Troubleshooting for Modern Embroidery

A needle is being dangled from a hoop by the thread.

Introduction

Let’s cover some modern embroidery troubleshooting before you dive into the actual techniques. Then these can sit in the back of your mind as you learn how to embroider.

So, take a deep breath, put your phone to the side, and let's dive into this fantastic world of embroidery together!

This blog will cover:

Unwinding a mistake
Dangling to prevent tangling
Flicking tails out

Unwinding a mistake: If you make a mistake with your stitching (don’t worry it happens to us all!), you have two options, which I’ll outline below:

Take your needle off your thread, then use the blunt end of the needle to pop out the previous stitches which need fixing. Do this one by one, by pushing the blunt end of your needle under the stitch and pulling up. Then restitch that piece with the same thread.

2. If your thread is firmly knotted, then you won’t be able to unwind the stitches - you’ll have to cut them out and re-start with fresh thread.

The blunt end of the needle in pulling out a stitch.

Dangle to prevent tangles: As you stitch along, your thread can start to twist up, making it more prone to tangling and knotting. It also means the thread doesn’t sit nicely on the fabric. So, every now and then, try lifting your hoop and letting the needle and thread hang down. You'll see that they naturally untwist, making your thread smoother to work with again.

Flicking tails out: Using knots to start your threads has a little drawback – those mischievous thread tails might get caught up in your stitching and pop out beside your stitches on the top side. If this happens, just flip your hoop over and find where the tail is misbehaving. Then gently nudge it back under the fabric with the blunt end of your needle.

Conclusion

So there you have it, modern embroidery troubleshooting tips that I think you will find super useful when starting out on your embroidery journey, and throughout.

I’m so excited for you to discover the exciting world of embroidery!

What's next?

Our beginner embroidery kits are a favourite among new stitchers for their simple, step-by-step instructions and beautiful designs that make learning easy and fun. Whether you’ve been wanting to learn embroidery or are just searching for your next creative hobby. These kits are the perfect introduction to embroidery.

Why people love our beginner kits: