It's just a number on a calendar, but the new year usually brings with it a desire to regroup and reorganize. Tired of looking for designs you know you have but can't locate? It just isn't any fun anymore. With the sheer number of embroidery designs amassed, the task of organizing them... [More]

Sometime last year I wrote about using a small tabletopper as an easy, casual cover for sewing machi [More]

The first day of winter has officially arrived on the calendar even though it doesn’t look like it o [More]

Have you ever wondered whether it matters if you first trim the top or the bottom of your machine embroidery work? It’s best to trim the top first, so that when you trim the back, you can gently pull on the bobbin tails to secure the trimmed thread end inside the fabric for a neater appearanc... [More]

With that title line, I am thinking that there are hundreds and hundreds of things they won't tell y [More]

Finished!  And with a little time to spare. We decided to just button down the sides instead of sewing them.  It will make removing it from the table and folding it up for storage a little easier.  Kate got to see it during the final fitting since she is doesn't talk much and is t... [More]

Perhaps one of the greatest attributes of machine embroidery is its versatility. Embroidery can easily stand alone or, when combined with pieced blocks, become a personalized second-dimension embellishment.   The Blocks I fussy-cut four 6.25-inch blocks from a striped fabric (I used Jackie... [More]

OK.  It is the Thursday before Christmas!  A few weeks ago my daughter showed me a picture of a playhouse made from felt.  It fit over a card table.  Very cute and felt is easy to work with. So I planned one for the girls for Christmas.  When I showed my drawings with the me... [More]

  Snowman Sweatshirt Jacket     Being a cold natured person, I love making jackets out of sweatshirts.  They are warm and comfortable. This is one that would be perfect for the child in your life. (Adults would love it also.)   To make the jacket, you will need: Sw... [More]

If there is anything that all embroiderers have in common, it must be pride of workmanship.  No [More]

A couple of weeks ago, when we were out and about, my oldest granddaughter saw some college girls sp [More]

After asking several digitizers the all important question - "tell your readers that it takes a [More]

Handmade cards show extra appreciation. This one says, "Thanks for Being an Angel," and include [More]

Working with Metallic Thread At this time of year, we seem to have more need to use metallic thread than any other time. If you find that you struggle with this thread type, try some of these solutions. When shopping for metallic thread, buy the largest spool you can afford. The larger the spool di... [More]

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You either have a kid who hates bath time or loves it.  Why not try to make your kid’s time in the bath a little more fun?  How about sewing them a personalized animal towel/bathrobe that is all their own?  Have a look at the Critter Kids Bathrobe Design Pack to make a special t... [More]

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Stumped as to what to get your favorite quilter, embroiderer, or craftsperson? Hate the idea of Black Friday chaos? Shop from the convenience and comfort of home, 24 hours a day, any day of the week, on AnntheGran.com. Here are some suggestions. (If fri... [More]

I think its time to start some of the projects I want to do for the holidays.  I usually wait too long to actually accomplish them as things get very busy as December draws near. Dakota Collectibles has a new “Merry Christmas Ornaments” collection that combines free standing lace a... [More]

          Do you ever embroider small lettering that seems to disappear completely in to the fabric? Sometimes it seems that there is more thread on the underside of the material than on the top! There are some simple things you can do to make sure that your small lett... [More]

So here's the thing---I didn't get any sewing done in the last couple of weeks.  I was getting ready for and attending the Houston Quilt Festival for the last two weeks, and this week I was playing catch up the whole time.  So when faced with a little deadline for this blog, I... [More]

While I live in La Mesa California (adjoins San Diego) now, I lived in Phoenix for many years. I am [More]

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

The new Merry and Bright collection from Amazing Designs incorporates blinking lights with embroidery for an adorable holiday accent unlike anything I've ever seen.   Ten eyelets are embroidered within 14 different designs. Eyelets are then cut out for placement of 10 LED Fabric... [More]

Nothing like needing something at the last minute to make your heart race a little, right?  A f [More]

Christmas is just around the corner and gift cards are the perfect one-size-fits-all. Who couldn't u [More]

I am sure that a lot of you have been touched in some way by *** cancer.  Whether it being Yourself, or your Sister, or your Mother, or your Friend.    While we wait and hope for a cure, there can be many ways to keep our hands busy & our hearts tender.  The Cancer Scrapb... [More]

I kept thinking about my last project that failed.  I am always excited about presenting projec [More]

Applique is usually reserved for embellishing clothing or quilted items. Unfortunately, that doesn't allow for much face time. Holiday applique is especially vulnerable to a short shelf life. But by it's very nature, applique is perfect for holiday decorating where it can be v... [More]

There are many kinds of bobbins available to us for embroidery, but and there is no single answer to the best bobbin type for every embroiderer or every machine. There are metal, plastic  disposable, plastic reusable,  cardboard and sideless. Bobbins also come in colors. Colo... [More]

Our baby girl just loves shoes, anyone's shoes will do.  She brings them to be put on and clomps around, falling about every other step.  She carries them around hugging them like they were baby dolls, pushes them in her stroller and throws them in the trash (then wants them ... [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]