9 simple steps for effortless couching with THE Dream Machine 2

This week on QUILTsocial, I’m using THE Dream Machine 2 to make some placemats from orphan quilt blocks. Yesterday I used some of the amazing embroidery stitches to embellish a couple of our placemats and today I’m embellishing another placemat using couching.

For this placemat, I want to try embellishing with the couching foot on THE Dream Machine 2. I have this lovely variegated yarn to use for couching. Follow along with me as I show you the 9 simple steps for couching with THE Dream Machine 2.

Step 1 – attach thread stand

Before couching with THE Dream Machine 2 from Brother, attach the thread stand to the top of the machine. Since I use cones of thread as well as small spools, I just leave the thread stand on the machine at all times.

Step 2 – attach the top-left yarn guide

I always wondered what this attachment was used for and now I know!

This yarn guide is attached by inserting it into the slot on the top left of THE Dream Machine 2.

Step 3 – attach the dual feed foot

Next, I attach the dual feed foot without attaching the toe of the couching dual feed foot. Make sure that it’s attached securely and plugged into the back of the machine.

Step 4 – thread the yarn

Now I’ll pass the yarn through the telescopic thread guide on the top of the thread stand and through both holes on the top-left yarn guide.

Step 5 – thread the couching toe

The couching toe comes with a yarn threader wire needle and are packaged together in this little bag. Make sure when you’re done couching that you place the threader back in the package to prevent it from getting lost and/or broken.

At this point, I thread the yarn through the loop in the yarn threader wire needle and then I’ll pass the threader from top to bottom through the hole on the couching toe.

Pulling the threader makes the yarn pass through the hole in the couching toe.

Step 6 – attach the couching toe

Attach the couching toe to the dual feed foot of THE Dream Machine 2 is easy. I ensure to pull the yarn out at least 4″ from the back of the foot.

Step 7 – select a zigzag stitch

I now select a zigzag stitch on the machine and set the width to about 5 and thread the machine with a top thread that complements the color of the yarn. I recommend testing the width of the zigzag stitch on a scrap piece of fabric to make sure that the stitch completely wraps across the width of the yarn. If it doesn’t, or if it’s too wide, adjust the width of the zigzag stitch.

Step 8 – iron stabilizer to back

It’s important to add stabilizer. Iron a strip of Sulky Totally Stable stabilizer to the back of the placemat. The stabilizer is recommended if couching on stretch fabrics, lightweight fabrics or fabrics with a coarse weave. I tried couching on the batik fabric that my placemat is made of and the stitches turned out much nicer when stabilizer was first ironed to the back of the fabric.

Step 9 – start stitching

I can now finally start stitching! Here’s a little video I made that shows how amazing the couching toe and dual feed foot are for couching! Working in sync effortlessly. A real dream I say.

Here’s the finished top of the placemat with eight lines of couching done with THE Dream Machine 2 from Brother. Now it just needs to be quilted and bound!

Here’s a close-up photo that shows the yarn that has been couched with the couching toe and dual feed foot on THE Dream Machine 2. It was SO easy to do and it looks so great!! Now I want to do couching on everything!!

Well, that sure was fun and easy! I’ve done couching before with my other sewing machines but it was never that effortless. I think I’ll be using that feature again soon!

Tomorrow is our last day working on our placemats and I’m going to share some of my favorite tips for using and storing leftover binding strips – see you then!