by Gwyn Guthrie

Created on: January 30, 2010

Create beautiful monograms for clothing and accessories using your standard sewing machine!  This is an exciting way to personalize without the expense of an embroidery machine.  To begin, choose your project, gather your supplies and plan your design. 

Project: The ideal project as a beginner will be a flat surface item with a tight weave.  After you master the techniques, you can experiment with fabrics that are more complex.  If you choose to monogram on a pocket, it will need to be detached from the garment.

Supplies:

Thread – sewing thread and bobbin thread for sewing machine

Fabric/Project

Sewing pencil or tailor’s chalk

Stabilizer fabric

Standard embroidery hoop – one used for hand embroidery is appropriate but must be able to go underneath your presser foot. You may need to remove the presser foot temporarily to slide the hoop underneath the needle shaft, depending on your specific machine model.

Sewing Machine

Scissors

Planning the design: Consider the shape of the design that you will be monogramming. You can get font ideas from signs and logos you see every day or from font choices on your computer.  Sketch out the letter on a piece of paper and determine the size and shape for your monogram. Then review the stitch choices available on your sewing machine to decide if you want to use a simple straight stitch, zigzag, or a decorative stitch. Now, you are ready to begin your monogramming project.

Practice your design using spare fabric for your first effort.  This process takes patience, a steady hand, and a slow rhythm.  If you tend to sew quickly with the foot controls, you may need to hand-guide the needle instead of using foot controls in order to sew the design slow enough to stay within the lines.

To prepare your fabric, prewash to minimize the risk of shrinking. If the fabric shrinks after the monogram is applied, the monogram stitches will tend to pucker and become less appealing.  On a flat surface, copy your paper design work onto the fabric using a sewing pencil or tailor’s chalk.   Place the stabilizer against the fabric with the design side of the fabric facing you and the stabilizer on the back.  Place both the fabric and stabilizer snugly into the embroidery hoop, centering your design within the hoop.

Moving to the sewing machine, insert the embroidery hoop so that the top of the design is under the needle of the machine.  Set the stitch control to the desired setting (straight, zigzag or patterned stitch).  Lower the presser foot and begin sewing slowly along the design pattern.  Move the hoop gently and smoothly with your hands along the pattern. When you have completed the pattern, remove the embroidery hoop from the sewing machine, cut the end threads and trim the stabilizer fabric to approximately ½ inch around the design area.

You did it!  Your project is monogrammed and you have a new skill to share with your friends and family. Monogramming is very popular on scarves, bed linens, jackets, purses, tote bags, potholders, pillows and more.  In fact, there are entire businesses that specialize in monogramming services and with a little practice, this art form may be your new hobby or an avenue for household profit from your sewing machine.

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