Teaching Machine Embroidery

 

Dear Friends,

I'm just beyond thrilled because I am going to begin teaching machine embroidery at our local sewing shop Lakeshore Sewing.  Teaching is a true passion of mine so to teach machine embroidery has me over-the-moon with joy.  My first project will be this personalized casserole carrier.  What a fun way to bring a dish to your next pot luck.  The carrier also serves as an identifier so everyone knows who brought the yummy dish and operates as a hot pad while the food is being served.  The carrier is perfect for a 9 x 12 casserole dish or cake pan.

 

 

Focus will be on design placement and using our machine specialty fonts and stitches to personalize.  And if you forgot how to make buttonholes - never fear, we will get some practice with those as well.

The design I used here is from Julia's Needle Designs and is in the freebie section. 

 

The wooden spoon cleverly holds the carrier together.  This idea was inspired by Janay.

 

As a bonus, we will personalize our wooden spoon handles.  Wouldn't it be a sweet gift for someone by baking them a cake, then personalizing the carrier and spoon for them as complete package.

 

For those of you in the Grand Rapids area...or if you would like to travel....Class is March 25th at Lakeshore Sewing at the Knapps Corner location.  Just click on the link to contact them and register.  We will have so much fun and I would be thrilled to see you! 

 

Embroidery Blessings,

Nancy

 

Machine Embroidery - Custom Order

I've been busy doing a bit of custom work these days.  Font was built into my Brother machine.
Blessings,
Nancy

Machine Embroidery Valentine's Day Cards

Dear Friends,

Valentine's Day is fast approaching and I've been having a ball stitching up these Valentine cards for the loved ones in my life.  I can't get over how  well the small heart fit perfectly on the flap of the envelope!  Just makes me smile.  I know I would love to receive a card like this in the mail.

These designs are from  Michelle at Needle Little Embroidery.  I'm so pleased with how they turned out.

To get the heart centered on the flap, on this particular design, the outline of the heart stitches first.  (That is one of the nice things about Michelle's designs.  This helps prevent puckering if you are stitching on fabric by doing the outline first.)  So I hooped my stabilizer and stitched the heart on just the stabilizer.  Then I held the stabilizer up to the window and placed the envelope flap right where I wanted it.  I used the light shining through the window to guide my placement.  Then I used just a small bit of masking tape to tape the envelope in place to the stabilizer.  I backed up my stitching and stitched the outline again along with the rest of the design on the envelope.

The design above is stitched on cardstock but honestly I wouldn't recommend it.  I was just lucky here.  The satin stitches were beginning to tear and I put everything carefully in place for the picture.  Just too many needle punches through paper to do satin stitches.

 

 

Much love to all of you and I want to thank each of you who leave comments or send me an e-mail.  So glad to have you reading.  Sending you a {{{hug}}}
Nancy

Machine Embroidery on Thermal Shirts

Today is my sweetheart's birthday.  I found a couple of thermal shirts at our local Meijer, on clearance no less, and stitched an airplane on it.  The plane design was from Embroidery Library.  Then I added some words using my Generations software.  I used cut-away stabilizer underneath the design and a Solvy wash-away stabilizer on top.  Mike got his pilot's license last year and loves flying.  I've got the shirts wrapped up and will give them to him tonight at supper.  It's a good day.  "Happy Birthday my sweet Mike!"

The above shirt says "PILOT."

 

Stay warm friends!

Embroidery Blessings,

Nancy

Machine Embroidery Digitizing on an Existing Image

Dear Friends,
I did this towel as a special gift.  The heart with dog tags is from Lynnie Pinnie.  I purchased the blank heart with dog tags design and then I digitized the lettering and added it.  It reads, "Some Heroes Wear Capes, My Hero Wears Combat Boots."  Then I added the name to the dog tag. The inspiration for this design comes from Stitched By Janay.

With the move to Michigan and all the activity around here, I had set my Generations software aside.  It was so much fun to get it out and create.  You will probably soon be seeing more of my work having digitizing added to it.  :-)

Embroidery Blessings,
Nancy

Embroidery Related Christmas Gifts

Good Morning Friends,
I just realized I hadn't shared with you some Christmas gifts I received from some of the sweetest gals on this planet.  A huge thank you for your kindness and generosity.  I was beyond thrilled at these gifts.  :-)

First from my dear Mother-In-Law Ann, I received these Anita Goodesign Holiday Packs!  It's a total of 9 collections in these two packs.  I'm so excited to stitch these out.  Actually I already started on one of them.

Next from one of my closest friends Vicki, I received an JoAnn's gift card.  I went a little crazy at JoAnn's getting their Christmas fabric while it was on clearance.  There are holiday placemats fabric panels, a stitched advent calendar panel and just some super cute fabric in here.  Remember that quilt class I signed up for?  I went to it the other night and started using some of the fabric you see here.  I can't wait to show you my finished quilt in a few weeks.

Finally, a dear friend, Martha Ann, who I met this past year through my blog here sent me some wonderful items to decorate my home.  I opened up the package to see a lovely stitched bag and inside the bag were these lace goodies.  They are Anita Goodesign - Love their stuff!  Martha blogs over at Just Another Thread so you can pop over and see what she is currently creating.  The internet is a wonderful thing to allow me to meet such wonderful women who enjoy machine embroidery and creativity.

Thank you again ladies for your kindness.  I love these gifts and I love you too!

 

My embroidery machine has been on overtime lately.  In fact, last night I thought I broke the tension on it.  The upper tension was not tightening at all even though the thread was seated well in the tension disks.  I just had it in for service. :-(  I took the cover off my machine and couldn't find anything to be causing me such grief.  Finally, the simple act of turning it off and on seemed to get the tension disks to start operating again.  I'm a little nervous to try it again this morning but I have to do my homework for my quilting class, so machine please don't fail me now!

 

Embroidery blessings everyone,

Much Love,

Nancy

 

 

 

Machine Embroidery with Mylar and Free Standing Lace

 

Dear Friends,

Remember the snowflakes I was making for the children at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT?  Well, today I want to share with you what I did to create them.

 

 

First I started off with a great free standing lace machine embroidery file from Lindee G. Embroidery.

These designs are all done with ONE color thread.  I used a slight off white.  The secret to the color and bling  is this!  Mylar tissue wrap.

 

Now you know my secret.  And an even better secret I'm going to share with you is this...

I got it at the Dollar Tree.  There are three sheets of mylar tissue in each package and each package is only $1.  Can't beat that!

 

As the design stitches out, on water soluble stabilizer, it starts in the center which is where I placed the mylar.  Just keep an eye on your machine and stop it as it gets ready to stitch the outer row of hearts.  Cut the thread and remove the hoop from the machine, but don't unhoop the stabilizer.  Gently tear the mylar to remove the excess.  I also removed the mylar from the center star area.  It tears easily but still, you don't want to pull your stitches. 

Then just put the hoop back on the machine and continue stitching the remainder of the design.

HERE is a link back to the post that gives the address where you can send your snowflakes.

 

My prayers continue to be with the families who lost their loved ones in this tragic event.  My heart breaks as I think of you and your struggles.  I hope you somehow know I care.

 

With love and blessings to my sweet embroidery family readers,

Nancy

 

Machine Embroidery Designs - Free Snowflake Pattern for Sandy Hook Elementary

The tragedy in Newtown, CT has been on my heart as I'm sure it has been on yours. One of the children who passed away used to live in my town here in New Mexico.  I'm joining in on the Snowflakes for Sandy Hook Elementary movement to help welcome the children back to school.  Below is a quote from the North Canton Patch.

“Snowflakes for Sandy Hook” is one of several nationwide assistance movements spearheaded by the Connecticut PTSA on behalf of the Sandy Hook Elementary PTA. The National PTA joined in, sending out emails inviting PTA members across the U.S. to start crafting.
“When school resumes for Sandy Hook, it will be in a new building. Parent-volunteers are working to ensure that the students are welcomed back by a winter wonderland with the entire school decorated with as many unique snowflakes as possible,” the National PTA posted on its website.
 

Many crafters are making snowflakes from various media.  A number of machine embroidery designers have offered free snowflake patterns for enthusiasts like myself to stitch out.  I personally chose this free design offered by Lindee G. Embroidery.   I thought the design with the hearts in it truly spoke to me.


I love the music by Donna Cori Gibson.  Here she sings the Chaplet of Divine Mercy or the 3:00pm prayer.  Jesus is our rock even in times of sorrow such as this.  Jesus I trust in you.

If you would like to make snowflakes for Sandy Hook Elementary, you are asked to get them in the mail by Jan. 12th.  The address is below.

Want to make snowflakes for Sandy Hook Elementary students? If so, have them in the mail by Jan. 12 addressed to: Connecticut PTSA, 60 Connolly Parkway, Building 12, Suite 103, Hamden, CT 06514
 

In a near future post I will talk more about the snowflakes and how I made them.
Warm winter blessings from my house to yours,
~Nancy

 

Machine Embroidery Free Standing Lace Angel

Good Morning Friends,
I want to show you another angel I made using Sonia Showalter Designs, Angel of Christmas Ornament, for my sweet friend Vicki.  Vicki and I are sewing buddies and we get together at least a couple time a month with our machines to sew.  She does machine embroidery as well.

As with the others, this is a free standing lace design.  On this ornament, I glued little red rhinestones to the holly berries and to the hanging ribbon.  It added some nice bling to the look.

Enjoy and it is almost CHRISTmas.  What a wonderful day to Rejoice! 

Despite the sad tragedies that have occurred here in the United States, as well as tragedies occurring around the world, we have much to be thankful for.  I am eternally thankful that our Lord came as a baby here on earth so that my sins, our sins, would be forgiven.  Even in sadness, God has a plan and we need to lean on that with hope that we will someday see our savior.  For those of you in the midst of suffering, you are saying this is easier said than done Nancy.  I know that to be true.  For some of you who are suffering, you may have to take things minute by minute just to get through.  For you I pray for God's gracious peace to fall upon your heart and may you feel the comfort of his angel's wings carrying you forward.

With much love,
Nancy

Machine Embroidery Free Standing Lace Angels

I fell head over heals for these beautiful free standing lace angels from Sonia Showalter Designs.  Sonia does some amazing work with her designs. 

I made these angels for the ladies I craft with.  Each has their initial in the angel's gown.  Every week the ladies and I get together to knit, crochet or do other hand work such as hand quilting.  All are Christian women and it is a special time in my week to spend time with them and it gets my creative juices flowing.  They are angels in my life.  (We also manage to solve all the world's problems as we chatter and create!)

The designs are free standing lace in which I hooped water soluble stabilizer.  I washed the stabilizer out only enough to remove it from the small openings, but not so much that I let the designs go limp.  Some stabilizer remains to give stiffness to the angels.  I glued a piece of ribbon to the back side of the design, tied on a bow and finished by gluing a small red rhinestone to the bow. 

 

I slipped each one into their Christmas card. 

 

The angels can be used as a Christmas ornament or even a bookmark.

 

If you get a chance, send me a comment and let me know what you created as Christmas gifts this year.  Also, if you have a blog in which you show your machine embroidery, I'd love to see what you are working on.

 

Christmas Blessings,

Nancy

Machine Embroidered Christmas Handtowels

Dear Friends,

I've been working on some sweet hand towels to give as Christmas gifts.  I am bundling one candy cane towel with one Santa sled.  I think they turned out sweet as can be. 

The towels are from Costco.  The designs are from Anita Goodesign.  I used metallic silver thread for the top and white for the bobbin and just as with the Thanksgiving towels, I hooped water soluble stabilizer in the hoop, floated the towel on top and topped the towel again with water soluble stabilizer to keep the stitches up and showing.

I think these are the perfect Christmas gift for many on my list.
With love and Christmas Blessings,
Nancy

Machine Embroidered Thanksgiving Hand Towels

 

Dear Friends,

I've been busy with some continued sports work for clubs.  It has been a nice trickle of business coming in.  Not to much to overwhelm me with the holidays fast approaching.

 

I've also been making a handful of these Thanksgiving hand towels for all the ladies in the family that we will be celebrating Thanksgiving with.  It will be a houseful of hustle and bustle of activity and chatter.

 

Let me tell you briefly about the towels.  

This is a fun and quick project. I used water soluble stabilizer on the top and bottom so that the stitches would not sink into the nap of the towel.  The pattern for this is from Embroidery Library and I got the towels at Costco.  Just be sure to preshrink the towels first before embroidering on them!

I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving holiday.  We have so much to be thankful for.  God is so FAITHful and good!  I am so grateful to have been able to start this little business this year and for it to be steady.  This has brought me such joy.  Our daughter Katie is home from the Air Force for 2 weeks.  How wonderful to have her home!!

May you all have safe travels this week and know that you, my readers are in my prayers.  I am thankful for each of YOU!

Blessings~Nancy