Machine embroidery has become an extremely popular hobby and craft for sewists and crafters. The intricate and beautiful designs that can be created with embroidery machines are almost limitless. However, quality embroidery designs can be expensive to purchase individually. Finding free embroidery designs to download legally can be like finding a needle in a haystack.
We have done the hard work for you and scoured the internet to find the best sources for legal, free machine embroidery designs. In this article, we will provide 15 high-quality free embroidery designs that you can download right now and use immediately for your projects. We’ll also give tips on what to look for in free designs and how to download and use them correctly. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Why Use Free Machine Embroidery Designs
Purchasing pre-made embroidery designs can get very expensive, with some designs costing $10-$15 each. Even a simple project can require 5-10 designs, quickly adding up in cost. Downloading free embroidery designs allows you to save money on projects while still getting high-quality, intricate designs. Here are some of the advantages of using free designs:
- Saves Money – Obviously the best thing about free designs is that they don’t cost you anything. You can build up an embroidery design library at no cost.
- Try New Designs – Downloading free designs allows you to test out new styles and genres without worrying about wasting money on a design you may not use again.
- Practice Techniques – Working with new-to-you, free designs helps build your skills and improve techniques without worrying about messing up an expensive design.
- Customize Easily – Many free designs can be resized, edited, or customized to your needs, allowing for lots of creativity.
- Build Portfolio – Using great looking free designs can help build a portfolio showcasing your machine embroidery skills.
Tips for Choosing and Using Free Machine Embroidery Designs
While there are lots of free embroidery designs out there, you want to make sure to choose high-quality designs from reputable sources. Here are our top tips for selecting and working with free machine embroidery designs:
- Check Reviews/Ratings – If a site has user reviews or ratings, be sure to look at those to evaluate design quality.
- Preview the Design – Reputable sources will provide a photo or previews so you can see the design before downloading.
- Look for Clean Stitching – Zoom in on preview images to make sure the stitching looks smooth without gaps, stitches overlaying, or jump stitches between sections.
- Match Your Hoop Size – Choose designs that will fit within your machine’s hoop size. This info should be provided with the free design.
- Download Correct File Type – Make sure to download embroidery design files with .pes, .dst, .vp3, .jef, or other compatible extensions. Do not download jpeg or png images.
- Read Terms of Use – Always check for any terms, attributions or special requirements when using free designs.
- Resize/Re-Digitize if Needed – Free designs may need to be resized or re-digitized for optimal stitching results.
Following these tips will help make sure the free designs you choose will embroider out beautifully on your machine!
15 Free Machine Embroidery Designs
Now let’s get to the good stuff! Here are 15 high quality, free machine embroidery designs you can download right now:
1. Floral Wreath Frame
This gorgeous floral wreath frame design from Embrilliance has beautiful rose detailing. Use it to frame names, monograms, dates, and more.
- Design Size: 5×7 inches
- File Types: ART, PES, VP3, JEF, XXX
2. Pretty Kitty Portrait
Add a sweet calico kitten portrait to shirts, baby items, or as an applique with this free Pretty Kitty design from Kimberbell Designs.
- Design Size: 5×7 inches
- File Types: PES, XXX, JEF, VP3, HUS, DST
3. Floral Fantasy Mandala
This stunning floral fantasy mandala design from Shiny Shabby has beautiful details perfect for dresser scarves, pillows, or shirts.
- Design Size: 5×5 inches
- File Types: PES, XXX, VIP, HUS, JEF, DST
4. Whimsical Dragonfly Trio
Add a touch of whimsy with this charming dragonfly trio design from Kimberbell Designs. Great for nature and critter themed projects.
- Design Size: 5.5×5.5 inches
- File Types: PES, XXX, JEF, VP3, HUS, DST
5. Vintage Rose Bouquet
This elegant vintage inspired rose bouquet from Shiny Shabby is perfect for floral lovers.
- Design Size: 4.92×6.3 inches
- File Types: PES, XXX, VIP, HUS, JEF, DST
6. Whimsical Hot Air Balloon
Take your projects sky high with this super cute hot air balloon design from Designs By JuJu. Use it for baby gifts or kids’ items.
- Design Size: 4.7×5.5 inches
- File Types: PES, DST, EXP, JEF, VP3, XXX
7. Fun Circus Tent
Bring on the clowns and fun with this bright and festive circus tent design, perfect for kids and carnival themed projects.
- Design Size: 2.79×3.31 inches
- File Types: PES, DST
8. Framed Sugar Skull
Celebrate Dia de los Muertos in style with this pretty framed sugar skull design from Kimberbell Designs. Great for embellishing shirts, bags, and decor.
- Design Size: 5×7 inches
- File Types: PES, XXX, JEF, VP3, HUS, DST
9. Monogram Wreath Frame
Add a special touch with this classic monogram wreath frame design, perfect for initials, names, dates, and more.
- Design Size: 5×7 inches
- File Types: ART, PES, VP3, JEF, XXX
10. Fancy Peacock Feather
Up the glam factor with this fancy peacock feather design, great for embellishing boho chic and nature inspired designs.
- Design Size: 3.34×7.28 inches
- File Types: PES, DST, EXP, JEF, VIP, VP3, XXX
11. Vintage Floral Banner
This vintage inspired floral banner from Designs By JuJu is perfect for decorating clothing, quilts, bags, and more.
- Design Size: 4.8×7.5 inches
- File Types: PES, DST, EXP, JEF, VP3, XXX
12. Baseball Cap Design
Knock it out of the park with this baseball cap design from Kimberbell. Perfect for customizing caps for the whole team.
- Design Size: 3.5×5.5 inches
- File Types: PES, XXX, JEF, VP3, HUS, DST
13. Cute Fox Portrait
Add some woodland creature cuteness with this sweet fox portrait design. Great for nature lovers and kids.
- Design Size: 4.6×4.6 inches
- File Types: PES, DST, JEF, EXP, VP3, XXX
14. Pretty Paisley Pattern
This ornate paisley pattern from Shiny Shabby adds a touch of boho flair perfect for embellishing shirts, pillows, bags, and more.
- Design Size: 5.11×3.74 inches
- File Types: PES, XXX, VIP, HUS, JEF, DST
15. Cute Bee Gnome
This adorable bee gnome design adds a touch of garden whimsy. Use it to embellish kids clothing, quilts, towels, and more.
- Design Size: 4.85×4.92 inches
- File Types: PES, DST, EXP, JEF, VP3, XXX
Tips for Legal Use of Free Embroidery Designs
When using free machine embroidery designs, there are some important legal guidelines to follow:
- For Personal Use Only – Most free designs are licensed for individual crafters’ personal use only. Do not resell items made with free designs in an online shop or craft fair.
- Non-Commercial Use – You cannot use free designs commercially for business purposes, for customers, or to manufacture goods for sale.
- Don’t Re-Distribute Originals – Do not share, trade, or re-distribute the original free embroidery design files you have downloaded.
- Credit the Designer – If a free design requires it, be sure to credit the designer when posting photos of your project online.
- Check License Terms – Carefully check the designer’s terms of use for any special requirements when using their free designs.
Following these simple guidelines allows you to enjoy creating with free designs while respecting designers’ intellectual property and copyrights.
Digitizing Your Own Designs
While pre-made designs are convenient, you may eventually want to try creating your own digitized embroidery designs. Here are two options:
1. Digitizing Software
Special digitizing programs like Embird allow you to turn artwork into embroidery files. There is a learning curve, but you’ll have unlimited design capabilities.
2. Machine Digitizing
Many computerized embroidery machines have built-in digitizing functions allowing you to draw designs right on the machine and convert to stitches.
Learning to digitize your own designs takes practice but gives you the most customization options. Take your time learning and soon you’ll be creating amazing designs tailored exactly how you envision them!
Comparison of Digitizing Methods
| Method | Pros | Cons | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digitizing Software | – Full design control
Modify existing designs |
– Steep learning curve
Time intensive |
– Embird: $49-$199 |
| Machine Digitizing | – Digitize directly on machine
Intuitive for quilters |
– Limited design options
Lower quality |
– Built into machine
– May need upgrade |
Conclusion
We hope you’ve found some amazing free embroidery designs to download and use in your next projects here. With a bit of care in choosing quality designs and following designers’ usage terms, you can build an impressive library of free embroidery designs.
Remember to start out practicing with free designs to hone your skills before moving on to investing in premium designs. Learn the basics of machine embroidery, proper stabilizer use, and design placement before stitching out expensive designs. Mastering free designs first will make you appreciate and better utilize paid designs down the road.
Happy stitching! As you gain experience with machine embroidery, don’t be afraid to try digitizing your own designs for full customization. But for now enjoy experimenting with these beautiful free embroidery designs to make one-of-a-kind handmade creations!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use free embroidery designs commercially?
A: No, most free embroidery designs are only licensed for personal and non-commercial use. You cannot use them to manufacture products for sale in a business.
Q: What are the best file formats for machine embroidery?
A: The most common embroidery file formats are: .PES, .DST, .EXP, .JEF, .VP3, .XXX. Avoid .JPG, .PNG, or .PDF designs.
Q: How do I know my machine is compatible with a free design?
A: Check your machine’s hoop dimensions against the design size. Also be sure your machine supports the file format offered.
Q: How do I print free embroidery designs on fabric?
A: You cannot print designs directly on fabric. The designs must be stitched out using an embroidery machine and compatible file type loaded.
Q: Can I edit or resize free embroidery designs?
A: You may be able to depending on the design’s format and your software. But always respect designer’s terms of use for their free designs when modifying.
