Fall is my favorite season. I love how the weather changes from brutally hot to just perfect! I love being cozy and taking out my current stitching project, curling up on a chair beside the fire and watching how my African Folklore Embroidery design takes on a life of its own. My parents are current... [More]

  The following tips can be used for both Windows XP and Vista. When you think about the amount of money you are spending on your PC and related items, it might make you feel like you have spent more than the benefits warrant.  With a PC, buying the initial equipment is just the start.&n... [More]

It’s Chilly here in Alabama today.  That is to say, rainy 70 degrees feels cold compared with 90+ degrees.  This has been a frustrating day.  I have a little project that I wanted to talk about this time.  However, I’ve lost the special ruler I need for the project.&n... [More]

OK, I admit it.  I despise making jack-O-lanterns.  The carving is OK but in my mind cleaning out the pumpkin guts has never been fun.  Yuck-O!  And because it gets so cold here before Halloween these hollowed out orange decorations many times look like little old men by Trick or... [More]

The following tips can be used for both Windows XP and Vista. Speed Testing Your PC If you are among the more progressive computer users, you may just be using ‘wireless' computing.  There are so many advantages to that networking, not the least of which is the fact that many peop... [More]

Well since the last time I wrote I have celebrated my birthday in style and had a nice vacation to boot!  My husband worked so hard to give a me a "Surprise Birthday" party and he really succeeded.  It was a surprise party with a beach theme at a seashore restaurant.  One of... [More]

     Individual characters (letters, numbers and punctuation marks) from my alph [More]

Hi again. Well it has been a great week!   Thank you for all your questions and energetic comments regarding frames.  The response has been so overwhelming that we have put together a Webinar regarding frames, their Uses and were to get them.   Join me as I present "Hoo... [More]

  I enjoy working with computers and the software that runs them.  I will try to have my tips cover both XP and Vista when possible.  I know that so many of you are really MAC fans, but I do not have MAC tips, sorry. If there is something I love more than machine embroidery (and I r... [More]

Being the "Meesy" to two beautiful granddaughters I am always on the lookout for cute things that I can make for them or with them.  They are very girly girls and love fancy ribbons, barrettes and bows.  Last weekend I went on a getaway with a friend and we browsed through shops ... [More]

Hello, My name is Scott Phillips and I am happy to have you here with us at Scott's Corner. I have been in the embroidery industry for 20 years and my family has nearly 30 years experience in production embroidery and monogramming. I believe that being an informed embroiderer on the latest te... [More]

Hello there, everyone.  First, I want to tell you the reason for the title of this BLOG. Monday, I did exactly what I’ve been telling you all this time NOT TO DO.  I cut MY finger with the rotary cutter.  Yup!  I did it.  I am glad to say that it’s not very ba... [More]

So, in the last year, I was lucky enough to get engaged, survived the familiy phone calls asking me about her, made it through an engagement party, a bridal shower, meeting her family and more people than I could ever hope to remember .. and, tomorrow is the rehear... [More]

By Eileen Roche, Editor of Designs in Machine Embroidery I get tons of questions about embroidery - [More]

Threads for Thought: Two New Lines for Your Next Project Experienced decorators know that quality lies stitch deep. With so many thread options to choose from, embroiderers can customize the look and feel of every project they produce. Further expanding its line of quality threads, Brother Internat... [More]

Halloween is closer than you think! I always get excited now that I have two granddaughters to watch. It makes the holiday so much more fun.  I love listening to the older one tell me what she wants to be and deciding for her sister. Last year they were invited to a party. We had a great time c... [More]

You just never know who is going to be on the other end of the phone line when you get a call these days!  Just the other day my phone rang at 4 pm on a Friday and it was the "Rachael Ray" show calling.  Honest!  An associate producer of the show was wondering if I had ... [More]

This was not the original project that I planned for this week but was inspired out of necessity.  I am forever trying to do more than one thing at a time and this morning was no exception.  I was going along answering emails, downloading some items that I needed and eating break... [More]

Hi Everyone.  It’s been a few weeks since I met you here at LaRueSews-Quilts.  I’ve taken a little time off to re-group, rest and plan.  Now as you asked, it’s time to announce the LaRueSews Block of the Month.  I will go along with the government and provide an... [More]

Individual characters (letters, numbers and punctuation marks) from my alphabets canbe found on my Stock Design Page.  My designs are also available in packs, as described inthis blog.  Those can be found here.  For designs and packs available in multiple sizes,choose the size you wan... [More]

Tomorrow nite, Thursday, August 20,  Lifetime televison you will be able to resume the fun of w [More]

It's HOT!!! Here in NJ it has finally passed the 90 degree mark...now it's summer for real.    It's HOT!!! Remember that I promised that there would be great new machines introduced at the annual Brother convention?  When our dealers convened in Memphis last week the... [More]

"Hello, yeah, it's been a while / Not much, how 'bout youI'm not sure why I "blogged" / I guess I really just wanted to talk to you" ~ hmmm, that sounds familiar .. OK OK .. I've taken some time off, but wedding plans are really eating up my free time ..I long f... [More]

Well, it's August and the "Dog Days of Summer" have finally arrived here.  That means it is hot, hot, hot and when the temps get up around 100 degrees it is time to let the garden go and sew.  I am done putting up corn, beans, berries and peaches.  I do not wish to see a... [More]

I would have to call myself a fabric junkie. I love solid colored fabric and prints and buy it even when I have no earthly idea of what I will do with it. I have so much fabric that my daughters always come by and "shop" in my sewing room before making a trip to the fabric store.  And... [More]

Yesterday was a day of fun and prizes for the members of the Memory Makers Quilt Guild.  At the first meeting in 2009, I gave the members of my guild a Challenge.  The Challenge was to make a quilt that fit all the requirement sets out in the rules of the challenge.  The challenge was... [More]

On a beautiful sunny afternoon last weekend I got to take a garden walk with my mom (red dress) .&nb [More]

If I have one recollection of my childhood that stands out, it has to be the sound of the wooden scr [More]

When I was a little girl growing up in South Africa, Fridays were always special baking days and cupcakes were my favorite thing to bake with my mother and sister. Even better than baking the cupcakes was the frosting and decorating of them afterwards. My mother would decorate each cupcake with twir... [More]

     Individual characters (letters, numbers and punctuation marks) from my alphabets canbe found on my Stock Design Page.  My designs are also available in packs, as described inthis blog.  Those can be found here.  For designs and packs available in multiple size... [More]

Dear Readers, Create this Winter Door Sock for your door this winter. See below for project instructions on how to make this project. Materials: Winter Scene Door Sock designs Polyester Fiberfill Sewing Machine Matching Fabric Thread Hand Needles Cutaway ... [More]

With the multitude of choices now available, choosing a stabilizer can be daunting. Cut away. Tear away. Fusible. Melt away. Wash away. Which do you use? There is no iron-clad, 100 percent, always-work option. It depends on the stitch count, fabric used, and sometimes the thread, machine, or stabil... [More]

Create quick and easy gift bags with fabric scraps and a wonderful fusible by Allstitch. This is a fun activity for kids, doesn't involve any sewing, and can be adapted for any occasion. I've made matching gift tags and you could use the same techniques to create cards. Fuse-n-Bond is ... [More]

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: : As an embroiderer, sewer and crafter you can never have too many tools. Here’s a look at some of my fa... [More]

If you are a newbie at embroidery, you may be thinking about the up-coming holidays and giving gifts [More]

Do you have unfinished projects from past years?  I do.  I am always inspired at the beginning of the holidays and have lots of ideas.  Then it seems the season always gets hectic and some of the things I start just do not get finished.  So, this year I decided to finish those it... [More]

     Have you ever wanted to cover a ring binder or album?  As an example, here is a 3-ringbinder that I covered to use as a photo album.  (Keep reading for more information aboutpages for the binder.)     When I open the binder, you can see how neat... [More]

I asked you all to let me know what you’d like me to tell you. Haven’t heard from anyone except Pat, so I’ll answer her questions. Maybe that will help you think of some more things you’d like me to write about. Pat asked: I would LOVE to know what types of embroidery do you... [More]

My eldest favorite daughter (I also have a youngest favorite daughter) decided she wanted to make a rag quilt. They are shabby chic, typically created with muted colors, fringed all around and stitched with ragged edges showing on one side. The more they are washed, the more comfortable they become.... [More]

Are the stores yelling at you to buy new decorations for the holidays? You have plenty and are proba [More]

We have some great ideas on how to accessorize your holiday table with embroidery. One way is to create your very own decorative napkin rings. They are quick and easy and will take no time at all to finish. Then you can also embroider wonderful placemats, napkins, table cloths, towels, curtains, etc... [More]

In the words of the late Andy Williams, "It's the most wonderful time of the year," and it's never been easier to add sparkle to embroidery designs than with hot-fix crystals. Christmas embroidery begs for embellishment. Crystals are easy to apply with a heat tool like the DalWan... [More]

If you can stand just another blog about 60 weight thread, I was looking through some of the designs [More]

Monogram a napkin for every guest at your next dinner party. It’s the perfect way to personalize a seat and makes a great party favor. MonogramIt! from Amazing Designs has numerous fonts to choose from so you can customize every napkin to match each guest’s style... [More]

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: You see it everywhere today – lower case monograms catch your eye and make you wonder if it really is a ... [More]

  This project turned out so cute. It would make an adorable pin, magnet, or purse embellishmen [More]

Today I just want to share another addition to the Halloween décor for my daughter's fireplace displ [More]

If you remember from my last blog post, the AnnTheGran web site got its name from my AOL sign-in. I promised to tell you the story of how annthegran became my AOL sign-in. Like most stories like this it’s pretty simple and fairly silly. The year was 1994. My daughter, son-in-law and three ... [More]

If you have been embroidering for more than 90 days, like the rest of you, you may have had a fantas [More]

All we can say is “WOW!” We have been completely overwhelmed with everyone’s  enthusiastic response to the announcement and release of AlphaTricks! As we’ve worked with users, we’ve uncovered some common questions, as well as tips that it seems everyone would like... [More]

It's here again.  Already!  Halloween, apple picking, pinecones and colored leaves.  The season's fly by so quickly I can hardly keep up.  We took a trip out to the Old Town main street the other day to pick up our fall and winter spices.  It is an all cobblestone st... [More]

Applique has become one of my favorite techniques in machine embroidery. Designs are now so inclusive, that even the least experienced among us can easily create beautiful applique their first time out. I created a Basic Applique video showing just how easy it is using the Applique Quilting Hearts ... [More]

When I started researching the Bullion Rose design, I had no idea why it is called 'bullion'.  [More]

     What's "Tall and Skinny"?  It's the name of my new embroidery alphabet [More]

Last night I was watching the Million Second Quiz on television. One of the questions, which the contestant missed by the way, was which one of several brands was not named for an actual person. The answer was Betty Crocker. That got me to wondering if AnnTheGran had been one of the choices, how man... [More]

Much like pigments of the master painters, threads create pallettes for machine embro [More]

The quilters among us will recognize this stitch type but some of us are only just now finding about [More]

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 :  If you missed Part 1, click here. I was making excellent progress this afternoon—stitching block... [More]

Hi All, I hope you all had a nice summer  and are perhaps looking forward to the slightly colder months. This is my favorite time of the year, not so hot and not so cold. The last time I blogged there were a few complaints about the new site, so this time round I thought that I'... [More]

  With so many embroidery designs available digitally, and countless free designs offered online, it helps to have a plan when it comes to organizing them all. The task can seem daunting, but getting started is really the hardest part.  Make a Structure Remember when you had to create a... [More]