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Embroidery Essentials Skills



Are you new to machine embroidery?  Or want to brush up on your skills?  This is the class for you!  Join us each month to learn essential embroidery techniques like freestanding lace, applique, tiling scenes, quilting in the hoop & more! Each month's project will inspire you, and you’ll learn tips to make your embroidery stress-free and fun! 

Join us in person, or virtually.  We are offering Saturdays in person, or Thursday evenings virtually.  Please note:  Saturday classes will begin promptly at 9:30.  Doors open at 9:00.

As part of our on-going 5th anniversary celebration, classes are only $10 each, or if you sign up for the entire year, $5 each.  This includes instructions and the design files to make the project for the month. IF YU ARE REGISTERING ONLINE: Register for only 6 classes and we will automatically register you for the remaining 6.

Prerequisite:  New Owners Embroidery class or equivalent experience.  You must be able to load a design on screen, thread your machine & bobbin as well as change your needle.  This class series will cover techniques and not machine operation.



November:  Free-standing lace bookmark



Learn the technique of free-standing lace, then use it to make gifts, holiday ornaments, and more.  You'll learn the basics with this multi-color lace bookmark.

November supplies:
Thread - three of the same color family, one light, one medium, one dark
Water soluble stabilizer, such as OESD AquaMesh WashAway
OESD BadgeMaster WashAway
OESD Perfect Embroidery Press Cloth
Embroidery needle - 80/12 ballpoint
Bobbins with thread to match top threads
Hoop size:  130x180 possible, but 150x240 or 200x200 may work better.


December:  Cord keeper In-the-hoop 



Make this cord keeper entirely in the hoop!  Make several to tame all those wild cords - chargers, power cords, and others.  Make a few as quick gifts as well. 

December supplies:
Vinyl of choice
Threads:  light blue, red, white, medium blue, blue gray (or colors to coordinate with vinyl if you choose a different color vinyl)
light weight tearaway stabilizer
OESD Applique Fuse and Fix
OESD Perfect Punch tool with 2mm tip
plastic snaps (1 set)
craft knife or buttonhole cutter
75/11 or 80/12 embroidery needle

January - Applique cut in place



February - Cutwork



March - Stitch and Turn bunnies



April - Piecing in the hoop



May - Applique using a template



June - Tiling scene



July - Quilting in the hoop



August - Patches



September - Freestanding applique building



General supplies:
Embroidery machine in good working order, including power cord, embroidery unit, embroidery foot & hoop(s)
Extra bobbins & bobbin thread or prewound bobbins
Basic sewing supplies - scissors, seam rippers, etc.

Please note:  Dates are subject to change due to staffing and/or conflicts with other events/conventions.  We will give as much advance notice as we can of changes.

Past classes:

October:  Embroidery on Towels.  Note date change for virtual lesson October only.



Learn which stabilizers to use on towels, and as an added bonus learn to add lettering from your machine to this fun fall frame.
Note that this is a large design.  Hoop size minimum 200x360.

October supplies:
Tea towel suitable for embroidery, white or cream
Thread:  light teal, dark teal, dark yellow, orange, red, light yellow, pink, dark gray, light gray.  Any additional colors for your lettering as desired.
Tearaway stabilizer with adhesive, such as OESD Ultra Clean and Tear Plus, Floriani Perfect Stick
Water soluble topper
OESD Expert Embroidery Tape TearAway or Floriani Embroidery Perfection Tape
OESD Perfect Embroidery Press Cloth (optional)
Temporary marking pen
75/11 or 80/12 embroidery needles


Skill Level: Beginner
Skill Details: Prerequisite: New Owners Embroidery class or equivalent experience. You must be able to load a design on screen, thread your machine & bobbin as well as change your needle. This class series will cover techniques and not machine operation.
Instructor: Sew What! staff
Instructor Bio: Melody and bunni will be teaching the Saturday classes, and bunni will teach the Thursday evening classes. bunni has been sewing since she was a teenager, learning the basics in high school (Thanks Mrs. Townsend) and has been in the sewing machine and embroidery business for longer than she wants to admit. Before opening Sew What! in 2018, bunni managed multiple locations for another sewing machine dealer here in Delaware, and in fact, worked for another dealer (Loders) back in college. You know, 10 years ago or so. Customers and staff think she knows everything there is to know about sewing machines and embroidery machines. She says she fakes it reasonably well.. Melody was taught to sew when she was 10 by her mother and has been sewing ever since. Her mom also taught her to embroider, including crewel and counted cross-stitch. Melody has tried other needle crafts, including needlepoint, knitting, crocheting, and quilting. Her projects usually start out with "Grandma, can you make...?" Machine embroidery is her current favorite.
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Call the store to sign up for the entire year for $5 per class. 302-397-8091

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This class cannot be purchased online. Please contact the store for more information.
To adequately prepare for classes and events, we ask that you please register at least 2 weeks prior to the start date.  Your space in class will not be held withhout payment.  Each class has a minimum, and maximum, number of students and may fill, or be cancelled, prior to your payment.

If a
minimum number of students is not met, you will be notified, and your class fees refunded, at least 1 week prior to the class start date.  If you need to cancel cancel, please call the store at least 1 week prior to class for a full refund. No refunds of class or kit fees will be issued for cancellations under 1 week before the class start date. No shows will forfeit class and kit fees.


Upon registration you will be emailed a list of supplies needed for the class. All supplies should be purchased prior to class. Classes typically do not include time to purchase supplies. Unless otherwise noted, all supplies are available at Sew What! Inc.  Students will receive a 10% discount on all supplies listed.

We are diligent about enforcing copyright laws; if a book, pattern or embroidery design is required for a class, each student must purchase their own copy. There are no exceptions.

Students should bring their sewing machine with all of the appropriate parts (including the instruction manual, foot control and power cord). Students must be familiar with the basic operation (i.e. winding a bobbin and threading the machine) of their machine for creative classes, and the machine must be in good working condition. Alternatively, a student may pre-register to rent a sewing machine (when avail;able) for creative classes at a rental rate of $15 per class session.  Students who experiences great difficulty with their sewing machine during class may need to rent a machine.

Please be considerate of others. Do not bring children to class, wear heavy perfume or use cell phones during class. Please be prepared to start class on time.  Our doors typically open 30 minutes prior to your class start time to allow you to set up your sewing space. Classes begin and end promptly at the scheduled time.