February 2008 - Posts

• Brighten Someone's Spirit with a Verse Lap Quilt

  Quilts, whether large or small, can brighten the spirit and bring a bit of joy to those who need it in almost any situation.  Made with love and detailed with words of comfort, Susan Osborn shows us how a simple but heartfelt project can help make the days a little better for others.  Surely a gift such as this is what quilting is all about. Susan's Description I call them “Lap Comforts” as they are especially for people who, for one reason or another, have to remain seated for much of their day. The lap comfort keeps one’s knees and lap warm while the verses are a comfort to read--which one is able to do no matter which end is up. Two rows of designs face each end of the cover.   Step By Step  I use the machine embroidery designs from "God’s Gifts for You", found here at AnnTheGran. There are 36  in the set, I chose 12.  Other designs with meaningful messages or Asian characters with meanings would do fine.  Fussy cuts of printed fabric might also be used.   Materials: 12 blocks embroidered with messages½ yard for sashings and border 1 yard backing 1 yard flannel or other batting    I cut my blocks at 6 ½ inches square; the sashings are cut 6 ½ x 2 inches for eight of them for the vertical, and 21 and a half by 2 inches for three of them for the horizontal.  The borders are cut as wide as you like for the size of the finished piece.  I cut mine 3 and a half inches wide, 28 and a half long for the sides, 26 and a half long for the top and bottom.  Yours may vary.   Join rows with the sashings making sure that two rows of designs are right side up from each end.  Use quarter inch seams.  Sew on borders, sides first and then the top and bottom.   I used flannel for the batting and for the backing, right sides facing and sewed all but an opening to turn it right side out.  Sew opening closed.  I tacked each intersection and where the sashings meet the border with a machine stitched heart.     What Makes This Project Special  This project is special to me as my younger sister is confined to a wheel chair and finds a lap comfort useful.  I have made her several so one might be in the wash and others waiting for use. Skill Level Skill level would be basic quilting.   Products  Products were fabric, stabilizer for the blocks stitch by embroidery machine, thread for embroidery and sewing together.   Time Investment I was able to make this lap comfort in an afternoon, the embroidery takes the most time.   Why I Love This Project  I love this project because it gives purpose to my hobby of machine quilting.  I enjoy sharing finished projects with others.   Send Us Your Creations Do you have any creations that go with a great story? If so, we'd love to hear about them, and see them! If we choose to post your project, you'll get a free $25 gift certificate to use in the AnnTheGran.com online store. Click here for details on how to submit your creation. What Would You Do? Do you know someone who makes special embroidered items to brighten the day of others? Click on the Comments link to share their story. Posted Feb 29 2008, 03:17 PM by atgadmin with 16 comment(s) Filed under: embroidery designs, gift idea, embroidery thread, charity project, stabilizer, rotary cutter, lap quilt

• Western Wedding Quilt

  Keeping up with traditions can be a challenge when you are as far away from your family as Debbie  Martin is.  But she obviously spends a lot of time and energy to share her love with family as shown in the wedding quilt as well as others who will appreciate the warmth of a handmade gift - such as the rag quilts for the men in her son’s unit. Debbie's Description My family has a tradition of giving quilts for weddings, births and graduations.  My daughter-in law chose a western theme for her wedding quilt.  I chose to use flannel fabrics with a western printed cotton backing.  I think embroidery makes the quilt squares more personal and if you don’t like to piece you don’t have to. Step-by-Step Description 1. Cut 24 12”X12” squares from navy flannel.  I was able to embroider them even if I had to use the extra large hoop because I used higher quality flannel.  To make sure there was enough body I sprayed it with 505 adhesive and stuck a piece of typing paper (I use those pieces that come in my junk mail) on the back It had enough tension even with only the two sides being help by the extra large hoop. 2. I chose 24 embroidery designs, the majority of which I downloaded from your web page of free designs.  Others I purchased online and downloaded. I embroidered these in the 24 navy squares. 3. Cut 216 4 ½” squares to make your nine patch blocks.  I used plaid and solid color flannels. While the embroidery machine was going, I cut and pieced the nine patch squares.  Because I needed these pieces squares to end up as 12” X12” blocks and because flannel tends to ravel, I serged all my seams. 4. Cut 40 12” X 3 ½” strips from brown flannel.  Make 8 rows with a brown strip in between each 12” block. 5. Cut 7 strips that are the length of the rows X 1 /12” from red flannel.  Sew a row to the top and bottom of each strip to create the quilt top. 6. Cut two strips that are the length of the quilt X 2 ½” from red flannel and sew down both sides for the side border. 7. Cut two strips that are the width of the quilt (including the side borders) X 3 ½” from red flannel and sew to the top and bottom of the quilt top to complete the border. 8. The quilt back is 100% cotton that coordinates with the navy flannel and theme of the quilt. 9. Quilt and bind to complete the full size quilt. What Makes This Project Special My daughter in-law was with me while my son (her husband) was in Iraq. She was helping me with some of my projects. We had decided to make rag quilts for the guys in my son’s unit for Christmas. While we were searching online she saw the western designs and fell in love! That made the decision of me. We would make their wedding quilt and embroidered one with western designs. Skill Level Easy enough for a beginner Products My embroidery machine, serger, sewing machine, downloaded designs, fabrics, and embroidery threads. Time Investment It really did take me only 2 weeks at a leisurely pace to complete the quilt top. Why I Love This Project It is for my son and daughter in-law.  When she fell in love with the western designs I had to use that for the theme.  I am mailing off the finished top and backing to my family today and they will quilt it for me.  It is a family tradition and since most of these women are now in the 70’s there are fewer of us to do the work.  I am the only one from my generation who has participated in this tradition over the years and I now live in the Philippines . Send Us Your Creations Do you have any creations that go with a great story? If so, we'd love to hear about them, and see them! If we choose to post your project, you'll get a free $25 gift certificate to use in the AnnTheGran.com online store. Click here for details on how to submit your creation. What Would You Do? Tell us about a family tradition that you have that has presented a challenge such as Debbie’s distance from family, by clicking on the Comments link to share your story. Posted Feb 22 2008, 07:47 PM by atgadmin with 2 comment(s) Filed under: embroidery designs, gift idea, stabilizer, quilt, western theme, binding, wedding quilt

• Community Circle April 3-4 in Orlando - Registration Ready at Long Last!

  It's the gathering of the year and even if this is the first time you have joined me I know you'll be re-energized and ready to go after two full days with Eileen Roche and me. We'll share our best techniques and insider tips for expressing yourself through embroidery. For all the details, including registration and hotel information, please click here. We do have a cap on the number of attendees, as well as on the number of hotel rooms, so please register early to avoid disappointment. To register, you don't need to fill out any forms; just use the Add to Cart links on the landing page, check out, and our system will retrieve your contact information from your AnnTheGran user profile. You will then be sent a full itinerary by e-mail as soon as one is available. For questions and information, I have also set up a forum so you can stay up-to-the-minute on news about the event. Please note that this is not a "hands-on" event; classes will be lecture/demo format, so there is no need to bring your machine. I received a lot of feedback from our users (thank you!) and, even though many of you were okay with bringing your machines, most of you weren't, so we decided that, as this is our first year doing this, we want to see how this format goes and we will then evaluate whether or not to run hands-on events in the future. Thanks again for providing me so much feedback; I was truly humbled! Hope to see you in Orlando in April! Ann (AnnTheGran) Cobb Posted Feb 19 2008, 10:13 PM by atgadmin with 14 comment(s) Filed under: ann cobb, community circle, orlando

• Welcome to the AnnTheGran Community!

  Welcome to the AnnTheGran Community! Many people know AnnTheGran.com for free embroidery designs, and that's great, but now the site offers so much more. If you've just been using my site to get free designs, you've been missing out! Answers... Posted Feb 13 2008, 10:18 AM by AnnTheGran with 137 comment(s) Filed under: welcome message from Ann

• Embroidered Hot Cup Wraps

  I know you are all waiting patiently (or if you’re like me maybe not so patiently) for more on the great time with at the AnnTheGran Community Circle 2008 in Orlando. We’re ironing out the final details so please just hold on a few more days. Some of you have been asking about the hotel; I can't give that information out until we get everything finalized, or the hotel will have a deluge of calls they don't know how to handle. Also, I've had a fair few gents tear a strip off me for addressing all my correspondence to the "gals". A recent survey showed that 97% of our site's users are women (does that mean I can tell my husband I'm right 97% of the time?), but for all you fellas out there who make up the other 3%, I stand corrected! Old habits die as hard as old broads. In the meantime, while you wait in anticipation, we had so many requests for Diane’s hot cup wraps from last week's promotion that we decided we should share her secrets with you all. Fun gifts that are easy to make and can be given for no reason at all are always popular. Aside from being cute, this wrap is reusable so it is helpful to the environment. Whether you make just two or a whole bunch, you’re sure to get a giggle from each and every recipient. Diane's Description I was trying to think of a fun little gift for the girls in my morning study class when one morning a couple of them walked in grumbling that the local coffee store was out of jackets and their cups were too hot to handle. In the same class they got their cups mixed up and didn’t know which was which. That gave me the idea for these personalized wraps. Step-by-step Description 1. You’ll need: a. A 6”X12” rectangle of fashion fabric for the front. b. A 6”X12” rectangle of fashion fabric for the lining. c. A 6”X12” rectangle of leftover batting (Hobbs warm and natural type works best) d. An alphabet, font software or embroidery design of your choice. One collection that is absolutely fabulous for this project is the Mornings collection, from Amazing Designs. e. Matching embroidery thread. f. Tear away stabilizer g. One paper coffee jacket 2. Carefully cut the coffee jacket down one seam. Fold in half. Fold all three rectangles in half so they are 6”X6” and place you pattern on top so the folded edge of the jacket is lined up with the folded edge of the fabrics. 3. Trace adding ¼” on the 3 sides (not on the folded edge). Cut one wrap piece each from front fabric, lining fabric and batting. 4. Using whatever method you like center your design or text on the front wrap piece. Hoop fabric with the stabilizer and embroidery the design. Remove the stabilizer. 5. Baste the batting to the wrong side of the lining. With scissors trim the batting close to the stitching line. 6. Pin front and lining right sides together. Using ¼” seam stitch along both long sides and one short side. With pinking sheers or a rotary cutter and pinking blade, pink close to the seam. 7. Turn the wrap right side out and press. 8. Fold the raw ends of the open side in ¼” and edge-stitch along the fold. 9. Fold in half with right sides together. Align the ends and stitch a ¼” seam. Press this seam open. Top-stitch ¼” in along top and bottom catching the opened seam at the top and bottom. (You can edge-stitch or tack the open back seam down if you like – I did not.) Note: Add some trim to the bottom if you like for even more giggles from your friends. What makes this project special? It’s fun to gift small gifts that are easy to make and provide laughs as this one did when I took a special one for each member of the group. Skill Level Beginner Products My embroidery machine AnnTheGran Alphabet Xpress AnnTheGran tear-away stabilizer embroidery threads fabric Time Investment About 4 hours once all the supplies were gathered. (But I made more than one.) Why I love this project so much It was different and useful and gave the girls something to giggle about. My 3- year old granddaughter had to have one too - with her name on it – and she doesn’t even like hot drinks. Send Us Your Creations Do you have any creations that go with a great story? If so, we'd love to hear about them, and see them! If we choose to post your project, you'll get a free $25 gift certificate to use in the AnnTheGran.com online store. Click here for details on how to submit your creation. What Would You Do? This is a great way to make a quick, personalized gift. Share some of your favorite sayings and quotes or a project idea that gave you the giggles, by clicking on the Comments link to share your story. Posted Feb 09 2008, 02:59 PM by atgadmin with 11 comment(s) Filed under: community circle, gift idea, embroidery thread, scissors, cup wraps, alphabet xpress, stabilizer, rotary cutter, alphabets, designs magazine

• AnnTheGran Community Circle in Orlando - A Few More Hints

  OK, gals, mark your calendars today – April 3rd and 4th – less than 9 weeks away. It’s time to get together and re-energize our passion for embroidery at the first annual AnnTheGran Community Circle retreat. I love sunny Orlando and we’ll spend two whole days exploring innovative techniques, inspirational tips and the latest and greatest in the world of embroidery. Now, here’s the plan: On Thursday: - To kick off the fun, we’ll all gather for a continental breakfast and coffee. I’ll tell you some of my stories. We’ll have some laughs and rev up for the day. - Then it’s off to morning seminars. Of course you’ll see me and I’ve invited embroidery expert and educator, Eileen Roche, to share her knowledge and inspiration with you as well. - At lunchtime you’re on your own. You can visit the area restaurants and then do a little shopping in our AnnTheGran travelling store. - Afternoon seminars will be packed with more project ideas, and “how-to” techniques and tips to take back home. - Then we’re planning a dinner and evening of more fun with Eileen and myself. On Friday - We’ll do breakfast again, I'll walk you through my new site and, if you're not afraid of cracking the lens on your camera, you can have a photo taken with me if you like - We’ll share more enthusiastic morning seminars with Eileen and me. - Lunch same as on Thursday. - Then we’ll wrap it up with more information packed seminars. Now, here are a few of the details: -You get to attend all the seminars and breakfast with me both days for only $129.00. -And you won’t want to miss a great dinner and an evening with Eileen and me – Your choice whether or not to attend, but a great bargain for $30.00 -While at the retreat you’ll get a stuffed goodie bag including samples of some of our products, but in addition a one year membership to Ann’s Club worth $60.00 and AnnTheGran Essentials Embroidery Design CD valued at $199. - When you register you’ll be entered into a drawing for some fantastic prizes. More on how to register, how to get your hotel room (if you need one), and details on the seminars will be coming your way very very soon. But remember to put a big X on your calendar for April 3rd and 4th now and make plans to join us. We’ve got lots of new ideas, creative techniques and innovative embroidery processes to share. Hope to see you in Orlando! Best Wishes, Ann Posted Feb 02 2008, 11:52 PM by atgadmin with 5 comment(s) Filed under: ann cobb, community circle, eileen roche, orlando