Table of Contents
- Primer: What Cutwork Embroidery Achieves—and When to Use It
- Prep: Materials, Design File, and Hooping
- Setup: Color Changes, Stitch Order, and Why They Matter
- Operation: Stitch, Reinforce, and Cut (Step-by-Step)
- Quality Checks: What “Good” Looks Like at Each Milestone
- Results & Handoff: Presenting and Using Your Border
- Troubleshooting & Recovery: From Tension to Clean Cutting
- From the comments: Machine model, price, and extra requests
Video reference: “Cut work Machine embroidery” by M embroidery515
Cutwork embroidery turns solid fabric into airy, lace-like art. This guide walks you from the first metallic outlines to the last precision cuts so you can achieve crisp, open petals on a floral border—without guesswork. Expect dense, supportive satin edges in turquoise, a controlled stitch order, and clean, confident cutting.
What you’ll learn
- How to stage the stitch order so cutwork edges stay secure
- When to switch colors and why density matters
- How to cut away fabric safely to reveal clean open petals
- Simple checkpoints to spot tension or alignment issues early
- Practical fixes for thread breaks, gaps, and wavy edges
Primer: What Cutwork Embroidery Achieves—and When to Use It Cutwork uses dense embroidered borders to “frame” areas that are later cut away, creating open spaces. In this floral border, the petals are filled and then tightly outlined before the interior fabric is removed. The result is delicate, dimensional texture that’s ideal for sheers and lightweight fabrics where light can shine through the openings.
Pro tip: Dense satin borders are your guardrails. They prevent fraying at the cut edge and keep the shape crisp after cutting. embroidery hooping station
Quick check: Before you stitch, confirm your design file includes well-digitized satin edges around all shapes you’ll cut out. That border is essential to a clean cutwork reveal.
Prep: Materials, Design File, and Hooping You’ll need:
- Embroidery machine and hoop
- Light blue (or similar) fabric, stabilized and hooped securely
- Silver metallic thread for the first outlines and fills
- Turquoise thread for the dense satin outlines
- Small, sharp, pointed scissors for cutting
- Digitized embroidery file (flower border design)
From the comments: The creator noted using SAKURA thread — “811 / 833” — in response to a materials brand request.
Watch out: Metallic thread is less forgiving. Poor tension or burrs can cause breaks and snagging. If you see fraying or kinks, stop and re-thread before it escalates. magnetic hoops
Hooping
- Hoop the fabric with stabilizer, keeping it drum-tight and flat.
- Ensure the border area is square to the hoop to keep outlines consistent along the entire run.
- Confirm the needle can clear the hoop edges during dense satin passes.
Decision point—your hoop: If your current hoop struggles to hold sheers without shifting, consider a firmer grip method. Some embroiderers prefer frames or stations that simplify alignment; use what your machine supports. magnetic hoops for embroidery machines
Prep checklist
- Design loaded and oriented correctly
- Fabric stabilized and hooped evenly
- Silver metallic and turquoise threads ready
- Sharp, pointed scissors nearby
Setup: Color Changes, Stitch Order, and Why They Matter This workflow relies on a predictable stitch order: 1) Silver outlines establish the petal shapes on the fabric.
2) Silver fills create a base in the petals—this supports the design visually and helps the following satin sit smoothly.
3) Turquoise outlines add contrast and lock down edges.
4) Additional turquoise passes increase density and provide a robust border that can withstand cutting.
Why the order matters
- Stability first: The initial outlines keep the fabric from shifting during fills.
- Surface for satin: A smooth base helps the turquoise edge look even.
- Cutwork-ready density: Dense satin is your barrier against fraying when the interior fabric is removed. magnetic embroidery hoops for brother
Quick check: After the first color change, confirm perfect alignment between silver fills and turquoise outlines. If the turquoise wanders off the silver edge, pause to correct before density builds.
Setup checklist
- Thread path smooth; no snags
- Bobbin tension balanced for clean satin
- Color change confirmed in the correct sequence
Operation: Stitch, Reinforce, and Cut (Step-by-Step) Step 1 — Stitch initial outlines (silver)
- Place the hooped fabric under the needle and run the outline pass.
- Confirm the machine follows the path accurately and the tension is balanced.
Expected result: Neat silver outlines mapping every petal and border segment.
Watch out: Loose outlines will telegraph as wobbly edges later. Address tension immediately if stitches look loose or tight. dime snap hoop
Step 2 — Fill petals (silver)
- Continue stitching to fill the petals with metallic thread.
- Watch for gaps or thin coverage; stop and re-stitch any problem area.
Expected result: Solid, shimmering silver fills that form a smooth base layer.
Pro tip: Metallic thread benefits from steady speed and minimal friction. If your machine allows, keep the thread path as straight as possible and avoid sharp guide angles.
Step 3 — Switch to turquoise and outline
- Re-thread with turquoise and run the first outline pass.
- Check alignment against the silver fill; any misalignment will be obvious due to the color contrast.
Expected result: Crisp turquoise edge closely hugging the silver areas.
Quick check: Pause after the first section to inspect both top and underside. Look for clean satin and consistent bobbin pickup. hoopmaster
Step 4 — Build density with more turquoise passes
- Allow the machine to continue satin passes, reinforcing the border and finishing the outer edge.
- Inspect the edges as the density builds. You’re aiming for a firm, even satin with no gaps or ripples.
Expected result: A robust turquoise border that’s uniform along the entire floral line.
Pro tip: If you experience skipped stitches during dense satin, re-thread and verify needle condition before proceeding. A fresh needle often restores consistency. embroidery frame
Step 5 — Cutwork: remove interior fabric
- With small, sharp scissors, carefully cut inside the turquoise border of each petal, keeping the scissors parallel to the satin to avoid nicking stitches.
- Work slowly; make small snips and peel away the fabric as you progress.
Expected result: Clean, open petals with the satin edge fully intact and smooth.
Watch out: Do not lift the satin with the scissor tip. If you accidentally clip a stitch, stop and secure that spot with a tiny dot of matching thread or restitch as needed.
Operation checklist
- Silver outlines and fills are complete and smooth
- Turquoise satin is dense and even along all edges
- All interior petal fabric removed cleanly with intact satin
Quality Checks: What “Good” Looks Like at Each Milestone After silver outlines
- Even tension; outlines sit flat with no looping or tunneling.
- Shapes match the design file; no drift in tight curves.
After silver fills
- Full coverage without thin patches.
- Metallic sheen is even; no snagged or broken segments.
After turquoise satin passes
- Consistent width and density; satin lays smoothly without ridges.
- No color gaps between silver and turquoise.
After cutting
- Edges are clean; satin shows no snips or fuzzing.
- Open areas look symmetrical across the border.
Results & Handoff: Presenting and Using Your Border Your finished piece is a floral cutwork border with silver-filled petals and dense turquoise edges. It’s ready to showcase as a decorative trim, window accent on sheer fabric, or a statement border on lightweight textiles.
Care and handling
- Handle edges by the fabric body rather than the satin to avoid abrasion.
- Store flat until attaching to a base project to keep the cutwork from creasing.
Troubleshooting & Recovery: From Tension to Clean Cutting Symptom: Loose or loopy stitches in the silver outline
- Likely cause: Upper tension too low or bobbin imbalance.
- Fix: Adjust tension and test on a scrap before resuming.
Symptom: Gaps in metallic fills
- Likely cause: Coverage density too low or thread path friction.
- Fix: Re-stitch the area; slow the machine and ensure the metallic thread path is smooth.
Symptom: Turquoise satin shows skipped stitches
- Likely cause: Dull or damaged needle; thread path issues.
- Fix: Re-thread, change to a fresh needle, and resume with a small overlap.
Symptom: Frayed edges after cutting
- Likely cause: Satin density insufficient; cuts too close to the stitches.
- Fix: Add one more satin pass over the edge if possible; cut a hair farther from the satin while keeping the interior fully removed.
Quick check: If a small area gets nicked, stop and restitch that segment. Tight, dense satin can hide minor mishaps if reinforced cleanly. brother embroidery machine
From the comments: Machine model, price, and extra requests
- Machine name and price: The creator reported using an industrial zigzag SINGER 20u; approximately 750 USD around a decade ago.
- Model variant: They mentioned having both 20u and 20u-43, and that the 20u model is used.
- Materials brand note: A reply indicated SAKURA thread — “811 / 833.”
- Show the cutting step: The guide above covers the manual cutwork process requested by readers.
- Full machine tour/class request: Several readers asked for a complete machine overview; that request was acknowledged in comments.
Beyond the scope: Color blending A commenter asked about blending colors in flowers and leaves. The steps here focus on silver base and turquoise edging; color-blending techniques were not detailed.
Optional tools note If your machine supports them, some embroiderers prefer alternative hooping aids for stability and convenience. Choose accessories that are compatible with your model and fabric type. magnetic hoop embroidery
Showcasing your beautiful cutwork border
- Frame it as a decorative insert on sheer panels.
- Use as an accent border on lightweight linens.
- Layer against a contrasting background to make the open petals pop.
Final quick checklist
- Outline → fill → dense satin → cut
- Alignment verified after each color change
- Satin density sufficient before you cut
- Cuts are clean, satin intact, and edges smooth
Resource hint If you’re organizing frequent hooping, a station or frame solution can speed up repeat work—just ensure it matches your machine’s specs and hoop sizes. magnetic hoops for brother