Lace - The Ultimate Beginner's Project

HoopsHear Ye’ Hear Ye’ …STOP the PRESS ….  The ULTIMATE Beginner’s Project is………….. LACE!!

HH ( Hello Hello )  all you fellow ME’ers!!!

I have been shopping up a storm!... and MEing too….

Speaking of shopping, Ann’s store has some good specials right now!!!!! Have you gone to her ‘shop' lately? (….&  no,  they aren’t paying me to plug their site, I’m just grateful to them for my beautiful new machine I won & I  like to acknowledge those who have helped me along my way. So thanks AnnTheGran!!!

Update…

I’ve tried 5 (I think???) NEW  TYPES of  machine embroidering projects now, but by far I L-O-V-E L-A-C-E the most!!!! And while thinking about lace, the thought just hit me…..Those of you who love to do lace and to quilt, etc  are leaving a legacy each time you give something away!!!! How wonderful that you are giving something tangible, something they can keep …It’s a labor of love that will last & last! (I hope you are signing & dating them!!! ) I just bet there are a gazillion cute  'machine embroidery label designs' you can make to attach to your gifts. (Oh I am so not there yet….Boy this M.E. world can keep you  busy forever trying new things!!!  What will they think of NEXT??)

More Stuff? 

In the meantime, I am trying to SLOWLY (yah, sure) learn something new and ENJOY the process. It’s kinda easy to start overloading the circuits….trying to do too much too soon etc. It’s ok to be a beginner and be in that stage for as long as YOU want. It’s your time etc etc and there are many lovely lovely things can be made with a skeleton amount of items…REALLY!!! I just happen to love ‘gadgets.’ IF I have a place to put it and if I can pay for it free and clear…then I get it. So far I have not gotten into over buying ‘fabric’ & I want to keep it that way! ( but I’m not a sewer or a quilter.)

Question: Just curious what do you like to listen to when you M-E…or do you like it quiet???? TV/news???

Why I Love Lace 

OK back to lace. Oh my goodness…. Can there be anything more beautiful in the machine embroidery world than lace… I ask you????  Experienced ME’ers….do you agree?????

I have done some CUTE, NICE, and SIMPLE  things just starting out here so far, but I am totally totally in love with lace!!!  Can you tell???? Let’s see if I can inspire you to try lace especially if you have not ever done it before or thought it was WAY too HARD……It’s NOT-------- It’s:

1. SIMPLE
2. INEXPENSIVE  (well kind of)
3. BEAUTIFUL
4. QUICK
5. Deeply satisfying …
6. EASY to HOOP!!!

Oh my goodness, I can’t tell you enough times….START w/ LACE if you are NEW to embroidery!!!!!

YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!!! TRUST ME!!!!! And then when you do, please write me  back and tell us how it went for you.! I can HARDLY wait to hear from you!!!!

Fair warning…it can be extremely addictive and you MAY lose sleep!!!!.

Getting Started with Lace 

OK beginners here we go…..

Supplies needed: Only 4 items (well, besides your machine) Thread, bobbin, stabilizer & LACE design!!!! 
                             
1.   THREAD -- I used Madeira, Yenmet and  Isacord. I like SHINY poly thread &/or metallic. Tip: Be sure to REMOVE the sticky label off the spool of thread. (I stick it inside a clear ziplock “ project” bag   along with  gathered strands  of the color.)

2 . BOBBINS -- One or more FULL bobbins dedicated for this project alone- You use  the SAME thread as your top stitch thread!!!! Yes,  you read it correctly, USE the SAME thread. RAHOO!!!! SOOOO simple!!!  It is used on BOTH TOP & BOTTOM!!! )  Don’t you just love this project already!!!!????.

TIP:   Just make sure you have enough bobbin thread ready to go  in advance -  so you don’t have to try and restart your project in the middle of it. Some machines will keep track of where you stitched last…not sure if mine does, not there yet,  but who wants to start and stop in the middle of  a project anyway??? Right???…..It’s bad enough when the top thread breaks that you CAN  get to….The bobbin that’s buried is not  good. Nope, not good at all….

So you might do what I did….I bought several bobbins that will fit my Brother machine…(boy one DOES need to be VERY specific and it helps store owners out if you know the MAKE and MODEl , but better yet…TIP: Take the ORIGINAL BOBBIN (that came with the machine)  INTO the store to buy more.

***I also bought Ann’s SideWinder to wind a bunch of bobbins in a hurry and not tie up my machine. That’s just me…but I love it, and am glad I have it. I’d buy it  again in a flash because, to my way of thinking….  it causes  ‘less wear and tear ‘ on my BROTHER PE 700. …so the extra gadget was worth it to me. (Good price too I thought.) It’s very light andSidewinder and friend hardly takes up any space. The best part is you can be winding away on the SideWinder and your embroidery machine can be doing its thing …. ALL at the SAME TIME!!!! I love it. (plus I am right by my machine, doing something productive &  keeping  my eye on the machine to make sure everything is going smoothly.)  Marriage made in heaven - especially for  us ‘lacers” don’t you think.

I’m CALLING on  all “LACERS”  (which you will be affectionately called from now on ) to contribute ideas to us newbies as to what to do with all the lace we make!!!  Thanks!!!

3. STABILIZER -- The most famous & critical question, …. right ???? …Which stabilizer to use? Well PAT, the guru of ANY topic that has come up yet so far as I can tell, has done an ENTIRE post on that subject alone!!!!! It contains a WEALTH of information on stabilizers!!!! Thank YOU Pat!!!!! We needed that!!!!
 
Someone asked me about Badge Master in a forum. I think...Well, I used it during my lesson at The Sewing Room in Beaverton, Oregon.  It’s THICK, CLEAR and it only took 1 layer to do ANY lace I have done so far. I love it. TIP: Remember to put the stabilizer back INTO the container so that it doesn’t get moisture etc. (It’s made to disintegrate easily.)  Tip 2 : Remember to cut a piece large enough to have a little extra hanging out on each side of the hoop. (E turned the roll sideways to cut it in order to reduce waste.)

Manly Embroidery? 

Speaking of Ethan  ……….Tonight E is going to help contribute to my blog by doing a lace design…..as a BEGINNER - MAN !!!!   What a guy!!!! …….SO if there are any MEN out there who might think it is not a manly enough thing to do (lace embroidery) I want you to have total confidence that it is & give it a try!!! (He IS a ‘he man’ too - a full fledged fire fighter & has been “Mr. July”  2 years running in the American Red Cross calendar for our area - of course they had him pose fully clothed and it was taken in the museum, but….that’s another story!!! LOL)
 
He is looking at thread colors right now as I am writing this….I wonder what color thread he’ll pick and which design…??? Hmmmmm  If he chooses black out of all the choices..I am going to crack up…. !!!!) I guess that makes perfect sense to a man  though- -   black lace …..Hmmmmmmm,  I wonder if he thinks I am going to wear it tonight??? How big is the design???…The hoop is only 5X7!!!! (I should not joke about my size. I was thin once and even modeled…but I was stunned at my ‘size’ when the photos of me winning the machine were posted. My round face is attached automatically each time I write something.) When I get some weight off I am having them retrofitted…OK???!!!

But back to business... he chose a butterfly and DID choose black initially (lol) but has changed it to yellow to put on a card for his g-daughter’s HS graduation next week. He is using Sulky’s Ultra Solve for the stabilizer that he’ll wash it out….TIP:  Oh,  & thanks to one of our readers for the tip about NOT having the stabilizer residue go down the drain -- we‘ll do it in our greenhouse instead of inside our home to keep from having the drain clog. E used the alphabet in the PE700 to spell out Alicia and chose the ‘outline’ alphabet one and stitched it on the Ultra Solve. There was one glitch on the middle letter with the thread accumulating, not sure why but we just snipped it out the excess once the hoop was removed.

4.   DESIGN pattern - My 1st  lace design was a SHELL (oesd Lace Shell #NX230 ) -  for my beach house. OK Ann don’t flip…and go ahead and  let me crack you up again….I  just left the design in it’s stabilizer!!!!  I love it just the way it is!!!! &  I don’t want to wreck it!!!

Too Nice to Use... 

Well, now that I do think about it….It IS ME’d on water soluable stabilizer and it IS going to be at the beach which tends to be ‘water prone’….Hmmmmm...I still don’t want to touch it further.

I could actually put a frame around it ( in glass ) and leave it as is and it would be SOOOOOO pretty. (I  love to design homes, flowers, gardens, cards etc…. even went to school and earned a certificate in interior decorating not so long ago….I am use to ‘thinking outside the box’ a bit and it is SO fun…anyway… don’t give me TOO hard of a time, OK??!!!  Some of you may think I have gone completely off my rocker....but think back to when you were BRAND NEW to machine embroidery and when you actually made something  beautiful….Didn’t you want to keep it  at a stage that it still ‘looked good’….not wanting to ‘go on’ and add something more…just so it didn’t get messed up??? Hmm???  Well, That’s where I’m at.

So the next question is….Now what to do with all the lace after they’ve been stitched???!!!!!…

That will be another thing to blog about but hopefully MANY of you readers will contribute ideas, thoughts and projects. I LOVE your input! I REALLY want to hear what you experienced  “lacers” have done with your finished lace designs!!!!

Please Share Your Lace Projects! 

Seriously, I could stop right now with all lessons and stay home with my Brother PE700 , thread and  stabilizer and be happy stitching out every single lace design I can get my hands on…..I am not kidding!  If you have favorite designs….please, please please share them!!!! I’m just getting started!!! Let me know what you have done. Maybe you could post them in the Project Gallery.

I haven’t done Eileen Roche’s Little Black Tee yet that I bought it in Orlando the day before I won my machine. I knew that if I ever DID do embroidery…that would be something I would LOVE to  do!!!! ( I thought lace would be HARD….it’s NOT!!!!!) ( Little black lace!!!..Hmmm & I was giving my husband a hard time earlier…that’s funny!!! )

One last thing ---  under the “DESIGN patterns.” I looked online at Ann’s site and she had DARLING beautiful HEART lace patterns that I am going to do as soon as I can figure out how to download them. Sigh……I am such a beginner on SO many levels…but I am making some progress slowly but surely….& am having a GOOD time in the process and that is what counts!!!

Comments (31) -

I absolutely love FSL!  It has quickly become one of my favorites.  I haven't used Badgemaster yet, but want to give it a try.  I have used Sulky and Hemingworth.


Thanks for your stories with your new PE700.  I have a PE700 I bought about 2-3 months ago and love it.  I also have 3- 240SD.  Brother makes it so simple to embroider!


I'll have to take some photos of some of my projects and post them.


Cheryl


Cathy, you are on a roll!  FSL is a hot topic and I know your fans will be delighted with their results when they try their first FSL design too.  You will find FSL in the Free Designs and even better, the great designs for sale right here on this site.  


FSL does require that you use the heaviest of water soluble stabilizer.  Ann also carries a "heat desolving" stabilizer and I cannot wait to try it.  I have ordered it and will have a little something to say about it as well.


FYI, your PE-700 does keep track of your stitches and you will discover how to do that when you are playing with the machine itself.  I know it is hard to keep your hands off of all the bells and whistles.  So, with book in hand, check out all the great ways that the machine helps you to product wonderful designs.  


Your PE-700 and other machines will be your best friend when you discover how computers have exploded into the wonderful world of ME.


Pat


The adrenaline is pumping here, having read Cathy's Crash Course...and tummy bouncing with laughter!  I bought my first ME machine November 2007 and am having a ball making gifts.  (Everyone got monogrammed fleece blankets for Christmas and LOVED them.)


Lace sounds like a whole new adventure, and I'd been afraid to tackle it before. Thanks for the encouragement!  Can't wait to get started now!


P.S. to TravelBug--wish we were neighbors--we're cut from the same cloth--FUN, PAINTING (I do oil), ever looking for the next travel dream, Antarctica a high priority to cover the continents for me, too!


Thanks again,


Shirley D


Ft Walton Beach, FL


Congrats Cathy!  Sounds like you have a brand new hobby!!!!


From day one, I fell in love with FSL Snowflakes.  I enclose the lace snowflakes with a ribbon loop and enclose with my Christmas cards.  I especially like sending them to  Seniors in Assisted Living and Nursing Homes.....puts a piece of Christmas in their room and they don't have to care for it.


I also throw lace bookmarks into Christmas stockings -  sure beats a napkin from a Dunkin' Donuts or a straw wrapper from McDonald's.


Onward and forward in your endeavors...best thing, it sounds like you are having fun.  You Go Girl.


Joan/NJ


travelbug1237 5/31/2008 7:03:52 PM

HH Cheryl & Pat,


( & Greg....man are YOU FAST!!!! I just got home from my Apple tutor who helped me get my blog off to you with the photos at noon!!!) I drove home, had a phone conversation, booted up my e-mail and lo and behold Blog #3 is


already posted!!! (How did you condense 5 pages down in such a hurry???)


  Thanks for taking the time to write and share!!!!


Thanks Pat for letting me know more about my machine.....It's a great feature to have that lets  me know where I was stitiching last.....now if IT could just help me find my car at the mall......SmileSmileSmile   (Actually, I can use my car keys to do that...Recently, for whatever reason, instead of a little 'bleep' when you push the button....the alarm goes off  LOUDLY...but not for long.Smile


I'm getting really good at looking around several rows away as if it's not MY car making that much noise! Smile


Anyway....


Cheryl, I had to think what "FSL" was .......sigh...


Did I just write about something I didn't even know I did????


FSL=Free Standing Lace...


When I wrote  blog 3,  I thought I was only writing about LACE....lace.


Isn't there different kinds??????...I know this is a super basic question....(but remember I've been 'chosen' to be the designated beginner with the most basic of questions so one else ever has to feel like their questions are dumb!!!!    &      then.......Pat has all the answers!!!...


SO, my question is ..... Is ALL lace designs considered Free Standing Lace?? I am not being silly here.....do some NOT stand???? So  are some designs just  'lace?'.


jalcumbrack 5/31/2008 9:51:08 PM

Hi Cathy,


As always you are cracking me up,you are so cute.I wouldn't change a thing about you at all ! But I do know what you mean about that all revealing photo that you suddenly realize you are not 25 any more.Man, it hurts !


FSL is just amazing....I like making bookmarkers for the ones I know who are avid readers and some teacher's as well.They make a wonderful simple little extra gift to put in a card to make it a bit more personal. I make a lot of FSL at Christmas as well,they make a beautiful tree and decorations.Not to mention you can do so much with them.


FSL is just that- free standing lace...which means it can stand alone by itself so that you can use it in an unimaginable flurry of ways.Like on a bag or just to make butterflies to set around your house,on your curtains .I am not a digitizer but am imagining that it would be different for FSL than lace.


Lace is what you can embroider on something else, such as a pillow case or sometimes I do use the lace patterns for other things ,but we won't get into that just yet....I have not done a lace project that I absolutely have not been thrilled with. I guess with enough WSS and Solvy it all could be FSL.Even hubby is fasinated by it,and will set with me and watch it sew out.It is a whole new world out there of lovely lacy things you will have incorperated into everything.


Have Fun with it Cathy, When it stops being fun,then it's a job ! That is what ME is for ,the fun and ecitement of making something beautiful and wonderful for others to cherish, but also fun for you.


As far as finding your car in a parking lot..............can't help ya there girl,That was probably me you passed the other day looking for mine LOL. Or you could do what they do here in Florida....Put a huge fake flower on it so you can see it for miles ,LOL


Have a blast Cathy ! Looking forward to the next blog.


jalcumbrack 5/31/2008 9:53:07 PM

Oh ,before I forget Cathy.........The oxygen tank is on it's way with lots of cord so you can go  around the house and do your ME. LOL


Cathy,  I made lace for a Christening gown.  I put the little pieces together and embroidered them in the largest hoop I had and then had to zig zag the pieces together but all the lace on the gown was made on my machine.  I have also made bookmarks and used some of them (crosses and angels) on candles for church.  


I too am wanting to make the Little Black Tee and actually did one whole lace embroidery but, for some reason, the stabilizer did not rinse out so I have to start over.  


Keep on experimenting and having fun with it.  Joyce


travelbug1237 5/31/2008 10:54:33 PM

........I am going to eat dinner, I am going to shower, I am going to sleep!!!...


...........Ya know its bad when you love to eat and you forget to do that !!!


SmileSmile Another benefit to MEing....weight loss, right????


Shirley....I am SOOOO glad you are going to try lace now!!!!! I'm telling you now that I will be totally shocked if you aren't TOTALLY hooked on it, once you see how EASY it is and how incredibly beautiful it is!!!! I can hardly wait to hear back from you!!!! Tell us ALL the gory details....design, thread, colors, usage etc etc


I TRIED to do book marks but the design set I got wasn't set up for that....I got some little pretty skinny pieces but short pieces that can be connected by ribbon,but if  readers can tell WHICH designs are made specifically for LACE bookmarks I'd really appreciate it. Does Ann's site have any of those????


I was in a hurry at my lesson so I didn't shop the huge book of choices....


and customize my set of designs I could order...( I'm still learning...)


but I DOOOOOO love the butterfly and shell I did....in the set.


And I can't wait to try ANN's hearts!!!!  They look wonderful!!!!


Oh & Ms jal.....( I use to have a bright orange BIKE flag attached to my bright orange VW  I had after college. It REALLY helped me spot it in a parking lot.


Somehow at that age it was cute! Smile...Now....VERY SENIOR geared.


THANKS everyone for taking the time to write.


E and I are off to the beach for a week and I am going to TRY and not turn on the computer....I'll see what kind of withdrawals I have!!!! Smile


There will be LOTS of oxygen there with positive ions restoring my body!!! SmileSmile


Thanks for the willingness to send the O T's......Smile


When I get back in a week I hope there are MANY entries from those who have DONE some LACE work this week!!! I hope there will be at least a FEW BRAND NEWBIES trying lace for the 1st time!!!


It's the greatest!!!


Oh.....and the most expensive item is usually the stabilizer and for Pete Sakes...Ann's prices are HALF if you are a member of her club!


I LOVE a sale!!!! Smile


p.s. The  Badge Master is great but twice the price.


FSL is fantastic, my house has doilies everywhere (well it does save dusting) table runners with lace edging and of course the fantastic bookmarks. FSL can also be used to decorate photo albums - scrapbooking,


We here in Australia are using Green Bags to pack our shopping in (saving the planet) decorate these with FSL done in variegated


threads, very individual.


At the moment my machine (Brother 4000D) is stitching out the FSL to make a large table runner (pattern from S-Embroidery) really love the FSL


Regards


Judy from Perth Western Australia


jalcumbrack 6/1/2008 6:46:08 AM

Carhy,


A lot of the patterns will say on them somewhere if it is FSL,the lace ones will just say lace or ready lace. doesn't matter to me I love it all !


I know I love getting a quality product,that the company will back up with a guarantee for HALF OFF ! What more could you ask for ??


Like you I love the ATG WSS...........life saver !


Have a blast on your week off !


See you can totally live in Florida!


rosarypark 6/1/2008 6:57:53 AM

I use a lot of the lace I make on home made cards ,especially xmas ones. I too was a beginner lacer, I still make lace when I run out of fabric. Lace also looks great sewn on to cushions etc. Am getting adventurous am trying to digitise my own. not sure what sort of pictures are the easiest to digitise into lace. Can anyone help me?  You should also have a go at applique I love that as well.


Cathy! Cathy! Cathy!  I am just sharing what I have experienced.


There are multiple laces, but you are indeed doing FSL.  There is lace you can put on a t-shirt or pillow case and the like as well.  Ann does have Battenburg Lace tree skirt too.  (Lovely:  www.annthegran.com/Product.aspx?t=1&i=11" target="_new" rel="nofollow">www.annthegran.com/Product.aspx ) Lace is a large media so do't think twice about it.  We understand.  


We like you because you are stumbling your way around ME, just like we did!  You are just doing it in front of 250,000 of your closest friends.....LOL


Pat

I just posted a picture of my 1st project in "projects" (duh!!) It's the tractor on the pair of overalls. It wasn't the easiest thing to do for a 1st project, but I have a habit of jumping in with both feet. Sometimes it gets me into a LOT of trouble, but this time everything went well! Well... not perfect but it was a learning experience that turned out pretty darn good!


I hope you check it out! You can find it here:


www.annthegran.com/.../picture2084.aspx">www.annthegran.com/.../picture2084.aspx

this is for jsewnsew, Could you show us that christining gown? It sound lovely, what a wonderful idea!


Cathy, embroidery.com has some tear drop shaped lace that is beautiful. I have made several of the designs and had good luck with all that I did. I just searched lace on the sight and found them.


I am enjoying your blog very much. I have been doing  ME for a few years but don't have near as much time for it as I would like and can relate to your love of gadgets. Love my sidewinder too!


I have used my lace on quick towel sets and on the great granddaughter's clothes.


Have fun with it and keep the great blogs coming.


serenemachine2 6/6/2008 1:58:00 PM

Where do you girls find the time to do all this wonderful stuff!!!  I am retired, my husband works all day and I still can't get this stuff done!!  I AM very impressed.


travelbug1237 6/7/2008 6:04:35 PM

HH Everyone,


  I'm back from the beach....what a glorious few days of R&R...well for all except the razor clams! Smile E had several successful digs.  Yum!!


Thanks everyone who took the time to make comments on my blog#2 on


lace.


 It sounds like some have been really busy on projects and they have turned out so well. GOOD for YOU!!!  


I LOVED the wonderful EI Ei O embroidery that was done on the overalls!!!


He'll treasure those the rest of his life    rnh'!!!


( I love pink ( or purple ) &  I'm recently retired....Did you know that!!??) SmileSmileSmile


I love the name serenmachine2!!!! How great is that? Maybe you aren't getting everything done that you'd like but at least you are 'serene'. I have tried to set up my environment to be serene  with a small waterfall, candles, green accents, and a small moving 'undersea' art piece on my desk  right next to my machine. I also play music by Enya and dim the lights....


but the "Chatty Cathy" emerges in nothing flat and I am off to the races so to speak.


   Thanks "sdgaston" for the nice compliment!  I can honestly say "I'm trying' when it comes to MEing, computering and blogging.


I was told that there are 250,000 on AtG site....I'm not sure how many actually take the time to read the blogs, but those that do, & then take the time to


comment...I really appreciate it.


  rosarypark...Please SHARE your cards etc etc with us. I'd LOVE to see them!!!


  jalcumbrack...Yes I did love my week off...(E wanted me to take the machine down...but we ended up doing 'a lot' without it. He is such a good sport about Meing and is so helpful. )


   Speaking of E and MEN....are there ANY men who read my blog and is willing to contribute comments....I'd love to hear what you did and how it worked for you??? ( What color??? SmileSmile & design.


    Pat - thanks...I hardly think you ever stumbled though...but thanks for being


'kind'. I don't think I have asked you if you got lessons of if you learned it all on your own?


      jennja -  Will you also send photos and share your projects. We'd love to see them.


      jsewnsew....What a cute name too...didn't click until I just wrote it out...


really cute...Will you send pictures of the christening gown to our site.


I'm sure several would love to see it too.


   Joan in New Jersey....I looked up lace Christmas ornaments because of what you shared in the comments. That is SO wonderful that you gave them to


seniors.....what a thoughtful gift!!! If you can give me any hints...like


how you did them...what your favorite designs are etc etc...I'd really appreciate it. Anything LACE...gets my immediate attention now!!!.


   Are there ANY newbies who tried lace for the 1st time????


I REALLY do want to hear from you!!!! Let's see what you've done.


   Shirley D in Florida....I want to HEAR from you!!! It's a week later and is the adrenalin still pumpin???? I just had a HUGE smile last week when I read your comments. Thanks soooo much!


Cheryl...w/ the PE 700...I'd REALLY love to hear from you. Did you have private lessons on it???? I had trouble on threading my machine at step 6.


It's getting better though!!! What do you do mostly on the 700 since you have 2 machines....just curious?


 Thanks again everyone who has taken the time to read my blogs and to make comments. I know it can take awhile!!! Smile


Hugs


Hello Cathy -


First off, envious of your week at the beach.  NJ is going through a bizarre heat wave of 97 degrees for the next four days.  Everyone is hankerin' down in their homes.  BUT,  it is getting my embroidery projects done!!


The lace project I did for Christmas was snowflakes.  I love snow, I love snowflakes and I remember the day I sat and crocheted my snowflakes.  Ahem, M.E. much better!!!  I tied an iridescent ribbon to the top and made a loop so the snowflakes can hang anywhere you like.  I sent them in with my Christmas cards.  I also hang these snowflakes in windows and on my french door windows.


The seniors liked them because it brings some Christmas into their rooms since the days of decorated trees have passed for them.


Have also done "in-the-hoop" lace bags which tie with a ribbon and filled with Hershey Kisses for Valentine's Day.  ('Cept for my grandson....his bag  was made from white muslin and had an Urban heart with flames on it in!!!)  The seniors also appreciated the bags.


In-the-Hoop projects are fun.  They are literally done in one full swoop with all layers being joined.  Sometimes items are done in one step; other times, item is done in two steps.   Wish AnnTheGran offered these (HINT-HINT).


My next project in FSL will be doilies.  I have antique doilies but  want to see what these will look like when completed.


Machine Embroidery On!


Joan/NJ


travelbug1237 6/9/2008 10:56:00 AM

HH Joan,


  Thanks for the extra info...Smile Please send photos to AnntheGran!!!!


We'd LOVE to see them!!!


PLEASE tell me more about


In-the-Hoop LACE bags.....!!!??? They sound wonderful...!!!


They also sound easier because it's less hooping etc....correct?


Let me know how we can access these....& for sure we'll pass your request on to Ann. It sounds like a beginner would love these, correct???


Thanks....Cathy back from the beach having THOROUGHLY loved eating


razor clams for breakfast 4 days in a row!!!  Yeah & Yum!!!


jeannettehunter 6/12/2008 12:33:02 PM

I make Christening dresses and use lots of machine embroidery lace.  In heirloon sewing you use lots of insertion lace.  I find it easier to to use lace that is embroidered on two layers of tulle.  Then if I want to use it as insertion instead of free standing lace I have a base.  I like to use an oval lace design that is 5 X 7 on one layer of water soluable stabilizer and 2 layers of tulle.   After embroidering I cut just about 1/2" outside of the embroidered lace oval on the tulle, leaving the tulle still in the middle. I then rinse with very warm water and iron  dry  between layers of toweling with a dry iron.  After I get it dry, I spray with starch and reshape to make perfectly oval using a pressing  cloth.  Be careful not to melt the tulle.   I use this technique instead of shaped lace insertion. If you don't do any heirloom sewing this will probably not make any since at all.  Good Luck!!


I have made several of the lace bookmarks.  I use the Sulky stabilizer.  Since it is quite expensive and it didn't make sense to use another large piece to fit in the hoop, when the lace portion only used a space in the center of the stabilizer sheet, I do the following.  When the lace embroidery is done, I remove the whole thing from the hoop, but cut very close around the lace project, leaving the stabilizer sheet intact except for the lace area you just removed.  Cut a small piece of the stabilizer, just large enough to extend beyond the cut edges of the hole left by the lace project.  Spray lightly around the edges of the sheet of stabilizer that was hooped and lay the small piece over the hole, overlapping equally around the edges.  You can do this multiple times, if you use the same lace design.  The "stabilizer patch" sticks on the large piece just fine and you are not throwing away usable stabilizer,  


travelbug1237 6/15/2008 2:35:40 PM

What GREAT tips!!!! THANKS!!!!


CinOregon


I tried to print the beginning lace section and I could not do it   any suggestions   Margaret Williams


Hi Cathy,


I just love FSL. I have made lace ornaments to give as gifts and I recenty found some designs to make FSL lace  for 18" doll clothes and outfits that is done in the embroidery hoop.  I have a lot of lace designs but have not made them all yet. I do not have a Sidewinder and have heard about it  and after what you said about it I am going to have to get one.


Laurie in  Bend


celticdowser 7/31/2008 1:38:15 PM

Hi, hope you are not overdoing it.  Referring back to the suspected fybromyalgia, it's not fun so do take care and you stand more chance of recovering/remission.  www.endfatigue.com (it think it is com) is a very helpful site.  This make raise a smile - FM generally strikes 'energetic middleaged women', A+ achievers and perfectionists.  It really means a lifestyle which takes life easier.  It took a long time for this change of mindset for me without a sense of guilt that I could not do all I wanted. My best wishes to you.


Oh that was serious.  I am an English participant and do wish that I was in the US for some supplies but really am quite content here.  I am a life time dressmaker for self and family and have ventured into ME as an adornment to garments.  I do love collecting designs and have just spent a few days sorting, unzipping and filing.  I have made tentative attempts at digitizing recently but generally resize and change colours to match.  


I have several large circular linen tablecloths that were on offer that I intend to theme embroider but at the moment I cannot decide which theme eg willow pattern, butterflies, fairies, Rene MacIntosh flavour.  I did 20 padded spectacle cases while recovering from an operation just to embroider and had a great time then.  


I too like to travel and our next trip is a winter cruise on the ferry travelling up the coast of Norway as far as the Russian border and back again.


Keep chatting, a lot of us enjoy it


travelbug1237 8/7/2008 11:23:38 AM

HH Margaret,  Laurie and cleticdowser...


So good to hear from you. Today is August 7th and I've been really busy lately and did not get back to you. THANKS  ever so much for taking the time to write to me!!!


 Margaret...I am not sure about why it 'won't print out." I will let the site manager know that. Have you tried lately? They have been doing some updates to the site this past week....maybe that helped. ??? Let me know...


HH Laurie ...so glad you didn't give up on me and continued to write to me in my more current blogs. We finally 'connected'!!! Smile


  THANK YOU celticdowser for your comments and concerns.


Am I overdoing it....probably....but do know that I have 'slowed down' considerably but at times I still go back to my old 'overloading the circuits' and I KNOW I need to continue to work on that.  I made the mistake of waiting until this summer to take my last 2 classes for my teaching certificate renewal.


I just loved the teacher last year and it was such a FUN graduate class that I 'waited' until she was teaching again this summer in a 'block time frame." It would have been fine except I got into the new world of machine embroidery and started blogging and I didn't know how to do either one. ( that and was learning a new computer system.) Anyway.....I DO take time and get away from it all by going to the beach house. There it is a totally glorious experience ....and I completely relax. Yep...FM .....there is a real possibility that I have it. Thanks for all your caring advice...I really will come back and reread it at times. ..( or just keep writing to me.)


My Dad's side of the family was from England but I am missing 1 link to connect me to WHERE and WHICH ancestor came over from England.


( I have done genealogical research in the past) but have put that on the back burner for a couple of years now....that got very very intensive ( and exciting) for awhile.


  So you have been a life time dress maker!!! That is truly AWESOME!!!


How is the digitizing going???? And how about the tablecloths...did you finalize your design pattern??? Let me know if you did and how it is going>


OH WOW...I have heard the Norwegian Coast cruise is GORGEOUS!!!!


I have never done that but would love to. I will look forward to hearing about that trip...& you get to go to the Russian boarder!!! I so want to hear all about it!!! ( I've been to Norway a few times...did my Mom's family research there and just loved the fjiords!!!) etc.


Oh how wonderful a trip to look forward too.


Thanks again for writing me!!!!!


hugs,


Chatty Cathy in Oregon


travelbug1237 8/7/2008 11:30:41 AM

Oops...Celticdowser....not the other spelling!


celticdowser 8/19/2008 8:15:46 AM

My tablecloths?  I have a Janome MC9500 with Jamone digitiser (around £500) programme on the PC.  Having sorted my ME files out (somewhat) I find that I have lots of scallop designs for Linen edging.  I contacted Janome to find help to join these scallops into curves for the edges so as not to have to restart every little scallop.  I got a reply which told me I needed The Custom programme (around £150) and the clothsetter - another £70 or so. No other help. Some expensive tablecloths!!!!!!


So I am still in the 'how to achieve the effect I want' stage.  Think I will have to start a blog.


Was on the YouTube site this last week.  Anyone can put their videos demonstrating their working techniques.  The embroidery section has good spots and tends to lead you to other avenues.  I did find out about a set of gadgets I had never heard of but had felt the need for in freehand embroidery and garment decoration - Omnifeeders.  Out of production of course so the resale market is hopefully the source.  And not in the UK.


Take care and thanks for your enthusiasm.


Celticdowser


ps I do dowse and not just for water.


travelbug1237 8/21/2008 6:46:43 PM

HH celticdowser,,,,Congratulations for being on YouTube! Smile


  Good luck on your "how to achieve the effect you want' stage!


Keep me posted.


I am taking it more slowly...the week at the beach was SOOOOO great!


I appreciate your compliment too!


Smile


CinO ( Cathy in Oregon)


I would love to try stitching up some lacy projects (especially thinking about lace ornaments this year for gifting).  HOWEVER!  I have a Brother PR-620 so I have to use the prewound bobbins...It's possible you answered this in your other messages, but there's so much there that I didn't read everything!  Sorry!


In this case, is it possible to do?


Please login to comment