Did you know that you don’t have to own an embroidery machine to personalize your sewing projects? Your EverSewn Sparrow 30S sewing machine has all the decorative and alphabet stitches a sewist could want (and probably more!). Here, we’re going to share some tips and tricks to make the most out of your machine’s decorative stitch catalog.

But first, some project inspiration!

Your imagination is the only limitation when using decorative stitches to embellish! Making a gift for someone? Embellish it with one of their favorite things (did you know the 30S has a dolphin stitch?)! The decorative stitch function on your sewing machine can add the perfect finishing touch to a pillowcase or tea towel. Grab some oversized button-up shirts at the thrift store and use the decorative stitch options to add flair to the shirts without having to hand embroider.

Are you a paper crafter as well as a sewist? Why not mix your crafts and allow the decorative stitches on your sewing machine to add a special touch to your next greeting card, gift tag, or scrapbook layout!

Take a look at the video below. Stephanie with Crosscut Sewing shares the capabilities of the decorative stitches on the Sparrow 30S machine. Stephanie has tons of good information to share about how to use these stitches and manipulate them to look how you want them to!

Using the Alphabet Stitches

The Sparrow 30S comes with not only one, but two sets of alphabet stitches! Your machine can stitch out block letters as well as script letters. What a perfect way to make a fabric tag for the garments you sew or add your name and a sweet message to the back of a gifted quilt. Just like the decorative stitches, the only limit is your imagination. And, even better, the 30S has a memory function so if there’s a set of stitches you use together often, you can save that design and have your machine stitch it out with the press of a button!

Stephanie shares more about how to use the alphabet stitches on the Sparrow 30S in the video below.

Tips and Tricks

We have a few things to remember when using decorative stitches. The first is to be prepared with extra thread. Decorative stitches use more thread than straight stitches, so you might need to have some extra thread on hand to complete your project.

The second is to know that the more times your needle passes through your fabric, the more chances you have of your fabric puckering with the stitch. If you’re using an intricate decorative stitch on lighter material, you may need to stabilize your material with spray starch or tear-away stabilizer.

You may also need to slow the speed of your stitch to ensure you’re getting the best result from the decorative stitch you’ve selected. Some of the stitches can be intricate, and slowing your machine down is a great way to make sure nothing goes awry!

Use a satin stitch presser foot when stitching decorative or alphabet stitches. The Sparrow 30S comes with a satin foot included! Also, it’s tempting to watch the needle while sewing, but especially when sewing decorative stitches, it’s important to watch the foot, not the needle. Your needle will likely be moving around quite a bit, but if you keep your eye on the presser foot your stitches will be perfectly placed.

Also, keep in mind that depending on the stitch or the material, you may need to make minor adjustments to the tension on your machine. We always recommend practicing on similar material prior to sewing on your actual project to make sure the machine settings are correct.

In fact, we recommend creating a sampler of decorative stitches on your most-used materials so that you can see how the stitch will actually look on your project.

As always, we LOVE to see what you create! Tag us in your creative projects - @eversewn on Instagram and TikTok.