The Magic of Drawing with a Sewing Machine – Free Motion Embroidery

(Yes, You Can Do It!)

I’ve discovered how to draw with my sewing machine – free motion embroidery (FME) has really become my new favourite creative trick. It looks intricate and fancy — like something only professional textile artists do — but honestly, once you get the feel for it, it’s wonderfully easy and incredibly fun!

Over the years I’ve shared a lot of projects that blend texture, recycled materials, and imagination — from mittens, slippers, purses, rope bowls, even bird pods & more. Free motion embroidery fits right into that creative world. It’s expressive, forgiving, and perfect for adding personal touches to handmade projects. Erase that idea in your head that it is hard to do…

What is Free Motion Embroidery?

Instead of letting your machine move the fabric for you (like when you sew a straight line), you actually become the guide (see full video below). With the feed dogs dropped (lowered as for the darning stitches) and a special darning or embroidery foot attached, you can move the fabric freely in any direction as the needles sews.

It’s like sketching — but with thread. That is what makes it perfect for me since I have spent many years drawing and sketching. Try doodling on paper… you will see.

Once you realize that, a whole world of creativity opens up. You can write, doodle, shade, and texture your designs, right under the needle.

Getting Started is Easier Than You Think

You don’t need a fancy machine or expensive software. Most standard machines have the option to lower the feed dogs, and the darning foot (sometimes called a quilting or free motion foot) is inexpensive. Some sewists use only the needle without a foot but then the fabric must be held in place. Thin hoops can hold the fabric taught and flat. The best thing is to experiment, the lowering of the foot lever engages the tension of the thread, remember that.

A few practice tips:

• Use stabilizer or an extra layer of fabric under your main piece to prevent puckering. I prefer to use some thicker fabric like a felted wool blanket or sweater. Adding a layer of batting also helps and give some great texture.
• Try slower speeds at first — it’s about rhythm, not rushing.
• Keep your hands relaxed and move the fabric like you’re drawing gentle curves. (rubber gloves can help with grip)

You’ll quickly get into a flow — that satisfying hum of the needle following your imagination.

My Favourite Projects Using Free Motion Embroidery

Here are a few of the ways I’ve used free motion embroidery in my own creative adventures:

Bring together some wool blankets and needle felting…

Personalized mittens like you have never seen before. (see my drawing with a machine in action in the video below)

Sometimes a print (like this Eco Print on wool) could use some extra definition.

‘Before it becomes a new handmade crossbody bag!

These bird pods are a made with Eco printed wool and free motion sewing that stiffens the fabric.

As you know, I love to keep fabrics from the landfill, so using wool blankets & old shearling makes for sweet slippers. The stitching reinforces the fabric and adds an extra layer for warmth.

Sometimes the stitching can be the star of the show. Using a water-solvable stabilizer lets you wash it away so that the fibres and thread stand out.

This Wooly moth has fibre wings held together by the FME!

Water soluble stabilizers come in many forms and textures. Since it will wash away the stitching can and should be more dense unless there is other material to keep it together.

These Leaf bowls are almost like a fibre stained glass!

Do you have a bag of yarn scraps?! They can also be sewn together (with the help of stabilizer) to create a new ‘fabric’. This scarf is called ‘Crazy Wool’ as the stitching can be quite illogical!

Maybe you want to design an Art quilt? Free motion embroidery adds so much texture, movement and line-work.

And who says it needs to always be fabric?! Leather does not fray and that jacket can now become a new Leaf purse!

Denim scraps become pictures; perfect? Nope, but still fun for a Bowler Bag!

Why I Love It

• It’s fast! Once you get going, designs come together quickly compared to hand embroidery.
• It’s forgiving. Wobbly lines and uneven stitches add charm — really!
• It’s expressive. You can capture gesture, motion, and texture that regular sewing just can’t.
• It’s sustainable. Perfect for upcycling fabric scraps or mending clothes with creative flair.

A Perfect Pairing

If you love making things by hand, especially with recycled materials, free motion embroidery gives your projects that next layer of artistry. It combines beautifully with:

• Appliqué and patchwork (great for those old jeans and linens!)
• Fabric collage and mixed media art
• Needle felting projects — cushions, wall hangings, or table runners

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Final Thoughts

What I love most about free motion embroidery is how personal it feels. There’s no pattern to follow, no perfection to chase — just your hands, your fabric, and your imagination. Perfect to making gifts!

If you’ve been hesitant to try, grab a scrap of fabric and start doodling. You’ll be amazed how quickly you fall in love with the process.

And who knows — your next upcycled creation might just end up with a few of your own “thread sketches” stitched right in.