Embroidery: By Hand, Free Motion or Computerised Machine?

Christine Boyle

Creative Director - Sewing Tutor

Embroidery has never been more popular — and never had so many ways in. You can pick up a needle and thread at your kitchen table, drop the feed dogs on a machine you already own, or invest in a computerised embroidery machine that stitches while you put the kettle on. Three completely different journeys, all leading to the same joyful place: beautiful, personal stitching. So which one is right for you? Let’s have a proper look — the pluses, the pitfalls, and where each one might take you.

3 OPTIONS

BY HAND

Slow, Simple and Portable.
There’s something wonderful about hand embroidery. No plug, no manual, no learning curve steeper than threading a needle. Just you, a hoop, and a bit of quiet. A detox from the digital and a connection to rhythm; the ebb and flow of thread through fabric. An initial to personalise a garment or gift.

The Pros:
Relaxing — genuinely meditative. Many stitchers describe it as their “switch off” time.
Portable — a hoop, some thread and a needle fit in a handbag. Perfect for the train, the sofa, or a sewing retreat. I have brought mine to the beach and the park.
Low cost to start — you don’t need a machine at all, just basic supplies.
Business niche potential — hand embroidered pieces (personalised hoops, baby gifts, slow-stitched art) command a premium because customers are paying for the handmade story, not just the stitch.

The Cons:
Slow — a detailed piece can take many hours, even days.
Limited scale — not practical for batch work or large commercial orders.
Skill ceiling — some techniques (goldwork, stumpwork) take years to master.

Hand embroidery is where many stitchers fall in love with the craft. It’s also a genuinely lovely small-business niche — think Etsy shops, craft fairs, and made-to-order keepsakes. However it can be a sought after skill in the film and costume industry, with many productions having a dedicated hand embroidery department. When I made costumes for Game of Thrones, the master costume embroiderer was Michelle Carragher.

Fancy trying hand embroidery? Here is the Hand Embroidery Kit for Beginners I am using.

💡 Christine's Tip Use your embroidery designs to elevate and personalise your clothing. Add embellishments through thread and stitch and add sparkle with beads and sequins. Spanish and French fashion really inspire me. When I return from travelling, I just want to embroider everything!

FREE – MOTION

Freedom on Your Own Machine
Free motion is my personal favourite. Drop your feed dogs (or cover them), swap to a darning or free motion foot and steer the fabric like a pen under the needle. I have just embroidered a WB Yeats poem onto silk using FM and I love the result. I use it to create my fabric and thread fashion sketches and I love it for its freedom.

I have used both my Bernina 1008 and my Singer Featherweight 221K for FM.

The Pros:
Accessible — you can do this on a vintage machine, a basic domestic machine, or anything with the ability to drop the feed dogs. So no need to upgrade to a dedicated ’embroidery machine’.
Free-flowing and expressive — this is embroidery as drawing. Thread painting, sketchy lines, organic textures — it’s wonderfully creative and nothing is “locked in” by software.

The Cons:
There’s a learning curve — control takes practice. Your first few attempts are unlikely to be your best!
It’s hands-on the whole time — unlike a computerised machine, you can’t set it going and walk away.
Not all machines are suitable — older mechanical machines are often superb for this, but not every machine drops its feed dogs easily.

"Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths, Enwrought with golden and silver light"
- WB YEATS, Irish Poet

Fancy Trying Free Motion Embroidery For Yourself?

My Free Motion Embroidery Workshop is the perfect, low-risk way to try this technique before you commit to anything. You’ll learn how to drop your feed dogs, fit a darning foot, choose the right stabiliser and thread, and leave with a finished piece.

A machine that can drop its feed dogs (don’t worry — if you’re not sure yours can, get in touch and we’ll help you check)

Book your place on the Introduction to Free Motion Embroidery Workshop

COMPUTERISED MACHINES

Investment, Precision, Growth.
Then there’s the big leap: a computerised embroidery machine. This is where embroidery becomes scalable — and, for many stitchers, where a hobby can genuinely turn into a business.

The Pros:
Speed — designs that would take hours by hand or free motion stitch out in minutes.
Frees up your time — set a design running and get on with something else. Brilliant if you’re juggling orders, family, or a day job.
Huge variety of stitches and designs — built-in libraries, downloadable designs, digitising software, monogramming, multi-colour work — the design world opens right up.
Business growth potential — consistent, repeatable, professional-looking results make it far easier to take on personalised orders, workwear, or larger batches.

The Cons:
Cost — this is a genuine investment, often several times the price of a standard sewing machine.
A learning curve of its own — hooping correctly, stabilisers, digitising or editing designs, and getting to grips with the software all take time and practice.
Servicing — computerised embroidery machines are more complex mechanically and electronically, so they need more regular, more specialist servicing to keep them running sweetly.
Less “hands on” — some stitchers miss the tactile, creative freedom of hand or free motion work once the machine is doing the stitching for them.

If you’re serious about turning embroidery into a business — personalised gifts, branded workwear, a steady stream of orders — a computerised machine is often the point where things really start to scale. It’s a big decision though, and one worth making with your eyes open (and your budget planned!).

Thinking of Investing in a Computerised Embroidery Machine?
If you’re weighing up which machine is right for you, we service, sell and support all the major brands — Janome, Bernina, Brother and Juki — so we can talk you through real-world pros and cons for your budget and goals, not just the sales brochure. And once you’ve got your machine, we can help with training. Our servicing team is here to keep it running beautifully for years to come.

The correct needles, threads and stablisers are essential for your project – these recommendations are available in our online shop.

SCHMETZ Black Super Universal Embroidery Needles, SCHMETZ Stick Embroidery Gold Needles, Gutermann Sulky 40’s Viscose thread, BRO THREAD Wash Away Embroidery Stabilizer.

Here are our recommended machines:

BROTHER Innov-is F540E Embroidery and Sewing Machine

BROTHER M330E Computerised Home Embroidery Machine

BROTHER Innov-is NV880E Embroidery Machine