I love to re purpose something.  If you have read my blog posts, you will see that I do have a hard time throwing anything away.  I keep a stash of items stored in my craft room and it does tend to grow out of hand so I am continuously working on projects.  My newest project has upcycling, sewing, quilting and embroidery all wrapped up.  I purchased some flannel sheets last year from Wal*Mart in the buffalo check pattern.  When you buy those sheets they will usually come enclosed in a boxy fabric zippered bag.  Don't throw these out!  You can use them for so many projects.

Here you see the outside bag with an added handle, cute embroidery and a pocket.  The sheep is an applique design with chalkboard fabric.  You can officially write in how many "Sheeps"  until Christmas Morning on his body.  The Text also lets you know that Santa Claus is watching "EWE"  I took the original bag apart and drafted a pattern from it so I could make a lining.  The lining was quilted so once I installed it , the structure of the bag would be more stable and stand up.  I also used cutaway stabilizer in the pocket so it would help the bag stand up better.

When I was planning the project, my thought for a final use would be a pajama bag for kids.  Holiday pajamas are really popular and instead of them winding up on the floor, a bag like this would be a great place for them to be stored. It could sit on the bed and also allow for interaction with counting those precious days away.  The pocket can hold chalk and erasers.  This would make such a cute bag to carry to grandma's house.  The set of sheets that I purchased was a Queen size.  I do have a generic drawing of the pattern with measurements I drafted so you can try this also.  Just know that each set of sheets may come with a different size bag so measure your project accordingly.  Look for the pattern download below. 

Both Embroidery patterns are available in my store here.  They come bundled together so you can embellish any project you want for the holidays!

​ I also did a You tube video showing my process. It is the complete bag from start to finish so grab a cup of coffee and enjoy watching below. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

Coffee Mug Wraps have become a lovely part of my daily routine.  I have been using them for a couple of years and now I am addicted.  You have probably purchased coffee at a shop or convenience store and used one of the paper wraps.  These are like that but so much better.  I am not a coffee expert but I do love to drink out of a real ceramic mug.  As I have gotten older, I notice my hands have become a little more sensitive with hot and cold objects.  I guess that is what happens to all of us eventually.  I also like to really enjoy that first cup and drink it kind of slow so these mug wraps help insulate the heat longer.

Mug wraps are also great for stainless steel cups like the Yeti or Artic brand.  I know some people like to use vinyl monograms on them, but I think a cute wrap would be just as useful.  It will help designate whose cup belongs to who and maybe bring a smile with a cute saying.  Best part is they are washable, so if you spill a little drink on them, just toss in your laundry load.  I have eight new designs that are releasing today. Let me show them to you.

I designed this Blessing Presence Mug Wrap for that coffee lover that is not a morning person. You know the one?  They kind of wake up later in the day and may not be too chipper to sit with in the AM hours. So, they are "Blessing you with their presence"  

This Where Is Lunch Mug wrap is for that person who is already thinking about lunch as they are drinking that morning cup.  I have worked at jobs where the most important decision of the day was lunch! I bet you have too!

This My Kung Fu Mug Wrap is for the coffee lover that depends on their Java.  It really is their super power!  

This Latte Da Mug Wrap is for that DIVA coffee drinker.  I can just hear them now. "Well Latte Da!"

This Legal Grounds Mug Wrap is for that serious but mischievous coffee drinker.

This Life Happens Coffee Helps Mug Wrap is for that coffee drinker that needs affirming words to get motivated!

This Not My Circus Mug Wrap is for that Coffee Lover that always has a snarky comment to make. You know who I'm talking about!

This Dark Shot Mug Wrap is for that coffee lover that understands how to twist the written word and entertain all of us while doing it.

All of these designs can be customized with your choice of fabrics and threads. There will also be a generic instruction set with each design download.  I filmed a You tube video below that will take you through a complete project so you can see how fun they are to make.  Of course you will need at least a 6x10 embroidery hoop for these. I see some unique gifts in your future.  I hope you have been inspired by this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

This Sock Monkey Ornament design has been released today and I think it just may get you in the holiday spirit!  I know it is a little early but it does take some time to create those little special items. This one would be perfect to have stashed away for those last minute ideas. I envision gifts for teachers, Co Workers, Children or using these as tags on other gifts.

It finishes in one hooping and the back would be an excellent place to embellish with a sentiment or the year the ornament was made.  

You can also customize it with your fabric choices.  Maybe your decor isn't red and green for the holidays?  No problem. Try it in any color and I know it will still be precious.  Soft decorations are a great thing for children and pets.  I gave up using those little metal hooks years ago because I always have someone curious in my household. These also are flat so they take up less storage space.  That is a win in my book.

Full color instructions come in the download and if you have a few pieces of fabric, leftover quilt batting and ribbon, you can have a fun afternoon by yourself or with your children.  Maybe let them decorate their own tree with sock monkeys?  I created a short You tube video below so you can see how easy they are. Visit my store here to get the design. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

To honor our Veterans, I have released a brand new design that is FREE!   This is an applique design that can also be a free standing patch.  The picture above shows it stitched out using a mesh type wash away stabilizer.  When I embroider patches, I do use either a mesh type or a "Vilene" or clear wash away. This does depend on the type of patch, how dense it is or stitch intensive. Sometimes I can embroider the entire patch in one hooping. Other times in order to get the best outcome, I will sew the inner part of the patch in the first hooping, then sew a placement stitch and the satin outline in a second hooping.  I did a little experiment with both types of wash away stabilizer on this design and filmed a You tube video for you to watch.  The link is below. With any design, I always do a test stitch before I work on a final project because it helps me determine any changes I will need to make. In the beginning, I did think I was wasting materials, but doing a practice run will allow you to learn so much and hone your embroidery skills.  Don't give up if you have a design that stitches out and does not show the results you want.  Sometimes, just changing the type of stabilizer will make all the difference. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

Thanksgiving has to be one of my favorite holidays.  I love it because we usually do have a great meal with family, we reflect and remember, and it is a very relaxed day.  In preparation for having guests over, I have been working on some new designs to help with my decorations and they are on sale! The Gobble design above comes in a 4x4 or a 5x7. This would be great on your table linens or as placecards.  

The Turkey applique is so round and cute.  Use this design on oven mitts or tea towels to hang on your oven door.

My Happy Thanksgiving design looks beautiful on a table runner. Check out my post here to see how to make one.

At Thanksgiving, we are counting our blessings and this applique design really speaks to that.  Use it on pillows or towels in your bathrooms. Check out the magnet design also here. I did a post showing how it looks with pictures of all of your blessings. When you download the magnet design, it creates a soft in the hoop project.

My Sunflower design just goes with this time of year. In our area, it is the last flower putting on a show before the first frost.  This would look lovely on couch or chair pillows.  Maybe decorate your guest room with a fall theme?

Rustic comes to mind at this time of year also. I am a rooster lover and this Weathervane design is one of my new favorites. The contemporary look would be beautiful on crisp white napkins. 

I had to include something for the nature lovers also.  I am a bird lover and the Owl is one of my favorites. We have many that live around our house and their comforting Hoots remind me of home.  I designed three different colorways. This Camo Owl design uses camouflage colors.  The hunter in your life would love to see this decorating their space.

The Day Owl Embroidery Design is bright and reminds me of when I actually see the owls around my home. Sometimes they let you walk very close to them because they are curious too.

The Night Owl embroidery design is just WOW to me.  Here it is stitched on black fabric to really highlight those unique colors.  All of these Owl designs use a method of layering light fills on top of each other.  It creates beautiful dimension and feels so textural without being heavy or stiff.  I see these stitched on a jean jacket.  Wouldn't you be the talk of the gathering with this decorating your outfit?

The Sewing Set comes with six different designs ready to show off your crafting passion.  When I have guests over to my house, they always want to come into my studio and see what I am working on.  These designs would be great to put in frames on your walls. Maybe add some cute little sewing sayings too.  Or if you are already thinking about Christmas gifts, these would be perfect for that seamstress in your life.

My Autumn Leaf, Home Sweet Home and Pumpkin Talk have been favorites so they will continue to be on sale along with all of these new designs. Visit my Sale Sale Sale Page to see all of the embroidery designs on sale that will be available until November 30, 2019.  I hope you have enjoyed this post, you share what you learn and you are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

I recently purchased several pairs of pants and when I tried them on in the dressing room, I thought they were perfect.  They have large flat pockets on the back and front, lightweight fabric and tapered legs.  They also have a long stride which I tend to like and is sometimes hard to come by.

I was disappointed after the first time I wore them because as the day goes on, they tend to start to droop in the rear area.  I even had someone comment that I needed to get a smaller size. That wouldn't work for me because the waist actually fits in the morning and a smaller size would be too tight. I hate to think I have to start out uncomfortable in the morning and wait until the afternoon to feel better.  A tight pair of pants is just about as annoying as anything because it is all you can concentrate on.

This shows the difference between one pair that has added elastic and one that does not. You can see that the pair showing the tag looks like the back of the pants is taller than the front. This is why they started to slide down in the afternoon after I wore them for a while.  The other pair with the elastic looks like the waistband is the same on the front and back. Let me show you how easy it was to make this adjustment. I have several slideshows that will take you through the steps below.

Now the pants look like this when they are not being worn, but they stretch very gently when I put them on.  The four inches of elastic stretched to the six inch markings provides just enough coverage to keep the pants from looking twisted. It also creates a much nicer silhouette when I wear them and pulls that extra fabric in the rear up.  The stitching is not easy to see since I used narrow elastic and matching bobbin thread. Instead of being uncomfortable by the end of the day and having the stride in these pants falling down, I should be able to feel confident in wearing them. Maybe this has inspired you to try to do a simple alteration on a pair of pants you own.  By the way, if it doesn't work, cut up those pants for another project or donate them. If they are not truly what you love, why would you want to keep wearing them and feeling miserable?  I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

In my last blog post, I mentioned that I had been working on my unfinished projects.  Here is another one that I really enjoyed.  I receive emails from many suppliers and vendors and they always have fun and unique projects.  This was one that I have kept in mind since last January. When I see something that looks promising, I usually print it off and file it in a binder so I can thumb through it later for inspiration.  This is kind of like looking at the pattern books in the sewing department which by the way is another favorite pastime of mine.

My inspiration came when I found these blankets on sale. I could not pass up this deal because just look at that amount of fabric!  If I purchased this off the bolt it would be quite a bit more!  Blankets and sheets are a wonderful way to get lots of fabric for a minimum price.  I purchased three of these Extra Long twin sizes so I had a lot to play with.

The project I had in mind was this cozy wrap from the Brother site. You can visit it here to download all of the details.

The wraps use the width of fabric which is 66 inches on the blankets.  The length of the wraps I sewed were 20 inches. So I actually got four out of each one with fabric to spare. That figures roughly to .75 cents cost for each. How can you go wrong there? I just can't pass up a great deal... and ones like this allow me to enjoy being creative and pass along some good will.

The pattern will tell you all of the settings for your sewing machine and take you through sewing a blanket stitch around the edges.

Rounding off your corners

Adding pockets too which by the way are the perfect size for glasses or phones. Nice and deep.  I digitized this little design to applique onto each one of my pockets.  

One extra step I did was to add snaps above the pocket.  This way the wrap would stay in place if the wearer moved around.

If you decided to sew some of these cozy wraps, you could finish them really quickly. It is mostly straight stitching and the fabric is very friendly. Now comes the fun part of delivering them. Just a few ideas would be to your local retirement home, or cancer treatment facility.  Other places might be your local fire or police department. They always have a need to keep people warm.  One final idea is to your local center for abused women and children.  These wraps  are so comforting and feel just like a hug.  Everybody needs a hug once in a while!  I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

I have been doing a lot of sewing projects. This time of year really makes me want to be creative and instead of solely working on embroidery digitizing, I have been catching up on all of my unfinished projects.  This is one that I have wanted to try for quite a while.  I am a member of the American Sewing Guild and they have wonderful projects on their site.

Here is the view of the pattern from their site.  As you can see it states it should take roughly 10 minutes and it does.  I had some pre-cut fat quarters that I used by seaming them together for the back.  The pattern calls for a theme print for the front, but I wanted to showcase one of my newest embroidery designs so I used a small print fabric for that. 

Here are the fabrics laid out as I was auditioning them.  This is one of my favorite parts in the sewing process.  I keep quite a stash of fabric and when I have the urge to sew something, I can choose without having to drive to the store. I like to purchase seasonal pieces like this after the holiday has passed. Then I get a great deal.  For some reason, if I have to go somewhere I might lose my creative urge so having that stash makes me feel more relaxed and able to just move forward with whatever I want to work on.

When I digitized this design, I thought it would be perfect for a table runner.  Now I have something beautiful to decorate with when that holiday comes.  If you are interested in sewing one of these table runners click the link here to go to the American Sewing Guild Site.  Visit our Seasonal Design page to see this design and many others.  I have also created a You tube video showing how to sew the table runner. The pattern has mostly written instructions with a few pictures. If you are just starting to sew, the video may help with any confusing parts. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

My latest design has got to be one of my favorites.  I really love cute items to decorate for the changing seasons. When those items do double duty, it is a win for me.  The Count Your Blessings Magnet design is a magnet that you can put on your refrigerator, filing cabinet or any other metal surface. The best part is it will fit three standard 2x3 inch pictures. So you can see your most precious "Blessings" on display! 

It finishes in one hooping and does require at least a 6x10 or larger embroidery hoop.  There is quilting, an applique and plastic pockets on the front.

The back has two small pockets that you can slip magnets into. So easy and they won't scratch your surface because the pockets will help pad them.  

The Applique is so pretty we decided to release it as a single design also in a 5x7. Check it out here.  So if you don't want to stitch out the magnet, you can purchase the Applique design by itself.  I can see this on any number of items to decorate your home.

This design takes just a little bit of fabric and batting, but it makes something that can be cherished. If you are looking for a gift for a grandparent or friend that has limited space, this would be awesome! Pictures are always welcomed! I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

Fall is here and we have been working on several new designs for you! Of course we have many on sale and some that are free!

Our Pink Ribbon Warrior design is FREE!  If you know someone that is currently fighting Breast Cancer or has fought in the past, this design would be a great one to stitch out for them!  Check it out here.

Here is another FREE design for you to try out. This one was stitched out using glow in the dark thread!  I digitized it especially for Fleece so grab it up here and sew on your favorite sweatshirt!

I love drinking hot beverages when it starts getting cooler and of course coffee is at the top of my list!  If you like to feel cozy while holding your cup and keep the hot temperature from burning your fingers, this mug wrap will do the trick!  You will need a 6x10 hoop for this design.  The mug wrap will fit around Yeti cups also!  Christmas is right around the corner. This would make a super gift! Check it out here.

Our School Day soft book pattern is perfect for a gift also! The set is on sale. You have plenty of time to stitch one of these little books out before Christmas! Check it out here.

Our Pumpkin Talk design includes six different color waves. That is an excellent one to grab up during this sale. Get it here. 

Our Autumn Leaf design stitches out quickly and would make a great addition in single or grouped designs!  See it here!

Those Old Trucks are everywhere and our design couldn't be cuter!  We have listed our single design here on sale and if you are thinking about future seasons our set is on sale also!

Daylight Savings is here and if you are doing calendar projects or quilts that have months in them, this simple set would be a great addition!

Our Spider In Web is a quick Framed design. There is plenty of space to add your Creepy Text! Check it out here.

Our Pumpkin Wagon design is the quintessential Halloween Image!  Stitch this out on kitchen towels or pillows to decorate your home. Too Cute! Grab it up here.

Our Fall Tree is really one of our new favorites.  So many design possibilities with this one.  You could add cute sayings, poetry or smaller design details like characters.  I see fairies and gnomes sitting under this tree!  Check out the multiple designs on our sale page here. 

Apples are for picking and Fall is that time of year!  This design would be perfect for that gift for teacher!  "Pick" it up here!

Home Sweet Home. Doesn't Fall just make you want to stay at home, rake leaves, build a fire and sip hot cocoa? YES PLEASE!  This design stitches quickly and we used our Autumn colored variegated thread. Just WOW!  I see cute pillows in your future.  See this design here.

You can get to all of our sale items on our SALESALESALE page.  We have created some new COUPON CODES also.  Be sure to read our blog when you visit because we may mention them in our articles. The coupons pop up randomly in different places and you might even see designs that are UP TO 100% off or FREE for short periods of time.  But you have to check back often to catch them!  I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

I love to try different elements in my embroidery and one of those is using variegated thread.  You may have seen this type thread at your local sewing store but were hesitant to purchase it.  There are  many brands on the market and they do have some differences.  The main similarity is that they have multiple colors along the length of the thread. The distance of the color changes can be longer or shorter. Also, I have purchased both polyester and rayon.

This brand also has what is called a "twisted" variety.  When it stitches out, you can see two threads that are twisted together instead of one that has been dyed different colors.

Here is what I have in my stash.  They look really pretty lined up don't they?  I like seeing them displayed but sometimes it is difficult to know which color to use in my project. You have to look really closely at them because they will surprise you.  Your eye may not see all of the colors because they can blend together.

I took all of the numbers and names of my threads in stock and created a design in my embroidery software. This way I could "test" stitch each one out and see what they actually look like.

 Here is that "twisted" variety

Here is one of the dyed threads.

Here is one of those that surprised me when it stitched out. Look at the thread cone closely. Do you see the Peach color in the thread?

Do you see it here in the closer version of  "2367"?  I didn't see it at first and would never have picked it in a project that had peach colors until I stitched it out.

I like to buy fleece in large yardage to practice some of my designs and also keep them for future reference.

Here are all of my variegated threads stitched out on the fleece. See how I used the thread number or name? Now I can grab the correct one just by looking at this stitchout.

I just trimmed the fleece to a size that would fit into a binder with plastic sheet covers.

Now I have a permanent organized way to see what variegated thread I have in stock and exactly what it should look like when it is stitched out. This will save me from choosing colors that might not go together in my projects. It is also a great way to get inspired to create something and use those materials I have on hand.  I have also used this as a tool to show customers alternatives in their designs. You would be surprised how fun it is seeing a simple design changed just by using variegated thread. Maybe you have some in your stash? If so, have some fun and give it a try. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

Day of the Dead is a beautiful way for families to remember their loved ones who have passed.  They gather together and celebrate good memories, decorate their homes with altars, marigolds, candles and sugar skulls. The colors are vibrant and cheerful.  I really can't get enough of it and I made a beautiful wreath to hang on my front porch so I can celebrate and remember my loved ones from now until November 2nd!  BONUS!  GRAB THE COUPON CODE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST TO GET 20% OFF THESE DESIGNS THROUGH NOV 2, 2019!

This sugar skull design is very special because I digitized it to either be a freestanding face or it can be appliqued onto something. If you notice, there are several circles on it also. Those are for the addition of LED lights!  Yes this design lights up!  There are also button holes along the outside so you can wire the design to a wreath! There are three additional designs available to go with the sugar skull.

A dancing skeleton that you can embroider in multiple colors. Sold individually or in a set

A skeleton puppy to remember man's best friend. Sold individually or in a set

A Skeleton Kitty to remember your furry feline. Sold individually or in a set

When you purchase the Day of the Dead single design or the set, there will be instructions on how to add the LED lights. Here is a back view of everything put together.

Here are the lights. You should be able to find them at your local crafting store.

Look what else you can do with the small designs! Decorate your shoes.

Make cute jewelry

Just go nuts!  

This is a lot of fun to make and my front porch is so bright and cheery.  Check out the video below to see the lights in action. You will definitely fall in love with it!  I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

ENTER THE COUPON CODE

EXTRA20

AT CHECKOUT TO RECEIVE 20% OFF these designs!




Day of the Dead Set
Day of the Dead Single
Dancing Skeleton
Skeleton  Kitty
​    Skeleton Puppy
                                                                      Good through November 2, 2019!

I have never seen a dog refuse to ride in an old squeaky pickup truck. At least mine don't. They love it. The more wind and noise the better!  Antique trucks are really popular right now so I have released four new designs showcasing them. Each one designates a different season so you can be inspired to create a new project as time moves on. I have them listed individually or in a complete set! Check out the slideshow below.

Aren't those so cute? I love that they are seasonal but more generic.  So these will last for several months in your decorating.  I can see them on pillows or how about a wreath for your front door?  Just have a simple wreath that you can interchange these on. Now that would be a fun quick project!  Check out the single designs on our seasonal page here. Or look for the complete set of four here. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

It is that time of year. Driving around my neighborhood you can see the leaves starting to turn. It is refreshing to feel those first cool breezes. If you are like me, the urge to do some Fall rearranging in your closet may be beckoning you.  Let me suggest a quick upcycling project that you might love.   This simple little leaf stitches out quickly. How about adding it to a collar on a shirt?

Or to that light jacket that may be showing some wear?

Maybe you have a shirt that has a small stain on it or you just don't wear it because it is kind of plain?

Have I gotten your creative ideas going? Embroidery is a great way to make that piece of clothing look new. You can create a whole new outfit with several pieces by coordinating embroidery also. Do you have some accessories that could be embellished?  Bags, Belts and hats? This simple design can also be changed by altering the colors.  Maybe use several of them and try greens, yellows, browns, oranges. Group them together. Just go crazy!

Check out my store here to see this design and many others. I hope you have been inspired by this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

Check out our FREE Designs page and download this for an awesome project!  It is just in time for that nippy weather because I digitized it to sew on Fleecy fabric. So grab a sweatshirt and some cutaway stabilizer because your new outfit is a short stitch away!   To make it EXTRA special, use GLOW in the Dark thread on the white colors!  If you haven't tried it, I promise you will love it.  So during the day you have one look and at night a second.  Now you won't be scared on that hayride or getting lost in the corn maze!  I hope you enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

This design will give you "Pumpkin" to talk about!    It stitches quickly in your 4x4 hoop with light airy movement and finishes with that cute saying.  The best part is I have already done the color coordinating for you!  If you have a group of "Fall Thread colors in your stash, this design would be excellent to try them all out.

It uses six different colors similar to the picture above. When you download the design pack, you will get six individual options to stitch out. So nice to have that done already don't you think?  If you have six items to stitch out, you can load each colorway design on your machine and it will tell you which color goes where. A design sheet is included with each one also to help you follow along. Check out the slideshow below to see them close up. 

Isn't that amazing to see the same design with color options?  They are the same but still unique. I can't decide which one is my favorite. Being the creative person you are, I know you could change them up with those six colors even more. I think I may have created a whole new game for you to play with your embroidery machine! So grab it up in our store here and start having some fun! I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

So the little bear arrives at school; Hears the bell ring, Says the Pledge of Allegiance; Has circle time; Does art projects; Goes to the potty; Reads in the library; Has lunch in the cafeteria; Plays at recess; Takes a nap; Eats a snack; and Rides the bus home.  Whew! That is a busy day for a little person! I am tired already!

This project would be very sweet to personalize with your child to remember their early school days. If you have a special teacher in your life, they might love to have one of the soft books in their classroom to help the students learn about their day. It would also be great to prepare young children for what they can expect when they are getting ready to begin school. There is ample room above and below each embroidery design in the soft book to write your child's story!  Just use a fabric marker and heat set it. Jump over to my store here to see the collection.
​I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you have learned and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

I took a really good look at my embroidery hoops and they are gross.  No nice way to put that really. I use them a lot because I digitize pretty much every day and when I am not working in my software, I am testing designs. So it was time to try to get them cleaned up.

WOW!  Almost like brand new. I will say that it took me a few tries to get all of the spray adhesive and loose threads to come off.  First I tried baby wipes.  They took some of the sticky residue off but didn't cut all the way into it.  Then I used some Dawn Dish washing liquid and let it soak for about 10 minutes.  That helped but my ultimate success came from soaking overnight.  I tried a scrub brush and a hand towel. The towel was by far the best scrubber.  The soap didn't do all of the heavy lifting though. I still had to use some elbow grease.  Moving forward, I will wipe my hoops daily with the baby wipes and when I need a good clean, use the soak method. I have a video showing each of the trials you can watch below.  Don't you just love science experiments? Especially when someone else does all the work and you can sit back with a cup of coffee and watch?  I do.   I hope you have enjoyed this post, Share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

No words are sweeter than it's Football Season!  We have been waiting and now it has arrived so what better way to support your favorite team than embroidery.  All of my related designs are on sale until September 30th  to help you do just that.  I have cap designs, appliques, and snarky comebacks.  Everything to deck out your gear for that tailgate event or game day celebration.  ......and may the best team win....... Check them out on our store Sale page here!
​

I love a recycling project and this one is pretty cool.  I don't know what it is about hanging on to bent pins and needles, but it seems like a common thing in a craft room.  I guess it might happen because we get in a rush while working or we don't really want to put those sharp little items in our trash.  That is very dangerous to think about. When you empty your bin, you run the risk of poking yourself.  

I have actually had this little project on my sewing desk for a couple of years and it occurred to me that I use it on a weekly basis so I wanted to share it with you. It created a place for me to put those pins and needles from all of my machines.  Since I have orders for commercial work, I do have to change out my multi needle machine needles frequently.  When that happens, I pop them into the bottle and don't think about them again until it is full.

The next time I visit my doctor's office or know I will be shopping in a store that has one of these SHARPS containers in the restroom, I just carry my bottle with me.  Then I can dispose of the items in the proper receptacle.  

This project comes together fast and I know it would be awesome as a stocking stuffer or gift for someone that loves to sew.  We are always looking for cute things to hold our tools. This design is in my store here. You can also watch a video showing how everything is sewn and finished below. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!