Ann The Gran Community

In-the-hoop Cookies

db1921 — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:00:00 GMT

The girls love to play with the kitchen that their dad made for them. Their play kitchen isn't tucked away, it is staged in the great room of their house. So, they play with it lots. Each Christmas Andrea has added felt food items to the kitchen. So, for Valentine's day I decided to make decorated felt heart cookies to add to their stash of felt food. I put a set in each card to give to them on that day of love. Here is what they look like:

Here is what you need for the one with the little hearts:

Two 4" squares of tan felt

Tear away stabilizer.

Tan and Pink embroidery thread

Pinking shears (optional)

Lapel stick temporary adhesive

Cookie designs (Download mine here)

Here is what you do:

1. Hoop the tear away stabilizer. Put a little adhesive on the corners of one felt square and center it in the hoop.

2. Sew the first color using tan thread that matches your felt. I used tan in the bobbin as well on mine. This just puts a heart outline down on the first square to hold it in place nicely.

3. Sew the second color in pink for all those hearts.

4. Now remove the hoop and flip it over. Put a little adhesive on the corners of the second felt square and center it over the back side of the design. Carefully slide the hoop back onto the machine and check to make sure the felt is still in place.

5. Sew the third color in tan. Remove the hoop from the machine. Separate the two layers outside the stitching and carefully tear away the excess stabilizer.

6. Pink around the outside of the finished cookie. These look good enough to eat.

Note: These cookies can be done using any thread colors you desire. These were created in blues and pinks so they could be seen well on screen. Use the colors of your choice. The designs were created in Designer's Gallery MasterWorks II which is available through Baby Lock Retailers.

Happy Valentine's Day to you all.

Take care,

The Avid Embroiderer Presents - The Zen of Mars

pat71896 — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:00:00 GMT

Everyone who has been on this site for more than a short time is aware of Susan Mars and her wonderful embroidery blanks from AllAboutBlanks.

When I asked her to do a blog about her, she modestly said it would not be very interesting. How wrong she was!!! I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. I laughed and felt like we were having a cup of coffee on her porch. Thanks Susan, here is to many more years of love and laughter!

1. Your profile at the bottom of your blog shows that your hubby got you an embroidery machine in the late 1990's. WOW, that seems like a long time ago now! What do you suppose possessed him to do that? Do you have a clone of him?

The story of how I ended up with an embroidery machine is probably one-of-a-kind. I grew up with a mother and two grandmothers who always sewed and quilted. Very crafty people who taught me the basics. I was sewing on a hand-me-down Kenmore from my husband's grandmother and doing just fine. I was just beginning to teach myself to piece quilts and was doing a lot of home-decorating projects. I mentioned to him casually one day that a lot of what I do on the sewing machine would probably be easier if I had a newer sewing machine, because there were probably features built in that would make it easier. At this point, I had not been to any sewing machine dealer---was just sort of thinking out loud.

Fast forward a few months and my husband (who is in the computer support business) got called to jury duty in our county. He just happened to end up on the same jury as the owner of Atlanta Sewing Center, a local Bernina & Baby Lock dealer. They got to chatting, and my husband ended up being hired by Atlanta Sewing Center to do some computer work. He then found himself being completely impressed with these sewing machines and that Christmas he bought me my first Bernina! My first machine was not an embroidery machine, but it was only about 6 months later that I ended up trading up to the embroidery one. And I was in love! It's been a hobby that I have never lost interest in.

2. Also in that profile you mention your first 'gig' as a salesperson with blanks. You note that you could not get your product out fast enough, the ladies were so delighted with the items. What did you carry at that time?

When we first started, we focused on pretty linen items such as guest towels, pillows, table linens---all that sort of pretty stuff. Being in the South, that kind of merchandise had always been familiar to me. And it seemed that others liked it too. Of course I had never sold my merchandise before so I had no clue as far as systems, etc. I wrote each order out on a paper sales receipt and had my calculator to add things up. Prior to that, my corporate career had been in a retail buying office for a major department store in the Atlanta area---I've always said that I was born and bred to be a merchant-somehow buying and selling pretty things. It's my comfort zone and what excites me. So when I realized that other people who embroidered were looking for pretty things to monogram, just like I was---it was exciting, natural, and challenging---all at one time! It was one of those turning moments in life---a happy one.

3. What is YOUR favorite thing that you carry and why?

I always love handkerchiefs. Usually they are being embroidered especially for a new bride, her mother and her new, extended family. I can appreciate the love that goes into making that hankie special and what it will mean to the bride years after her special day. How many of us have a few hankies tucked away in a drawer that belonged to a special family member---it makes me happy to think that 50 years down the road, one of our hankies will be tucked into someone's drawer.

4. What was the dumbest thing you attempted to sell on your site and what did you end up doing with that item?

This one makes me laugh. I once bought these ADORABLE stuffed animals that are filled with wheat and lavender. They are meant to be heated and then your child can snuggle up with them at night. They are NOT embroiderable at all, but I was struck by how sweet they were and thought they would be a nice "extra" item a person could purchase if they were shopping with us for a baby gift. The problem is they are very heavy from the buckwheat and lavender fill, which made shipping an issue. And to top it all off, they have to be heated up in a microwave. Do you know how creepy it is to have a stuffed penguin, cat, or puppy spinning around the tray in your microwave?!? We actually never sold a single one through the website and they are still sitting in a box in our back room. It's a shame, because the product itself is not a bad product---it was just a TERRIBLE fit for our product line. We each have one that we use when we have an achy back or neck---so if you time it just right, you can walk in and see one of us with a fluffy stuffed penguin sitting on our shoulder!! LOL Maybe eventually I will give them all away as gifts to friends, but it's still creepy having it spin around in your microwave.

5. If you had one thing to say to an aspiring entrepreneur, what would it be?

Don't try to do everything yourself. Maybe you feel like you have to do so in the beginning, but at some point in the game, it becomes counterproductive. Follow your gut when you feel like you should be hiring someone to do the things you are procrastinating doing---spend your energies on the things that keep the business growing and headed in the right direction. DELEGATE, DELEGATE, DELEGATE. There were too many things I let slide because I kept insisting to myself that I should be able to do it all myself---guess what. Turns out I'm not Wonder Woman after all!

6. Where do you live?

I ended up in Atlanta because my boyfriend (now husband) went to school at Georgia Tech. When I finished school (before him, I might add!) I moved to Atlanta to wait for him to finish. I found a career here and we have been here since 1992! I don't see us moving anytime soon. We're too spoiled here---we've got everything in the world within driving distance.

7. Tell us about your own family.

I am married with a four year old son. Anyone have any advice about enforcing bedtimes!?! ARGH! He is a wonderful, sweet and loving child---who refuses to go to sleep!

8. Tell us something fun/interesting about you that no one else knows. . . . .

I have a love/hate relationship with Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes.

And I think everyone should try to visit New York City at least once in their lifetime.

WOW, that is so familiar to me. We have a lot in common. I feel like people everywhere are enjoying the same things, just at a different address.

My guilty pleasure is doing crosswords, Sudoku and other word games. I have ink marks (of course we who do these puzzles always do them in ink) all over my sheets because my favorite time to do them is just before sleep.

Well, readers, it is time to confess - - - What is your guilty pleasure? It does not have to be about embroidery, just something that is your delight.

Ann's Sweetest Heart Collection: Perfect for Your Sweetheart

sewblest — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:00:00 GMT

Ann's Sweetest Heart Collection makes it fun and easy to create a variety of special valentines you can't find in any big box store. And, for a limited time, purchase the small, large, or full collections, and get a Valentines Sayings pack absolutely FREE.

Intricate, yet delicate, the designs would be beautiful if embroidered on table linens or towels. I created three stand-alone valentines by embroidering the designs on organza and felt. When using organza, they are almost like freestanding lace. They can be placed in an envelope in place of a card, attached to a ribbon to hang for display, or embroidered on a larger piece of material to create a gift bag for candies or potpourri.

Organza Hearts

Hoop a piece of water-soluble stabilizer. Remember, join Ann's Club and save 50% on stabilizers.

Cut organza to fit on top of the hoop. I used burgundy organza for design ATG VAL 03L and a silver-white metallic for design ATG VAL 08L.

Spray temporary adhesive on the back of the organza and finger-press it to the inside top of the hoop.

I used burgundy thread with the burgundy organza and red thread with the metallic organza. Use matching thread in the bobbin. What‘s nice about these designs is that they use all one color so no thread changes!

I typically reduce the machine speed when embroidering on organza.

Stitch out each respective design. Remove the stabilizer from the hoop. Carefully trim the organza from the design with applique scissors.

Trim excess stabilizer and rinse the hearts in warm water to remove remaining stabilizer. The more you rinse, the softer the embroidered piece will become. I like to let some stabilizer remain to give the piece body when dry.

The burgundy heart is embroidered as a tone-on-tone while the metallic heart has contrasting thread.

Use a brayer to roll out moisture and flatten. Let them dry.

Attach a cord or ribbon to hang or use as a bookmark.

Cut out the loops with an eyelet cutter if desired.

You could also sandwich the finished heart with organdy, place some potpourri between the layers, and stitch around the satin stitch outline to secure. Trim the excess organdy close to the seam line and you have a sachet.

Felt Heart

Hoop a piece of adhesive tear-away stabilizer. Carefully score around the inside of the hoop and remove the protective paper.

Spray the back of a 4.25" x 5" piece of felt with adhesive spray and finger-press to the inside top of the hoop to secure.

Stitch design ATG VAL-03L. I used variegated red thread on the front and solid red in the bobbin.

When done, remove the design from the hoop and carefully tear the adhesive stabilizer from the back.

Trim around the heart. This heart can be hung as an ornament, added as a gift tag, or used as a coaster.

I'm sure you will find other great uses for these hearts. They sew up quickly. Make some for those you love!

Debbie (SewBlest)

Finish It Beautifully -No Lining Required

db1921 — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:15:00 GMT

I am in the mood for spring to get here. Really, it has been a mild winter so I shouldn't be so anxious but I am. So, what to do but start on an easy springtime project. My daughter loved the pillowcase dresses that the girls had last year. I decided that would be a nice project for this weekend and I could use up some leftover fabrics too. But last year's dresses were lined. Surely there is an easier way to finish off those seams. Well, I have been using French seams on some of my little snack bags and pillowcases so I decided to try them out in finishing the pillowcase dress. It worked and saved quite a bit of time as well. Here is the littlest one's dress:

First I'll cover creating a French seam in case anyone needs to know how to do these great little seams.

What you need to practice this:

Two rectangle of scrap fabric the same size.

Sewing Thread

Iron

What you do:

Place the two rectangles with the wrong sides together.

Sew a 1/4" seam down one side.

Open the fabric and press the seam open.

Fold the fabric with the right sides together and press the seam again.

Sew a 1/2" seam enclosing the raw edges of the first seam

The outside of the sewn fabric seam should look like this:

The inside of the sewn fabric seam should look like this:

So easy to do, so professional looking.

Now for the pillowcase dress. I didn't use a pattern - just an old dress in the size I wanted to make so I could get the right length and armhole size. But if you want one I am sure there are a number to chose from out there if you google it.

What you need (for a 24 month size)

1/2 yard cotton fabric (44" wide)Cut in half (18"X22" each piece)

5" strip of fabric for the border (44" wide) Cut in half (5" x 22" each piece)

2 yards 5/8" ribbon cut in half

Sewing Thread

Embroidery design if desired (you can download my appliqué flower here)

Medium weight tear away stabilizer

Embroidery thread

Scraps of fabric for the appliqué

Heat N Bond lite for the appliqué

Lapel Stick for the appliqué

Little trimmer scissors

Iron

What you do based on what I did:

1. Layer the two fabric pieces wrong sides together. Fold in half again so it is 18" X11". From the top edge measure down 2" and place the shoulder of the dress you are using for a pattern( on the raw edge side). Mark the armholes and cut them out.

2. Fold the edge of the armhole in 1/4" (toward the wrong side) and press. Fold in another 1/4" and press. Sew close to the open edge. ( Note: you might want to start at the top and pull a little as you iron around the curve to make it fit.) Repeat for the other 3 armhole sections.

3. Fold the top edge of the neckline down 1/2" (toward the wrong side) and press. Fold down another 1 1/2" and press. Sew along the open pressed edge to create a casing for the ribbon. Repeat for the other dress piece.

4. Embroider the appliqué design on the border. Decide where the design will go. (Using a template that you can print from Catalog Xpress or Alphabet Xpress is helpful.) Hoop the tear away stabilizer. Center the fabric and template in the hoop using the lapel stick to adhere the edges of the fabric well. Embroider the design. (For instructions on embroidering appliqué designs go to this blog.) Remove the excess stabilizer.

5. Here is where you begin to use your French seam. Place the border top and dress bottom wrong sides together. Sew a 1/4" seam. Press the seam open. Turn the fabric right sides together and press the seam again. Now sew a 1/2" seam to enclose the first one. Press the French seam down towards the border. Repeat for the other side of the dress.

6. Place the dress pieces wrong sides together matching up the border seam. Sew from the bottom of the armhole to the bottom edge of the dress using a 1/4" seam. Press the seam open. Turn the dress so the right sides are together and press the seam again. Now sew from under the armhole to the bottom edge using a 1/2" seam to enclose the first one. Repeat for the other side of the dress.

7. Turn up the bottom edge and hem as desired.

8. Run the ribbon through the casings at the top and you have one pillowcase dress -ready for spring - no lining required.

Next time on one this small I think I will try folding the fabric so that I have only one seam up the back since it uses the 44" width of the fabric. And later today I think I'll make a shorter one as a top to go with a long sleeve T and leggings.

Here are a few more quick projects in case you missed them:

Embroidered Baby Ts for cool summer fun

Valentine Candy Wraps

Infant Easter Goodies

Quick wristlet Bag

Whether you are iching to start your spring projects or still working on the fall and winter ones have a good time with your craft.

Take care,

Plauen Lace

pat71896 — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:50:00 GMT

In the event that you think that bloggers have to be knowledgeable, let me assure you that (at least for myself) they are not. I simply enjoy finding new things to read, respond to and research – and if I feel you might be interested as well, I do a blog.

If you want to know more about something, please let me know and I will do the research and proceed.

For details of Plauen Lace, you can see more here http://moderngermanlace.com/history.html (or just read my blog):

Circa 1780 the embroidery trade begins to grow in the Vogtland region of Germany, and it centered around the city of Plauen.

As common for the time, the popular hand-made lace was a significant financial mainstay for the area. It was a lace for the clergy and nobility and rather popular.

Machine lace began in the mid 19th century with the machines being hand operated. Made with battleship-grade cast iron, working with one must have been challenging. Perhaps that is why our grandmothers never had to go to the gym to work out. . . .

If you have read about early embroidery, it was often done with a 'tape' style of format. One can almost see the design within the paper plan.

In 1900, at the World Exposition in Paris, Plauen won the Grand Prix and it still is synonymous with the highest quality laces. Interestingly, Plauen had more millionaires than any other city in Germany. Plauen exports a large amount of laces to the United States.

World War I and its aftermath plunged Plauen into the highest unemployment rate in Germany. Furthermore, World War IIs bombing of Plauen destroyed approximately 80% of the lace industry. The city was then Soviet occupied.

By 1950, Plauen restarted lace production, and at that time was in the East Germany region. Small, family-owned companies operated until 1973 when the lace production was nationalized. In 1990, Germany's reunification returned the operations back to their owners. Those who toiled at the lace manufacturer kept the tradition of the highest quality through the communist regime. As we well know, the human spirit endures under all conditions.

In 2000, significant production was resumed. The Plauener Spitze and Embroidery Association owns the trademark Plauen Spitze and is registered in the US. The member companies adhere to the Association's strict standards, good design, local production and rigorous training of employees.

Here at AnnTheGran, John Deer of Adorable Ideas, has a tradition in embroidery as well. His family immigrated from war-torn Europe to Canada with a (circa) 1910 Plauen Pantograph machine. Embroidery was also done on the Schiffli loom.

John's grandparents created what is called "Schiffli" which are designs created by masters of their crafts, learned as young men and they became masters after only many years of dedicated work.

According to John's book, Basic Digitizing Made Easy, digitizing was done on the manual pantograph machine. If you think your experience has been challenging, consider that an entire design was digitized one stitch at a time. There was NO undo button and NO edit opportunity. One mistake and an entire design was ruined.

It is a lot easier for you and me! Take advantage of these truly incredible designs, right here at AnnTheGran. These are bridal, baptist and communion worthy with an heirloom quality that is so breath taking!

When John says "Vintage" he really means it!

Embroidery Advisor Presents: Lace Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

starbird99 — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:16:00 GMT

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner so what a better time to talk about Hearts. A lot of us decorate our homes for Valentine’s Day, and what a better way to do that then with some Free Standing Lace Hearts. These beautiful hearts can be used as coasters, placed in strategic spots to embellish your home décor, or given to your sweetie on Valentine’s Day.

These Free Standing Lace Hearts from Starbird Stock Designs are easy to make. If you are not familiar with the Free Standing Lace process please see simple step by step instructions by clicking here.

To view all the designs in the Free Standing Lace Hearts Design Pack please click here. As an early Valentine’s Day gift to you we are discounting the designs and pack by 50% for a short time only.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Get Organized and Save Money Doing It!

sewblest — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:00:00 GMT

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 can be daunting without a plan. Fortunately, there are cataloging programs that help tremendously.

One thing that is constant across all platforms: You have to be able to see what the design looks like to know where it should be filed. File names alone are not always self-explanatory. If the file name is santa01.pes, that is one thing. But there isn't any way you can possibly know whether the XM3954.pes file is a design for a Christmas tree or a pink lizard without seeing the stitch-out image.

Both Catalog Xpress and CatalogIt! allow you to see design images before you file them. If the mere thought of creating an organizational structure for your embroidery designs makes you weak in the knees, both programs have folders already set up for you. Just drag and drop.

Catalog Xpress also permits you to colorize, convert, and re-size designs while CatalogIt! has an import wizard you can set up for aid in categorizing frequent file downloads.

Organizing embroidery designs into categories is a matter of personal preference. If you don't like the categories already created, you can easily rename what is there or add your own.

Benefits of Organizing Embroidery Designs

They are easier to find.

Did you ever sit down at the embroidery machine but left before ever turning it on because you couldn't find the file you wanted to stitch and lost interest? When kept in folders within a main design folder, you know exactly where to find your embroidery designs. You also save time by not having to search randomly.

You can weed out duplicates and free up storage space.

For one reason or another over the course of time, you can have the same stitch files with different names. By being able to see designs, the stitch counts, and thread colors on screen, you know if you are deleting the right file.

Backing up files is easier.

All embroidery designs should be backed up to prevent catastrophic loss in the event of computer failure. It is not a violation of copyright law to have an archival backup of embroidery designs. By cataloging files in folders by category, it's easy to back up (and restore) directories if your computer crashes or you get a new computer.

Add notes for future use or aid in searches.

Cataloging software allows users to add their own notes to the file, which show when the stitch order is printed out. Notes are also helpful when using search functions within the cataloging program. If you added a note such as "favorite teddy bear" to the notes section of your cataloging program, use that phrase in your search query to quickly find the design.

Try it FREE before you buy it.

Right now, Catalog Xpress is $30 off retail and CatalogIt! lists for $20 under retail. Check out their video demonstrations and, best of all, download and use them for 30 days free of charge to try them out. What do you have to lose?

The World's Easiest Sewing Machine Cover

SusanMars — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:22:00 GMT

Sometime last year I wrote about using a small tabletopper as an easy, casual cover for sewing machines. My sewing room collects dust like crazy and I know it's not good for the machines. Over the last few months, I have thoroughly enjoyed walking into my sewing room and being greeted by the pretty monograms and designs I stitched on those tabletoppers. So much so, that I was thinking of ways I could have something different for each month of the year. Using a tabletopper would not be practical as far as my wallet goes, so I was thinking of other ways I could make one for each month. Another thing I always have to consider is time. I have to keep my projects to about a hour or two and no more. If I don't get something done in that time frame, it may never get done. If it gets set aside to work on later, I might never get back to it---I might find a new quilt kit between now and then that just begs to be opened and cut into. So once I sit down to make an easy project, I have to get it done then! So with those two important factors in mind, I thought maybe a kitchen tea towel would be just the thing---and it worked beautifully! Here's a photo of the two I completed this afternoon:

All I did was take a tea towel (found here) and place it over the sewing machine. I printed a paper template of my design and used the paper template to determine where I want to put the design on the towel to be visually appealing. Complete the stitching and finish it out how you like. Here's some helpful hints for you:

Embroidery Advisor Presents: Embroider those Winter Blues Away

starbird99 — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:00:00 GMT

The first day of winter has officially arrived on the calendar even though it doesn’t look like it outside, at least here in Minnesota. We all know what is coming though in the upcoming months and unfortunately we will be spending many hours indoors on those cold brisk days.

To help make those frigid days fly by, Starbird Stock Designs has a couple of Design Packs you can embroider which will make beautiful wall hangings. The 2 packs are called Winter Cabin Scenes and Winter Church Scenes and are shown above. Both of these packs will also be 50% off for a short time only.

Each of these packs has approximately 500,000 stitches total for the 9 pieces that make up the final wall hanging that measures approximately 18 ½” high by 12 ½” wide. Embroidery tips and suggestions in a PDF file on how to create these wall hangings can be accessed by clicking here. If there is a big blizzard, and you cannot get out for a few days and would like to do some more of these wall hangings, please check out the Fall Cabin Scene and the Fall Barn Scene packs, or the Tropical Underwater & Beach Scenes. These packs will also be 50% off.

Happy Sewing and Keep Warm!

Finish it Like a Pro - Trimming Tips

djones247 — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:10:00 GMT

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 appearance. Incidentally, this is one of the advantages of automatic trimmers on multi-needle machines. The trimming is actually done by blades that are beneath the needle plate, accomplishing the trimming from below. The mechanism that you see on top isn't cutting, rather it is pulling the trimmed thread into a holder.

If you used topping, resist the temptation to rip away the topping material as soon as you remove the hoop from the machine. The topping is still doing its job. When you are trimming jump stitches, the topping acts as a buffer to protect delicate fabrics from being nicked by your trimming scissors.

Trimming the Back

Long jump stitches over 1/2" between letters and design elements should be trimmed to prevent them becoming snagged.

It also prevents the wearer from wondering if they should trim these stitches or worrying about snagging them.

The stabilizer should be trimmed about 1/8 to 1/4" away from the embroidery. Leaving more can create an outline of backing that is visible through the fabric. Leaving less can cause the embroidery to have a sunken apperarance.

To avoid nicking the fabric while removing cutaway stabilizer, keep the fabric visible at all times during backing removal. Some people accomplish this by holding the item by the stabilizer, allowing the item to "hang" during trimming. I also suggest using short blade (5 inch) embroidery sicssors rather than larger shears.

If the item will be worn by an infant or child, contains metallic thread or has threads that aren't completely secured, seal the embroidery on the back with a soft, permanent fusible covering like TenderTouch by Sulky.

What the Stabilizer Sellers Won't Tell You

pat71896 — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:00:00 GMT

With that title line, I am thinking that there are hundreds and hundreds of things they won't tell you, but I will zoom in on a few of my personal favorites, in no particular order:

Those prices - unbelievably, are way overpriced.

This one reminds me of cosmetics, if you figure out the real price, it is astonishing. My comparison charts for stabilizers (among other things) is available here. When I did the comparison, I was careful to select the other sellers at random. Time after time, AnnTheGran was the lowest and joining Ann's Club made a lot of difference! In their defense, this is their bread and butter so that they can continue to stay viable as a company. After all, they are in the business of being profitable.

Tear Away is only paper.

Tear away stabilizer is, 95% of them, made of paper. Why on earth do they charge so much for some paper? Some have a ‘direction' which would create a small difference when you need to use multiple layers. With the directional types, you would place one at a horizontal position and the second at a vertical position. That would create a little additional tensile strength (the point at which there is failure) but not a great deal. Look through your tear away toward a light and you will see, it is likely to be small pieces of paper pressed together. Tear away is probably where, years ago, some embroiderers decided they could use coffee filters instead of tear away. Coffee filters are not that cheap, stick with the ‘real thing.'

You need a quality water soluble stabilizer (wss) for the best results.

Some of the water soluble stabilizers out there should be shot - make that the manufacturers should be shot. Some are so thin that you can make a hole in them with a single puncture of the needle. When you place a number of stitches such as a narrow satin stitch, you are going to have failure with a capital F. For Free Standing Lace (FSL) wss is a must. I am a big advocate of Badgemaster Water Soluble Stabilizer. I don't say that lightly, I really mean it. You can read my Forum post - A Three Year Journey where I describe my process where I got to being a serious fan of Badgemaster. I am on my second roll of 50 yards by 15" of it and know I won't have problems, even if I have to rework an area. I also use it on projects where I would not normally use water soluble, heavy density of stitches does not have a negative effect on Badgemaster.

A professional shop uses just one or two types of stabilizers.

You can check on this if there is an embroidery shop in your area. They do have machines that are much more precise than we can buy (at a reasonable price), but they don't need 15 different stabilizers around. What is my point here? Well, I have about 30 different stabilizers in my stash but I won't use most of them. I use my favorite tear away, my favorite cut away, my favorite adhesive, and my favorite water soluble. Those others are still around because I am too cheap to throw them away. I probably will never use them, but sometimes I want to try something different and any old stabilizer will do.

What are my favorites? Honestly, all of them are AnnTheGran products and Badgemaster. I use them for their quality and price. Whomever sought out the original marketable brand for this site did their homework on these items. I do have a 'special use' that is a 'heat away' stabilizer. Ann does not carry that, but I have found one that works well for me.

A Pretty Felt Playhouse -Part 2

db1921 — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:00:00 GMT

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 too young to remember. She loved it and was not happy when we took it back off the table. Here is the front of the finished house:

Here is the back wall before I trimmed it up and sewed it on:

If you missed the side walls you can see them here in part 1.

What you need for the front and back walls:

Heat and Bond Ultra

Embroidery thread

Bobbin thread

Sewing thread

Felt from the bolt

1. Light pink for the Walls: Measure the table sides and from the very top to the bottom Add 2 inches to the height and width for double seams for the four walls (ours was 56"X 56" X36" tall- yes, she has one of those bar stool style tall ones - so my pieces were 58"wide X 38" tall for each of the four walls.)

2. Green and brown for the tree and bush: Decide how much of the wall should be taken up by these and draw them freehand. (I just looked at a clip art picture and drew mine.)

3. Dark pink for the door: Take your front measurement and subtract 4 inches. Divide that number by three for the door width. For the height I just subtracted 4 inches.

4. Various colors for the elements (red, white, gray, green, black): We used red felt squares for the apples, some scraps from the other pieces and projects for the rest.

5. A big piece of white for the roof. Measure the table top and add 6 inches to each side if you are making a scalloped edge.

You can download the outline designs for part 2 here.

What you do:

1. Cut the Tree out. Cut strips of Heat and Bond Ultra and iron them on. Let cool and remove paper.

2. Pin the tree top in place and iron on. Sew around the edge. Repeat for the trunk.

3. Embroider a bunch of the apples: Hoop felt squares (I did not use any stabilizer on these.) Embroider the apples Remove from the hoop and cut around the apples.

4. Trace the apples on Heat and Bond Ultra. Cut out and iron on. Let cool and remove the paper. Position the apples on the tree and iron per the Heat and Bond Ultra instructions.

5. Use leftover felt to create grass at the bottom if desired. Adhere using strips of Heat and Bond Ultra and sew around the edges.

6. Embroider the bunny. Cut around the stitches.

7. Trace the bunny on the Heat and Bond. Cut out and iron on. Let cool and remove the paper. Position the bunny and iron per the Heat and Bond Ultra instructions.

8. Cut the bush out. Cut strips of Heat and Bond Ultra and iron them on. Let cool and remove paper.

9. Pin the bush top in place and iron on. Sew around the edge. Repeat for the trunk.

10. Embroider the light. Cut around the stitches. (I decided it was a little small so I cut a rectangle out of a scrap and added it behind the light to make it larger.)

11. Trace on Heat and Bond Ultra. Cut out and iron on. Let cool and remove paper. Position the light pieces and iron per the Heat and Bond Ultra instruction.

12. Cut a strip from brown felt to make the mailbox post. Trace on Heat and Bond Ultra. Cut out and iron on. Let cool and remove the paper. Position the post and iron per the Heat and Bond Ultra instructions

13. Embroider the mailbox. (I embroidered the outline twice and the words and heart only once.) Cut around the stitches.

14. Trace the one without the words on the Heat and Bond. Cut out and iron on. Let cool and remove the paper. Position and iron per the Heat and Bond Ultra instructions.

15. Pin the front mailbox piece on top and sew around the sides and bottom creating a pocket for mail.

16. Embroider the door handle. Cut around the stitches.

17. Trace the handle on the Heat and Bond. Cut out and iron on. Let cool and remove the paper. Position handle on the door and iron per the Heat and Bond Ultra instructions.

18. Cut a square of white for the window. Cut out the center creating a window frame for the door. Cut strips of Heat and Bond Ultra and iron on. Let cool and remove the paper.Position the window on the door and iron on. Carefully cut the felt out of the window frame creating a window.

19. Position the door. Sew across the top at least three times to secure. Mark 2" in on each side of the underneath felt and cut out the felt underneath to create the door opening.

20. Mark and cut scallops on the roof piece making sure you do not cut in more than 2 1/2". (I just used a small plate for this.)

21. Mark the sewing line on the inside top of each wall. Mark the roof inside all the way around. Lay the roof out flat on the floor with the inside facing up. Pin a wall face down matching sewing lines. Roll up and secure the rolls like you would a large quilt. Sew along the line leaving the inch at the overlapped corners open. (If you are making one this large sew again about 1/8" from the first seam for extra strength.) Repeat for each wall.

22. Secure the sides. If you are making a smaller card table size playhouse you might just sew down the sides. Ours was so big that we just put a couple of buttons and button hole on each side to make it easier to put on and take off.

Note: The kitten on the front came from an appliqué quilt pattern so I cannot share it. Here is a set of twenty free ones you could choose from.

Well, Christmas has come and gone and the girls are having a great time in their new playhouse.

If you have boys make a gargage or a stable or an army fort. I may make the stable (not in such a big size) for my house since the playhouse was such a hit.

I hope you had a great holiday and wish you a blessed new year in 2012.

Take care,

Thinking Out of the Block: Embroidering on Pieced Fabrics

sewblest — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 17:00:00 GMT

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 Robinson's "Roses" from Maywood Studio) so that the diagonal dividing line ran across opposite corners. Fussy cutting involves cutting blocks from specific areas of fabric so they are uniform rather than random.

Cut two sets of two identical blocks. It is helpful to use clear plastic template material cut to the size of the block. When you have a block you like, mark fabric landmarks on the plastic template with permanent marker then move the template over the surface of the fabric to align the landmarks and cut additional blocks.

In this case, the blocks included a light half and a dark half. Because the stripe is scalloped rather than straight, the result is a curvy diamond in a square when assembled.

Press blocks. Arrange them so that they form a diamond in a square. Depending upon how they are rotated, you will either have a light center diamond or a dark center diamond. Sew them right sides together pressing seams to one side. Add a fusible mesh stabilizer to the back of completed diamond block for added support.

Adding Embroidery

In the middle diamond, I decided to personalize the project, selecting a single monogram with floral accents. Instead of following the color chart, I substituted thread colors that complimented existing fabric colors.

Hoop paper-backed adhesive stabilizer. Carefully score the paper side and peel it away from the inside of the hoop. Center the assembled diamond block on the adhesive, using hoop guides for alignment. Finger-press in place.

Because of the white mesh backing, I used standard white bobbin thread.

Finishing

Embroider the chosen design as instructed. The piece can then be finished in a variety of ways. Use it in a quilt or wall hanging, make a pillow, or add lace to the edges for a lovely table-top doily.

If there are topics you would like to see covered in this blog, let me know.

A very Merry Christmas and blessed New Year to all of the creative people at AnnTheGran.com!

Debbie, SewBlest

A Pretty Felt Playhouse - Part One

db1921 — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:20:00 GMT

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 measurements to Andrea she said it looked great but asked if I could make it larger to fit over her dining room table. Then all three girls could fit inside at the same time. So when felt was on sale for half price we bought lots of it to make a pretty pink playhouse. It is now the Thursday before Christmas and although I have all the pieces cut out only two sides are finished. They look like this:

It is a fun project though and I will share the outline designs for the pieces I made along with the basics of what I did.

What you need for the side walls:

Heat and Bond Ultra

Embroidery thread

Bobbin thread

Sewing thread

Felt from the bolt

2. White for the window: Decide how much of the wall should be window - use a little less than half the width of the wall. (I made mine 26" wide x 14" tall.)

3. Brown for the flower boxes: These should be the same width as the window and less than half as high as the window height. (mine were 26" x 6".)

4. Various colors for the flowers, butterflies, birds and birdhouse: We used some scraps and bought some felt squares for these.

You can download the outline designs here.

What you do:

1. Cut the rectangles out of the center of the white felt rectangles for your windows. Cut strips of Heat and Bond Ultra to fit the window frame and iron them on. Let cool and remove paper.

2. Cut a couple strip of Heat and Bond Ultra the length of your window box and iron them on. Let cool and remove paper.

3. Position the window frame and flower box on the side of the playhouse as desired. Pin in place. Iron in place per the Heat and Bond instructions. Then sew around all the edges.

4. Embroider a bunch of the daisies: Hoop felt squares (I did not use any stabilizer on these.) Embroider the first three thread colors using the same color thread. Now put a small square of felt on top of the center circle and embroider the last color to match that square of felt. Remove from the hoop and cut around the small circle and the daisy.

5. Iron small squares of Heat and Bond Ultra onto the back side of the daisy centers. Let cool and remove the paper. Position the daisies on the window box and iron per the Heat and Bond Ultra instructions. Sew an X in the center of each daisy using coordinating thread.

6. Embroider the butterflies the same way as the daisies. Cut narrow rectangles of Heat and Bond and adhere the butterflies as desired. Sew down the middle with coordinating thread.

7. Embroider the birdhouse and bird. Cut a post for the birdhouse from leftover brown felt. Cut and adhere with Heat and Bond. Sew around the edges. (I did not want to sew around the bird so I cut the Heat and Bond Ultra to the exact size and made sure it was well adhered).

Note: I guess you could cut exact shapes of Heat N Bond and do a no-sew version. Or if you are making a smaller version you could just sew without the Heat and Bond but it sure helped keep the pieces in place on the large walls while I sewed.

The back wall will have an apple tree and a little rabbit and the front has the door and mailbox plus a couple other design elements. I will show you the finished playhouse and give you the designs for these next time. It has been a fun project so far and if deadline stress doesn't take over I will enjoy the project. The first two walls did not take much time so I am confident I can finish this by tomorrow with a day to spare before Christmas.

Part two is here.

Happy Holidays to every one of you,

Take care,

A Snowman Sweatshirt Jacket

missih — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:00:00 GMT

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:

Sweatshirt

Snowman and snowflake embroidery designs - I used two resized designs from Dakota Collectible's Button Up collection 970458

Fuzzy white yarn, other yarn or narrow ribbon of your choice

Snowflake buttons and other buttons for decorations (You might find some of them in your "stash".)

Lightweight cut away stabilizer such as a no show mesh

To begin the project, find the center front of the sweatshirt by folding in half matching the shoulder and underarm seams. Mark a line down the center front. On a dark shirt, I use an almost gone piece of soap from the shower. It makes an easily seen line and can be removed with a mist of water.

For this child's shirt, you will make a grid with the lines 3 ¼ inches apart. Use a ruler with a 45 degree line. Place the ruler so that the 45 degree marking lines up with the center front line. Mark the lines in one direction and then in the other to form the grid as shown.

You are now ready to cut the shirt down the center front and embroider. The designs I used from the ButtonUp Collection are too large for this child's shirt. I used resizing software to reduce the size to no larger than 2" X 2 ½". Dakota Collectibles' AlphaSizer Max software does a great job of resizing any design.

A lightweight cut away stabilizer such as a no show mesh is perfect to use for this shirt. You do not have to hoop the shirt with the stabilizer. You can hoop the stabilizer only then spray the stabilizer after hooping with a temporary adhesive spray, and stick the shirt down to the stabilizer. For added security pin the shirt to the stabilizer being careful not to get the pins in the embroidery area. I also drew a plus mark in the center of the square to help align the shirt with the notches on my hoop to be sure the design was correctly placed.

After embroidering the designs in the squares you selected, you are ready to sew down the decorative yarn.

I chose to use a straight stitch sewn down the middle of the yarn which followed the grid lines I had drawn before embroidering. If your yarn is thinner, you can couch it on with a zig zag stitch.

I sewed a large button in the center of the snowflakes and a small one on the knot of the snowman's scarf. You could use some hot fix crystals around the designs to further embellish them if you wanted. In the squares I chose not to embroider, I sewed a snowflake button. These can be found in almost all fabric stores and Hobby Lobby.

To finish the center front edges, turn about ½ inch to the inside and hand whip stitch the edges down with thread that matches the shirt. You could straight stitch the edges to the inside with your machine if you choose.

Thanks for considering this project for the child in your life.

Virginia

My Top Three Mistakes That Make You Look Like a Newbie

pat71896 — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:00:00 GMT

If there is anything that all embroiderers have in common, it must be pride of workmanship. Not one of us wants to give or display something that does not look like it was made professionally. That is obvious – after all, how much have you invested financially, emotionally and artistically in your craft?

Well, there are so many ways that a beautifully conceived project can fail. There are so many persons who are willing to encourage you to do certain things. And, then, there is whatever works for you. With all that going on, it is a wonder that anyone gets beyond one or two frustrating projects and/or training sessions.

I am just going to discuss a few of my favorites that you may find helpful as well.

Puckering –

Puckering is the bane of an embroiderer’s existence. It can happen to any of us if we are not paying attention to the stitch count and/or stabilizers.

I have seen puckering in national magazines both embroidery and non-embroidery publications. Watch the next time you read your favorite guru or article with photos.

I have been guilty of it myself. In the above project, I had used two layers of heavy cutaway which is a lot of stabilizer. However, I had not taken into consideration the number of stitches, 45,000 which made this project in need of three layers of heavy cutaway! You can check out my previous blog on stabilizers. That blog is not attempt to give an answer to every question but it does give many ideas to help you learn about your own projects and the requirements for stabilization.

I have said this before and it is a rule that I believe in – It is easy to under stabilize your project but difficult to over stabilize it. That does not mean that your piece should be bullet proof (usually caused by too many stitches over a small area) but if you are experiencing some puckering, next time float another piece of stabilizer.

Floating just means that the stabilizer is not attached to the fabric or the hoop, it is simply placed under the whole project as it is placed on your machine.

Most stabilizers are not woven (some are) and if you are using a woven, turn the floating piece 90 degrees offset to the hoop for extra strength.

Placement

While there are multiple places you can get information on placement of designs on different articles of clothing, nothing looks stranger than a misplaced design.

I remember seeing one that was so crooked a non embroiderer would have noticed it.

The human body is not flat, neither is the world so that may help you remember to give a little slant to your t-shirts, shirts, blouses and jackets for a more natural look.

Because placement is so important to your success, I totally recommend – and use – In The Hoop Kit and Perfect Placement Kit. The reason I use them is that they are accurate and simple to work with. I have sufficient complexity to my life and these make my projects much better. Additionally the Towel Placement (tricky!!!!!) is on sale!

There are places to find general information for these guidelines such as - http://www.embroiderymall.com/library/placement.html or http://www.emblibrary.com/el/elprojects/pdf/PR1152.pdf but I really prefer something that I can follow with photos and details. I am always curious as to why someone would purchase an expensive embroidery machine and then fail to purchase the necessary tools with it. I buy a car but to keep it entirely functioning, I purchase the best products available and that seems to be a good idea for both situations.

Design Selection

AnnTheGran is probably one of the premiere places, on or off the Internet, to get excellent designs. And, to top that off, AnnTheGran has terrific free designs as well as high quality vendor created designs.

The very first thing that a newbie will do upon purchase of his/her machine is to go on the Net and find every freebie design they can get their hands on. Well, there is good news and bad news on this issue.

First the bad news – Some of the designs you will find are done by newer digitizers. That is not terrible, it is just that I had my pc worked on by a young man – fresh out of tech school – and I ended up having to buy a new pc. It is not that he was careless or anything of the sort, it was just that experience trumps a fresh face every time. There is a place for all here at AnnTheGran, but understand that when you want to raise your work to a new level, it is time for a little maturity. I don’t remember where I got one freebie design but it actually said “I love you grandad.” Really?

Now the good news – If you were to check into the background of – for instance – John Deer, a third generation digitizer, you will find that he has the knowledge and sells his quality designs here at AnnTheGran. Sold under the name of Adorable Ideas you can get the really beautiful 3D Flowers Pack that are wonderful for putting on all sorts of things. I have this pack and frankly, there is so much I love about it, not the least of which is the fact that every design is professionally digitized and they look it!

Many of the other designers here at AnnTheGran are long time embroidery business persons as well. One is Dakota Collectibles – who is more versed then they are? I love the Alphabet Collection which has 5 different fonts, upper and lower case and in two sizes. That comes to a total of over 500 letters for under $50.

So, the bottom line is – quality is your best bet. You were a newbie (even if it was since yesterday) it is time to step up to having excellence in your embroidery.

Going Green - Recycle a T-shirt

db1921 — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:00:00 GMT

A couple of weeks ago, when we were out and about, my oldest granddaughter saw some college girls sporting wide, stretchy headbands with their monograms embroidered on them. Of course, since she thinks that anything the teens do is "way cool" she immediately asked if we could make them. I, not wanting to add anything else to my to do list, gave a very vague answer about someday. Well, as you all know things change and our plans along with them. Due to an illness in the family the girls spent the very next Sunday afternoon with me and I was reminded about the headbands. So, off to the sewing room we went and here are the first two they made.

Really easy, kept them busy most of the afternoon and didn't cost a thing.

What you need:

An old T-shirt that is pretty stretchy

A small, easy embroidery design that will fit (download one we used below)

Tear away or cut away stabilizer

Lapel stick temporary adhesive

Wash away mesh stabilizer

Embroidery thread

Sewing thread

What you do:

Cut strips from the T-shirt (The ones above were 19" X 4 1/2" we did some 19" X 5 1/2" for designs that were a little taller in size)

With right sides together, using 1/4" seam sew the strip lengthwise so that you have a 19' X 2" tube.

Center the seam and press open. Then turn the tube right side out and press again. The seam should be in the center on the backside.

Hoop the tear away stabilizer then center your strip face up and use the Lapel stick to adhere it to the stabilizer leaving the ends hang off the edges of the hoop. Place a piece of wash away stabilizer on top if you like so the stitches do not sink into the T. You can adhere the edges of this if you like.

Embroider the design.

Tear or cut away the stabilizer on the backside. Cut away most of the wash away and spritz the rest with warm water (or through it in the wash it's a t-shirt after all.).

With right sides together sew the short ends together. Flip it right side out and you have a headband. Make more!

Download the little orange and white flower here.

The ones the teens seem to be wearing are wider than these but you can make them any size you need. These were a great afternoon project for two little girls. They would also make great stocking stuffers for girls of most any age.

The Horses came from this collection.

Initials would be good too. Make your own in Alphabet Xpress.

I have lots of blogs with instructions for making quick projects. Go here and scroll down for a list of them all.

From our house to yours we wish you a very merry Christmas.

Take care,

Digitizing for the non-digitizer

pat71896 — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:30:00 GMT

After asking several digitizers me all important question - "tell your readers that it takes a lot more than pressing a few keys create a beautiful design."

There are a few things that they get want to share which you and I'm going to share them with you now. These will be in no particular order.

Truly good digitizing requires many things including, but not limited to, understanding underlay, software, bullet proof stitching, stitch types, elements of a design and distortion to mention just a few.
Digitizing is not just putting a few objects together and pressing a button.
Watching a demonstration does not constitute a lesson. It is very likely you will not be able to duplicate it as shown.
Your project will not be a group of horizontal and vertical lines. It will have many dimensions including slanting of stitches to create a 3D appearance.
You need to consider what fabric the final project will be using. Digitizing for a silk is different than for denim.

Let's just consider a project rather than discussing software.

You will need to start with a copy of an image. We have to know about that image too. Is it a "raster" type? A raster is a bitmap image and the extension may be one of - jpg, tif, gif or bmp. This type is generally not sharp or clear so you will have some variation.

The second type is called a "vector" which is created in specialized software like CorelDRAW or Adobe Illustrator. The advantage of vector art is that it can be made very small, such as for a collar on a Onezie or as large as you want without distortion. This is what is used by many good digitizers.

I am using this design as an example.

OK, now you have your design loaded and you are beginning to visualize your project in your mind.

Now you have to be thinking like an artist. You will be thinking about things such as scale, relative scale for multiple items, the angles of leaves and petals, and shading among other things.

Just for your information, this design only uses three colors, a red, green and pink. Additionally, it does not have any underlay. Since it is a sketch and not meant to be too realistic, underlay is not needed.

So, looking at the shading at as shown in the circle, not only did the digitizer use two colors, but they were intermingled to make a deeper color than pink and a lighter color than the red.

The stitching can be further apart or closer together to create a more natural appearance of the rose.

It is likewise for the bud color. Making differences in the directions of the stitch gives the bud and the bud cover individual in their position.

The satin outline of the petals is both thick and thin and curved for a more typical curvature of the petal as it starts to decline.

Here you can see the details of the stitches.

Still want to digitize? If you want to start out with a small investment, KP Compositions is one way to get your feet wet. You can try it free for 30 days. Make sure you give yourself a lot of time to learn and grow, you may just be a rose. . . .

Freestanding Lace Angel Cards

sewblest — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 18:00:00 GMT

Handmade cards show extra appreciation. This one says, "Thanks for Being an Angel," and includes a lace angel. Other designs could be used to make teacher gifts, bookmarks, holiday ornaments, or gift tags.

Freestanding Lace (FSL) looks much more difficult to make than it is. The magic is in the water soluble stabilizer.

Water Soluble Stabilizer

Water-soluble stabilizer (WSS) is a must when creating freestanding lace. It supports the stitched design. Stabilizer is hooped, the design is stitched out, excess stabilizer is cut away, and the rest rinses away in warm water, leaving only the stitched design.

There are three basic types of water-soluble stabilizers commonly used for FSL. One is a clear or milky cellophane-type film like Badgemaster and the other is a sheer white mesh/cloth-type. The cloth/mesh type also comes as an adhesive WSS, eliminating the sticky hoop syndrome common with spraying hooped stabilizer. All are available on a roll although I have also seen them in sheets.

Ann carries each of these types of stabilizers and they are always half-price for Club members. Check out a blog by The Computerist to see how much she saved in just one year with the various club benefits.

The angel design I used calls for two layers of clear WSS which works great, but I have also used just one layer of the mesh/cloth type and it embroiders just fine.

I do not cut separate pieces of stabilizer to fit the hoop. I keep the width of the roll intact and cut a piece of stabilizer that fits the height of the hoop and measures the entire width of the roll. Hooping close to the right or left edge of stabilizer allows more room laterally making it easier to hoop the second time. If I cut stabilizer off the roll and cut it in half to use on a 4x4 hoop, there isn't much excess stabilizer to work with around the edges and it's more difficult to get a tight hooping.

The Card

I have included PDF files of the card for you to use. If you have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader program on your computer, the files should print out easily. You could also import them as graphics into a word processing or graphic design program.

There is a file for the front of the card and another for the inside. It will print two cards on one sheet of letter-sized paper. Just be sure to orient the second printed side of the card so that the inside is where it should be on the bottom half of the page when the card is cut and folded.

Most office supply stores sell specialty papers and matching A-2 sized envelopes. Many have copy capabilities if you take the designs in on a jump drive or burn them to a CD. Pretty scrapbook stock will also work if cut down to 8.5" x 11."

Stitch out the FSL design according to the instructions. Unhoop. Clip excess stabilizer from the embroidered item, rinse it in warm water, and lay it flat to dry. It may require light pressing with an iron. When it's dry, insert it into the card and make someone's day!

Tips

Keep WSS in plastic zip bags or air-tight containers to avoid dampness.

When clipping excess WSS from a project, put the scraps in a plastic zip bag or container. They can be used when patching another piece of WSS that is accidently sliced or torn.

The amount of rinsing determines the stiffness of the finished FSL project. The more you rinse, the softer it becomes. Less rinsing leaves some WSS intact in stitches giving a crisper look.

AnntheGran's brayer is ideal for flattening FSL while drying and also for getting a secure, wrinkle-free bond with adhesive stabilizers. (Thanks Avid Embroiderer. Why didn't I think of that?)

Metallic Thread Tips

djones247 — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:15:00 GMT

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 diameter, the better it will come off the spool, with fewer kinks and twists.

Things to try at the machine:

Thread a needle with the metallic thread and pass the needle and thread through a styrofoam packing peanut. Place the peanut in the thread path, before the thread enters the tensioners. This removes all of the twists and makes the metallic thread performance improve almost magically!
Use a needle that is specially designed for metallic threads. SulkyÒ suggests that a size 90/14 top stitch needle makes a good substitute if you do not have a metallic needle on hand. a top stitch needle also has a larger eye and deeper groove and could make a suitable substitute.

Place the thread spool on the vertical spool holder that is some distance from the machine to allow the twists and kinks to be reduced before entering the thread path. Another option is a spool holder that allows the thread to come from the spool in the same way as line from a fishing reel. This helps reduce kinks or twists.

For best results, avoid designs with very short stitches, or a lot of tiny twists and turns. Metallic thread is a stiffer thread type and doesn't bend as easily as regular embroidery thread.

Loosen your top tension, if necessary, to reduce thread breaks or shredding. If thread breaks persist, examine the thread path for rough spots. Be sure to inspect the presser foot and throat plate. Use moderate machine speed, if adjustable.
Use only enough stabilizer to support your project. Forcing this delicate thread through unnecessary layers of stabilizer could contribute to friction thread breaks or shredding. Avoid the use of adhesives in the embroidery process if possible.

Best of luck with your sparkly holiday projects! Please visit me at

www.myembroiderymentor.com

or find more tips in the tips section at

www.myembroiderymentor.ning.com

Embroidery Advisor Presents: Rub a Dub Dub, your Critter Kid in the Tub

starbird99 — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 04:15:00 GMT

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 towel/bathrobe for that little critter of yours.

Whether your little one loves dogs or monkeys, we have a design just for you. There are 12 different animal designs to choose from. We also have easy step by step project instructions all ready for you, whether you are a newbie or a novice embroiderer. To view these project instructions and more please click here. There is also a suggested towel/wash cloth list available, so you will know just how much to buy before making that super cute bunny bathrobe.

Wouldn’t these make just the cutest Christmas gift for all your children or grandchildren? Can’t you just imagine the look on their faces when they open up the special gifts that you made them? Take a look today at all the critter possibilities & happy sewing as this pack will be 50% off for a short time only!!

Great Gift Ideas for the Creative People in Your Life

sewblest — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 18:35:00 GMT

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 friends or loved ones ask what you'd like, make it easy for them. Print out this blog, highlight your wish list, and forward the link.) Still skeptical? A gift certificate is always perfect, starting as low as $10!

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

A membership in Ann's Club provides year-long discounts on everything sold on the site, free designs and phrase packs, half-price stabilizer and Ann's Alphabets, and discounts on digitizing. Give a three-month, one-year, or two-year membership.

Gifts for Any Creative Person

Whims Watercolor Kits
If you can sew a straight line and use an iron, you can create beautiful watercolor quilt kits with this easy method. Choose from wall hangings, table runners, and quilt kits.

Cutting Edge Gifts
No matter what you create, the right equipment makes all the difference. Choose from scissors for hand stitching or cutting fabric, applique, or cutwork. Double-curved scissors are ideal for machine embroidery, and a lighted rotary cutter, well, where has that been all my life?

Great Gifts for Quilters

Electric Quilt 7
The ultimate software program for creating quilts and wall hangings using fabric libraries or photographs for automatic or custom layouts and borders and sashings.
Hemline Machine "Luggage"
Great storage and protection on wheels with extension handles and plenty of room for sewing, embroidery, and serging machines and accessories.
Finished Size Quilting Set
Make traditional quilt blocks any size without patterns, templates or math. Great for excessive fabric stashers.
Ultimate Quilt-Binding Combo
Make binding painless in the proper width with perfect mitered corners on quilts, wallhangings, table runners, placemats, anything.

Essentials for Embroiderers

Magnetic Hoops
Pain-free and effortless hooping with Magna-Hoop and Snap-Hoop. No need for adhesives. No hoop burn. Several sizes for a variety of machine models.
Peggy's Stitch Eraser
Another "must-have" item when embroidery goes bad. Specially engineered blades erase stitches without damaging the fabric.
Threads
Threads are to embroiderers as fabric stashes are to quilters. AnntheGran has thread collections from Madeira, Jenny Haskins and Robison Anton in addition to embroidery collections with coordinating thread sets by Amazing Designs.
Alphabet Express
Lettering made easy! Choose the font and the exact height and width of the area to embroider, and the software will make it fit. Includes five built-in fonts and you can add more. Goes great with an Ann's Club membership which saves 50 percent on Ann's Alphabet sets.

Tips:

Create a gift basket with an assortment of items.
Gift baskets are an ideal fundraiser for guilds.

More Than One Use for a Christmas Design

missih — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:20:00 GMT

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 and appliqué for some very pretty ornaments. When I read the instructions that came with the designs, an idea came to me about using them for name tags for gifts. The appliqué part of the design is made double sided so the ornament is the same on both sides. Using water soluble stabilizer that is melted away after embroidering insures that the design is the same on both sides.

To make the design double sided, you simply iron a paper backed fusible web on the back of the appliqué fabric, peel off the paper and iron fabric on the back. When this fabric is used for the appliqué in the design and your bobbin thread matches your top thread, the ornament is the same on both sides.

This was my idea – simply iron a piece of white fabric or some other light colored fabric to the back of the appliqué material sandwich instead of the piece that matched the front.

Hoop two pieces of water soluble stabilizer and embroider the placement line.

Place fabric sandwich with colored side up on placement line and embroider tackdown outline. Without removing from hoop, trim as close as possible to stitching.

Place hoop back on machine and complete the design. Remove the design from the hoop and trim stabilizer close to the ornament. Also trim the stabilizer only from the inside of the outline stitching on the back of the ornament.

Rinse the remaining stabilizer from the ornament sides, and the lace part of the design (star). Lay the ornament aside to dry completely.

You can now use a permanent fine tipped marker to write on the light colored fabric and have an eye catching gift tag for those special gifts under your tree. Or try them as place cards for a holiday party. The Christmas tree, Santa’s bag, the angel, and several others would work well.

If you are an experienced embroiderer, you could also make a template of the trimmed appliqué piece and use that template to embroider a name on the light colored fabric before ironing it on the back of the appliqué sandwich. The template would ensure the name was in the correct position when you inserted it into your design.

Check out this new “Merry Christmas Ornaments” collection from Dakota!

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff...

djones247 — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:30:00 GMT

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 lettering and designs come out looking as crisp and clear as any of your creations. Here are some tips to keep your small embroidery looking its best!

Note: The lettering on the bear is very small. The capital letter on the script name is only 1/4" tall! The lower case letters are only 3/16" tall. Yest they are very clean and readable.

1. Choose simple lettering styles.

Try to avoid extra fancy script or serif block styles. Serifs are the extensions and "feet" on the bottoms and tops of letters.

2. Check to see if your software has lettering styles that have been created especially for small sizes.

These commonly state the size they were created for right in the name such as 1/4" block, 5mm block or small block. These have been digitized using special construction techniques that avoid bulk and add width.

3. If you are familiar with your software, adjust density and pull compensation.

Use lighter density settings that place fewer stitches into your small lettering and designs. Also, add pull compensation at 10% to 20% to make your small lettering "chunkier" and help avoid the disappearing act.

4. Use toppings on unstable fabrics.

Use a water-soluble topping on fabrics that you might not use toppings on. For example, unstable T-shirt knots will benefit from a topping. This helps minimize the effect of the ribs in the knit, and also eliminates the tendency of the presser foot to push the unstable material around during stitching. I used a topping on the smooth knit in this photo.

5. Use a small needle size, such as a 70/10 0r 65/9.

6. Use the smaller size 60 weight thread available now. Madeira and Sulky both offer this thread type that makes your smaller embroidery much cleaner.

You can get small designs like the megaphone in the picture at my web site

www.myembroiderymentor.ning.com

I made this from a Linen Guest Towel---really!

SusanMars — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:00:00 GMT

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 reached into my arsenal of completed project samples and voila! This one is actually one of my favorite samples---and those cute Christmas-y looking pillows are each made from ONE guest towel!

I have taught this project at club meetings a couple of times, so I am simply including a link for you to click and download the instruction sheet for you to have and keep forever. (No selling or sharing! Just give your friend this link to download herself a copy!) It gives you step-by-step instructions for making the pillow, including how to attach the flower of your choice to the front. One word of warning---we took a shortcut on the outside seams. Instead of turning inside out and doing a "proper" seam up both sides, we just top-stitched the edges together. Because the guest towel is finished along the edges, we could get away with this little "fake-out". It's a great beginning project for the young person in your life interested in learning to sew. For those of you that are sewing purists, you may want to make some subtle changes to the instructions to suit your instincts. Either way, it's a fun project and can be made from any linen guest towel you happen to encounter.

I used the Funky Christmas Dot Guest towels, found here. Instructions in pdf form to make this extremely simple project here.

And on a personal note, I thought I might share some photos I took this Fall season. I don't have a particularly fancy house, but I did somehow manage to get a fabulous view from my sewing room. When I look outside while at my sewing machine, I see the wooded area across the street and the trees growing in my yard for the last 15 years since we moved in. One tree in particular turns an amazing color of red, right before dropping all of it's leaves. Finally after 15 years I decided I better capture this on camera! (duh...) Here's the view from my sewing machine, taken each week for four weeks:

I was gone last week and just BARELY got home in time...the leaves have already started coming off the top of the tree, but it's still so beautiful. I really do feel inspired to sew this time of the year, and not just because of the upcoming holidays. How about you??

Keep on stitching,

Susan