-BTR-028031r1.indd 11 1/21/11 7:24:31 PM

 Cut
SHOPPING LIST Finished table runner size: 16"x48".
• From the home décor fabric, cut one 17"x49"
† 1½ yards of home décor fabric rectangle. Cut each short edge at a 45° angle,
† ½ yard of white fleece
forming points (A).
† embroidery software (with digitizing capabilities)
† eight ½"-wide pom-poms
† 1½ yards of jumbo rickrack 45º 45º
† water-soluble stabilizer
17"
† fabric glue
† thread: all-purpose & embroidery 45º 45º
† rotary cutting system
† appliqué scissors 49"

A Cut short edges at 45º angles,

forming points.

cmemag.com CREATIVE MACHINE EMBROIDERY 12

CMEP-100400-BTR-028031r1.indd 12 1/21/11 7:24:34 PM

 B Apply triple stitch
to form outline.
D Apply appliqué
satin stitch to
each paw outline.
Digitize
• Open a new page in the software
program. Load a bunny clipart
image. For best results, use a
black-and-white image with
little detail.
• Select the line drawing tool and
outline the bunny. Select the
shape tool and apply a triple
stitch to the outline (B).
• Draw diagonal intersecting lines
inside the bunny body (C). Leave
the paws free. Choose a satin
stitch and set the width to 1.5mm
and the density to .03. Apply the
satin stitch to each line.
• Apply an appliqué satin stitch to
each paw outline (D).
• Draw a nose, mouth and eyes on
the bunny. Apply a satin stitch to
each feature.
• Apply a satin stitch to the bunny
head and body (E).
• Save the design in the appropriate
format.
13 CREATIVE MACHINE EMBROIDERY
CMEP-100400-BTR-028031r1.indd 13
Embroider
• Print eight templates of the bunny
design and audition them along
the fabric rectangle perimeter.
Position each template approxi-
mately 2" from the table runner
lower edge and 6" apart. Once
satisfied with the placement, mark
each design center.
• Hoop a piece of water-soluble
stabilizer with the fabric, centering
one design center in the hoop.
• Position the needle over the design
center. Embroider the bunny outline.
Once the embroidery is complete,
remove the hoop from the ma-
chine. Using appliqué scissors,
trim away the fabric close to the
outline stitching, being careful not
to cut the stabilizer.
• Place the hoop back onto the
machine and embroider the inter-
secting lines.
• Embroider each paw. The first
design color embroiders the ap-
pliqué placement line. Once the
embroidery is complete, position
C Draw intersecting
lines in bunny body.
E Apply satin stitch
to bunny head
and body.
a piece of fleece over the appli-
qué placement line. Embroider
the second design color, securing
the fleece to the table runner.
• Once the embroidery is complete,
remove the hoop from the ma-
chine and trim the fleece close
to the placement line. Place the
hoop back on the machine and
embroider the third design color
to finish the paws.
• Embroider the bunny mouth, nose
and eyes. Once the embroidery is
complete, cut away the stabilizer.
Rinse to remove the remaining
stabilizer in warm water.
• Repeat to embroider each remain-
ing bunny.
Finish
• Turn each table runner edge ½"
to the wrong side; press. Position
rickrack on the table runner right
side along the perimeter; stitch
down the rickrack center to secure.
• Using glue, adhere one white
pom-pom to each bunny nose.
cm em a g . com
1/21/11 7:24:35 PM
CME Ad 2009:Layout 1 2/8/10 6:19 PM Page 2

EMBROIDER YOUR
HEART OUT
with Creative Machine
Embroidery as your guide!
Once you try machine embroidery for the first time, you’re sure to get hooked.
You’ll want new ideas, inspirations and techniques to expand your skills and to
get the very most out of your prized investment—the embroidery machine. Look
to Creative Machine Embroidery magazine to provide you with what you need
to successfully embroider anything and everything your heart desires.

In Every Issue
• top tips from embroidery experts
• runway trends reimagined with embroidery
• latest-and-greatest products revealed & reviewed
• free downloadable design offers
• projects to enhance your wardrobe,
your home & your life and more!

Visit www.CMEmag.com/subscribe to subscribe

to Creative Machine Embroidery today