Dear Friend, 2008 is going to be quite a year for me, and I hope it will be for you as well. My big news is that AnnTheGran is getting a complete facelift! No, I don't mean me -- I like myself the way I am (well, most days anyway) -- I mean my site! You see, as we've grown, some of my s... [More]

In December, 1996, AnnTheGran's Design Exchange had been online for 2 months, and it was all very, very new. Our small community had shared a hundred or so designs and I sent the Christmas greeting you see on your right, created around my greatest blessings at the time.AnnTheGran, my Internet ni... [More]

Every child is precious but sometimes the families of certain little ones face unique challenges. The charity FHCS (Faith Hope & Charity Stitches) has a very special way of sharing their love of sewing and embrodiery. The tiny buntings and quilts they make are a wonderful gift to those babies, k... [More]

Each of our veterans is a true hero who has made a commitment to serve in times of war or peace. Our veterans deserve the full measure of our respect. This project was submitted by Sue Ellen Parker. Sue Ellen used her creative talents to show her loved one and others how proud she was of their dedic... [More]

Our international trend continues this week with a project from Jean Isley in England. Growing up du [More]

To take a simple or plain idea and mold it into something personal and unique is always rewarding. Michelle Gauthier created a special Christmas tree skirt to become a focal point for holiday cheer in her home. Without spending a lot she gave of her time and love to bring special smiles to those aro... [More]

Creating keepsakes for loved ones is such a joy for those who love to sew. With her simple blankets, Sue Kerlin shows us how she continues her love of giving to family even when life is too full for intricate details.Sue's Description:I picked this pattern of baby quilt because I am not a detail... [More]

  Hi, Folks,I'm in a bit of a quandary. When I set up this blog, I made it clear to the team here who help me get this to you that I really wanted the blog to focus on projects contributed by the AnnTheGran community. So far, you've all been great with that, and we've seen some gr... [More]

Tuck a bottle of their favorite beverage inside a festive wrap - no wrapping paper required. Trisch Rosema's embroidered gifts of wine got rave reviews even though they were quick and easy. What a lovely hostess gift one of these custom wine bags would make! Or you could do as Trisch did and mak... [More]

Every child's first birthday is exciting and every mother wants to create great memories of the event. This race car themed quilt was created by Gina Martinez to complete her son's graduation to a "Big Boy Bed" and give him a special birthday memory to cherish for years to come.Gen... [More]

Friends come in many shapes and sizes but each has a special place in our lives. The same is true of [More]

This project was submitted by Kim Yunkun. I chose to post this one because it is simple but beautiful and any level of embroiderer can do it. Not everyone is an expert, but everyone can share the sense of pride that we all feel when we've accomplished something. Sometimes, when we've been do... [More]

This embroidery-laden project was sent in by Barbara Schaffer, and I chose it for this week because [More]

Our creations are like our babies! The amount of time and care we expend on a cherished project makes those products of our hands and our hearts feel pretty special.You are currently resting your eyes on my new blog. If you don't know what a blog is, don't worry about it. Neither did I until... [More]

We wanted to create a design collection that you could use to add some classic style to your project whether you are embroidering evening accessories, elegant linens or an heirloom piece. My Blackwork collection is a versatile set of ornamental designs, professionally digitized for beautiful results... [More]

I have wanted to try this technique for 2 years but something always gets in the way.  Such is [More]

Hello all!  I am Virginia, an embroidery enthusiast and an educator for Dakota Collectibles.   I love creating things with embroidery and thought it would be fun to share my projects and ideas with others, so I am entering the world of blogging.  I use Dakota Collectibles' designs... [More]

Would you believe that a certain king actually loved embroidery?  Well, King James I of England [More]

I love to read tips and tricks about all sorts of things.  I love computer tips (if you have a [More]

Typical gift ideas for newlyweds include linens, fine china, or kitchen wares. But if you are looking for a wedding gift unlike any other, consider a monogrammed Christmas tree skirt. Ann's Battenberg Lace tree skirt looks quite elegant and is perfect for beginner ... [More]

For several years I have seen and heard about bags made to bake potatoes in the microwave. They are touted to produce fluffy, moist baked potatoes.  So when I had all the cotton stuff out to make the tortilla warmer I decided to make one and see.  Hey, what do you know, it works pretty wel... [More]

  This fall, you will be seeing lots of thicker threads – yarn-like in appearance – in retail stores. On my current trip East, I have seen tons of this decorating method on everything from sweatshirts to bags and even on the back of woven menswear shirts.     Industry su... [More]

Just when I think I am not going to be able to come up with another blog, something crosses my compu [More]

Hard to believe summer is almost over and Autumn is right around the corner.  Autumn can be a beautiful time of year though with all the colors changing, and is a good time to start on your embroidery projects for all of the upcoming holiday and seasonal events.    &n... [More]

It has been a while since I posted here at the AnnTheGran site. Earlier this year we have released a new version of Pre-Design Studio, named "Pre-Design Studio III". We have added many functions that make it even easier to quickly create your own artwork for embroidery digitizing sof... [More]

Sometime ago, I saw an advertisement for tortilla warmers and loved the idea.  They looked fun and useful but the cost was $8.00 - $12.00 each, depending on the size, plus shipping.  "What a great way to use up scraps!" I thought.  So, I tore out the ad and saved it.&nb... [More]

You don't need a $100,000 embroidery/laser cutting combo machine to create the reverse applique look that's so hot in retail stores right now. And it's the perfect time of year to put this impressive technique on sweatshirts. You can put this technique on lots of fabrics, but I particula... [More]

As you probably know by now we have been slowly trying to go green.  So we use cloth bags (see designer bags)for most of our shopping.  Even so, we still end up with some of those thin plastic bags from various places.  They have some uses such as lining the bathroom trash cans, tying... [More]

  The entries in this year African Folklore Embroidery $500 Challenge, were spectacular. Congratulations to first place winner, Roberta Peterson from Woodland, Washington. Roberta attended an African folklore Embroidery class that I taught at Monica’s quilt and bead shop in Palm Spri... [More]

When I first heard the term "Portable Loyalty" I thought that it did not refer to me. I am a loyal c [More]

I’m often asked about the fonts we choose for various projects, and folks are sometimes surprised when they find out some of my most favorite fonts—the ones I go to over and over again—are fonts digitized by AnnTheGran herself!  If you search the www.annthegran.com website for... [More]

Fortunately, manufacturers have developed wonderful, lightweight, moisture-wicking materials to keep us dry and comfortable in this record-setting heat. Unfortunately, stabilizing these materials is not as simple as other knits. In addition to being very thin, they also have more stretch than typica... [More]

When it comes to family, the words family emergency causes me to have chills. We all know what those [More]

Have you seen the big purses, or should I say suitcases, that are in style this year?  They certainly hold a lot of stuff but I continually see women trying to climb inside them to find their key rings.  Watching them always made me smile until the other night.  The heat index re... [More]

   Wouldn't it be great if you could turn your sew-outs into a well-presented sample book? One that you could use to seel from, or just to show off your workmanship? You can! It's easy, inexpensive and quick to use some of your existing stitch-outs that had been relegated to ... [More]

The past four weeks of summer have flown.  For the sixth year in a row I have been teaching children African Folklore Embroidery at a summer art camp. The children from ages 7-11 have from over thirty different arts related classes from which to choose. It is an honor that African Folklore E... [More]

When you hear of flowers and lace put together you probably think of a wedding or a nice country gif [More]

When you first started to learn machine embroidery, there was so much to learn that it was a very da [More]

Our girls have longer hair but it is so fine.  Pony tails and pig tails seem to last about 20 minutes before the hair starts creeping out and looks messy.  We saw the teens at the park wearing bandanas  to keep their hair back and the oldest commented that she thought they w... [More]

Slippage and marring are the two biggest challenges when hooping satin. Because of its soft hand, it is necessary to hold it securely without damaging the delicate surface yarns. Hoops may have nicks, splinters or burrs that can catch and damage these long delicate warp threads. I prefer that the ho... [More]

From the moment the first item of cloth was embroidered, clothing, church and home décor would never [More]

Gold Coast, Australia was recently the site of one of the largest embroidery conventions ever held, [More]

  Identify your pet and add fun sayings to pet bandanas. Make a patriotic one for the 4th of July - and then keep it rolling, making a new one for each holiday or mood. Rather than regular tie-style bandanas, you might want to make a slip-ver-the-collar bandana. This type of ban... [More]

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?  With silver bells and cockle shells &am [More]

Mom was right, the devil is in the details and he has had a devilishly good time with embroidery - - [More]