Embroider

Today the word is embroider. I was trying to decide how to decorate the pockets of the jeans I just cut out and thought maybe some machine embroidery would enhance the pockets nicely. So I used the scraps and tested some patterns. I purchased these roses from a digitizer who sells on Oregonpatchworks.com. If I had a digitizer program I would make my own machine embroider images because I cannot find exactly what I want. 

Scraps - these scraps are not really big enough to make much, maybe doll cloths, or quilt scraps if you use denim for quilts but save them for as long as you work on your project. 

This is also why you save the scraps when you work on projects. These little strips and pieces are great for testing something before you sew on the actual garment. This goes for an embroidery test sew out, checking how a specific needle works with the fabric, testing tension and making any adjustments on your machine or even testing features like how to make button holes and other techniques. These embroidery tests will not go to waste though because I will just sew around the edges and make them into little patches to use on other things.

Testing a pattern. I used a verigated thread for the top green and tested some pinks for the rose.

After test sewing these embroidery pieces, I decided to go with something much more subtle. I am not sewing any contrast decorative seams so I decided against using any of the embroidery on this project. Maybe they will work well for the next project. 

Testing Purple threads

For this project, I am going to sew arcs much like the original style, but with thread that matches the fabric. The double needle will slightly raise the fabric. As the pocket ages the design will be more visible, but now the embellishment will barely show. To get the arcs just right I will use two round plates, one smaller than the other and trace the arcs in place.

From http://www.etymonline.com here are some words that apply to this post.

Decorate

decorate (v.) 

early 15c., from Latin decoratus, pp. of decorare "to decorate, adorn, embellish, beautify," from decus (gen. decoris) "an ornament," from PIE root*dek- "to receive, be suitable" (see decent). Related: Decorated; decorating.

Embroider

embroider (v.) 

late 14c., from Anglo-French enbrouder, from en- "in" (see en- (1)) + broisder "embroider," from Frankish *brozdon, from P.Gmc. *bruzdajanan. Spelling with -oi- is from c.1600, perhaps by influence of broiden, irregular alternative Middle English pp. of braid (v.). Related: Embroidered;embroidering.

Embellish

embellish (v.) 

mid-14c., "to render beautiful," from Old French embelliss-, stem of embellir "make beautiful, ornament," from em- (see en- (1)) + bel "beautiful," from Latin bellus (see bene-). Meaning "dress up (a narration) with fictitious matter" is from mid-15c. Related: Embellished; embellishing.

Patch

patch (n.1) 

"piece of cloth used to mend another material," late 14c., of obscure origin, perhaps a variant of pece, pieche, from Old North French pieche (seepiece (n.)), or from an unrecorded Old English word. Phrase not a patch on "nowhere near as good as" is from 1860.

Scrap

scrap (n.1) 

"small piece," late 14c., from O.N. skrap "scraps, trifles," from skrapa "to scrape" (see scrape). Meaning "remains of metal produced after rolling or casting" is from 1790. Scrap iron first recorded 1823.

Thread

thread (n.) 

Old English þræd "fine cord, especially when twisted" (related to þrawan "to twist"), from P.Gmc. *thrædus (cf. Middle Dutch draet, Dutch draad, Old High German drat, German Draht, Old Norse þraðr), from suffixed form of root *thræ- "twist" (see throw). Meaning "spiral ridge of a screw" is from 1670s. Threads, slang for "clothes" is 1926, American English.