What’s with Lower Case Monograms?

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]

What’s in a name?

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]

AlphaTricks Tricks!

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]

Keeping It Simple - Bricks and Banners

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]

Learn Basic Applique

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]

Tall and Skinny

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

Hello All I'm Back

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]

Get Variegated!

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

Polka-dots, Stipple Blocks and Creativity, Oh my! Part 2

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]

New Site Features

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]

Design Organizing Basics

  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]

Please Tie Me

     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]

Faith, Hope, Love Hanger5

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

Embroidery Advisor Presents : Kids Hand Puppets Project

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]

7 Steps to Improve Your Embroidery

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]

Merry and Bright: Christmas Embroidery with Lights!

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]

Embroidery Advisor Presents : How Does Your Garden Grow?

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]

Applique Santa Ornament

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]
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