Maria Potter of Madeira UK explains how to add texture and dimension to cushion embroidery
Whether you’re looking to expand your product range for Christmas or are planning ahead to the spring when the demand for outdoor accessories rises along with the temperature, this cushion design from Madeira UK is bound to kickstart some ideas of what could be achieved with some clever digitising and the right consumables.
Business development manager Maria Potter reveals how the plants at the embroidery consumables company’s new headquarters inspired her when creating this design: “Monstera deliciosa, the Swiss cheese plant, might be native to the tropical forests of South America, but it is also quite at home in the new offices of Madeira UK,” Maria explains.
Stitched with Frosted Matt polyester thread, these unusual techniques create interesting textures and add dimensions that make this impressive design stand out.
STEP-BY-STEP: EMBROIDERING CUSHIONS
(1) The design was created using Wilcom EmbroideryStudio Designing Suite and features a variety of stitch techniques, demonstrating how you can fill areas of a large design without adding bulk
(2) To stabilise the design, we used a single piece of our new soft 100g tearaway backing, BAN1X200W. To avoid puckering, hoop the fabric and backing so it’s taut within the frame. The hoop size used for this large 131,500 stitch design was 380mm x 438mm. For this tightly woven fabric we selected size 75/11 regular point needles
(3) Threads from Madeira’s Frosted Matt range were used in a mixture of 30 and 40 weights. These polyester threads have a unique matt finish, promising true colours without reflections that enhance the design’s elements with accuracy, precision and clarity
(4) The background is created by stitching the leaves using two different techniques: offset fill, and stipple fill. The stipple fill is set to a spacing of 2mm to give it a fine, delicate look. The offset fill is set to a spacing of 1.3mm, mirroring the stipple fill but adding a different texture
(5) The real magic happens on the tatami fill stitch with Florentine effect, bringing the leaves to life. Careful stitch directions are used to follow contours and curves to avoid the embroidery having a flat appearance
(6) The lettering completes the look with a raised flexi split basket weave pattern and a delicate 1mm satin border
(7) Once all embroidery is complete and removed from the hoop, we lightly sprayed around the edge of the design with Eco-Hoop (made by Ecozone), designed to remove any hoop marks left on the fabric. It smells great too!
