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So we all know that minimalism was trendy, and in some regards, being a minimalist is great. But with the year we had, we deserve a bit more fun with our clothes and accessories. This is where embroidery comes in! By contracting a professional embroiderer, you can add to your clothes and accessories that special little touch to get us back on track for a good 2021!

• Sequins

Okay, we know sequins are so 2013 but look they are shiny and we deserve something pretty and sparkly right now! Sequins are small plates usually circular shaped or a bit more oval and are available in a wide variety of colours and sizes to decorate your clothes. So whether you are looking for a bold look or a more subtle and shiny approach, you can't go wrong with sewing sequins into fabrics.

Little pro-tip: while stitching them down in the middle may be easier, when you stitch them from above they hang and move with the light so you can shine.

• Pedreria

Continuing from the philosophy of sequins, prederia are small pieces of glass or coloured metals of different sizes and colours grouped together to outline designs. By using prederia and sampling precious stones or semi-precious gems, it will raise the value of your accessories and its elegance. If you're using it on a top or a bottom, make sure to use a transparent adhesive to play the role of protector to make sure the little gems won't prick your skin.

• 3D embroidery

To make your design pop, nothing is better than 3D embroidery, but it can be a bit more complicated for DIYers so a contract embroiderer should be called for this one. But if you're willing to try your hand at it, sew all the threads for the design as flat first, then place puff over the area where you want the design to be in 3D and sew a border around the puff. When done, you can remove the excess puff and finish designing the other areas.

• Whitework embroidery

So you have this white shirt that you want to customize but you don't want to go too wild? Whitework embroidery is the answer. By using white floss you can add cute and elegant designs to the material without immediately jumping into colours, for a more subdued look. And you can even look at classic work of embroidery for inspiration since whitework embroidery exists all over the world from before the 1500s when it was introduced to the royal court in France. Make sure to send the inspiration you want for the design to your contract embroiderer to have a really fun design.

• Patchwork embroidery

Entirely opposite from whitework embroidery we have patchwork embroidery. If you're looking to make a bold statement, you can definitely use this technique to embroid fun small pieces of fabric into your clothes or accessories. Depending on the aesthetic that you're looking for you could go for a monochromous look mixing materials together, or go wild with a wide mix of colours. Your contract embroiderer will make sure that all the fabric will stay strong with each other for a better long-term quality.

Spring 2021 is now starting and with it the start of a new fashion season! While 2020 was a lot, fashion in 2021 has decided to go back to basics and traditions but adding a little something more. From the runways to your local boutiques, you will be able to find embroidery at the heart of your favourite brands!

• “Life is the flower for which love is the honey.” – Victor Hugo

First of all, we all know that with spring comes flowers. Now the concept in itself isn't new, but by mixing embroidery techniques and colours, we can find a lot of new fun pieces in that scene. For example, with the comeback of pastel embroidery, with glow in the dark threads to make designs pop and give that extra touch of elegance to the fabric.

• “I don’t paint dreams or nightmares, I paint my own reality.”- Frida Kahlo

With the pandemic, many have turned themselves to art to make sense of their days, which is probably why we can find a lot of inspiration from 2021 spring trends in paint and acrylics. By using soft shades of threads, embroiderers can make designs look like they were painted on the fabric and truly give them a life of their own.

• "Color! What a deep and mysterious language, the language of dreams." - Paul Gauguin

Now in 2020, Pantone's colour of the year was the Classic Blue 19-4052 so we saw a lot of blue pieces (with of course their delightful work of embroidery), but we're thinking that 2021 might want a pop of colour a bit more playful. Many designers are mixing fabrics and using embroidery to give that splash of bright colour.

• "Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder." - Rumi

We all have that one quote that gets us through the week, and sometimes having it on your desktop wallpaper isn't enough! Many brands have brought back the trend of embroidering quotes on clothes so you can wear that special little phrase right on your heart (or the back pocket of your jeans if need be). While we love that idea, sometimes your quote isn't there, and that's why custom embroidery is so helpful! By choosing the cloth you'd like the quote to be on, you can truly personalize it by asking a professional embroiderer to add that special quote to you.

After the year we had, I'm guessing that the time spent on our phones has significantly increased as we are stuck home, and can't hang out outside. Some of us have taken in new habits or crafts to fill up our empty days and have a bit more fun in these sombre times. So whether you're baking, cooking, painting, etc., let me introduce you to the world of embroidery and why it is so popular right now.

After a quick look at Pinterest and Instagram with the hashtags #embroidery, #embroideryart, #embroiderypattern, #embroiderydesign, #handmade or #handembroidery, we can see that the younger generation is actively participating in the craft that our ancestors mastered. The big question now is why.

• Modern embroidery is fun and free

Modern hand embroidery is one of the top reasons why people love to embroid so much right now. While cross-stitching was much harder and had so many rules, this new method of weaving thread is unconventional and mixes methods depending on the results intended for even more fun designs and textures. As such it became a way to rebrand this craft, to distance it from the older rules, traditions and patterns and to just have fun with it.

• Expressing ourselves and developing a small business

With these uncertain times, people might be looking for more than just a fun hobby. A lot of small businesses have bloomed during this pandemic as the younger generation are starting to enter the business market and find close to no offers. Embroidery comes with this fun process and (nearly) inexpensive materials, and can quickly become a way to both say who you are and to get a little bit of money on the side.

• Self-distancing and reconnecting with nature

While many embroidery works find their inspiration from fantasy, a different type of pattern became more popular recently: natural imagery. Many of us had travels and outside activities cancelled last year, and while embroidery is most often an indoor-activity, nature has crept its way back into patterns and designs. Many display their work with flowers, animal, mountains and magical landscape eager for the moment that they will be able to travel and admire them again.

• Reusing and upcycling

Millennials and Gen Z are the most environmentally-conscious generations, often choosing to thrift rather than buying from fast fashion. By embroidering a pattern unto an old cloth or accessory, we create something new and increase its value. As embroidery is one of the most creative mediums there is, you can't go wrong with a little design on your favourite t-shirt or thrifting a new jacket and embroidering over these unforgiving stains.

• Time for a digital detox

More than just an increase in phone usage, we are spending more and more time on streaming services. While chilling in front of a nice Netflix series is great, we often find ourselves using our phone at the same time. Our minds, so used to this fast-paced world, can't seem to catch a break, which results in burnouts and general restlessness after spending a day in front of the TV. While we're not saying to completely quit Netflix and social media cold turkey, by embroidering patterns unto fabrics you can have something to keep your hands occupied while your brain absorbs content. Have fun creating patterns, letting your hands do the talking, and if the silence becomes too much, listen to a podcast at the same time, maybe you'll prick your fingers less...

Now many of us don't have the talent to completely go freestyle and jump on the DIY train, this is where contract embroiderers come in! They can make your designs come to life, so you keep only the fun artistic part and they do all the heavy lifting.