WHAT’S BETTER FOR CLOTHES: MACHINE OR HAND EMBROIDERY?
Machine or Hand Embroidery?
You decided to liven up your wardrobe with a few pieces of embroidered clothes. However, you are wondering if you should go to the store and buy some clothes that are already embroidered or add embroidery to your own clothes. You are also wondering if you should hand-embroider designs onto your clothing or if you should use a machine.
Both hand-embroidered clothing and machine-embroidered clothing have their pros and cons. According to printful.com/embroidered-clothing, the best method of embroidering will depend on the article of clothing you are looking to embroider and how quickly you need the item.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Hand Embroidery
Hand embroidery requires a lot of patience and time because you will sew everything stitch by stitch. On an emotional level, this makes it seem like hand embroidery is of higher quality and more value.
Are hand stitches higher quality?
Although it may have more sentimental worth, hand-embroidered stitches are often not of a higher quality than machine stitches because there are certain maneuvers that it is hard for a person’s hand to make. It is harder to make small stitches with your hands than it would be with a machine, and they will not be as precise and uniform. These inconsistencies may give a piece a certain homespun charm, but the design may not look the way you want it to.
You Can Make Changes as You Go Along
When you are embroidering by hand, making minor changes to your design is easier. You may realize that a certain color will look really pretty with the material you are using. All you have to do is simply change the color of the thread.
You can also make small modifications to the design as you embroider and modify the types of stitches you use as you go along. This can greatly alter the look and texture of your design.
Hand embroidery thread can be separated to create different thicknesses and textures, giving your design a unique look.
The Stitches May Come Loose
One problem with creating hand-embroidered designs is that the stitches may come loose. A person’s hand is not going to be as strong as a machine, and the stitches made by a machine will be tighter and more exact. When stitches are loose, they can easily snag. They are also more likely to come undone in the washing machine.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Machine Embroidery
Most embroidery machines today are computerized. This means you will simply upload the design using a USB port thread the machine, push a button and let it create your design. It can take days or even weeks to make a hand-sewn item, but you can make a beautifully embroidered design on a machine in about an hour.
The finished product will look like it was done by a machine. If you give this item to someone as a gift, the recipient may not be quite as impressed as they would be if you made it by hand. However, it will last longer and look better.
You will Have Less Control Over Your Threads
Machine embroidery threads come on a spool, so you cannot separate them the way that you would hand embroidery threads. This makes it more difficult to give machine-embroidered designs the small distinctions that can be given to a hand-embroidered item.
It Can be Expensive
Computerized embroidery machines cost thousands of dollars. You probably only want to buy one if you are going to make quite a few articles of clothing with embroidery on them or if you are thinking of starting a clothing business.
Fortunately, There are on-demand printing companies that will allow you to create gorgeous embroidered pieces without ever threading a needle or buying an expensive machine.
All you have to do is upload a design or create one using online tools. You simply select the article of clothing you want to put your design on. The company prints it up and sends it out to you.
Whether you hand embroider your design or use a machine, embroidery looks great and is a fun and relatively inexpensive way to express yourself.
