Free-motion embroidery
Drawing with the sewing machine: fit a darning or free-motion foot, lower or cover the feed dogs and move the fabric yourself.
What it is
Drawing with your sewing machine: feed dogs lowered, you move the fabric freely.
Who it suits
Anyone who likes drawing and already has a sewing machine.
What you need
A machine with drop feed, a free-motion foot, an embroidery needle, stabiliser and cotton fabric.
A first project
A thread-sketched picture of a simple object.
The free-motion embroidery guides
Beginner's guide
What you need
Techniques and stitches
How to set up your machine for free motion
Foot, feed dogs, stitch length and a test.
How to stitch your first free-motion lines
Practise speed and smooth hand movement with simple shapes.
First project
Mistakes and fixes
Next steps
Sources
All checked 1 November 2026. We read these; we did not test the products ourselves.
