THREAD PAINTING

Thread painting is an embroidery process whereby a sewing machine or embroidery machine is used to create patterns on textiles. It is used commercially in product branding, corporate advertising, and uniform adornment. Hobbyists also machine embroider for personal sewing and craft projects.There are multiple types of machine embroidery. These include free-motion sewing machine embroidery, this uses a basic zigzag sewing machine. Much commercial embroidery is still done with link stitch embroidery the patterns may be manually or automatically controlled. More modern computerized machine embroidery, uses an embroidery machine or sewing/embroidery machine that is controlled with a computer that will embroider stored patterns, these may have multiple heads and threads.

So what is thread painting all about? Thread painting, or free-motion machine embroidery, is a unique way of embellishing your quilts by “painting” the images on your quilt top, clothing or anywhere your imagination takes you. The quilt top is your canvas and the thread is your paint. In thread painting, because the feed dogs are dropped, you are guiding the hoop and thus maintain control. You are only limited by your imagination as to what images you can paint on fabric.

Thread painting might look difficult, but it is actually very simple. No advanced skills are necessary and the best part is that no special machine is required. I call it my anyone-can-do-it approach. Set your machine to a straight or zigzag stitch, drop the feed dogs and you are in business.


I use two methods to thread paint my designs. The first is the tulle sandwich method which consists of two layers of tulle sandwiched between two layers of water soluble stabilizer film. The second is the direct method which consists of 1) bottom layer - two layers of stabilizer backing 2) middle layer -the fabric or quilt top and 3) top layer - a layer of water soluble stabilizer film on the top. In both methods, the design is traced on the top layer of water soluble stabilizer film and acts as a guide to thread paint the design.


Many of the students I have worked with take a look at my award-winning quilts and say, “Oh no, Nancy. I couldn’t possibly do that.” I always say, “Listen, I can’t draw. I can’t paint. But I can do this… and you can too!” Thread painting using my technique really is easy. Just take thread painting one step at a time and everything falls into place.