A couple of blogs ago, I wrote about crazy quilt stitches. Now, we'll put them to use making a basic, stand-alone applique heart.

The same technique can be used with any applique design. I used the Large Heart Applique from Dakota Collectibles. Another option is the Applique Frame collection from Ann the Gran that contains 34 different frame shapes, including, stars, hexagons, circles, flowers, and rectangles. Open the design in Catalog Xpress. It shows three stitches: outline, tack down, and the final satin stitch. I resized it a bit to fit in my hoop.

Print out a template for your applique shape. Mark hash lines on vertical and horizontal centers. That will help with hooping the piece after it is stitched.

I used a piece of heavy-weight cutaway stabilizer for the foundation or base fabric. (A piece of light-colored fabric or muslin would also work.) Place the applique heart template under the base fabric and trace the heart outline (red in diagram) and hash lines (green). Then draw crazy patch lines (blue) where desired., extending lines well past the outline of the applique you are using.

I used crepe-backed satin fabrics for the crazy patches, contrasting thread for crazy quilting stitches, and matching thread in the bobbin. Cut the pink middle triangle shape to fit that of the base fabric. Apply lapel stick to the back of the pink center triangle fabric and finger press it to the base fabric to help keep it from moving around.  

Press a quarter inch seam allowance along one side using the warmest iron temperature for the fabric you are using. Apply lapel stick to the inside of the fold (wrong side of the fabric) and finger press it flat. Make sure the fabric will extend past the outer edges of the heart so that the applique won't have any gaps.

Slightly overlap the folded edge over one edge of the pink triangle and stitch along the fold with a crazy quilt stitch. You may find it is easier to apply lapel stick to the bottom side of the folded edge to help secure it to the base fabric before stitching.

Do the same with each of the other two fabric colors. Try to keep fabrics stitched and trimmed to the lines marked on the base fabric so there is no uneven bulk showing under subsequent fabric layers after stitching. Use a different crazy quilt stitch for each seam.

Hoop a heavy-weight, tear-away stabilizer. Spray the back of the crazy patch piece with temporary adhesive using hash marks to center it in the hoop and finger press in place.

Stitch the outline and tack down stitches. Typically, the outline stitch is used so that you know how large an area to cover with the applique fabric. Since we extended the crazy patch pieces past the heart outline, that shouldn't be a problem. They outline stitch on top of the applique helps to hold the layers in place before trimming.

When the outline and tack down stitches are complete, remove the hoop from the machine but keep the stabilizer hooped. Closely, but carefully, trim around the outer tack-down stitch with applique scissors. Place the hoop back on the machine and stitch the final sequence, satin stitches, around the perimeter. When done, remove from the hoop, and attach a cord or ribbon to hang.

Tips:

• You can also applique crazy patches directly to a quilt, shirt, or tote but be sure to use fabrics that are similar in their washability.
• Use as a gift tag by writing on the back with a permanent, fine-point marker.
• Glue to a plain brown paper gift bag.
• Use baby colors and create a mobile or drape as a swag with cording or ribbon.
• Colors can be adapted to heirloom, holiday, or seasonal.

The designs can be as intricate or simple as you like and it's a great way to use up scraps! In a future blog, we'll show some additional embellishments for crazy quilting.

Debbie SewBlest

Mother's Day is just around the corner. Don't panic if don't have any good ideas. Here are some great gifts any machine-embroidering mom would appreciate:

Thread

A thread stash is a good thing! Like fabric, you can never have too much thread. Especially good thread like Robison Anton, Jenny Haskins, and Madeira. These beautiful rayons come pre-packaged in color-coordinated groupings so there is no pressure trying to choose the right colors. More than 30 Amazing Designs collections include 18 spools of Madeira threads. Designs range from angels to alphabets, holidays, florals, paisley, and seasons. 

Pre-wound Bobbins

Anyone who has ever sewed or embroidered knows how frustrating it is to be engaged in a project and run out of bobbin thread. If you have never used pre-wound bobbins, you will find they are the eighth great wonder of the world. It's not that it is difficult to wind a bobbin, it's just not very much fun and typically needs done at the most inopportune times. Get these for your mom and she will think of you every time she pops one into the machine. Guaranteed.

 Gift Certificates

Some people believe gift certificates are unimaginative and impersonal. I disagree. I believe they allow the recipient to choose exactly what she wants and she doesn't even have to leave home. Denominations of $10, $25, $50, $100, and $250 can be purchased in various combinations and used for thread, designs, tools, books, videos, Ott lights, and more. 

Ann's Club

This gift keeps on giving, all year, for as little as $24.99 for three months to a full year for $59.99. Save even more over two years for $99.99. Here is why Ann's Club is a great gift:

• Half-Price Stabilizer
• Member Pricing on All Products
• Unlimited Access and Express Downloading of All Free Designs
• 10 New Free Designs Every Week
• Monthly Themed Phrase Packs
• Half-Price on All Ann's Alphabets
• Half-Price on All Newly-Released AnnTheGran Design Collections
• Discounted Custom Digitizing Service

I am so fortunate to have a mom who is truly an angel on earth. To all you creative moms out there, Happy Mother's Day!

If you create a Mother's Day gift, be sure to post it here.

Debbie SewBlest

It's nearing the end of the school year, and parents across the nation are once again looking for a unique gift to show gratitude to their children's teachers. The economy being what it is, budgets are tight. Undoubtedly, the last thing teachers need is another apple-related knick knack. So, here is a reasonably-priced, easily personalized, and highly useful token of gratitude.

Made of linen, these beautiful cutwork bookmarks come in a convenient dozen-pack. Just add a single monogram or, in this case, an apple-themed embroidery design, and it is a gift that your child's teacher will actually use and they probably won't have another one like it.

Teacher Designs:

• I Love to Teach
• If You Can Read Thank a Teacher
• Teaching is a Work of Heart
• World's Greatest Teacher

Tips for Bookmark Embroidery:

• Press well before embroidery. Light starch also helps keep linen crisp.
• Embroidery designs may need to be slightly reduced to fit the bookmark's width.
• Use a self-adhesive stabilizer for easy no-hooping hooping.

Take it to the next level with a gift card to a local lunch spot, book store, or office supply.

 If you can read this, you really should thank a teacher!

Debbie SewBlest

Embroidery machines revolutionized hand stitching. What once took days or weeks to prepare now varies from minutes to hours. Embroidery designs aren't the only things you can stitch out. Some of the easiest embellishments are made with decorative stitches.

Regardless of your embroidery machine brand, you either have decorative stitches built into the machine or you can purchase stitch programs. This blog will concentrate on stitches typically used in crazy quilt designs.

Crazy quilting gained popularity around the turn of the century. Victorian women used the technique primarily to show off their hand-stitching skills. This kind of stitching was artistic rather than utilitarian; made for display rather than every-day use. To that regard, the types of fabrics also changed from cottons and cast-off hand-me-downs to luxurious silks and velvets. Embellishments ran the gammet from ornate buttons and beading to laces, ribbons, and fine trims.

Stitches from left to right: Honeycomb, Daisy, Perle Stitch, Herringbone, Feather Stitch, Capped Feather Stitch, and Half Daisy. These were stitched in a 25 weight hand-quilting thread which lays nicely on the fabric.

You can get variety in your crazy patch stitches by using various types of stitches and by using different threads. Most often, the thread should contrast somewhat with the fabric upon which it is stitched. Contrast exists not only in the thread color, but also in the thread weight and type. Heavier-weight threads mimic hand-stitching. Rayons add shine. Metallics add even more shine.

These stitches mirror those above, but were created using 40 weight rayon. They are more delicate and have a shine.

Experiment with the decorative stitches on your machine. In future posts, we will explore effects using wing needles, heirloom stitches, and create a crazy patch project.

Debbie SewBlest

Monograms are the oldest form of identification in the world, dating back to Greek and Roman times. First used as a form of currency in the barter system, monograms served many roles from indicating social status to serving as a signature for royals and artists.

Perhaps most obvious, they identified property and were usually ornate which makes them useful when creating elegant gifts.

Traditional, three-letter Victorian monograms are the variety we use most often today. They feature the recipient's first initial, a large last initial, and a middle initial. So Janell Lee Haven's monogram would be JHL and William Edward Smith's would be WSE.

If both were single, they would use straight initials for a three-letter monogram such as JLH and WES. Each letter would be the same size.

Single monograms for men were typically the first letter of their last name while women used the first initial of their first name.

The married couple would use the first initial of the bride's first name, a large first initial of their last name, and a small first initial of the groom's name.

After marriage, it is appropriate for the bride to use her maiden name initial as the middle initial. Otherwise, she would use a small first name initial, large surname (married name) initial, small middle name initial.

There are several items that make monogramming easy.

• Alphabet Xpress
  This program makes arranging monograms and wording easy as can be. There are more than 50 fonts to choose from. Many of Ann's alphabets work with Alphabet Xpress (for club members, they are always half-off!). Check out the video and try it free for 30 days.

•  Favorite monogram blanks include towels, napkins, table linens, pillow cases, and hankies.

• Machine Embroidered Monograms for the Home
  Three monograms are available in six sizes, with projects, tips, and 28 frames and brackets. Check out the video.

• ELS-1 Embroidery Lettering Software
  Choose from 20 built-in fonts, five monograms, and more than 40 monogram frames.

 Go make a monogram!

Debbie "SewBlest"

It's the time of year when it's easy to get in a creative rut. Winter is almost over. Spring is almost here. You are tired of being inside, maybe even tired of sewing the same old stuff. There are many ways to get inspiration, most of which, can be done from the comfort of home at little or no expense. It doesn't cost anything to look, right?

Take a Class

Most embroidery machine dealers offer classes and workshops throughout the year. Sign up for their email newsletters to keep up to date on new offerings. If you are new to embroidery, it's a good idea to take a refresher course on basic machine functions.

Colleges and vocational schools often provide continuing education classes in addition to their usual academic lineup. They may not offer classes specifically about machine embroidery or quilting, but classes on color and design, textiles, or other arts can open up a whole new world of creative possibilities.

Join a Group

Any time you can interact with quilting, sewing, and embroidery guilds you gain not only camaraderie but an educational resource (and sometimes lunch). There is always something to learn and ideas are endless when sharing creative projects. If there isn't a group in your area, form one.

Connect With Social Media

Like it or not, Facebook, blogs, and similar social media provide yet another realm of information for creative minds. Often thread, fabric, and software manufacturers maintain active social media presences. "Like" them and get inspired. It's a great way to find out current trends, new offerings, projects, and tons of ideas along the way.

Try Something New

You are sure to discover something you didn't know in the books or videos to Deborah Jones' Ask the Expert. Her Dimensional Machine Embroidery book video takes projects to the third dimension.

Watch a Video

Tons of free videos are available online. Some at Ann the Gran include:

• Machine Embroidered Monograms for the Home
• Embroider it Yourself-Scrumptious Sweats
• Place and Stitch Embroidery

Learn New Software

Preview new software about organizing designs, editing, and getting precise placement of embroideries. Most have a free trial period and video demonstrations to access. Alphabet Xpress videos are a great way to not only preview items before you buy, but also to get ideas about how fonts are used and arranged with other embroidery.

Join a Discussion Group

Forums provide insight from thousands of like-minded, creative people who are typically very generous about sharing their passion and expertise. ATG offers several covering basic tips, product questions, reviews, quilting and sewing, and Brother embroidery machine owners.

Looking for something you don't see here, let us know!

Debbie SewBlest

Ever want to add a line or two of text to a project but didn't because it's just too much of a pain? Don't want to invest in alphabet libraries? Hate lining up letters? Tired of stitching fonts that don't turn out regardless of how well they are stabilized? Afraid to install (and learn) yet another computer program? New Quick Font Lettering makes it easy!

Whether you are font challenged, in a hurry, or just starting out and not sure which way to go with text embroidery, Quick Font Lettering is quick, painless, and inexpensive. No digitizing, image manipulation, or programming is required. Simply select the fabric type you are going to embroider, font size, and thread weight and the font density, stitch count, and underlay are adjusted to compensate-all for about the cost of a fast-food lunch.

The program can be accessed at AnnTheGran.com, is easy to use and, when you are done, you have a file that can be stitched just like any other embroidery design. Just create it on screen, download, center it in your hoop, stitch it out, and save it for the next time.

The program produces one line of text or two lines of text (20 characters each):

• Choose from more than 375 different fonts in nine sizes.
• Font sizes range from 5 mm/.2" to 35 mm/1.38".
• There are 45 thread charts available.
• Text can be formatted in 11 different shapes.
• Twenty-two fabric types are offered.
• See all keystrokes available for each font.
• Preview the stitch-out to see how it will look before you buy it.
• A final stitch count and dimensions are calculated.
• Save it in any of 12 different embroidery machine formats.

With the two-line option, you can also:

• Choose left, right, or center justification.
• Adjust the leading (space between lines)

Font choices are abundant from elegant to

two-color text. I'm sure it will come in handy!

Debbie "SewBlest"

Color plays such an important role in our lives from what we wear to the vehicles we drive. As embroiderers, we have artistic license to experiment with color. The possibilities are virtually endless when you mix fabric and thread combinations.

I'm using the same design in several different ways, varying the background fabrics and embroidery thread colors. Change it a little or change it a lot, you can see the striking effects that can be achieved simply by changing color.

Tone on Tone

Heirloom items were typically embroidered using white on white or ivory on ivory. It puts off a subtle, elegant feel with very little contrast. Nearly always a safe bet, even with variegated thread.

Subtle Contrast

Vary the hue of thread vs. fabric, and the details begin to stand out.

Variegated thread is another way to alter the appearance of a design in a minimal, but interesting, way. Variegations transition in different ways depending upon the manufacturer. Changes shift in as little as fractions of an inch up to several inches. The image on the left is a solid pink while the one on the right is a variegated pink.

High Contrast

It's safe to combine like colors, but try stepping out and using bold colors for a change. Vary the background fabric and they look are completely different. The blue background fabric pulls more of the blue from the variegated thread while orchid pulls the purples.

The freestanding lace techniques used here were discussed in another blog.

Don't be afraid to experiment with color, especially with spring (hopefully) around the corner! Let me know what you come up with.

Debbie (SewBlest)

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)

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?

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

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?)

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.

The new Merry and Bright collection from Amazing Designs incorporates blinking lights with embroidery for an adorable holiday accent unlike anything I've ever seen.

Ten eyelets are embroidered within 14 different designs. Eyelets are then cut out for placement of 10 LED Fabric-Lites. You can use hot-fix crystals instead of the blinking lights if you like.

They have a wonderful instruction sheet on their website showing a reindeer on a Christmas stocking, but I decided to use the Santa and make a picture that could be hung on the wall or displayed on an easel. The design was stitch heavy with 17 color changes (48,525 stitches) but well worth the time involved.

Materials Needed:

Neutral cotton fabric 10.5" x 22"

Amazing Designs ADC-214XMAS605

Thread of choice

8" x 10" framed canvas

Sheer fusible or textured nylon stabilizer

Adhesive tear-away stabilizer

Fabric-Lites (set of 10) or 7mm hot-fix crystals

Keyhole cutter and mat

Hot glue gun

1. Apply a sheer fusible or textured nylon stabilizer to the back of your fabric according to instructions.
   
   
2. Hoop an adhesive tear-away stabilizer. Llightly score inside the hoop edge, careful to cut through only the paper backing. Tear the paper away from the hoop to expose the adhesive stabilizer. Finger press the fabric in place, centered on the hoop.
   
   
3. Stitch out the design, clipping jump stitches along the way.
   
   
4. Remove the design from the hoop and carefully tear away the adhesive stabilizer.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Use the keyhole cutter on the right side of the design to cut out the eyelet holes for lights. Make sure to place the cutting mat behind the design to prevent injury to self or table surface (especially self).
   
   
6. Center the design over the surface of the canvas and mark all eyelet holes.
   
   
7. Carefully cut holes in the canvas with the keyhole cutter.
   
   
   
   
   
8. Center the design over the front of the canvas and fold edges around the back of the canvas, securing with hot glue and smoothing out as you go.
   
   
9. Press lights through the canvas and embroidered eyelet from behind. Check Amazing Designs' instruction sheet here.
   
   
10. Attach the battery pack to the back of the canvas with velcro.
    
    
    
    
    
11. Hang the canvas on the wall or place it in a display stand, then switch the lights on for a multi-media embroidery experience.
    

Tips:

• Personalize with a child's name, family name, or "Merry Christmas."
  
  
• Incorporate into a wall hanging or door banner.
  
  
• The designs can also be used on clothing. Lights can be removed for laundering, in which case, fray check should be used on the eyelet openings.

Keep checking back for more holiday ideas!

Debbie SewBlest

Christmas is just around the corner and gift cards are the perfect one-size-fits-all. Who couldn't use a gas card, grocery card, movie card, or restaurant card? This quick and easy project can be individualized for each recipient to add a personal touch.

Materials Needed:

Pattern (download)

5" by 9" felt

Embroidery design of choice, 1.5" x 1.5" maximum

Thread to match

Adhesive tear-away stabilizer

Air-soluble marking pen

1. Cut felt to the size of the pattern. Mark the pattern's intersecting crosshair on the felt with an air-soluble marker.
   
   
2. Hoop adhesive tear-away stabilizer and lightly score inside the hoop edge, careful to cut through only the paper backing. Tear the paper away from the hoop to expose the adhesive stabilizer.
   
   
3. Finger press the felt in place, lining up the center marks of the hoop with the crosshair on the felt for central design placement.
   
   
   
4. Stitch out the design of your choice. Carefully tear the adhesive stabilizer away from the felt.
   
   
5. With the stitched design right-side down, fold the bottom square end of felt up 2 ½" to create the gift card pocket.
   
   
6. Starting at a bottom corner at the fold, stitch up the side, around the front flap, and down the other side to close using a blanket stitch or overcast stitch.
   
   
7. Fold the flap to the front and the holder is ready for a gift card.

They can be used like this and inserted in a card or attached to another gift, or attach a decorative cord or ribbon to make a tree-ornament hanger.

Tips:

• Embroider small single monograms for personalization.

• Metallic thread will give a more luxurious appearance.

• I like the dimensional contrast in this project, but if you don't want your stitches to sink into the felt quite as much, use a water-soluble stabilizer on top of the felt.

These could be adapted for any occasion: birthday, baby shower, wedding gift, or appreciation gift, depending on the embroidery design chosen. Make several to have on hand when you need them. Hope you find many uses for them!

Debbie SewBlest