Ann The Gran Community

Journaling for Embroidery

sewblest — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:00:00 GMT

When I first started embroidering, one tip I often read was to keep a record of details as they relate to embroidery design stitch outs.

I thought this was supposed to be fun. A lab manual; what's the use? You just press a button and stitch, right?

I didn't see the importance then, but have since changed my mind. I'm not talking about a "Dear Diary" type of journal (although you can certainly do that if you like), but more of an outline or project overview.

Whether you use a notebook, index cards, scrapbook, database program, the comment section of your embroidery cataloging program, or a Pinterest board, the advantages are the same.

Benefits of an Embroidery Journal

Like a recipe, designs beg to be tweaked. If it is not something we make every day, the ingredients and processes are not embedded in our memory. It is the same with machine embroidery.

I have multiple projects in various stages of completion from designing and planning to finished product. By keeping track of details, it is easy to pick back up mid-project or maintain the same consistency when recreating items (as we embroiderers often do when creating gifts for the masses).

As with many artistic endeavors, trial and error produces shortcuts, tips, and tricks. Here are some suggestions:

Photos or Test Stitch Outs

This is especially important for identifying design placement and color. With digital cameras and phones, it's easy to preserve images for posterity. Otherwise, attach the sample stitch out or slip it in a plastic zip bag or page protector and add it to your journal.

Design Name/Location

Include the full name, the folder/CD/media where it is stored, manufacturer, size, and stitch count. Having an "address" saves a lot of time when trying to find the design again. Even better, print out the stitch/color sequence and add to it.

Threads Used

Note thread manufacturer, color number, name, and the item it stitched (i.e. flower middle, bird beak, etc.) Sometimes, it doesn't matter what shade of pink you use. Other times, when matching embroidery to fabrics (such as creating quilt blocks), it makes a big difference.
If there is a particular thread color you like to use in a design and you can't replace it because it is no longer available (or it's 10:30 p.m. and you've run out), you can match it to another manufacturer's thread using industry color conversion charts.

Stabilizers Used

There are so many stabilizers available today, it's hard to keep track. If you have brands that are tried and true, stick to them. Certain designs and fabrics play best with certain stabilizers. Keeping a record helps avoid the dreaded stabilizer malfunction.

Fabrics Used

Clip a swatch of fabric used and include it in your journal. Note where you purchased it, the manufacturer, and the SKU or item number. Then, if you want to buy more, you can easily do so in store or online.
If you are in love with fabric used in your project, buy mass quantities right away. I found out the hard way that, although they are not perishable, fabrics do have a shelf life. Manufactured for a limited time, when they are gone, they are gone.

Any Other Details

Add other notes pertaining to finishing, changing color or stitching sequences, batting used, ideas you would like to try the next time, needle size, or anything that will help you create the project (or a similar item) again.

This kind of note taking is much more fun than it was in school!

Debbie SewBlest

Fancy Pocket Pinny

Carol — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:00:00 GMT

     My brother rides a trike. (No, it is not a tricycle like we had when
we were young. He rides one of these, an elliptical exercise machine. He
says that it's a lot more fun for him than a stationery machine in his basement
would be.) I bet you are wondering why I am mentioning this activity in a blog
about machine embroidery. The connection is that he asked me to make something
to hold his smart phone: he likes to listen to music while he rides, and he
doesn't want the cords from his earphones to get in his way. Further, he wanted
his phone front and center, not on an armband.

     My solution was to make him a Pocket Pinny.   (Pinny is the name for the
things that we wore in PE class, to distinguish one team from the other for field
sports and basketball. In volleyball the net keeps the teams apart.) I used an
athletic mesh fabric so the pinny would be light and not hold in heat. I bound
the outer edges with fold-over elastic, and added reflective tape for safety. The
casing at bottom holds an adjustable belt.

     Finally, there is the pocket. It is just big enough to hold the phone. An opening
at the top or in one of the side seams allows access to the headphone jack and
the Velcro closure on the tab keeps the phone secure. Here is a picture of my
brother's Pocket Pinny.

     For the lettering I jumbled letters from the -Contour Print 40- alphabet. The
alphabet can be found here. (The 40 mm size is listed as Large in the dropdown
menu.) Click here to see the Contour Print Complete Set.- "Scott" by itself
looked too small so I added another word.

     The boxes that surround the letters are meant to aid in aligning text on a line;
you will not need them for making a jumble. To remove the boxes, open each
letter in a design editing program. Hide the letter and then delete the box. See
How to Jumble for help in overlapping and tilting your letters.

     I made this pinny for a cousin. The lettering is from a font I am still working
on. I hope to make it available soon, so watch this blog for more information.

     I also made a pinny for myself, but wanted something a little different. A
friend had sent me a roll of satin bias binding in a gorgeous rainbow print.
I have been saving the binding for something special and decided the pinny
would be the perfect use. Here is my pinny.

     I have looked for the binding online but have only found it from vendors
in the UK. It is available by the yard and by the roll. Look for 20 mm rainbow
satin bias binding, manufactured by Prym. One half inch wide
double fold bias tape would work well, too. I do not recommend 1/4" wide
bias binding because the open nature of the mesh causes gaps along the cut edge
that would not be caught in such a narrow seam.

     The instructions for making this pocket pinny are available here. I created
three separate documents rather than one very large one that might be difficult
to download. Click on each link below to download the instructions.

* Prepare Patterns for Pocket Pinny
* Sewing Instructions for Pinny Pocket
* Sewing Instructions for Pocket Pinny

     The first document includes pattern sections that can be traced onto pattern
tracing material. The instructions will help you size the pocket to your phone
and the pinny to your torso. Make your patterns first so that you know how
much athletic mesh and binding you will need.

Embroidering Lace

atgadmin — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:00:00 GMT

We are excited to have Eileen Roche, Editor of Designs in Machine Embroidery share this content with you, which was originally posted on Eileen’s Machine Embroidery Blog :

We discussed five tips for expanding your embroidery expertise. One tip – Don’t Think Project – Think Technique – seemed to hit a nerve with many blog readers. We received lots of comments regarding trying new techniques and a quite a few of them mentioned lace. So here’s how I explored embroidering lace.

I selected a lace design and stitched it on four different types of material:

-heavy film-type water-soluble stabilizer

-mesh-like water soluble stabilizer

-tulle with regular weight film-type water soluble stabilizer

-stretch mesh fabric with regular weight film-type water soluble stabilizer

I used the same thread and lace design on each test. Of course, the lace design was professionally digitized and stitched out beautifully in each instance. I recorded how easy it was to remove the stabilizer and what steps were required. I stapled the stitch outs with a piece of the stabilizer and fabric (if included) to a piece of copy paper and made notes on the paper. Then I kept the samples in a binder for future reference.

From these samples, I could check the ‘hand’ of the lace, the translucency of the fabric and the ease of removal. The notes come in handy when I’m working on a new lace project. I used to think all lace projects are similar until I did this test. That’s when I learned that when the variables change, so does the outcome. All are acceptable but one or two preferred. So try it yourself and see what you find. You might just learn something new to an old or familiar task.

Designer’s Tip:
It is helpful to add fabric softener when rinsing the water soluble stabilizer away from the lace to create a soft touch to the lace.

Thanks for reading!

Reprinted with permission from Eileen's Blog.

It's A Guy Thing!

pat71896 — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 16:00:00 GMT

Sometimes, there is absolutely no hope for dressing guys - forget about taking them out in public!

Then there is this guy, he is actually robbing a bank. . . .

And last, but not least, the ones that 'got away.' (Yuck!)

I cannot do anything about those guys, but I can help with a gift for the favorite Dad in your life!

How many times have you wanted to create a terrific item for a male in your life but had trouble finding a project or a design?

I always knew girls rule, but when it comes to embroidery, the male of the species are just barely noticeable. Or, am I just not looking at it correctly?

All men get a Father's Day nod including the good, bad, the ugly and the rest of the men who make us happy, smiling and proud every day of the year.

One way to show a man that he is appreciated might be to do a special pillow just for him. I was thinking about a lumbar pillow for his soothing back support.

These are especially easy to make, especially if you use a cover and fill that is washable. I have tossed my 'toss' pillows in the washer and dryer and they are just fine.

AnnTheGran has a lot of great designs for men. The trick is to consider what yours is most interested in! For instance, I did a Search for: fishing and found this one:

http://www.annthegran.com/prd/Designs/Great-Notions/RETIRED-TAKE-ME-FISHING/1/55385.aspx

And to go along with it, I got this one (a freebie):

freebie fish: http://www.annthegran.com/prd/Designs/ATG-FreeDesigns/ATG13111/1/ATG13111.aspx

Which will create something like this:

How about something for a really NEW DAD!

That TERRIFIC new dad design is a freebie right here : http://www.annthegran.com/prd/Designs/ATG-FreeDesigns/1/ATG14343.aspx

Thanks for reading my blogs. AnnTheGran's Site is a great place to learn. Support where you learn!

Needle Knowledge

sewblest — Fri, 31 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

Here's something I didn't know. Quality needles are made to break. Really.

Klassé needles, an industry standard for a century and a quarter, are designed to break in the event of a problem. Why? A bent needle does a lot of damage to expensive equipment and hooped fabrics.

Normally, you would think a broken needle means poor manufacturing. While that may be true with inferior brands, quality needle breakage means a problem elsewhere: wrong type for the fabric, bad tension, improper alignment, or damaged tip.

A needle is to the machine embroiderer what the paintbrush was to Picasso. The right tools create beautiful works on canvas and on fabric.

Sizes: Too Big, Too Little, or Just Right?

Needles range in size from 60/8 to 120/16 (metric/U.S. shaft diameter). The lower the numbers, the finer the needle. Why does that matter? It is important to know how threads and needles work together.

Thread numbers are just the opposite of needle numbers. The larger the thread number, the more fine the thread. If you use a large diameter thread (12 wt.) in a needle with a small shaft diameter or small eye (75/11), it will shred and break. Likewise, if you use a fine, heirloom thread (60 wt.) in a needle with a large eye, it will swim. Stitches will not be uniform, the hole will be too large for the thread, and coverage will be inconsistent.

A general rule of thumb is that the thread diameter should be 40 percent of the needle size. Needle grooves are designed to best stitch within this ratio.

Types: A Needle for All Purposes

One needle does not fit all. Needles are constructed differently according to how they should be used. You wouldn't use the same type of needle when sewing leather and satin. Points are more rounded for stretch fabrics and sharper for quilting. Eyes are longer for topstitching or when using metallic threads.

Many embroiderers use topstitch needles for everything: piecing, quilting, embroidery, and applique. Often, it is a matter of preference. Klassé has an excellent reference for determining the needle type needed and sizes available.

Endurance

A unique curve above the eye makes the Klassé needle stronger than its counterparts and encourages a longer lifespan than traditional needles.

Some embroiderers recommend changing needles every 8-10 hours, others say 20 hours, and some say change it when you are experiencing problems. At any rate, when in doubt, change it out. You've spent thousands of dollars on an embroidery machine and good money on fabric; it doesn't make sense to skimp on the needles.

The Klassé needle bundle provides a great selection of needle types for a variety of embroidery and heirloom projects and shipping is FREE!

Check back for articles and projects featuring wing needles, hemstitch needles, and twin needles.

Debbie SewBlessed

Save Your Sanity; Read Your Manual

atgadmin — Fri, 31 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT

Blog. When I first saw this word I though it peculiar. That was a long time ago and there are words and abbreviations now being used that are much more peculiar.

So, I decided to read a “blog” (pre-ATG). So long and boring I cannot even remember the subject! I need pauses so I can take a breath and rest my eyes!

So here goes my first attempt. I scanned the gamut of blogs here at ATG. Many are tutorials and have nice pictures. Videos are great. But I do not have all those great media products. Maybe an amateur picture or two, but mostly I have words.

ATG embraces crafts our Grandmothers and Grandfathers used, only without the added convenience of electronics. Thank-you, all you great minds than never stop working on building the “better mouse-trap”!

Techniques where handed down by the “hands-on” approach and notes. Eventually, hand written diaries.

We now have books, magazines, videos, forums and blogs!

However, there is bound to be a problem that those forms of communication just can’t help us with.

This is where instructions for patterns/products and manuals for the machines we use come into play.

We need to take the time to read and apply each step and not skip around or go by just the pictures.
Everything about the machinery is important from those first pages about power supply through maintenance.

The most perplexing piece of craft equipment today is probably a toss-up between the embroidery machine and the serger. Air-jet threading sergers are anxiety free (at least for me).

The embroidery machine. It is so amazing to watch it work! There have been added features since I purchased my BabyLock Ellegante and would like to hear from those with newer machines.

One thing we have in common, no matter which brand or model embroidery machine we are using is thread. Many good brands, however, the thread manufacturers sorta threw a monkey wrench into the works when they began offering spools/cones of thread that were cross-wound along with the standard wound spools we were all use to for sewing.

Not all embroidery machines have spool pin options needed to handle the variety and the manual may not address this, but a thread stand is usually the answer to most thread issues.

Then there is the bobbin. Looks just like the one in the sewing machine and it is. Except, machine embroidery requires a lighter weight bobbin thread and not the same thread as for the top stitching. The correct weight should be noted in the manual for the embroidery machine. Free-standing lace would be the exception; comments welcomed.

So to sum it all up - it is best to learn the machine, test new products and techniques before attempting your project. A little time in preparation can save production down-time as well as an item from being ruined.

This is the end of my first blog. Should you not be familiar with my idioms, those peculiar words can be found on the Internet!

PS: Sewing machine manufacturers have come up with great improvements since Barthelamy Thimonnier put the first mechanical sewing device in to commercial use in his tailor’s shop.

There is a great history of the sewing machine by Grace Rogers Cooper of the Smithsonian at the Gutenberg Library - http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/32677 The first sewing machine needles; the machines - just amazing.

By Pattiann

A Newbie's Guide to Cutwork

pat71896 — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

When you first start to work with embroidery, you are going to find so many great items that it will be hard to decide on which one to try first. Right after Free Standing Lace (fsl) my next project was cutwork. To my knowledge, neither of these techniques can be done with hand embroidery. So, naturally I was anxious to do the cutwork as well.

For newbies, cutwork is a lovely way to make your embroidery a significant cut above as an outstanding gift or treasure for yourself.

This wonderful design is from Great Notions is just $8.49 for Ann's Club Members or $9.99 for non-members. I have turned it up side down for a lovely heart design!

Cutwork is a second cousin to an applique. The stitching will be created in a similar manner. I actually did this project a while ago, but the principles are interesting. This is my hemstitched napkin it is identical to the second photo.

The second photo is a napkin courtesy of Neiman Marcus at $120 per dozen.

When I was seeking the perfect design, there were so many here at ATG that just made me feel like I will be creating something really special the next time with that heart design. I know you understand that feeling; it is what this embroidery is all about. I wanted to show you how easy it is to do a ‘cutwork' style of design and take your breath away at the same time.

My test sewouts exceeded my expectations! And my first napkin was ready to be sewn. This is really where "Perfect Placement Kit" does come in quite handy. I worked with the placement and felt confident of my workmanship. In the photo below, there is a ‘v' shaped mark which is barely visible, and that is the key for placement.

The floral design I selected has two rows of cut area placement. I chose to do the first outline twice and the second outline once. That is a personal preference because it makes the cutting line stronger. The eventual design will make all the area sturdy. I was very impressed with the digitizing on the design. I have several other brands which did not have the ‘edging' stitches that this digitizer had placed in their work.

I did not hoop my fabric because I wanted to be sure there was no movement in the linen. Linen is loosely woven and can have some variation in the thread lines. So, I started with my basting circle. Barely visible in the second photo is the outline. I am ready to begin cutting.

I did my ‘rough' cut to start out with my over all cut. Do NOT remove your fabric from your hoop. Make sure that you do NOT cut your stabilizer! I am using Badgemaster. It holds up to a lot of wear and tear and as you all know, I love it. If you are using the 'Ultra' water soluble brand, make sure you use it doubled in your hoop.

Once I completed the cutting (and snipping off any loose threads), I placed my hoop back into the machine. I did use an identical color in the bobbin threads since this is a napkin that is going to be used from either side. I was careful to cut the threads between change of colors so that those threads could not be a problem.

After finishing the cut, I replaced the hoop in the machine and embroidered away.

The embroidery machine does all the rest of the work for me! Remove as much of the stabilizer as you can. As stated, Badgemaster can take it! I carefully tear it away by hand, no scissors needed.

This project did not take long at all. There are about 8,000 stitches, so it was a 12+ minute sewout. Doing 4 or 6 can be done in less than 2 hours. How is that for FANTASTIC and quick!

Photo courtesy of Neiman Marcus $120 per dozen

When I was seeking the perfect design, there were so many here at ATG that just made me feel like I was creating something really special. I know you understand that feeling; it is what this embroidery is all about. I wanted to show you how easy it is to do a ‘cutwork' style of design and take your breath away at the same time. I hope I succeeded.

I did my ‘rough' cut to start out with my over all cut. Make sure that you do NOT cut your stabilizer! The cutwork style is a ‘cousin' to free standing lace; therefore, that water soluble stabilizer (wss) is important to your project. You can use a cut away stabilizer if you prefer but I felt my wss was working just fine for me.

After finishing the cut, I replaced the hoop in the machine and embroidered away.

My completed design is ready for the final removal of the stabilizer. The small openings inside the leaves were cut away using my smallest scissors. That part is tricky and if a little amount of stabilizer remains, I could use a little water to complete the removal. I am using a coin (sometimes I use a spoon) to hold and preserve the stitches and cut or tear away the stabilizer as appropriate. This helps me take the pressure off of my fingers and hands.

If for any reason you think you might have cut the threads make sure you use something like "Fray Check" so that washing will not damage the embroidery. It is so easy to nip a thread. If you feel the need to press the napkin, place a dense towel on your ironing board and place the design face down on that towel. Use a steam setting and your embroidery will not loose its 3D appearance. I personally think that linen is meant to have a casual quality to it, so for me, ironing is counterproductive to the fabric's properties.

I hope you will find time for this eye-catching project. I know I had fun doing it and cannot wait to finish the set for a special Christmas gift, maybe for me!

Print Blog

Only published comments... Aug 09 2008, 05:18 PM by pat71896 | [Edit Post]

Filed under: Tips, embroidery designs, FSL Monograms, stabilizers, annthegran stabilizer, hoopless, The Avid Embroiderer, heirloom, Cutwork, Perfect Placement, machine embroidery [Edit Tags]

- See more at: http://community.annthegran.com/blogs/avid-embroiderer/archive/2008/08/09/the-avid-embroiderer-presents-cutwork-august-8-2008.aspx#sthash.iMHgICqh.dpuf

Photo courtesy of Neiman Marcus $120 per dozen

After finishing the cut, I replaced the hoop in the machine and embroidered away.

I hope you will find time for this eye-catching project. I know I had fun doing it and cannot wait to finish the set for a special Christmas gift, maybe for me!

Print Blog

Only published comments... Aug 09 2008, 05:18 PM by pat71896 | [Edit Post]

Filed under: Tips, embroidery designs, FSL Monograms, stabilizers, annthegran stabilizer, hoopless, The Avid Embroiderer, heirloom, Cutwork, Perfect Placement, machine embroidery [Edit Tags]

- See more at: http://community.annthegran.com/blogs/avid-embroiderer/archive/2008/08/09/the-avid-embroiderer-presents-cutwork-august-8-2008.aspx#sthash.iMHgICqh.dpuf

Keeping It Simple - Elegant Wedding Shower Decorations

db1921 — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT

My best friend's daughter is getting married. And I was going to give a shower at my home in April. The colors were ivory and pale gold with touches of red. It was the nearing the end of March and although there was still plenty of time I had been thinking about how to decorate. Then came this unexpected late season snow:

With the original plans for the next couple of days cancelled I decided to get ahead of the game for once. I had not done any shopping for supplies but looked around to see what I could come up with here at home. The result of the first day was this mantel:

and this entry décor:

I grabbed an old gold frame and a piece of linen and, in my Pacesetter Lettering software typed up a design using the verse on her invitation. A left over piece of the linen and another frame that I had became the framed name. The candle is an old jar that lost its lid, wrapped with lace and ribbon. I took a pin out of the girls dress up trunk to finish it off.

Next came the Love banner. It was made from this old hot roll basket wrap that was stained:

I just cut it as needed to make a pocket at the top for the ribbon and embroidered the letters which you can download at the end of the blog.

These turned out OK. Stuck in the house with time left in the day, why not keep going? So, I decided to see what I could do with the entryway cabinet. My friend had the pictures on facebook from an earlier photo shoot. I hung them on a ribbon and glued some pearl beads to the top sides of some mini close pins I found in the craft room.

I created the heart design (this design is at the end of the blog too) and put it in a frame that wasn't currently being used.

A gold recipe book that I won as a door prize but had never used, another linen scrap and an L embroidery design created the personalized book. I handed the cards out later and everyone who came to the shower brought them back with them completed.

Later I added some flowers, my grandmother's crystal and a few pearl strands to set it all off. I made runners from an old gold tablecloth and topped them with some old lace runners that were in the linen closet.

Still snowed-in the next day I made some embroidered love birds and a stippled heart which I will share another time. There were 45 women at the shower and we had a great time. The bride-to-be asked if she could take the hand-made decorations and use them again in the church foyer.

Click here to download the LOVE letters.

Click here to download the framed heart design.

I hope that by now you are enjoying spring days but are still finding time to create your own embroidered décor whatever the occasion.

Take care,

Last Minute Men’s Wear for Your Man

atgadmin — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:16:00 GMT

We are excited to have Eileen Roche, Editor of Designs in Machine Embroidery share this content with you, which was originally posted on Eileen’s Machine Embroidery Blog :

Looking for a last minute personalized gift for your man? Want to get your guy to wear embroidered duds? Think fast and subtle. Embroidering on blanks is one the quickest tasks an embroiderer can do. The key to getting your guy to wear embellished clothing is stitching something classy and modern. A plain, black button-down shirt can be elevated to a designer original just by adding a design to a trendy area.

When selecting embroidery designs for men, go for low stitch count designs – etched figures, sketchy motifs, and satin-stitched outlines. Reserve the heavy fill stitch designs for jacket backs, camping and sporting gear and hats. Plan on placing the embroidery over the side seam of the shirt. Print a template of the design from embroidery software and place the template on the garment. This will give you a heads up whether your design is going to work. Keep an eye on the scale – too small and it looks like a postage stamp. Too big and it’ll draw attention away from his masculine frame and great smile. Think of tattoo embroidery as an accent, a complement to his frame.

Iron fusible cut-away polymesh stabilizer to the wrong side of the design area. Hoop the design area. Position the needle over the center of the template or target sticker and stitch the design. Many masculine embroidery designs have few color changes if any, which makes your task easy! Just remember to select thread that separates slightly from the base fabric. Even though you’re going for subtle doesn’t mean the embroidery has to be invisible.

Once complete, remove the shirt from the hoop. Press the wrong side and release the excess stabilizer from the shirt. Trim the stabilizer leaving about ¼” around all motifs.

See how easy it is to create this embroidery. Just click here to see me demonstrate the technique on It’s Sew Easy television show. Season 300 is now up and ready – you’ll enjoy a new show every week.

Thanks for reading!

Reprinted with permission from Eileen's Blog.

Avoiding a Major Stabilizer Malfunction

sewblest — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:00:00 GMT

My name is Debbie and I was a victim of a stabilizer malfunction.

I have been doing this long enough to know better. Remember this reversible applique project? It's one I won't forget any time soon.

At the time, I didn't tell you about the huge blunder on my part. What I thought was water-soluble mesh stabilizer was, in fact, light mesh cut-away. Similar appearance. Big difference.

So, instead of throwing out was otherwise a new, decent-quality kitchen towel, I spent hours cutting, trimming, and pulling more than 4,000 satin stitches. Never again!

I have seen stabilizer snap straps advertised. They are yellow, come in a package of six, and range in price from $13 to $20. They are basically slap bracelets: flexible metal that opens flat or snaps around a wrist or . . . stabilizer roll.

I found these at a craft store for $1 each. I like the bright colors. Use a permanent arker or label maker to identify stabilizer types on each band. If you are really ambitious, stitch up some sleeves with stabilizer types on them and slip the slap bracelets inside. Here are some free design files (Cut-Away, Tear-Away, Adhesive, Water Soluble) for you to stitch on your slap bracelet sleeves. You wouldn't even have to sew them together. Just stitch on felt, sandwich a slap bracelet in between, and glue the edges.

It's a pretty inexpensive way to prevent the dreaded stabilizer malfunction from happening to you!

Debbie SewBlest

A Five Year Anniversary Gift

pat71896 — Sat, 11 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Can you believe it, I started my blog here on 5/9/2008. Things have changed a lot and it really is an exciting time in embroidery.

I remember when I started that I wondered if I could come up with 3 ideas for blogs. Somehow, I have managed nearly every other week for that long.

I recall being worried when I first tried free standing lace (blog) (fsl). I figured it would be some sort of disaster but it turned out lovely. I did not do this particular fsl, but I believe with a little effort, it can be done! Regular fsl just requires rinsing and drying of the lace, this Swan does require some starch. How beautiful it is.

Here is a freebie -

Later, I went into my monogram (blog) period which I found to be very fun and my creativity even surprised me. I created several interesting monograms. Here is one in which I used 'foam', the kind you can get at any fabric store. It is pliable and available in so many wonderful colors.

Here is a Monogram Frame Freebie -

I cannot forget the time I tried 'Candlewicking (blog).' Normal Candlewicking is done with heavy cording on fabrics from burlap to fine linen. The original method is shown here. Embroidery uses a multi-stitch method to create the density required to be worthy of such a name. This photo shows a hand method and the 'beads' in the arch are the machine generated stitches.

Here is a Candlewicking Freebie - Just in time for the Summer Season. This would be excellent on a Pillow Sham!

Thank you for Five Wonderful Years. I sincerely hope you were able to learn and use some of my ideas. I wish I could talk with each one of you in person and learn from YOU! We all have something to share, please add your comments in the area below.

I look forward to many blogs to come. To be sure, putting a site with all the supporting people and resources, is costly. I hope you do find opportunities to buy where you learn and share. You have my deepest appreciation.

And, HERE IS MY GIFT TO YOU! If you have ever considered selling your embroidery projects, if you think you might be in a position to make a profit, this spreadsheet is for YOU. My Embroidery Cost Analysis Kit is on sale! For one week only, for my readers, this spreadsheet is half price. It comes with instructions and a worksheet that works with Excel or Apache Open Office, Calc. Open Office is a FREE and complete software very comparable MicroSoft Office.

Thank you again. I love doing this blog and I hope you enjoy reading it. Tell a friend, share the fun.

Hand is a Four-letter Word

atgadmin — Fri, 10 May 2013 18:00:00 GMT

We are excited to have Eileen Roche, Editor of Designs in Machine Embroidery share this content with you, which was originally posted on Eileen’s Machine Embroidery Blog :

I’m a machine girl, always have been, always will be. I’m amazed, impressed, in awe, humbled by those who stitch by hand. But truth be told, I don’t get it. I think the ONLY thing I like about handwork is, it’s portable. You can throw it in a bag and take it anywhere. Kinda hard to do that with your embroidery machine. Just ask my sweet husband about that fishing trip we took to Arkansas. You know, the one where I told him, “I’m just going to bring a little bit of work with me. Okay, honey?” Here’s the photo of ‘my little bit of work’. But he still loves me.

Since I don’t like handwork, I’m always looking for a way to turn handwork techniques into sewing techniques. Take binding for instance. Most people believe binding should be sewn by hand to the back of a quilt. I think that’s because they only make one or two quilts per year. Oh okay, that sounds kind of mean and it’s probably not true. It could be they just have higher standards than I do. That’s more like it.

In fact, my standards on binding are not really that high. If I could leave the quilt, raw-edge, I probably would. I have been known to show quilts in a classroom setting without a binding. You might remember my friend, Cindy McCord – a student in San Antonio. Cindy just couldn’t bear to let me show an unbound quilt (honest, there was only one!). She took it home on Friday, purchased the perfect fabric, bound and returned it to me at the start of class on Saturday morning. Wow, that was impressive.

Since that humbling moment, I’ve taken great strides to bind my quilts. But I still absolutely refuse the hand-sewing part. And this morning, I found a new use for a sewing foot that’s been in my drawer for years.

The lowly, blind hem foot is apparently, the perfect tool for stitching in the ditch. Why didn’t I know this? Or think of this? Or try this sooner? Doesn’t everybody else know this? I looked at that little foot and thought, hmm, that metal guide might be just the thing to run along the binding seam and keep the whole mess, I mean beautiful quilt, under control while the binding is sewn to the back.

After sewing the binding to the quilt, I pressed the binding to the back and pinned it from the front. I slid the binding under the blind hem foot, nestling the foot’s metal guide in the seam.

I placed thread that matched the quilt – not the binding – in the needle and moved the needle so that it was just a millimeter to the left of the metal guide. Then I floored it! I whizzed around the binding, pausing only to remove the pins. And when I flipped it over – I was thrilled! The entire binding was captured from the front.

No stray sections wandering off the back of the quilt. Yippee! Oh my, what a relief. The quilt is really done – completely finished and 5 days – yes 5 WHOLE DAYS – before being handed off to the mom-to-be at her baby shower.

These new moms love the contemporary quilt movement. How about you? Do you love it or could you leave it? Are inspired by their use of negative space and clear color? Truth be told, I’m intrigued and have been delving into designing some quilts with this contemporary slant.

Thanks for reading!

Reprinted with permission from Eileen's Blog.

Fancy Scrap Bag

Carol — Sat, 04 May 2013 15:00:00 GMT

     When you sew, what do you do with your fabric trimmings and thread ends? Do
you reach for a trash can? Mine is too far away -- I can't put it as close to me as I want,
because it gets in the way of my desk's drawers. Instead, I keep a scrap bag right on my
sewing desk. It is very handy.

     The Fancy Swirl on the scrap bag is one you haven't seen before. It has 15 loops
like some others, but each half of a loop is its own color. The progression of colors
follows rainbow order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. As you may know, I
am very fond of this color arrangement. I call this design V_split_15_6-color. I used
the 120x120 mm size for the bag.

     This new design is available individually, and in various design packs.   As the name
suggests, the Fancy Swirls Complete Set includes all the swirl designs. Click here
to see a design set that includes all the designs in a single size. Choose the size in the drop
down window at right; the designs available in that size will be shown. There is also a set
that includes this design in all 5 sizes: 100x100, 120x120, 150x150, 200x200, and 350x360 mm.
For those of you who purchased the Complete Set before I added the new design, this
design pack is the most economical way to augment your collection. The other swirls
are also available in multi-size design packs. Only the 15-loop designs include the
350x360 mm hoop size. Read my Guide to Fancy Swirls and Fancy Swirls Stitch Counts
for more information. The latter document also explains the names for the designs.

     The instructions and pattern for the scrap bag are available here. If you want to
hang your scrap bag from a hook, add a loop to the top of the bag back. You can also
add a tab to that edge, and then attach a pin cushion.

Tips for Applique Using AccuQuilt for Machine Embroidery

sewblest — Fri, 03 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT

Hopefully, you took advantage of the AccuQuilt sale. These tips were written for embroidering applique shapes cut with AccuQuilt dies, but are just as valuable if you tack and trim your applique designs by hand.

New Addition, Just in Time for Wedding Season

Great news- Ann has added the AccuQuilt 2-3-4" heart die to their inventory!

I have posted several articles using that die. The heart projects could be easily adapted to bridal shower and wedding favors or decorations. Super quick and easy, just add a monogram for the new bride or couple.

Keeping Applique Fabric from Distorting

If you have ever used scrapbook dies, they cut paper cleanly and without distortion. Fabric, on the other hand, has a grain. Keeping the die lined up with the length-wise grain helps avoid stretching and pulling that can distort the cut fabric.

If you are unsure about fabric grain, particularly when cutting small fabric scraps, pull the fabric north and south, then east and west. One direction will stretch more than the other. The one that stretches is the bias and, although it is preferable when making binding strips, you don't want to cut applique shapes on the bias. They will either lay too far inside the placement lines to be tacked down properly or they will be larger than the placement lines and hang out beyond the finishing satin stitches.

Fabric and scraps should always be pressed before cutting. Just as stabilizers support stitching, applique shapes can be reinforced in several ways:

Spray Starch
Using spray starch on fabric before cutting helps to keep applique pieces crisp. They cut well and stitch beautifully when taut.
Fusible Web
This double-sided magic not only helps hold the shape of the applique being cut, it also can be used to fuse appliques to base fabrics. Be sure to read the instructions before applying fusible web as it varies by manufacturer. Apply it to the scrap and lay the scrap over the die before cutting.

When securing fusible applique in the hoop, it is nearly impossible to use a standard iron. A wonderful tool is the mini iron, a small iron on a wand that can be used to tack down the applique to the base fabric. Once secure, finish the tack-down, trim, and satin stitches. Press well after removing from the hoop.
Interfacing
Fusible interfacing is another good way to stabilize applique fabrics. Be sure to use a thin and flexible variety for a soft appearance. Unlike fusible web, interfacing allows the applique to "float" over the base fabric rather.

Is an AccuQuilt Baby or GO! machine really necessary?
No, but it is like using a spoon to cut out sugar cookies. Sure, a spoon will work but, if you use a cookie cutter, it is much easier (and prettier). The dies cut fabric shapes with little effort and great precision. Better yet, there is an ever-expanding source of embroidery designs available for many AccuQuilt shapes.

Check back; a future post will show easy digitizing for AccuQuilt applique.

Debbie SewBlest

Mother's Day - Year Round

pat71896 — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 19:00:00 GMT

Now that I am a grandmother, I can look back and see what I did right, wrong and strange with my children. We have all had good and bad to deal with. I see my children parenting my grandchildren and am impressed that they do as well as they do. I am very impressed as to how they deal with everything given the things that happens these days!

The one thing that I know for sure, if I had the chance again, I would make it Mother's Day All Year for my Mother. I want the world to know that she was perfect as she was, warts and all (well, she did not have warts, but you get the idea). She single handedly endured, persevered and created a stable life for my brother and me.

You may also know that I am a big fan of the AlphabetXpress that AnnTheGran offers. I wanted to do something new and different and I think I found it!

Those colors are OK, but seeing something done correctly in coordinating colors is a eye-opener for me!

** As I have noted before, I wish I were a good colorist, but until I am, I RELY on packages like these . AND, also The Incredible Threadable Boxes have FREE SHIPPING right now (have you seen what shipping costs these days???) from Madeira - a highly trusted thread and color expert.

I can only think of a zillion ideas for this type of work. Totes, wall hangings, new born babies, children, Bible verses, and so much more. BTW, without Alphabet Xpress, you will need a MUCH MORE EXPRENSIVE software!

Alphabet Xpress, Madeira and me, an unbeatable combination - IMHO,

Keeping It Simple - Embroidered Door Stop for Spring

db1921 — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:00:00 GMT

While out one day a few weeks ago my mother and I saw some really cute little door stop decorations done in an Easter theme. I love the fresh spring air flowing through the house but I always have to use a door stop to keep my front door from swinging shut. In the past I have used a fabric covered brick, a rubber stopper, and other items. This, I thought, is a great idea. Today I decided I should make a doorstop of my own. Although I loved the little bunnies on the ones we saw I decided to make mine with little dragonflies. It is quite a bit different in design but I think it turned out just fine for a fun, crafty door stop. Here is what mine looks like:

Here is what you need:

Two rectangles of utility cotton fabric 12" wide X 13" tall

Two accent rectangles of cotton print 12" wide X 6" tall

Two 12" lengths of 1" rick rack

One 10" length of 1" rick rack

One square white or solid color cotton for appliqué

Cut away stabilizer

Embroidery design not more than 4" x 4" (Here's the one we used)

Embroidery appliqué shape (Click to download the narrow candlewick circle and the satin circle)

Lapel Stick or other temporary adhesive

Embroidery appliqué snips

Embroidery thread

Sewing thread

Craft stuffing.

Heavy 8" zip lock bag filled with 3 cups sand or cat litter and taped with packing tape

Here is what you do:

1. Lay one 12" x 6" accent rectangle face up on your work surface. Align the rick rack along the top edge as shown in image. Sew through the middle.

2. Fold to the back and press. Repeat step one and two for the other accent rectangle.

3. Lay one 12" X13" rectangle face up on the work surface. Lay one accent rectangle face up on top aligning the raw edges at the bottom. Pin and sew along the top edge of the fabric just below the rick rack. Repeat for other pieces.

4. Lay one completed rectangle face up on the work surface with the layers at the bottom. Find the center of the top edge, measure down 5" and mark. Set aside.

5. Hoop some soft cut away stabilizer. Using your lapel stick center and adhere the 5" square on top. (Alternatively you can hoop a larger piece of fabric along with your stabilizer and cut it to 5" after you do your embroidery.) Embroider the design of your choice. (The design I used can be found here.)

6. Remove from the hoop. Cut the stabilizer to the same 5" square as the fabric square.

7. Hoop soft cut away stabilizer in a 5x7 hoop. Mark the center. Align the mark on your large rectangle with the one on your stabilizer. Use the label stick to adhere the fabric in the hoop around the edges away from the embroidery area.

8. Embroidery the first color of the candlewick circle appliqué or the satin circle appliqué . (The candlewick appliqué is very narrow so if you do not have the appliqué snips to trim really closely you might want to use the satin circle appliqué.) Remove the hoop from the machine and place on flat work surface. Use the Lapel Stick to put a little adhesive on the edges of backside of the 5" fabric square. Place on top of the circle run in your hoop making sure it is centered and fits inside the circle.

9. Embroider the second color of the appliqué ( I used white for all three thread colors so it would be sure to match my fabric.) Remove the hoop from the machine and place on flat work surface. Using appliqué snips trim closely around the outside of the circle.

10. Embroider the last color of the appliqué. Remove the hoop from the machine. Cut away the excess stabilizer on the backside.

11. Place one fabric rectangle layer face up on the work surface. Place the other rectangle face down aligning all edges. Fold the 10" length of rick rack to make a loop. At the top center tuck the loop in between the layers and let the raw edges stick out about 1/4" at the top. Pin. Using a 1/2" seam sew around edge leaving a 5 inch opening at the bottom for turning.

12. While still inside out pull out one bottom corner to a point aligning bottom and side seam. Measure in 1" and draw a line. Sew along the line. Repeat for the other three corners. Your project should look something like a gunny sack.

13. Turn right side out. Poke the corners out. Stuff pretty full with the craft stuffing. Slide the bag of sand inside and add additional stuffing if needed. Sew the opening closed.

When the door is closed it sits against the wall and protects it from the door knob that often hits the wall when the door is swung open. So, if you know someone who has a door that swings freely and won't stay open this little project may be just what you need. It is an easy project that could be made to match any décor.

Take care,

Hold towels for embroidery the easy, loop-free way

djones247 — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 18:33:00 GMT

If you have ever used self-adhesive stabilizer to hold a towel for embroidery, it may have seemed easy at first. But when you have to remove the self-adhesive, the going gets tough. After removal, you have pulled loops on the back of the towel that look terrible. In this video excerpt from my video DVD, Embroidering Terry, Plush and Fleece, I demonstrate how to hold towels easily and with no pulled loops.

This is a short excerpt from this video with many more ideas on how to get great results on one of the most frequently embroidered blanks. After watching it, you can click on the link below to view the DVD product with lots more tips for embroidering any plush textured material.

Learn from the Expert Volume 3, Embroidering Terry, Plush and Fleece

May embroidery always bring you joy,

Deborah

Back Side Up

sewblest — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 16:00:00 GMT

Sometimes, the best side of the fabric is the back. I found that out while making a throw quilt for my daughter. It was based around a Catkin panel by Julie Paschkis. I love her folk/carved block-style approach to her fabric designs. My daughter loves cats so it was perfect.

The surrounding blocks were appliqued using tone-on-tone paisley prints (green, grey, and creme), each pulled from colors in the blocks. One used an applique paw print. The other used an applique skeleton fish. In the center, a cream paisley appliqued with a red marbled heart.

The creme looked wonderful on the green, and great as a background for the heart, but was much too bright when used for the skeleton fish on the grey paisley block.

As often happens with such projects, I'm in the zone, it's 10 p.m. and, even if it were open, the closest fabric store is 20 miles away. While contemplating my dilemma, I played with the cream paisley print, willing it to work with the background. I turned it over and there, on the back, was the perfect, soft, delicate, natural paisley.

Closeup:

(This was a test stich-out, so the satin stitches aren't perfect: I needed to adjust the tension!)

Just when I was feeling pretty ingenious, I was in a local fabric store and overheard the owner telling a customer the very same thing she learned at a conference. A fabric representative told attendees to always turn the fabric over and look at the back. The shop owner took what was otherwise a hideous fabric, turned it over, and it looked like a batik. Shaded fabrics are ideal for applique embroidery, either as a base or as the applique, and it was half-off.

This technique doesn't work with all fabrics, it depends how they are printed, but it is certainly worth a look!

Debbie SewBlest

Newbie Faints, Overwhelmed by Details

pat71896 — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:00:00 GMT

As a Newbie (we love YOU and we were all where you are), I can read your questions and remember when I asked the same things. It does not matter how much you sew; or how much you have spent on your equipment and supplies; it does not matter what you know about embroidery; machine embroidery is different from anything you have ever done.

The good news is that science is telling us that when we learn something entirely new to us, it is keeping our brains healthy by exercising it with new things. Sewing/gardening and other activities are great, but our brains need new challenges.

You have found a wonderful way to give yourself new ideas and issues.

One facet of embroidery is the hooping. There is much discussion about the 'dos and don'ts' of hooping, and I am here to give you some of my findings from my experiences and what I have learned from others.

Let’s start with some specifics about hooping with which we might all agree:

Always use the smallest hoop which will accommodate your project
- Movement from the machine, needle and the hoop can cause some shifting of the fabric creating alignment issues.

A flat, sturdy space larger than your hoop is required to complete hooping
- You are creating a good basis for your work area.
Make sure your hoop is free of any glues or other debris
- Clean with a cloth or cotton swab with rubbing alcohol or vinegar will remove many common glues.
Replace a hoop which is damaged in any way
- A damaged hoop will mar your project and your machine as well.

Check and mark the grain of your fabric before hooping
- You will want to work with the manufacturer's lay of the fabric.
Utilize hooping aids such as double faced tapes made specifically for sewing
- Use all the tools you need, Picasso had more than one brush and paints and other items to create his work.
Not all projects can successfully be hooped
- Any fabric with a nap or loops will need to be outside of the hoop. Items such as towels, foam, leather or plastics must be handled attached and not in the hoop as well. Hoop burn is difficult to remove.

Not all projects need to be hooped
- Very small items like baby projects can be done with a light spray of adhesive and/or basted to the stabilizer.

Together with stabilizers, the hoop is equally important to prevent poor registration of a design. I can remember my initial attempts at doing FSL with similar results to my photo. My disappointment stemmed from the fact that I was 95% done with my project before I could see that it failed. The reality is that it failed much earlier, but it was not very visible. Of course it is always possible that the digitizing has some variance, but that is very rarely the case.

Frequently, there is more than one way to accomplish any goal. Different methods are neither right nor wrong, just different. I personally have hand issues and hooping can be difficult for me. For fabrics which are heavy, slippery or in other multiple ways, difficult to handle, I use a hoopless method. Hoopless sewing is not for all projects. Once again, a ‘Discovery Sew’ (testing out your project) will be your best guide.

This photo is a simple method of hoopless. I was embroidering on a small tote that was difficult to hoop because of the size and the seams involved.

In this case, I simply hooped some tear away stabilizer and attached it to my machine. I placed my fabric on top of the stabilizer which had 4 pieces of a product such as “Wonder Tape.” I then sewed a basting stitch around the area where the design would reside. You may also notice that I have clamped the sides to keep them from getting into the design. This simple method would work for stable fabrics such as denim and woven fabrics. It is a little less expensive because I am not using my adhesive stabilizer.

The next hoopless option is for t-shirts, slippery and/or stretch fabrics. I won’t discuss the stabilizing because we covered that on my last blog. I did, however, start with hooping an adhesive stabilizer. While this stabilizer has grid lines on it, the grid lines

will be cut away before I place my fabric. I will be doing my own grid line for placement. The pins are only secured in the top fabric. My objective is to have a stable fabric where I will accurately place my design.

Next, I will be combining my fabric and stabilizer. The hoop is also given a grid line.

After lining up my grid lines, I have finger pressed my fabric to the stabilizer. I then place a medium weight, water soluble sheet on top. Basting is not required here. I might add basting and/or stabilizers if there is an opportunity to make the whole project stronger. In this case, I feel it has reached its stability. I also have placed a ‘no-show mesh’ under the hoop, just as I would have done if I had hooped the project.

Once you do a hoopless project, you just may be hooked. I know that I am. I only use hooping when necessary and that is not too often. Fabrics like silk can get a ‘burn’ from the hoop and towels and heavy fabrics can be damaged.

Bonus: Before you do your next project, I recommend that you take your largest hoop and place it on a flat surface. Release the tension screw and notice that the gaps are not perfectly even. Increase the tension a few turns at a time and notice that your hoop is compressing, but not necessarily evenly. All hoops will have some variance and it will be helpful for you to know where those gaps might occur in a regular project.

If you have a lot of gaps when your screw is reasonably tight, you could utilize a gripper like is used in cupboards to keep dishes from slipping. It is not expensive and sold in rolls. If you need something like this, be sure to cut the gripping in strips and use them on opposite sides for balance of tension.

Machine Features Everybody Needs

atgadmin — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:51:00 GMT

We are excited to have Eileen Roche, Editor of Designs in Machine Embroidery share this content with you, which was originally posted on Eileen’s Machine Embroidery Blog :

When Nancy and I were creating Machine Embroidery in 6 Easy Lessons series, I delved into the basics of machine embroidery and found that the better the tools, the easier the process. So let’s start with our biggest tool – the machine. That doesn’t mean you have to buy the top-of-the-line machine to enjoy machine embroidery but you should arm yourself with basic machine features. When you’re looking for a new embroidery machine make sure it has an adequate sewing field, simple design transfer, trace, rotation, mirror image, baste and stitch advance features.

1. A 5” x 7” Sewing Field. I know, I know, I hear you. A 5” x 7” sewing field costs so much more than an entry level 4” x 4” machine! You’re right; it is definitely a step up in price but worth every penny. Ninety percent of embroiderers outgrow their 4” x 4” hoop about six months after they purchase the machine. Now they’re stuck with a machine that’s not easy to trade-in or sell online and that can be frustrating. So, go ahead, splurge a bit and treat yourself to a larger sewing field.

2. Design Transfer. Hmmm, I know a few popular machines allow design transfer via a computer link only. I don’t know about you, but my sewing room is pretty crowded. I really don’t have an extra square foot of space for a laptop or desktop computer on the same table as my embroidery machine. So I really love the flexibility of writing to a simple medium – such as a USB stick – from my laptop (which may be parked in another room!). To me, this just simplifies the task.

3. The Trace Feature. Remember how your mom used to cringe when you jumped into a pool or lake without checking the water below you. Well, that’s the feeling I’m trying to avoid when I use the trace feature. The trace feature allows you to position the needle in 10 different locations within the sewing field. This is very helpful when attempting to achieve specific placement on an item. For instance, it you are positioning a monogram above a pocket, select the bottom center point to make sure the design will not actually stitch on the pocket. Selecting the right and left bottom points verifies the design will sit squarely above the pocket. After all, your mother was right – always check the water below before jumping in.

For continuous embroidery, the trace feature is priceless. When you’re connecting a second design to a previously stitched design at the top of the sewing field, for instance, selecting the top three trace positions will show you the designs will (or will not) connect. You can make positioning adjustments before stitching the designs.

4. Rotation. Do not go home with a machine that does not have the ability to rotate a design in one degree increments. Really, do not buy that machine because a machine that doesn’t rotate in one degree increments expects you to hoop PERFECTLY SQUARE every single time. For heavens’ sake, are you kidding me? That’s a beginner’s machine? I don’t think so, do yourself a favor, save some gray hairs and premature wrinkles and get a machine that spins the designs in one degree.

5. Mirror Image. The mirror image feature is often overlooked because we take it for granted. But without it, many embroidery layouts look very unprofessional. Make sure your new machine has this feature.

6. Baste or Fix Feature. We’ve all been told to hoop everything, in an actual hoop. During the courting stage of your relationship with your machine, you will hoop everything. You’ll place a piece of fabric with stabilizer between the inner and outer rings of your standard embroidery hoop. Then you’ll get confident and you’ll want to embroider something that won’t actually fit in a hoop. So you’ll get creative and use spray adhesive, sticky stabilizer or a magnetic hoop insert. And you’ll press start on the machine, turn around to answer the phone and POP goes the fabric. You didn’t think it would ever happen to you but it did and it will happen again. So use the baste feature, it’s a stitched box around the design that holds your fabric to the hooped stabilizer. It’s like insurance, once you need it, you’re so glad you have it.

7. Stitch Advance. Stitch advance gives you freedom – freedom to sail through a design and skip colors, freedom to go back and restitch some stitches (don’t ask why, you’ll learn soon enough) Oh okay, here’s why. The thread broke; the sensor didn’t catch it and either did you. But you notice the cute little kitty cat you just stitched is missing an eye. Hmmm…as long as it’s still in the hoop, you can go back and restitch that segment. Now your kitty is perfect!

In Machine Embroidery in 6 Easy Lessons, you’ll find a handful of exercises that focus on these basic features. You’ll learn how each feature simplifies the embroidery process, helps in hooping technique and results in gorgeous embroidery. Back to basics has never been more fun!

Thanks for reading!

Reprinted with permission from Eileen's Blog.

Fix Loopy Threads

djones247 — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 18:28:00 GMT

When you remove your embroidery work from the hoop, here's something that ranks up there with crooked embroidery - loopy threads from poor tensions.

I have two methods to repair them. In this video exceprt from my video "Repairing Embroidery Mishaps", I show you two ways to secure those loopy threads and save the garment.

Watch the excerpt here.

May embroidery always bring you joy,

Deborah

Link to the entire lesson: http://www.annthegran.com/prd/Education/Designs-Magazine/Learn-from-the-Expert--Volume-4-Repairing-Embroidery-Mishaps/1/LFE0040.aspx

Stabilizer Tips and Tricks

sewblest — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:00:00 GMT

Stabilizers are the workhorse of the embroidery industry. Since they are used literally every time we stitch, it helps to share tricks of the trade.

Keeping Waste to a Minimum

I have found that keeping the stabilizer width intact, rather than trimming it to the hoop size, eliminates unnecessary waste. Depending on the design, you can secure one hooping as far left as you can. Stitch the design, then unhoop and hoop again as far to the right as possible. This works well with water-soluble stabilizer (WSS) that is trimmed close to the design before washing ut away. It should work fine with tear-away stabilizer but may not work as well with cut-away.

Patching Tears

At some point in time, we all will have a tear in our stabilizer. This example happened when I made felt Christmas cookies on adhesive tear-away. It's an easy fix. Peel a piece of adhesive tear-away slightly larger than the tear area. Gently touch it to the back of the hooped item over the tear. Place right-side up on a flat surface and finger press smooth. Nine times out of ten, you can resume stitching with no ill effects.

The same fix applies to regular tear-away or cut-away stabilizers. Use adhesive tear-away just like tape to fix the tear on the back side of the hoop. Keep scraps of adhesive tear-away for just this purpose.

Water-soluble stabilizers can also be patched. This example shows a heart-shaped hole in the stabilizer. I used two pieces of WSS, one on front and one on back, adhering them by finger painting water around the patch edges and gently finger-pressing them to the hooped WSS. The trick is to get the pieces just wet enough to stick, but not so wet that they dissolve. Finish stitching, soak, and you will never know there was a problem.

Keep scraps of WSS in a plastic zip bag or an air-tight container so they don't draw damp and turn into a big sticky blob. You never know when they will come in handy.

Stitching in a Window

Not long ago, I wrote about using a stabilizer window to eliminate hooping every design. It is easy to do with adhesive tear-away both in the hoop and as a patch. You could also hoop something more substantial like a medium-weight tear-away or cut-away stabilizer and use adhesive tear-away for the patch. I have read of people using vinyl for the window, but have never tried it.

Removing Adhesive Stabilizer Residue

After using adhesive stabilizers, you may get bits of adhesive on the sewing surface. Non-acetone nail polish remover on a cotton ball easily removes adhesive smudges. Make sure it is non-acetone which is for safe use on acrylic fingernails. Otherwise, you may damage the surface of your sewing machine.

Avoiding Sticky Hoop Syndrome

Probably the biggest complaint from using a spray-adhesive is that it makes a stick mess of your hoop (and anything else close by). Recommendations include spraying in a box to reduce overspray or making a cardboard cutout that covers the hoop but leaves the area inside the hoop accessible to spray. I don't have problems with sticky hoops because I don't spray the stabilizer. I spray the back of the fabric (in a box or on a large piece of paper), then finger press it onto the stabilizer.

Have any great stabilizer tips?

Debbie SewBlest

Going to the Dogs -- In Style!

Carol — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:11:00 GMT

A young woman, who uses a service dog to help cope with certain
health issues, asked me recently to make a pouch to contain the dog's
official ID card, a bag for waste, and a few dog treats. I was happy
to oblige and created this simple pouch. I had time to create a plain
pouch before our trip out of town. Strips of Velcro wrap around the
leash, holding it in place, so I call it a Dog Leash Pouch.

     When I showed this picture of the pouch to my machine embroidering
friends, they were shocked that I hadn't embroidered anything on
the pouch. "You should at least embroider a dog bone," someone
suggested. I took that as a challenge, so did create a dog bone
design. I drew the motif in my digitizing program and then used
it for a multi-wave fill. I made this next pouch for another friend
who has a dog. (Isn't Zoltan a great name for a pooch? He is a
terrier mix of some flavor.) I arranged his name with Contour Print 30.

     I decided that Cocoa, the service dog, needed a fancier pouch, too.
I knew her leash was red so kept with the color scheme from the first
pouch. Contour Script 60 fit on this pouch. Cocoa is all ready for a walk.

     A pouch like this can be handy for many other uses,
so I decided to create a larger pouch, too. I also created a variety of
fill patterns, a few of which match the fills for the Fancy Water Bottle
Caddy. You will recognize the bicycles, the cathedral windows, and the
shell motifs. The two bone designs are new, and the hexagons and squares
appear on my Crazy Patch Pouches. Here is a picture of all the fill
patterns. See DLP_Stitch_Counts for information about design dimensions,
finished pouch sizes, and design names. The stitch counts are included,
too, of course. The design packs are available here and individual designs here.

     The embroidered panel for the small pouch fits in a 150 x 240 mm
or larger hoop. The large pouch requires at least a 200 x 260 mm hoop.
Designs in both sizes include (a) guide lines for cutting off the median strip
that connects the two zippers and (b) centering lines for adding text to the
design.

     Notice that there are two horizontal centering lines. If you would
like to omit the lower zipper, as in the pouches shown below, then you
would omit the guide lines for cutting off the median strip (since you
don't need them) and position your design at the higher horizontal line.
Use the lower horizontal line for a two-zipper pouch. The instructions
included with the designs have this information, too. I used Contour
Script 60 and 75 for the small and large pouches, respectively.

     For the dog leash pouches, I added a loop of webbing to each side
seam. I slip the Velcro strips into the loops and then wrap the strips
around the leash. Most leashes aren't as fat as the kind service dogs
wear. The following picture shows that one Velcro strip can be fastened
to the handle of a leash and the other to the leash itself. This will
prevent the pouch from sliding down the leash and touching the dog.

     If you prefer, you can use only one loop and attach a D-ring or swivel
clip to it. You can also omit the hardware entirely, as I did for the one-
zipper pouches. If you have any other hardware you would like to attach,
you can certainly find a way to do so. Just make sure you move the slider
into the area of the pouch before attaching anything to the side seams. (Ask
me how I know.)

It's The Perfect Wedding Bow

pat71896 — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:00:00 GMT

I know that this is an embroidery blog but sometimes, you just gotta learn about the little things you will need when you give your beautiful gift.

When you see the beautiful bows at a special event, I always figured a magical, nimble-fingered elf came when no one was looking and creating the bow that was not lopsided and picture perfect. AHA! I found the answer, the elf has given me the trick!!! I was actually able to create my best bow the very first time.

Start with about 40" (1.01m) of fabric ribbon. The paper types of ribbons work fine as well, but it is easier to work with fabric ribbon for your samples. Paper types will have some wrinkling.

Layout your ribbon as shown. Most fabric ribbons are the same on both sides, but some may be different. Begin with them showing (up side) their right sides in a "M" shape.

I have used two different colors so it is easy to see, believe me, when I saw the drawing in black and white, it was difficult to follow! Place the right loop over the left loop. Make sure to keep the middle of the "M" in place.

Take the right loop under the left and BACK UP through the middle of the "M" loop (I am pointing to it). It is the only way you will get a knot of any type, so if you miss the loop, start over.

The results look like a mess but it is correct. Next you make sure that your loops are on the correct side and then work toward pulling the loops outward. This is where the long tails really help. If the tails are too short, you cannot pull the loops out to their appropriate position. If needed, work loops and tails back and forth so that the knot becomes engaged.

Do lay out your pieces as they will eventually lay in a completed bow. This is all taking longer to say than it will take you to make!

After you practice some of these, it won't be necessary to have to rework as much, but initially, keep your end bow in mind as you work.

Here is one side of the bow - -

And here is the other side. As I worked through my bows, I often found the back side to be more attractive but you may find it different. How about this one in organza?? I think the wider the ribbon the more dramatic the bow.

The last thing you need to know is that I have not been able to determine how to create a bow that has something attached, like this towel. If you observe all the 'pretty as a picture' bows for sale, you will see that there is either an attachment like a 'twist tie' or they are simply an adhesive flat back. I always assumed that there was no 'loop' to stuff my towel into because they did not want to give me extra ribbon or too short a loop to use on a package. That is not the case. I worked with this for several hours trying to make it work with a box but could not do it. I could use a VERY long middle tail on a box but the bow did not work.

Moral, this bow on the towel is for 'showin, not usin.' I took a piece of ribbon to wrap around the towel, twisted it and attached it, with a safety pin or craft glue would have worked, and the bow was ready for its debut.

This time, I am also showing one of the Freebie designs that is really an outstanding design. Freebies normally are not very innovative, but this one IS HEAD AND SHOULDERS ABOVE THE REST.

Obviously, this is a button hole. Why do I think it is special? Well, last summer I had my favorite shorts with a little problem. It had a metal latch and a metal grabber and the latch gave out. Now this was not like a 'hook and eye' because it was much larger. The hole that was left behind was making the shorts unwearable. Recycle Time! Then I took this design and used it to make a sturdy button hole for my garment and I have my favorite shorts back again! This design is from Ann's Club. So, believe me when I say that being a member has its priviledges. It is absolutely worth the cost and after all, you can pay $10 for something that is not worth a dime or a little more and have excellent value.

Alphabet Xpress is on sale this week. From the very reasonable price of $59.99 down to $35.99. Let me tell you about my experience.

I recently changed from a BabyLock 10 needle home machine to an SWF/E-T1501C, a 15 needle commercial machines. I actually thought that it was going to take my embroidery to a new level. The software was $5,000 and appeared to be a good program.

Very long story short, the Alphabet Xpress is head and shoulders above the $5k software in lettering. I am not using the expensive program, I am using AX. I have been embroidering for over 12 years and AX is excellent. It does not do any designs but for lettering, ♪ ♪ ♪ nobody does it better! ♪ ♪ ♪

Please Welcome Me

atgadmin — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 18:00:00 GMT

Hello Everyone.....

First of all let me introduce myself, my name is Pardeep Takhar. I have been working here at AnnTheGran (ATG) since 2007...... that's 6 years ....wow that's a really long time, time really does fly by. Here, at ATG, I have been involved in customer service, adding new products, sales and promotions.

It's funny although my friends and family would let you know I talk a lot , I am a little nervous about this whole blog writing. I love meeting and talking to people and I'm sure you will make me feel comfortable soon. Ok, so that's enough about me, this blog is about YOU!

I wanted to start blogging so that I could reach out to you; understand what you need, what you want to learn about, what you want to see, basically what you want.

So please flood me with your ideas, questions, suggestions....(dare i say criticisms, dislikes :) and I (along with my wonderful team here) will try our best to solve them) ...Seriously, I want to hear what you have to say.

Well first of all, we changed the look of the new site a few months ago, do you like it? Anything you don't like?, please comment below.

This week I would like to start off by introducing new products on our site this month so far.....check at my presentation below:

Thanks for watching and please leave your comments below.