By Julie on October 3rd, 2023 This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
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Ready to get spooky but you are working with a limited budget? Not a problem. There are oodles of free Halloween embroidery designs available and I’m about to show you exactly where you can find them. So, sit back, relax and get ready to start downloading. These free Halloween embroidery designs are sure to make you scream.
Why do digitizers offer free Halloween embroidery designs?
The reason why digitizers often give away a free design is the same reason why vendors give out free samples at the grocery store. When giving you embroidery designs that are free, the digitizers hope that you will like what they offer; and if you do, then there’s a good chance that may want to purchase some of their other embroidery designs.
You also get an opportunity to witness the quality of the embroidery design. In other words, you get a chance to try out that digitizer before you buy.
Many sites that offer free embroidery designs require you to register or checkout which will require you to provide an email address. Do not worry. These embroidery sites do not share your contact information to third parties. They use the email address to send embroidery designs that you “purchased” (i.e. want to download for free) after checkout. Then they hold on to your email to send you embroidery updates, news and offers for paid designs.
Many embroidery digitizers offer free Halloween embroidery designs because they know embroiderers LOVE Halloween, and there are a lot of fun items to make to celebrate the spooky season. Therefore, Halloween is a great opportunity for a digitizer to give out “free samples.”
What embroidery machines can be used for free embroidery designs?
Almost all embroidery designs can be used on a wide array of embroidery machines. Even if the free embroidery design does not come in a format that your embroidery machine reads, you can easily convert it into the appropriate format.
The only issue you need to be aware of is the size of the embroidery design. If the embroidery design is too large for your hoop, you will not be able to stitch it out. You will need to carefully resize it in a program like SewWhat-Pro, being careful to adjust the density when making the design smaller. If you are an Embrilliance user, Essentials will also allow you to resize designs while adjusting your density.
What to embroider for Halloween?
Wondering what do do with these free Halloween embroidery designs?
Well, you can embroider them on just about anything. For example, you could embroider t-shirts for you or your kids to wear to celebrate the season. Fun Halloween hand towels are a subtle way of adding some seasonal decor to your home. You can even add a last name underneath the design to make a perfect hostess gift if you are attending a Halloween party.
Trick or treat bags are another great place to add a name and one of these free Halloween designs.
Some of the designers even offer free Halloween themed in-the-hoop designs which could provide you with a perfect opportunity to try out in-the-hoop embroidery if you have never done it before.
Keep reading for more ideas as we take a look at each of these free designs.
Free embroidery designs for Halloween
Here are some of the best free embroidery (and appliqué and in-the-hoop) designs that I could find on the Internet. Most include a version that will fit within a 4″ x 4″ and allow you to download them in several different formats, but be sure to read the description for details.
Creepy haunted house embroidery design by Emerald Originals on SWAK
You will never get me to actually go in a haunted house on Halloween, but I have no problem stitching one out. Add a name underneath in a super creepy typeface and stitch it out on some dish towels to make a perfect Halloween party hostess gift.
Edgy / abstract bat embroidery design by Emerald Originals on SWAK
Here’s a free bat embroidery design perfect for kids’ t-shirt. Not too cutesy and not to scary – this edgy bat design is just right. Head over to the SWAK to get this one for free as well!
Baby pumpkin appliqué by Creative Appliques on SWAK
You know what would be adorable to stitch out on a baby onesie for Halloween? A baby pumpkin! This free baby pumpkin appliqué is silly and sweet.
Spider monogram appliqué by Beau Mitchell Designs on SWAK
This spider appliqué design is perfectly sized for monogramming. Just set up a three letter monogram to fit in the body of the spider and you have a cute and creepy personalized design perfect for Halloween. It would look especially good on a simple knit dress for a little girl.
Ghostie gift bag by Kreative Kiwi
Never done an in-the-hoop project? Well – here’s the perfect opportunity to try. These cute little in-the-hoop ghostie gift bags would make perfect party favors or trick or treat handouts.
In-the-hoop Halloween coasters by Kreative Kiwi
Hosting a halloween party? Well, then you will definitely want a few holiday-appropriate coasters. Check out the free in-the-hoop Bat coasters, Round Halloween coasters and pumpkin coasters – perfect for Halloween. Kreative Kiwi probably has the largest collection of free in-the-hoop designs I’ve ever seen. So, if in-the-hoop is your jam (or you want it to be your jam) – be sure to check them out.
Happy haunting mummy by Ann the Gran
I love this funny mummy design as it reminds me of the – not one – but two different mummy costumes I made for my kids. Glad that’s behind me. I’ll take a pass on making another mummy costume this year and instead stitch out this mummy design on some dish towels to get my kitchen in the Halloween spirit.
This witches brew cauldron is another perfectly simple Halloween embroidery design that could be easily personalized for a trick-or-treat bag or even to embellish a witch costume.
Creepy tree by Apex
For the kid who think he (or she) is not scared of anything. This cute and creepy tree is a fun design to use on a Halloween t-shirt.
Flying witch in front of the moon appliqué by Lynnie Pennie
Creepy cupcake appliqué designs by Planet Applique
Looking for some sweet and spooky designs to stitch out on some kitchen towels? Check out this adorable tombstone cupcake applique and the mummy cupcake appliqué design. Just grab a couple tea towels, stitch them out and your kitchen Halloween decor is complete.
Funky Frankenstein applique design
Now here’s the perfect design to stitch out for your little monsters! This funky Frankenstein appliqué would look divine on a kid’s sweatshirt. Just round up a few fabric scraps.
Crossed Broomstick appliqué design
I love this crossed broomstick appliqué design because it’s super versatile. It would look great on clothing or kitchen towels. But it would look especially great with a name added below. If you don’t like the crossed brooms – just download this design to get the stars! You can extract these little stars from this design and use them in a multitude of ways.
Frequently asked questions about free Halloween embroidery designs
How do I access the free embroidery designs featured in this article?
All of these links (with the exception of the freebies available via my site) are to other websites that sell embroidery designs. If you have any issues accessing the freebie, contact the site owner of the site where the freebie is listed.
Are these embroidery designs only for personal use?
Each website has their own terms and conditions for their free embroidery designs.Most of the time, embroidery design sellers allow you to sell items that you have made using their designs – free and paid. But, be sure to check the terms and conditions before using any of these designs for commercial use.
Can I customize or edit these free embroidery designs?
Yes, most embroidery software programs allow you to make edits to existing embroidery designs. However, it’s important to note that altering a design may impact the quality and integrity of the design especially if you scale it up or down.
But – with that said – you should have no problem opening these designs in programs like SewWhat-Pro or Embrilliance Essentials and editing them.
Can I request specific designs or themes for free embroidery designs?
Unfortunately, we do not have control over what designs are offered for free by embroidery design sellers. However, you can always contact the seller or leave a suggestion on their website for future designs. Some sellers may even take custom orders for a fee. Always be sure to respect the time and effort that goes into creating these designs and understand that they may not always be able to accommodate individual requests.
Are there any specific embroidery file formats needed for these free designs?
The majority of free embroidery design files are offered in multiple formats, including PES, DST, JEF, EXP, and more. This allows for compatibility with various embroidery machines. Be sure to check the file format before downloading and if needed, convert the file using your embroidery software.
How is the quality of the free designs?
Well – the ones I tested stitched out very nicely. The pictures I’ve included in this article are my own. I downloaded them and stitched them out myself. But, I would always suggest doing a test stitch before you embroider on your final project.
Ready for some spooky stitching with all these free Halloween embroidery designs?
I hope I’ve provided some useful links and inspiration! Enjoy these free embroidery designs for Halloween and please let me know how your machine embroidery adventures go!
Happy stitching!
xo
Julie
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Just wanted to say thank you for your amazing tutorials on embroidery! They are so easy to follow and understand. I’m a beginner and I’m now hooked on embroidery.
