Before there was Facebook and Twitter, there was "Yonders My Best Friend" and I loved it.  I do [More]

Back to school.  Everyone is saying it - it is posted in every store and website that we visit. [More]

     I have added a third design for the Please Tie Me page of my baby activitybook.  Someone emailed to ask whether it would be okay for her to stitcheyelets instead of setting metal eyelets in the shoe quarter.  I thought it wouldbe easier to embroider the eyelets as ... [More]

We are excited to have Eileen Roche, Editor of Designs in Machine Embroidery share this co [More]

If you are attending a wedding any time soon, chances are this scripture will be included. And now a [More]

  It is just about that time of year when Mom's and Dad's are just a little happier and kids ar [More]

Dear Readers, Create this adorable hand puppet for the young kids in your life. See below for project instructions on how to make this "In the Hoop" applique hand puppet. Materials: 1 Kids Hand Puppet Embroidery Design 2 pieces of Tear Away Backing Spray Adhe... [More]

Embroider a holiday design on a piece of wool felt and you create an ornament. Trim it with an AccuQ [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 : 1. Print a template(s) of your embroidery design so you can plan the embroidery layout. Place it on the ... [More]

We are preparing for VBS this week.  My daughter volunteered to co-ordinate the craft room and [More]

WOW!  "Breakfast at Tiffany's" was one charming, romantic and fun film.  I remember seeing [More]

The blog below was originally published in November 2011. The Merry and Bright bundle is currently on special right now and can be found here. The new Merry and Bright collection from Amazing Designs incorporates blinking lights with embroidery for an adorable holiday accent unlike anythi... [More]

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?  With silver bells and cockle shells & pretty 3D Flowers all in a row? Isn’t that how the nursery rhyme goes?  It does here at Starbird Stock Designs.  We can’t always rely on the weather here in Minnesota to grow... [More]

It's easy to create unique freestanding ornaments using applique designs. Much like freestanding lace is constructed on water-soluble stabilizer, freestanding applique is made stable from the applique base. With satin stitching all around, they can stand alone. Thi... [More]

What did I just say???  Get your nails done???  Well ladies and gentlemen, yes, get your n [More]

  Click here to download this article as a PDF for future reference. Many of you wrote that buttonholes are a struggle when it comes to sewing. I agree! One of the worst parts about adding a buttonhole is it’s just about the last thing you do when making a garment. I begin to swe... [More]

Ever wonder what to do with all of those test stitchouts? Bonnie Welsh from SewInspiredbyBonnie.com has put hers to some of the most uniquely versatile uses I've ever seen and, fortunately, has given me permission to share them with you. I just adore this tote bag. It uses mylar in the de... [More]

I originally created this project for my daughter, a cosmetologist, so that she could take her curling irons and flat iron home before they were cool enough to handle. Then, I decided it would be perfect for transporting mini irons when traveling or taking classes.It is very simple, particularl... [More]

Lucy's birthday party is coming up in a couple of days.  She wants an apron, and those things you wear on your hands (oven mitts).  My daughter said it should be bright and colorful and wanted to make it herself but there just isn't much time and I was busy getting ready for a rath... [More]

When I started this blog in 2008, I found a story about embroidery machines.  It stated that th [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 : Last week, I wrote about fishing, I mean teaching, in Bend, OR and while I was there, I introduced my... [More]

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 ha... [More]

     My brother rides a trike.  (No, it is not a tricycle like we had whenwe were young.  He rides one of these, an elliptical exercise machine.  Hesays that it's a lot more fun for him than a stationery machine in his basementwould be.)  I bet you are won... [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 : We discussed five tips for expanding your embroidery expertise. One tip – Don’t Think Project &ndas... [More]

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

Here's something I didn't know. Quality needles are made to break. Really. Klassé needles, an indus [More]

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!  ... [More]

When you first start to work with embroidery, you are going to find so many great items that it will [More]

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 dec... [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 : Looking for a last minute personalized gift for your man? Want to get your guy to wear embroidered duds? Thin... [More]

Bobbins are the cement that holds embroidery stitches together, so they play an important role in the outcome of every machine embroidery design. Here is an overview of what you need to know about bobbins. Bobbins are not one-size-fits-all. They are available in three basic sizes for home embr... [More]

  Has the first few months of 2014 been as busy for you as it has for me?  Time has flown [More]

As I noted in my blog "Where is an Expert When You Need One?" sometimes we need an expert opinion an [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:   September 18, 2013 By eileenroche Katherine Artines   We introduced Stipple! Sass... [More]

Materials: • Arbor Day Decor Designs • Cotton Fabric 11.5” W x 11.5”H **Note the fabric [More]

To watch a tutorial on how to cut and piece curves using the Quick Curve Ruler go here.    Fabric Requirements for above layout:  *Optional revision to tutorial can be found here. -(48) 6 x 8 rectangles prints (center diamonds) or -(8) Fat Quarters (you wi... [More]

For centuries, women have decorated their bodies with everything from charcoal, crushed flower leave [More]

Lightweight tear-away stabilizer (top) and heavy cut-away (bottom).   Like the foundation of your home, stabilizers support the stitches you place upon them. If the foundation is not good, the structure isn't either. With all of these different weights of stabilizers, which do you use? ... [More]

Well, here I am, once again trying to think of something about which to write. It’s been more than five years since I’ve touched a sewing machine for anything other than to put up a hem or repair a seam. I was never an expert on anything sewing or embroidery related and now the bit o... [More]

     Do you remember this purse?          I showed it to you in my October 2009 blog, Be Productive.  In that blog I encouraged you to keep a record of your sewing projects so that you could see just how much you are accomplishing.  Have you d... [More]

Back in 2008, I wrote a blog on the things I wish I had known when I started this fantastic craft.&n [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:   Marie and I are known as the Stitching Sisters. Not only are we really sisters, we are also the best of... [More]

  My daughter has a baby due in a few weeks and since it is her fourth she needs to replace a f [More]

  Machine embroidery is so versatile it becomes a palette with enormous possibilities when you add simple embellishments. Embellishments add interest by making embroidery three dimensional, introducing textures, and adding sparkle. Hot fix crystals are one way to accentuate embroidery designs... [More]

I love sharing tips and tricks.  I have so many of them and I think you may enjoy reading about [More]

  Pinterest is probably the greatest digital scrapbook ever created. Essentially a collection of images linked to websites, Pinterest is a one-stop way to connect to whatever your interests may be. With more then 25 billion pins, the site is a treasure trove of ideas, but for the purpose of th... [More]

    Embroidery Advisor Presents : Valentine Card Applique In The Hoop Project Materials: 1 Valentine Card Applique In the Hoop Embroidery Design 3 Tear Away backing pieces (sized to fit your hoop) Bobbin thread to match the thread color of t... [More]

We have been slowly repainting the rooms in our home.  It has been a long process and we are no [More]

NOTE:  The design sizes as described here and in the Stitch Counts documentavailable below are correct.  Determine which design size is right for you based onthis information.  I used 130 x 180 mm, 150 x 240 mm, and 200 x 260 hoops for Small,Medium and Large designs respectively. ... [More]

I'm going to share the love with this free Key to My Heart Valentine design. It stitches very quickl [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:  Add the Icing In case you missed the first installment of this 2 part series click here: &... [More]

I don't know if frugal is a forgotten word, but I know that being careful with money is important to [More]

 We are excited to have Eileen Roche, Editor of Designs in Machine Embroidery share t [More]

  It's happened to all of us at one time or another. A project is stitching just fine then, out of nowhere, a glitch with the stitches. It isn't just the waste of materials that we mind, but the loss of time invested. In the sample above, I got almost to the end and ran out of th... [More]

Happy and Healthy New Year to each of you.  I cannot believe another year has passed.  I t [More]

So, stabilizing. I have to admit that it’s something with which I haven’t had many problems. When I got my first embroidery machine, a Brother 7000, the gal in the shop just slipped a piece of stabilizer under the hoop. Until I learned better from fellow embroiderers on the Internet t... [More]

  Metallic embroidery threads adds a touch of class to any project—if you can stand to use them that long! Here are some tips for avoiding pitfalls typically associated with metallic threads.   Although this design is beautiful stitched in rayon, the metallic snowflake is exquis... [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:  By Sherry McCary, Product Development, Designs in Machine Embroidery How do I get designs from the... [More]

If my embroidery gifts are not - quick, easy and inexpensive, I am not going to do them.  Year [More]

We have had snow and ice twice already this season.  So, what do you do with three little girls [More]