One of the tools I have in my studio is a Sawgrass SG400 printer.  I have had it for a couple of years and it is really fun to use when making special fabrics.  I had a Christmas gift in mind for a family member that loves to ride Indian Motorcycles.

I used McCall's pattern M7139 version C which is a device stand.  I have seen these online and thought it would be just about the right size to be able to print my own small piece of fabric.  The printer can handle a regular 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of printing paper.  It is specialty paper though and is a little different than the transfer paper from an inkjet printer.  

If you are thinking of breaking into Sublimination, you will also need a Heat Press.  The paper reacts with the printed image and as the heat works on it, a gas is created.  That process pushes the image permanently into the fabric or whatever substrate you are printing on.   Each item you are subliminating to will need to be treated to accept the pressing also.  So Cotton shirts might not be the best thing to work with unless they have been treated.  100% Polyester shirts will work but I have noticed if I purchase shirts off the rack, they sometimes don't have the vibrant colors when pressed.  Shirts that are purchased specifically for sublimination do much better.  Lighter colors seem to show up better with the paper I keep in stock.  I use Texprint R.

For this project I had several yards of 100% Polyester knit fabric in my stash.  If you look at Wal-Mart, some locations are now carrying pre-cut fabrics in larger quantities. You can see this yardage was very reasonable and it allowed me to kind of experiment.  If you ever purchase something like this, you may notice when the fabric is unfolded, there are stains or even debris in them.  I think they must be off cuts from the factory or ends that  are not really loved.  For my purposes, a small stain won't matter because I am going to cover it up.  Just make sure you launder the fabric before you use it.

 I designed my fabric in Corel Draw and sent it to my printer.

Here is the printed page and my fabric ready to press. Notice it is printed in reverse.

The fabric is first pressed briefly for about 5 seconds to take out the moisture. Then the image is placed, a paper topping goes on top to help protect you platen and it is imprinted.

These are the setting I used for this particular project.

Here is the fabric once printed.  Pretty cool to be able to make that since I could not find any ready made fabric with these logos.

Here is the device stand all finished.

I made another one in denim.  I will advise you to put something in the bottom to weigh it down just a bit.  You could use small stones, marbles beans etc.  I had some small ceramic tile samples left over from another project, so I used that and it worked really well to maintain a flat bottom.

These are very useful. I have since made a couple more and during the day, I use mine to keep my phone standing upright. I can see emails and texts coming in.  I also use it with my I pad turned on it's side. Very helpful while you stream videos.  If you are looking for a quick sewing project, this one is hard to beat as most people have some kind of electronic device.

I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

The New Year is closely approaching and I have digitized a great design to help you create a hostess gift or a gift for yourself.  I like to bring something when I am invited to a party. It just feels right to do it.  A bottle of champagne or wine can add to the party or be saved for another time.

I wanted to have something that could be used for future events so I didn't put the year in the design. All of the fun elements just look like a New Year's Eve Party!  

Flour sack towels were my material of choice because they are relatively cheap and easy to work with.  Here you see my champagne bottle ready also.  The design uses a 4x4 embroidery hoop and doesn't take very long to stitch out. Within about 20 minutes, you can have this sewn and be walking out the door.

So here it is all jazzed up. I filmed a You Tube video showing two ways you can present the gift to your hostess. One way is a very creative bag you fold the towel into. The other one shows you how to wrap the towel around the bottle so you can impress everyone at the party!  Check out the video below.  The design can be found in my store here.  I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what your create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

I purchased the Echidna Hooping Station in two sizes several months ago and I wanted to do a review after using it for a little while.  I have been a fan of John Deer who is an Embroidery legend and have had the pleasure of meeting him several years ago at a sewing convention in Atlanta. I actually purchased my embroidery software from him and attended his digitizing training.  He also has a You tube channel that is very informational and is one of the people I credit much of my embroidery knowledge to.  I so appreciate how he freely shares his techniques.  The Echidna Hooping Station is a product he endorses so I was intrigued when I began my research into adding it to my studio. Click the hyperlink above to be directed to his page to see embroidery knowledge and purchase the hooping station. I am not affiliated with him or his site but I want to rightfully acknowledge him.

The order arrived very quickly and it came in flat boxes so there was some assembly. The pieces are minimal and one Phillips head screwdriver is all that is required.

I was pleasantly surprised that they did send extra screws/parts in the order.  That was an extra bonus. Don't you hate putting something together and not having all of the pieces?

The stations did take up some of my working table so I had to make room for them.  I have really enjoyed using them and now they are just a part of my working process.  Here is just one of the ways I use them.

If I am going to embroidery a polo shirt, I first mark my embroidery location with my chalk marker and placement ruler.

I put my hoop on the board and secure stabilizer with the magnets that will come with the station.

I slide the shirt over the station and use a small ruler to ensure it is centered in the hoop.

 Then the top hoop is carefully placed and the item is ready to embroider.  Overall, I think if you are considering purchasing the Echidna Hooping Station, you will be pleased.  It has become an integral part of my studio. I do have a You tube video that goes into a little more detail of my Pros and Cons.  You can watch it 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.

I love to look at patterns and if they are on sale, I tend to pick them up for future projects.  The Simplicity Pattern 2300 has several different bags that can be hung on a personal walker. I decided I wanted to try version C that you see in the bottom picture.

I work better on projects if I have a special person in mind that will be the receiver.  This one is really meaningful for me because I hope it will help the person it is intended for.  She is very independent and although she has a debilitating illness, still takes care of herself and lives alone. She also uses public transportation to do all of her shopping and make hair and doctor appointments.  Currently she is using a self fashioned bag that is functioning, but I hope this will make it easier to secure her personal items safely.

I liked this particular bag because it calls for double sided pre-quilted fabric.  That means it does not need to be interfaced to add stability.  The amount of fabric required is 7/8 of a yard. This is perfect for me because I tend to purchase remnants and once I went through my stash, I found a beautiful piece of fabric seen above.  I did need to quilt it before I could cut out the pattern.  

I chose a deep brown color for the back of the fabric as the darker color should help hide any stains.  Here you see the natural cotton batting I used.  

I laid out a 2 inch grid with my large ruler and Frixion pen then used safety pins to hold all of the layers together.  My machine has a walking foot and this made the quilting go very well with minimal shifting.  The printed fabric I worked with was almost too small and I had to plan economically to use every part as the fabric is directional.

I also used two different color threads for the quilting so they would match the top and bottom fabric.

Here is the fabric all quilted and trimmed so I could see exactly where I could place my pattern pieces. This would have made a beautiful lap blanket also. Creating your own custom quilted fabric is very rewarding.

The frixion pen is easily removed with a hot iron.

So after all of my careful planning, I was able to get my pieces cut out and this was the amount of fabric left over.  The pattern has only six pieces and they are easy to cut out.  Other items I needed were a package of double folded bias tape, 3/4 yard hook and loop tape and 3/8 yard 1/4" elastic.  

Here is the organizer after I had sewn the pockets and front and back together.  Some of the things I would advise anyone sewing this particular pattern are:  Read the instructions carefully before you begin.  The cutting layout does have a couple of  interesting things to note.  The front and back as well as the tabs that hang the bag are laid right sides together when you cut them and the pattern piece is placed right side up on the WRONG side of the fabric.  Sound confusing?  It did to me too and I had to make sure I read that several times so really look at the Cutting layouts notes section.  Another thing that may confuse you is some of the sewing directions are not listed under the part of the instructions as you work through the pattern.  It will state "Apply binding" instead of showing pictures in the instructions.  You have to refer to the Sewing instructions section and look up "Apply Binding" to get details.  I assume this was done to save double printing the instructions for the other bags in the pattern.

Another thing I would advise is to make sure you really pay attention to the markings on the pattern pieces and transfer them to the fabric.  I used my frixion pen to mark the pocket, velcro and tab placements.  The outside phone and water bottle pockets are sewn on first.  The middle pocket is sewn on top of these and hides unfinished areas of those outside pockets. There is a small amount of hand sewing required also. Here you see the red clips at the top of the organizer.  The front and back are sewn around and then turned with an opening to be closed with needle and thread.

The tabs are the last two things that are attached to the organizer and because of the pockets on the front, they have to be hand sewn.  The instructions are a little vague as they just say hand sew.  I decided to use a ladder stitch and go around the three sides connected to the bag.

Then I sewed the top of the bag to the back side of the tab using the same ladder stitch.

There were of course some things that I had to figure out because I had never seen them before.  One in particular is the binding.  The instructions call for you to open the double fold binding and trim along the fold.  There are some pictures and they do help. I tend to use the finished pictures to help me complete projects, but the cover photo does not show binding in a different color so this was one thing I had to trust I was doing correctly. The trimming of the binding reduced bulk but left the second fold so you could wrap it around.

The binding is used to create a casing for the elastic on the water bottle pocket.  I think I assumed the casing would be part of the quilted material when I first began the project, but the binding is a better way to make a lighter casing and once I figured it out, I now have a new technique in my sewing arsenal.  Isn't that usually how it goes? Those things that are hardest or confusing usually wind up being some of our go to things.

The velcro went on easy because I used those markings from the pattern so again, make sure you take the time to transfer everything over.  The pockets did have some first time elements also for me.  They are actually formed first and have some darts in them to help give volume.  When you sew the outer ones on, one side that will remain visible is turned under and attached while the other is left raw because it will be covered by this middle pocket.  The instructions state to baste the raw edges and I would not skip that. I know a lot of people want to move through a project quickly but that quilted material is thick and will shift. So make sure you do baste when it states to.

The last thing I would advise you to do is make sure you are using larger needles.  One layer of quilted fabric is thick but there are areas when you are sewing the front and back together that you will have three to four layers of material.  I started with a denim needle and did have one break.  I wound up using a heavy duty 110/18 needle to finish the organizer.  So maybe buy a new pack of needles and take it slow when you are sewing. I also lengthened my stitch from a 2.5 to a 3.0 and just moved patiently through the project so my machine could do it's work. My iron and pressing station were used throughout also to make sure that quilted material did not shift and was as neat as possible.

So here is the finished organizer ready to ship to my special friend.  It took me two sewing sessions to complete it.  If I had started with ready made quilted material, I believe I could have finished this project in one day or roughly eight hours of layout, cutting and sewing.  I would not say this is a beginner project because of the type material.  It does get thick and you do have to manipulate it.  A beginner might not know to use all of the markings and the pockets with the darts are a little fiddly to attach to the bag.  I would say a couple of easy bag projects with flat pockets might be good to practice on before mastering this pattern.  It did turn out beautifully, I learned some new techniques and look forward to trying the other bags available in the pattern.  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's that time of year and I have been working really hard on original Christmas Embroidery Designs for you. Some are sentimental. Some are cute and some are just plain funny. They are all on sale now through the end of December on my SALE SALE SALE page. I know you will love thinking about the creative projects you can make. Let's take a look at them.

The Whimsy Tree stitches out in one color with no trims. It would be beautiful on crisp white linens or tablecloths. 

Seasons Greetings will make that chef in your family smile.  Perfect for kitchen items!

This little Chicken doesn't "Deck the Halls". She "Pecks The Halls!"  If you have a farmer in your life, they would love this design stitched on a pillow or kitchen towel.

Do you have a traveler in your family?  Roam for the Holidays would decorate their mobile home quite nicely!

A Jolly Snowman just makes you feel like singing doesn't it?  

Mistletoad is puckering up for a kiss.  This design comes with a FRINGE element in his scarf. Instructions included with the download!

Merry Fishmas would be perfect for that fisherman in your life or for that Aquarium lover!

Know someone celebrating Christmas on the coast?  Santa Claws is a cute beachy design.

Are you in Puppy Love?  My Merry Kissmas Design will help you share it with that special someone.

Fleece Navidad looks so festive and will bring a smile to your Christmas gathering.

Mooey Christmas is perfect for that person who can't get enough of decorating with Cows.

Bark the Herald Angels will make even the Grinch smile at Christmas!

Sheeps Until Christmas comes with two designs in the download. One is the little sheep that you can use to countdown until Christmas with Chalkboard fabric. The second one reminds that Santa is watching Ewe!  Check out the sewing project we used these two design with here.

My Manger Silhouette design would be perfect to add to a couch pillow, towel or table runner.

My In the Hoop Sock Monkey Ornament would look so cute on your Christmas tree!

Those Old Pickup Trucks are very popular right now.  Stitch out this Old Winter Truck and decorate your home past the Christmas season!

As a Merry Christmas to all of my customers, I have also added the Dog Paw and Cat Paw Humbug designs.  Check them out on our Free Designs page

I hope this year has been a good one for you and your families and that your Christmas Season brings you much Peace. That is my special Christmas wish for you.  Joyeaux Noel and remember to share what you learn, and be generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

 My family just shake their heads at me when I wash out plastic containers. They don't even ask any more if I want to save unique packaging. Sometimes I don't have a problem discarding them but when we finished off a container of Cheeseballs recently, the tub was so big and sturdy, I had to come up with something I could re-purpose it for.  So it sat on my studio table for a couple of days while I pondered.  The hardest part was singling out where I could most use it. Right now as the seasons have changed, my yard is getting bare and I always feed the birds. That was my light bulb moment.

If you are interested in the brand cheeseballs, the picture above might look familiar. I could have just used the container to store my bird seed as is.  If you have one in your pantry, don't throw it out.  These have a wide opening perfect to reach into.  I think you could come up with a multitude of uses in your house.  

I digitized a really simple embroidery design for the project and used an old pair of blue jeans that I cut apart.  So my project was Upcycled and Recycled!  The design can be found here in my store. Cutting the jeans apart meant I did have to piece all of the fabric together and there were seams. I don't mind that but you might want to use a large piece of fabric instead.  I think a canvas drop cloth would be excellent also.

I wanted my cover to fit snugly around the container, have a handle, a pocket and an open bottom.  Since it would be made of fabric, I didn't want it to get too dirty as I carried it around my yard refilling my bird feeders. In the picture above, I sewed the cover so it comes just above the bottom edge.  That way it still sits on plastic.  I am not worried about the cover slipping off because I made sure the elastic is good and tight.  Using the denim also helps stabilize the fabric and it is really sturdy. You could of course add a bottom very easily or sew a few strips of belting to enclose the cover.  

The pocket is very spacious and covers most of the front. My thought was I might need to carry some tools to clean out old birdseed or maybe a funnel.  I added tucks on the bottom and elastic to it can hold larger items very easily.  This is where I embroidered the cute design also.

When I cut the jeans apart, I kept all of the seams and used them for the handle.  I just braided them together and sewed them flat to either side of the cover.  Then I trimmed them straight across so they would look neat.

The top and bottom include a casing so elastic could be pulled through. This makes the cover stay snug against the cover.  It is very forgiving also since the cover has a lot of different dips and valleys. I will tell you that depending on the type fabric you use, this may differ.  My denim was very thick and I did use a large needle for sewing leather.  I had some areas that also required some hand stitches just to secure.  This was usually where I double folded the casings and seams met together.

So now I have an excellent "upcycled tool" that will be useful to carry around my yard while I refill my feeders. I can also be assured when I store any leftover seed, the critters that might be looking for the buffet won't have such an easy time.  If I store seed in the bag it usually comes in, I will more than likely find evidence that my shed has had "visitors"  

 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 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!