Embroidery is my passion. I love it when the needle glides through the fabric almost as if by itself, allowing the work to progress quickly. However, linen comes in various finishes, and not all of it allows for smooth, effortless stitching.
Once again, I found myself working with some very stiff linen, which required a fair amount of effort to pull the needle through the fabric with every single stitch. Even using a brand-new, sharp-pointed needle didn’t help. The embroidery process was simply not enjoyable.
In the Schwalm region, I had often been advised to soak such stiff linen in fabric softener. Rather than leave the project unfinished, I decided to give this method a try. I mixed some fabric softener into cold water, submerged the linen, kneaded it thoroughly in the solution, and then laid it out to dry.
Afterwards, the fabric felt much softer. But how would it be to work with?
I could detect no difference in thread withdrawing. The upper withdrawn thread line was made before the fabric softener treatment, the lower one afterwards.
The threads could also be counted just as easily.
The ironed-on outlines adhered well and did not rub off.
Embroidery proved to be much more pleasant—partly because the fabric one held in one’s hands was softer, and, more importantly, because the needle glided through the fabric with far greater ease.
Why not try it out for yourself?
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