Follow Your Heart

Not long ago, Ann the Gran featured the Calligraphy Project Designer special and I knew I had to try it out. Elegant fonts, scrollwork, and plenty of elegant accents... I LOVE it! I was really surprised at all of the features, especially for the cost. It is a mini customizing program with capa... [More]

Monogram of the Month: A Reason to Celebrate!

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. I was very excited when Eileen gave me the opportunity to write this month’s Monogram of the Month featu... [More]

Glitter Vinyl: Red, White and Sparkling

Next to Angelina fiber, glitter flex vinyl is becoming my new favorite applique embellishment. Bonnie Welsh from Sew Inspired by Bonnie introduced me to this new product and I can see so many uses for it. She did extensive testing with several similar products and chose Glitter Flex Ultra and Glitte... [More]

It doesn’t have to take a village…

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. The entire community used to come together whenever the needle plate on an embroidery machine needed to be remov... [More]

Pattern Variations: Getting the Colors Just Right

Much about creating, whether it is sewing, quilting, embroidery, or any other artistic form, depends on having the ability to visualize the project in your head. I don't know about you, but it is getting harder and harder for me to do that every day. Sometimes, it is easy to bypass a pa... [More]

Embroidered Jigsaw Puzzles

     Well, I'm back to embroidering for children again.  My newest thing is jigsaw puzzles.I embroider a picture on a piece of felt, then add another piece of felt under the stabilizerbefore stitching the outlines of puzzle pieces.  Then I use special cut work needl... [More]

Fusible Web

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:   I have a love-hate relationship with fusible web. I like to add it to the wrong side of applique fabric... [More]

Threads vs. Backgrounds: Contrast or Blend?

  Because they resemble hand quilting, redwork embroidery designs work great as a quilting motif. Finding the correct amount of contrast (or not) is the key to an embroidery project that pops. Using a fabric sample called Elm Creek Quilts: Sarah's Collection by Red Rooster, I want to sh... [More]

Cloth Coloring Book Project Instructions

Materials: •1 pkg. of blanket binding o 10 pieces of 14 x12 inch of white twill or canvas (size will vary due to your hoop size) o Black & white thread o Fabric chalk or marker o Straight pins o Scissors o Ruler o Washa... [More]

PMS Thread Colors

You may have had a friend or client ask you to stitch their company or school colors on apparel using PMS colors. Typically, the mere mention of PMS strikes fear in the hearts of many. Here, PMS refers to Pantone Matching System and how it helps with color consistency in embroidery thread. Panto... [More]

My #1 secret to successful machine embroidery applique

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:   I’ll let you in on a little-known secret – I hate to remove the hoop during the embroidery pr... [More]

How To Hoop Onesies

  I get lots of questions about embroidering onesies. I see lots of embroiderers floating them on self-adhesive stabilizers, but most projects will have better results if the onesie is hooped in a hoop with cut-away stabilizer. Watch this video to see how I like to hoop onesies. I demonst... [More]

Free Basting Stitches

Here is something no embroiderer should be without: basting stitches. Especially when they are FREE. Overall, basting files place a running stitch around the outside of the design area, temporarily securing the hooped fabric and stabilizer together. Some machines even have a basting feature bu... [More]

The Value of Hooping Correctly

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:    Our friends at Baby Lock have excellent advice for achieving beautiful embroidery on any machine... [More]

Fancy Window Pouch

     A few years ago I made for myself a messenger bag style purse, with one of [More]

Bobbin Basics

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]
AnnTheGran.com | Beautiful people make beautiful things

Save Money When Printing (MAC is included).

  These tips can be used for Windows XP and Vista and MAC- Operating systems vary, if in doubt, check with your provider and/or technical support.   Several years ago, the 'powers that be' told us that we were going to become a paperless society.  I don't know about y... [More]

'Tis the season to help others

As the holiday season heats up I decided to get my toes operated on.  What was I thinking?  This is time of year when everyone is running around. Not me.  In the last few days I had to learn how to do my holiday shopping on line. My DIL helped me figure out how to get free shipping wh... [More]

It's Adorable You!

About 3 years ago I was sitting on my porch looking out across the Puget Sound. John Deer (Adorable Ideas) and his family were visiting with us and we were just enjoying the view of the water and relaxing. It occurred to me to ask him, "If you could ask for any embroidery software feature that ... [More]

Hints For Photographing Holidays and Parties

Just in time for holiday fun, here are a few tips for getting some really great shots.  Let's start out with some basics: Start with a camera.  OK, that sounds a little sarcastic, but the fact is that the auxiliary phones, ipods, etc., just don't have a great deal of real depth ... [More]

Ribbon Trim Adds a Special Touch to some Really Trendy Linens!

I've been looking through Spring catalogs from some of our suppliers and I'm seeing lots and lots of damask patterns and designs.  It inspired me to think ahead to next year because I'm sure you'll be seeing lots of it too!  It may be a little late to get something done for... [More]

Leaping In, With a Mac

Hello fellow embroiderers, design seekers and stash collectors! 'Leaping In' begins with a non-PC topic. No, I'm not being Politically in-Correct right out of the gate here at ATG. I'm talking about Mac computers and the lack of embroidery support for them. That other 'PC' ... [More]

More Tags!

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

The Project Gone Wrong

AAAHHHH!  Christmas Time-It’s a wonderful time of year when we all rush around, from one party to another.  Rushing the kids to their parties, and activities, while planning for the cookies we will bake when we get enough time.  We spend hours, thinking, planning scheming for th... [More]

Optical versus Digital Zoom and Photo Tips

  These tips can be used for Windows XP and Vista - Operating systems vary, if in doubt, check with your provider and/or technical support.   Many people are confused between optical and digital zoom.  If you are thinking of buying a new camera for yourself or someone else, you c... [More]

Get your Hostess Gifts ready now---party season is upon us!

Hey Everyone!  It's that time of the year again---time to start coming up with some quick and easy gifts for folks on our list.   I try to make the most of every single minute I have in the sewing room because I just don't get as much time in there as I want.  But I do wa... [More]

Is Your PC Obsolete? And Problems and Solutions

  These tips can be used for Windows XP and Vista - Operating systems vary, if in doubt, check with your provider and/or technical support.   Years ago, I remember reading one of my favorite PC guru's newsletters and it said something like - This new PC has 10 MB of storage, you w... [More]

Keeping it Simple - Puppy Love and Gingerbread Man Coasters

I have to tell you a story of love at first sight.  I have to tell you the story of Keiko.  She is one of the newest members of the family (kind of).  We have two dogs at our house - a sixteen year old Pomeranian mix and an almost two year old Papillon.  So do we need anothe... [More]

LaRueSews-Quilts-Be Your Own Judge

This has been a busy month. We recently went to Nashville again to sign a contract on a Motor Home that we saw last month. It’s like new, though used, and really beautiful. We will get it the first week of December.   Also, my sewing machine has been back to the factory, or wherever dis... [More]

Needles and Thread .. best recommendations

Hello everyone.  Had some spare time in my new married life and wanted to touch base with this great community!! I have been emailing my customer base about needles and thread and how my experience may help those that are either new, or, just have never given these two important tools much tho... [More]

People I meet and why they are hip to the possibilities of sewing…

In today's office environment  the more popular method of communication is email but when my phone rings I can almost guarantee that I will be hearing from someone who is completely enthralled by sewing and wants to tell more people about what is happening in the world of sewing in the... [More]

How to Work in a Paperless World

Did you ever wonder what it would be like to actually see the top of your desk through all those bills, notes, orders ...... and the list goes on.  I know that feeling of "where did I just put that!"  I know it's within arms reach because it was just in my hand and I haven... [More]

Holiday Travel, Needles & African Folklore Embroidery

I used to be a really nervous flyer, every bump, thump, or noise would startle me. Reading just would not relax me and chatting to the passenger next to me would not succeed in calming me. Things began changing for me once I started bringing my African Folklore Embroidery kit on board the air... [More]

Understanding Standby and Hibernate and Airline Seat Selecting

These tips can be used for Windows XP and Vista - Operating systems vary, if in doubt, check with your provider and/or technical support.   Among the things that are really great about a computer, being available and handy are just two of the important issues.  When I sent to school, w... [More]

Keeping It Simple - Embroidered Lace Snowflake Ornaments

Each time she visits my granddaughter asks if we can get the manger set out early this year.  It is very old and worn but she loves to play with it, taking the figures on the trip to Bethlehem.  We make a tradition of getting the house ready for the Christmas holidays the weekend after Tha... [More]

No Matter Where I Go People Like to Talk About Sewing!

People who know me know that I love to ask questions that generally lead to "six degrees of separation." Asking those questions usually leads to a discussion of sewing, and you know how much I love that.  Recently I was asked to attend St. Louis Fashion week.  Shouldn't need ... [More]

LaRueSews-Quilts-Beads are Fun Too, a 30 minute project

Hi there EveryBuddy.  Three weeks has come and gone, again. Blogging time is here.  I hope that all of you have been diligently making the last block I gave you in LaRueSews BOM.  This time it will be a quick one, both BLOG and block.  I have been out of town for a few days.&nb... [More]

Volume Control and Help!!

  These tips can be used for Windows XP and Vista - Operating systems vary, if in doubt, check with your provider and/or technical support. The following tip is my absolutely favorite tip that I ever found.  I hope you will like it too. If there is something that aggravates about tele... [More]

Halloween Costume – A Dancing Princess

  This week I finished putting up my Halloween decorations.  I made a few new ones this year, since my old ones were simply falling apart.  Instead of the scarecrow on the front door I made a wall hanging that is interchangeable for each holiday.  But that is a project I will sh... [More]

The Extinction of the Professional Digitizer

In today's market the true professional digitizer who knows how to create crisp small letters, make your sewing machine sing through a 200k stitch design without a thread break and create some of the best looking embroidery you will see on material are becoming extinct.  Those who are becom... [More]

I have no idea what this is going to look like?

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]

Public Domain-Freeware and Uninstall Programs

  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]

LaRueSews-Quilts, Spuds in a Bag

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]