The 2023 Sewing & Quilting Show season has begun. I have made it a tradition to attend the Original Sewing & Quilting Expo in Atlanta (Duluth) every year if at all possible.  It is one of my favorite events because there is so much to see and do. If you want to take classes, learn new techniques, try out a certain machine, look at pretty quilts, meet new friends or just get away for a  trip- this might be it.

Now don't get upset that this Atlanta event has already passed because it travels around the United States all year. So you have many more chances to attend.

You can visit  https://www.sewingexpo.com/Events/Atlanta-GA
and get to their website. There you will be able to see upcoming locations. Some advice for you would be if you think you will be attending, don't wait to book your classes. They fill up fast. Especially anything quilting related. Also, book your hotel as close as possible so you can get to and from the Expo easily.  Then it won't matter what time those classes are being held.  Some of mine were at 8:30am, so I had to get to the parking garage early.  In years past there were night classes and I did have to go to my car in the evening. So an Uber might be a better choice for you.  If they are scheduled after dark, you may feel more comfortable having someone drive you.

Make sure you check out the dining options at your hotel.  I was very lucky that breakfast was offered at mine. Every morning I knew I would have a full tummy and coffee of course to fuel my day.

I was so tired and hungry from my classes and staying busy the first day that I ordered room service. That was a fantastic hamburger.

You will need to print all of your tickets before you arrive and then immediately go to the check in desk. This is where you can pick up your arm band that allows you to enter each day.  You also get one entry for the daily prizes. Remember to drop your ticket in and stay until the end of the day. If you aren't present someone else gets the prize!

Sewing machine dealerships sponsor these events and the classrooms are full of brand new machines.  The instructors teach lessons so you can try everything out. Then you can purchase the machines at a special show discount. The vendors also have booths with just about everything you could want or need.

There is a main stage that has something happening throughout each day. You can watch demonstrations, fashion shows or special distinctions like this Quilt of Valor being awarded.

Some of the classes will have special gifts that you get to take home with you. Here is all of my loot.

Of course there are so many beautiful quilts to see. Here is a small sample.

You will also probably find several non profit sewing organizations.  This was one that I found. 
​https://www.sewpowerful.org/ 
I really enjoyed looking at all of the purses they had on display that had been donated.  You may be able to find a local chapter you can donate to.  They have free patterns on their website. Click the picture to be taken to their site.

There are so many other things to list. I am glad I planned this getaway for myself. I met new friends, learned some new skills and had a great experience. I filmed my trip and have a video you can watch below to see all of the quilts.  I also show you my hotel, the parking and give you a tour of the event. Just in case you want to make plans to attend. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

Do you have a home craft business?  Is there an OPEN sign on your door when you are working from home?  Maybe its time for one! I have a brand new design in my store that will make your crafting area official.  This In The Hoop Open Sign stitches out in a 5x7 hoop and needs minimal fabric and batting. I bet you have some remnants that need to be used up and this is a great project for that purpose. 

Here are all of the materials I used for this sample.  I did add a mid weight interfacing to the front and back fabric to make the sign a little sturdier.  You don't have to do that if you don't want to as there is low loft batting in the directions.  The batting will give it some structure as well.  You can either use a needle and thread to close the project up or some hem tape. It finishes quickly and you can customize it by changing the fabric and thread colors to match your space. It is generic so it will work for any kind of business.

Here it is on my Happy Multi needle embroidery machine. I am using a Mighty Hoop. I love to use them whenever I can because they keep everything in place while stitching.  

Ribbon to hang the sign is added before you place the back fabric in the hoop. I used masking tape to keep it from shifting.  You choose what type and color of ribbon also.  You can see even though this is a plain little sign, there are so many options to customize it.  Maybe you have friends with small businesses also? They would love a sign you made especially for them. I think one other place this sign would be perfect is a teacher's classroom.  The Pre K Or Kindergarten rooms will usually have centers for active play.  This In The Hoop Open Sign would be a cute little addition to playtime.

I filmed a tutorial video you can watch below.  It takes you quickly through the entire project. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

One of my sewing dreams was to purchase a longarm and it finally happened last year.  It was a big decision and if you are thinking of doing it yourself, maybe this blog post will give you the confidence to move forward.  There is of course the expense to think about and  I am sure most people dwell on that for a while.  Then the thought of where to place the longarm machine will probably haunt your thoughts unless you have a large room available.  Once you get past those hurdles, the third thought will probably be fear of breaking the machine or not being able to operate it.  If you have surpassed all of these and your machine is purchased and set up, congratulations. I am going to assume if you found this blog post by a search, you might be having tension problems. So let's see if we can get you sewing again.

Longarm machines are sewing machines that have been stretched to accommodate larger sewing areas. If you have sewn on a domestic or home sewing machine, you will already be familiar with how one should operate.  There are differences though.  I didn't realize just how much lint was produced from a quilt.  Before beginning a new quilt and at each bobbin change, I will usually have to clean the bobbin area with a small brush. A drop of oil on the race of the bobbin area is a good idea at each bobbin change also. Make sure you clean inside the bobbin case also. I have noticed that my machine does not do well with slippery thread.  When I first purchased mine, I will admit, I tried to use embroidery thread in it just to see what would happen.  I didn't have great luck with the brand I use in my Happy machine.  The thread would slip out of the upper tension assembly and no stitches were formed. This would cause repeated alarms to go off on the machine.  Once I began using Omni thread by Superior Threads, I had much better luck. So if you are having tension problems, try another thread cone to see if that helps. It is an easy fix if it works. Make sure your thread path is correct and that there are no snags, twists or missed tension placements. Back to your bobbin. Winding the bobbin is very important if you are not using pre wounds.  A spongy or loose bobbin that is uneven will give you problems.  I received a winder with my machine and it took some practice. You want a nice even distribution of thread on your bobbin and if you can press the thread in and visibly see sponginess, you may want to try re winding it.  

This is a Towa Gauge and it will become your best friend.  It is used to measure the tension on your bobbin.  I have one for my embroidery machine and my longarm.  Each machine has a different bobbin size so make sure you purchase the correct gauge for your bobbin size.  The bobbin case with bobbin is inserted into the Towa and thread is pulled through two small circular tension areas.  Once you pull the thread at a smooth steady pace, a needle will move and the small red arrow shows you a measurement. Each machine brand will be calibrated slightly differently and factors will alter the best measurement.  I have noticed that around 200 works with the 40 weight Omni thread I currently use.  There are different weight threads and some people like to use a lighter weight in their bobbin. You do you.  There is no "RIGHT" thread.  It all depends on what you want your finished quilting to look like.  It is ok to try many brands of thread until you find one you love and just stick with it once you get your settings in a place where you can consistently get results. Using the Towa will help you get brave because it is a way to test thread and get answers. Play with your Towa and find the best setting for your machine and thread.

I haven't seen a lot of people talking about this little tool in the Longarm community. I have seen it in the embroidery world and it is a good thing to have.

This Tajima Thread Tension gauge has a spring inside and a hook on the end.  You wrap your thread around the hook and as it is pulled, the spring will retract causing the red needle to show a measurement.  I will pull my thread out of the needle before wrapping my thread so you are pulling from the last tension area before the needle.  This is a great way to learn what your upper thread "FEELS" like at different tension settings. The upper dial on your machine tension assembly can be tightened by turning right and loosened by turning left. Each time you turn it, you can wrap the thread and gently pull the gauge to see the measurement value.  I find with the Omni 40 weight thread that around 200 works well.  A different weight or brand of thread may cause you to alter your tension.  It's good to have a tool that will assist so you can get a good starting point.

Here is a view of me using the tool and you can see how the thread is being pulled out away from the machine.

You need to be brave with your tension dials on the side of the machine also. Here you can see me turning mine.  On this day, I had checked my thread path, my bobbin and needle but alarms kept going off every time I began to sew.  I cranked my tension dial all the way down  and then opened it back up using the top tension gauge; testing each time the knob was turned. I also opened the discs on the tension assembly and really flossed my thread into those discs.  This will ensure the thread is seated well and also push any lint or debris that has accumulated in between those discs. Don't be scared that you are going to mess your machine up.  You can always put a test piece of fabric, batting and backing on your frame and test your tension. In fact, the extra batting that you have around your quilt is a great place to do this before you start sewing. Just keep going and get friendly with your machine dials. 

Your needle and it's placement are very important.  Make sure it is inserted fully up into the needle bar.  Also, if it is turned backwards, you will not be able to pick up your bobbin thread.  If it is inserted slightly to the right or left, the bobbin thread may pick up but it might skip stitches. You can use another needle inserted into the eye to adjust either right or left and hold it while you tighten with your screwdriver. Change to a new needle for each new quilt also.

Get used to climbing underneath your machine.  Here you can see me ducked under the frame and looking at my stitches.  I can't stress enough checking this periodically as you quilt or if you have had a thread break or a bobbin issue. When the thread breaks on top, your bobbin thread will stay in the fabric.  As you pull the machine to cut the thread and check your bobbin, the thread is long.  If you don't trim those bobbin threads that are long, they may get caught up in your quilting.  That is why you pull the bobbin up as you begin sewing so it is pretty on the back.  

Here was my view underneath my fabric.  The long stitches on the right are basting stitches. I usually lengthen my stitches when I baste my quilt. Some people choose to use a regular stitch length. It's up to you. I like to have those longer ones because they are easier to pull out later when I am squaring up my quilt. The stitches on the left are regular quilting stitches at a shorter length.  You can see that they are looping and not balanced.  When you are basting with a long stitch, it is difficult to see exact tension on your machine. You will have better luck once the stitch is shorter. Both of these were stitched before I got my tension adjusted and you can tell unless the alarm had gone off during basting, I would not have known I had tension issues. Looping can be caused by the bobbin being too tight/loose or the top tension being too tight/loose. This is a tug of war between those two threads. The looping tells you who is winning.  I knew my bobbin tension was good because I had my Towa gauge and I always start with the bobbin first. I also thought my top tension should be good because I had adjusted it with my Tajima tool.  It was good on both and the culprit was trash in my tension discs on that top assembly. Once I pulled the discs apart and flossed the thread really well, I think whatever was in there got knocked out. Such a simple thing and when it started sewing, it was happy with no alarms.

A beautiful balanced stitch finally formed on my quilt top.  I will tell you that I did these steps; except opening the tension discs, TWICE. It wasn't until I cranked that knob down and then opened it wide flossing with thread and cleaning any trash that my problem was fixed. I worked for about an hour. Don't give up and if the alarm bothers you, turn it off  until you get your tension adjusted. Take breaks, drink a cup of coffee and keep going. You never know what the fix will be but if you have the tools and the knowledge, you can adjust your longarm tension yourself.  You will feel proud and accomplished. I have a video you can watch below that will show you each one of these steps. Watch it for moral support.  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 how have you been?  Is winter messing with your "SEWJO"? I will be honest and say it has put a slight damper on my creative flow.  That is not unusual for me and if I just admit it, I can move past it with a few tricks and tips. Tip #1 is to give myself permission to feel uninspired.  Once I am settled in to acceptance, I lose the guilt that I have all of these tools, beautiful fabric and a wonderful studio just sitting there and going unused. It's going to be ok because the urge to create always comes back. You just have to give it time.

Here is my backyard view. We always say that our area turns GRAY in the wintertime.  The days begin to roll into each other and it's hard to imagine that the sun will ever come back.  Even my dogs get a little forlorn. So once we have admitted we are not in a creative mood, what's next?  TIP #2, Look for something EASY to do. Don't try that multi step project with brand new complicated techniques. I reached for a couple of hand towels that I wanted to do some embroidery on. SIMPLE and basic.  It's not rocket science for me because I have done so many towels but once I got started, the creative bug bit me.  I went to Google Fonts and found a free font file called Lovers Quarrel. Once downloaded, I just digitized the letter S in my embroidery software with a butterfly. These towels are going to be a gift for my mom. That's Tip #3.  Make something for someone ELSE. It really is better to give and the thought of how much the receiver is going to love your gift will make you want to finish.

The font is really pretty with all of the extra scroll work.  Downloading these Google fonts is easy. Once on your computer you extract them and there is an install button.  Your programs that use text or fonts should now pull them up as True Type fonts.  You can use them in any thing you choose. Be sure to look at the licensing info before you do commercial variations though. There will usually be a text file in the download that tells you how you can use the free fonts.  Once I had the design digitized, I stitched it out on two separate towels.

Pretty right?  Both have peach thread on the global underlay. This pulls that towel pile down so you can really see the stitching of the letter S.  The towel on the right used white thread on the satin stitching. On the left, I chose a variegated thread and let it do all the heavy lifting.  Some simple trim pieces sewn on with zig zag stitches and two custom gifts are made. These didn't take much time to finish. It was nice to do the straight trim sewing with zig zagging. No pressure here. Just easy sewing that can be done with minimal thinking and planning. A beautiful result though.

Tip #4 is to let those companies that have you on their email list help to inspire you.  Now this one can be dangerous because if you look through all of their free patterns, tips, ideas, you may get ANALYSIS PARALYSIS.  It's easy to do my friend so remember, stay simple.  Don't compare yourself with them or worry that they are better at coming up with cute ideas than you are. We have all been there. My husband who usually listens to me gripe has some great advice which is, "You are one person while they have lots of people in different  departments working to come up with all of these ideas"  He is exactly on point. So Tip #5 is to Listen to Your Husband, loved one or friend who cares about you. Stop comparing yourself and grab the easiest free pattern you can find. Or the one cute pattern that will make you so happy to finish. There is no reason to reinvent the wheel. It's OK to make those short easy projects.  I chose the Bucket Hat from Superior Threads.   

I downloaded the free pattern, chose my fabric from my stash and turned on the tutorial video. I watch it through one time fully. Then I sat my phone right next to my sewing machine and got to work.  This was so much fun because Amy the presenter did every step and within a couple of hours, I had a finished hat.

I did make sure to sew the circles on the crown to add structure. Amy mentions this in the video and I found it helped firm the hat up a bit.

The fabric I used is linen on one side and quilters cotton on the other. You can see that it is reversible which I love.  The linen has some good weight to it and I used this interfacing. I really like the feel of the finished product.

I added a cute flower embellishment to the front of the hat. This is two pieces of marine vinyl just cut into a flower shape.  Then I stacked two buttons and sewed the whole assembly together.  A small safety pin was sewn to the back of the vinyl pieces so I could attach to the hat and remove later if desired.

Here is a view of that safety pin. You could make two different flowers and swap them out if you wear the hat on the other side. That would be a cute addition.

This bucket hat is going to be a gift for my mom as well as the towels and I know her head is slightly smaller than mine. When cutting out the pattern I used the larger size because most hats do not fit my head well. I assumed this one would be tight. With my hair my head measures about 24 inches around. This pattern is much more generous than that so once I had completed it, the size kind of floated around on my head. I decided to try adding elastic which you can see above. I sewed one extra seam right above the brim around the entire hat that created a casing. Then I opened the side seam carefully with a seam ripper and pulled narrow elastic through.   

The elastic doesn't have to be really tight. Just cut it about 2-3 inches shorter than your head measurement.  You don't want it to be so taut that it gives you a headache.  Once you put on the bucket hat, the elastic will pull out the gathers a little smoother and with the flower on the front, the shape really is attractive.

Look how precious that is. 

Here is a back view. Such a cute pattern and it can be made using any style of fabric for anyone.  You don't have to add the flower.  You could put a snap on it instead to turn up the brim.
​ The final Tip #6 is to get out, relax and have some fun. Creativity is always present when we are NOT worrying. Adding stress to yourself is the best way to strangle those projects waiting to be created. Even if being a creative is your job, you know that mundane life can keep you from seeing the potential in your tools and materials. So allow yourself to take a step back. Go do something fun like take a walk with your dogs, see a funny movie, walk through your favorite craft store without purchasing anything. Notice all of these things get you out of your creative space.  Then when you come back, you will see it with fresh eyes.

I'm ready for my close up Mr. Demille. There is a Studio Vlog you can watch below that shows me working on these projects. I hope you have been inspired by this blog post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

We are one week into 2023. How are you doing with your resolutions?  Have you made any plans for change this year? Do you have a new focus? Maybe you are ready for a change but not sure where to start?  I have a simple one for you that will make all the difference in your sewing and embroidery world at least.

Your sewing needle is one of the easiest things to change. They are inexpensive but can make or break your stitching.  My last blog was all about bobbin cases and when to change them. I would say that 90 percent of my problems with tension in my embroidery machine are usually related to my bobbin.  The other 10 percent can be attributed to my hooping, stabilizer, fabric choice and needle.  Now I don't know if you realize this but a brand new needle out of the package can have flaws. I recently tried a new brand from a local big box store and every machine needle in the pack was off center.  By that I mean the flat part of the needle back and the eye were not struck the same.  When sewing, my thread kept shredding if it picked up at all. Have you seen a lowering of quality in your sewing needles lately?  Maybe other notions you usually purchase are not up to the norm? Buying your supplies from the cheapest outlet will sometimes lead to disappointment. I know I won't buy that brand anymore.

Here is another sign that the needle needs to be changed. You are sewing along and you start to see the bobbin thread. Normally on my flatbed machine, I don't need to adjust the bobbin tension at all.  On my multi needle, I usually check the tension at each bobbin change.  When my flatbed single needle starts acting up like the picture above it is usually an indication that the needle has become dull.  Instead of piercing the fabric and moving in between the thread fibers, it will pound the top thread down. It may look like white space or poorly digitized fill shapes at the join areas.  You may even hear a distinct sound change in your machine as this happens. 

Here is a second stitch out after a needle change.  Look how much smoother the fill is with no separation of thread at the junctions.  Everything is the same except the needle. I used the same design, kept the original hooping, original stabilizer, bobbin and thread.  When you change one thing at a time, you can isolate the problem more easily.  

This was the needle I changed to.  I have a local sewing machine dealership and the owner has been repairing sewing machines for longer than most people in my age group have been alive. He has seen it all.  On a recent trip to his store and in speaking to him about my needle woes he recommended I keep these in my studio. They did the trick on my flatbed machine.  Like a knife through hot butter. Just a plug for your local dealership or quilt shop. They have so much knowledge and training. It is worth it to drop by and talk to them. They love helping you with sewing and embroidery.

So here is that stitch out comparison again. What a difference a new needle can make. What does all of this have to do with resolutions?  If you need a New Year change and aren't sure where to start, here it is. Change your needle.  You can do this one. I hope  you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

Your bobbin case gets a lot of use in your embroidery machine.  Think of it like your car. You maintain it by keeping gas in the tank, changing the oil and washing it on a regular basis.  For bigger problems, you have a mechanic look at it and if needed you replace parts. 

Your bobbin case and bobbin area on your machine needs to be maintained by cleaning and applying oil on a regular basis.  Through use, the bobbin case that holds your thread can become damaged if you have dropped it or you might not be able to adjust the tension to your normal setting. So the case might need to be replaced with a new one.  I have had bobbins work one day and the next day when I turn on my machine, they are extremely loose on the tension. After cleaning and trying to adjust them with no success, I will usually put them through my Bobbin Tension Gauge to see if the thread pulls off smoothly. If I see any jumping or uneven movement of the bobbin in the case, it is an indication the case may be warped or "Out Of Round".

A good clean bobbin with tension adjustments appropriate for your machine, thread, fabric etc will usually produce even separation of color. This example shows the upper thread on the outside blue color and the inner white bobbin thread.

A dirty bobbin can cause the middle or bobbin thread to look very jagged. When I see this in my stitches, especially satin, I will normally pull the bobbin thread out of the case and clean underneath the tension area with a business card.  Sometimes that is all it takes along with using your tension gauge and adjusting the small screw on the side. If all of this fails, you may have a bobbin case that is out of round from wear or being dropped. It doesn't take much as the small metal flanges on the side are thin. You will feel a wobble when you pull the thread off the bobbin. 

It is a good idea to keep extra bobbin cases with your machine spare parts.  They aren't expensive and you can find the part number through your manufacturer or dealer. Another place to look is your owner's manual. I have a video below you can watch that shows how to clean the tension area and what the bobbin will look like with a wobble. This one was replaced and my machine is back to smooth stitching. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

Christmas is almost here and our area is experiencing one of the coldest weather spells we have had in years.  I thought a mug rug would be perfect to enjoy some hot cocoa with.  It has been a while since I released a fringe design so my Fringe Christmas Tree Mug Rug is in my store today.

This embroidery design has a lot of different skills for such a quick project. You will have quilting. I love the Christmas tree motif that fills in the background.

There is raw edge applique on the trunk and the tree. This reduces the stitch count and makes it easier to work with the next step which is the fringe.

Fringe on your embroidery machine is a lot of fun. You will need to do some creative cutting on the bobbin threads once everything has completed. Don't worry, there are color instructions included.

A blunt object or your fingernail will pull those loops to the front. It is very satisfying to complete this step.

A little hand sewing and pressing then VOILA, you have a mug rug.  I can see you now sipping something hot while you watch Christmas movies or the kids opening gifts.  If you would like to see the entire project come together, watch the instruction video 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.

This information is helpful and I think it would be a fun way for you to play with your machine even if you don't have a Baby Lock or Brother. Sometimes we need to move through all of the menu items and just look.  Also, that quick read you did on the owner's manual when you opened your machine the first time has probably been forgotten. You may have some of these options available in your embroidery machine but you won't know unless you get brave and search.

A patch is usually a series of steps and all you have to do is let each one stitch out, then perform a task.  If you have a run stitch and a satin stitch shape in your machine that are roughly the same size, you should be able to create a patch. My Baby Lock also has an Applique button so it will turn a run stitch shape into an applique with a satin outline.

In between those two steps there will usually be a tack down stitch that will sew and then stop allowing you to remove the hoop and carefully trim away the excess fabric.  You don't have to have a satin outline on your patch. You could do raw edge applique, frayed edges on your fabric, decorative stitching, blanket stitching etc... In addition to the Applique button, you can manually add each step into the machine. You might prefer that method as it is a great way to become familiar with how patches will run on the machine.  

If you have purchased a blank patch embroidery design like these, you can add your own fonts or text from the machine catalog. In the Baby Lock you press the add button and it will take you to the design area. So many fonts are available and you can resize them to fit inside the patch.

Your patch can be embroidered onto a clothing item or if you use Wash away cutaway stabilizer, you could have a patch with clean satin edges ready to adhere with stitches, glue or adhesive to an item like a beanie or shirt.

I made this quick patch using the manual process in my Baby Lock and I filmed a video to show you the applique and manual processes. Don't forget, I have digitized several blank patch designs in my store also. Just in case you don't have time to play and you need something right now. Are you ready to design a patch without software? Click on the video below and I know it will make you curious about your machine for sure. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

Christmas usually signals cute gifts or promotional products. Machine embroidery on toilet paper can be a great inexpensive item that you can gift to so many different people or organizations. It is not hard to accomplish but you do need embroidery designs specifically digitized for toilet paper.  

I have six new embroidery designs ready to help you with those gift exchanges, secret Santa games or possible promotion if you have an embroidery business.
​Click on the link and you will be taken to the store page.

Some people will only use really thick toilet paper, but I have used both thick and cheaper brands. To accommodate the thin paper, just fold the end of the roll over itself several times. I hoop cutaway stabilizer and use a little spray adhesive to hold it in place while it sews. 

In fact I buy the cases at my local Sam's Club and as of this blog post they are about .54 cents each.  I also use the Great Value brand twist tie bags to wrap the completed rolls in.  They are currently .03 cents each and you get 100 in a box.  So with my time , stabilizer and the material cost I can make a promotional item or gift for very little money.  I know you have a list of people like teachers, doctors, dentists, veterinarian etc that you might need a small gift for. Here are a few pictures of the Toilet Paper Embroidery designs available in my store.

Are you ready to try your hand at Embroidery on Toilet paper or do you just want to see how it is done?  I have a video you can watch below that will show a complete design being sewn.  I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

Do you need a cute Santa Hat to wear to work or a party this holiday season?  I have a brand new Bah Humbug Santa Hat Embroidery Design being released today. It is digitized for two layers of fabric and cute text. You can customize it so may different ways and I know you will get the most comments from friends and family. Here is a little bit about the design.

Look at those two fabrics I used. An animal print and a polka dot! Who would have thought they would look so cute together?  Then I topped it off with Lime green thread for the text.

Santa hats come in lots of colors and sizes. This one is an adult large and I used T Pins to secure it to the stabilizer while it sewed out. It really is a versatile design because you can change Bah Humbug Santa Hat Embroidery Design to any fabric and thread color that matches your Santa Hat

Look at that grumpy bear. This would be so perfect as a gift to that person who walks around saying Bah Humbug!  If you want to see how easy it stitches out, watch the instruction video 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.

Free standing lace embroidery designs are fun to make especially when you add mylar.  Christmas is a perfect time to go over the top with sparkle. Mylar gift wrap is very inexpensive and comes in alot of colors so you can create an infinity of different looks. I am releasing a brand new set of FSL Mylar Christmas Embroidery designs.

The most important thing to remember about free standing lace is to use a matching bobbin.  You will see both sides of the finished project and since this is designed to hang on a Christmas tree or wreath, you want both sides to be pretty.

Another great tip is to use two pieces of wash away stabilizer. This gives extra structure while the design sews out. I like to use silver Mylar because it is a great neutral to let your thread colors really show.

A FSL embroidery design will have loose fills to capture and tack the Mylar. It should also stitch around the perimeter enough to perforate the Mylar so you can tear it away.

Once you have removed the Mylar, a satin outline will clean everything up.

A short dip into some warm water will melt the stabilizer away. Not too long though. If you leave a little of that stabilizer in the design, it will dry just a bit stiffer. Here are the six designs included in the FSL Mylar Christmas Ornament Set

A Christmas Bird With Heart Wing

A Sparkly Christmas Tree With Red Trim

A Christmas Present

A Christmas Ornament that can be changed to so many different colors.

A Christmas Star

A Christmas Poinsettia. Stitch this is White or Red

Each design has less than 7000 stitches and they sew up within 15 minutes. You can either embroider them individually in a 4x4 hoop or gang them up in a larger one to save stabilizer.  I have an instruction video below you can watch that will show how fun and easy these are created. I bet your kids or grandkids would love making these! How about slipping these ornaments into your Christmas Cards this year?  These would also be great stocking stuffers for teachers, your doctor, dentist, postal carrier or any other person you want to give a small item to. 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 time is here to get those Christmas cards in the mail if you want them to arrive in time.  I am releasing a brand new design today that will stitch a card using your embroidery machine. The Holy Night Card design is easy to complete. All you need is blank greeting cards designed to do embroidery on. OR... Heavy duty card stock. At least 80 pound similar to business cards. You can cut your cards to the size indicated in the pattern download and get to stitching.

I picked up these greeting cards from the OESD booth at the Houston quilt show and wanted to design a card for the Christmas Holidays.  They do make it really easy since the envelopes come in the package also. Your local quilt shops probably have these in stock right now so they would be a great place to check.

You will use tearaway stabilizer in your hoop and once the placement line sews, adhesive spray.  This keeps the card in place while stitching. Use the embroidery thread of your choice also. 

Within about 15 minutes, you will have a completed card. Pretty paper and glue can be used to cover up the inside where all of the bobbin threads will show.  Want to see how this Holy Night Card sews up?  Watch the instruction video 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. 

My latest design is an In The Hoop Koozie.  Even better, there are four different designs in the set.  These are perfect for those family and friends who are crafters.  If you are looking for stocking stuffers or inexpensive gifts, these are a really great option.

Each design stitches out in an 8x12 hoop.  You will use a piece of fleece so it is a good stash buster for those smaller leftover pieces.  Three of the designs will sew these cute sewing machines all over and have a place to add your own monogram like the one above.

They also have cute little sayings on the bottom of the koozie. This one is for embroidery lovers.

There is one for sewing lovers

I couldn't leave out those quilting lovers

The fourth design has sewing machines all over it and the bottom is plain. So you can make bunches of these up in advance and pass them out at your next quilt guild or hand out to friends and family who love to craft.

The design stitches out in about 25 minutes and is so simple. You will do some creative cutting in the hoop and then flipping of fabric. It really is a fun project to complete.

The koozies aren't insulated, but fleece feels so good and I am a person that loves tactile things.  Holding a can or bottle of water with one of these elevates it in my opinion. Not to mention you can keep up with whose is whose in a group setting.  So are you interested to see how these In The Hoop Koozies stitch up?  There is an instruction video you can watch 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.

Have you ever walked around your fabric department and a fabric spoke to you?  That is what happened to me with this quilt project. I wanted to make a quilt for my mom but my inspiration mojo was at a low point. I wanted something feminine for a ladies bedroom but I didn't feel like a whole lot of piecing. So I let the fabric "speak to me".  As soon as I saw the bee print, my plan began formulating.

Isn't this so pretty? It just looks inviting. I could imagine my mom snuggled underneath.  I went in search of other fabric that would be a good match.

Now quilt math and calculating fabric are a another story for me.  I freely admit that I am no expert and if a math problem has more than two parts, I am at a loss.  Quilt math reminds me of word problems.  Yuck. There is light at the end of the tunnel though in the form of a wonderful website. Quilters Paradise.  They have several FREE calculators that will take away the math pressure and allow you to just be creative.

I decided to treat the bee fabric as a panel and then sew increasing borders around it.  The border calculator allows you to enter the measurements of the center part of your quilt top and then add up to five borders.  It will tell you how much yardage to purchase.

They have a batting and backing calculator and a binding calculator also.  I like to use these before I make my shopping trip so I am prepared to purchase. Really the fabric is enough stimulation in the store. I don't need to add math in the mix. Check out the Quilter Paradise story and their retail store. They have such an interesting background.

I wanted to incorporate some embroidery on the quilt top so I digitized the bee logo from the fabric and added quilting as an applique.

Here is that central focus fabric with the embroidery and two of the three borders. On my shopping trip I also looked for a special trim that I could use to break up the center panel.

I pinned it across and then used a zig zag seam to attach. Something this small can make a big impact. Up to this point, I really haven't done much piecing either.  So this top came together really quickly. I think I had it ready to go on the longarm frame in three days from initial cutting.

Here it is loaded up on my frame ready to quilt.  Since there are multiple borders, I decided to do different quilting patterns on each. Now I did work vertically down  the quilt and once I got all of the borders done across, I took the whole quilt off the frame and rotated it.  Then loaded it back on the frame and quilted the two side borders.  That way I didn't have to chunk any borders or figure any math as I was advancing the quilt in my frame.

Look how pretty all of those feathers are on the back.  That center oval is where the embroidery was and I had plans for it. I put the quilt label inside.

Here is a view of the label without my heartfelt quote. Some things are between a mom and a daughter..... You can see that I added another cute bee and I did hand sew with turned edge applique.

I had extra fabric and trim so I made a small throw pillow that she can decorate with.  

The best part of making a quilt as a gift is seeing it in the space it will be used. I think it matches my mom's bed perfectly.  She loved it and I even got to talk to her the day after she slept under it for the first time. That is a memory that will stay with me. Maybe you have been inspired to sew a simple quilt using a focus fabric you love. I filmed a video you can watch below showing more of my process and even the quilting in case you want to see how that came together on the longarm. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

Veterans Day is this week and this is a time to thank those who have served.  Our little community always has special events for the local veterans and it makes me proud to see. My dad served in the Navy during the Vietnam war and did two tours. Then he enlisted in the Army National Guard. I grew up with Army green supplies and Meals Ready To Eat in the house.  We loved the Chiclet gum in those meal kits. I have fond memories of my dad and his sense of duty and honor to country.  So I am always proud to make something for a Veteran and one of my recent quilts was specially made to donate.

I started with a panel from Northcott Fabrics.  This jumped out at me when I was shopping my local fabric store.  I thought it would be a perfect throw size quilt.  Now this pattern is not my original idea. I have seen many people online cutting a panel and adding strips. It just seemed like an easy project to get done as I had recently finished a harder quilt.  Sometimes you have to give your craft brain a rest and this did just that.

I used the panel and a yard of gray fabric.  I cut about 12 inches off the yardage and sewed it to the bottom of the panel and then to the top so it was a loop of fabric.  Then I cut six even strips lengthwise and cut the looped fold so I had 6 inches of yardage on top and bottom of the panel. The strips of gray fabric were cut 2 inches wide and pieced so they were as long as the panel strips. A 1/4 inch seam allowance was used to sew them all together. This is easy straight seams but I would advise using pins to keep the strips from stretching as you sew.

Here is the panel and strips sewn together. Even though the print is separated, your brain "sees" it together. Kind of cool and it levels up the print so it is a bit fancy. Pressing as you go really helps this process also.  You could stop right here but I decided to add some borders.

Red white and blue border strips were cut 2 1/2 inches wide and then sewn round robin style. Again pressing each one keeps it flat. I also made sure that all of the loose threads were trimmed before I quilted it. My white, blue and red fabrics were side by side and I didn't want any loose threads showings through the white.

Here is the quilt after I pulled it off my Handi Quilter longarm machine. An edge to edge star pattern was used.

I trimmed the quilt and sewed the binding strips by machine so it would be nice and sturdy.

Now that is a beautiful simple quilt and I delivered it to my brother when I travelled to Houston for the quilt show.  He is a member of a Veterans Riding group and I can't wait to see what they decide to do with this quilt. I filmed a video showing a more in depth look at how I sewed and quilted this project. You can watch it below. Has this inspired you to make a quilt for a veteran or organization? 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 Houston International quilt festival has been on my bucket list for many years and I finally got to check it off.  I have heard that it is the convention where you will see new items, techniques and get inspired.  It was definitely all that.

Now I live about 12 hours from Houston so we decided to break the trip up by staying in Natchitoches Louisiana the first night.  The length of the drive is doable in a day for me but I have a soft place in my heart for this little historic town.  My husband and I both spent time at Northwestern State University and we have many fond memories of the Christmas Festival of Lights, Cane River, Front Street, Restaurants, Bed and Breakfasts, Pecans from Little Eva Plantation and so many other things. So it is always a place we will try to get a visit into. 

Gumbo-YUM!

This bread pudding from Fontenot's Restaurant is some of the best I have ever had.

Even though we haven't reached Thanksgiving, the town was already setting up for the Christmas Festival of Lights. Here is an iconic light fixture on Cane River

I have to give some love to Lasyonne's Meat Pie Restaurant.  This was our breakfast Thursday morning before we pulled out of town.

We had an obligatory stop at Toledo Town which is right before you cross the Toledo Bend Reservoir bridge into Texas.  This is a spot my husband loves because of the fishing tackle.  

We made sure to drive slow enough to Hit Lufkin Texas right about lunchtime so we could eat at another old haunt of ours. Cafe Del Rio has some of our favorite Mexican food.  Order the green sauce and you will know why. Cool creamy and addictive with their hot crispy tortilla chips. Can you tell we judge our trips by the food?  If you travel with us, you are gonna eat well.

We pulled into Houston on Thursday afternoon and Friday Morning bright and early an Uber picked us up at my brother's house.  This was a first time for me and I am now hooked on the Uber app.  I think the worry of driving and finding a parking place in a downtown area or garage is one of the worst parts of travel.  No more because I now understand why so many people say they just "grab an Uber"

I met the Gourmet Quilter. I couldn't believe she travelled all the way from New Zealand and I was worried about finding a parking spot. This lovely lady got me through Covid quarantine. She had so many videos to watch I was constantly learning something new.

I saw Emily who is the Collage Quilter. She was plenty busy so I didn't get to talk to her. I love her quilting designs. If you haven't seen her work, check it out.

Here is a lineup of guests at the All Brands Booth.  SO many talented people.

I got to visit with Becky from Power Tools With Thread.  We had a nice chat and she was super popular. I saw a lot of people coming up for photos with her.

Adam from Adam Sew Fun is one of my favorites.  If you have never seen his videos, look him up on YouTube.  I have learned so much from him and he is always being brave and trying new things with his Long Arm machine.  He is also a hot Handi Quilter Ambassador traveling all over the country teaching.

Kaffe Fassett was on one of the main stages. He was very popular as you can see. I was at the back of the standing room only crowd. Did I mention there were quilts there?  LOTS of beautiful quilts to get you inspired and make you drool.

 I also brought several quilts to my family that I had been working on. My car was stacked with them. It felt really good to pass on those beautiful quilts that they will enjoy using. 

When we got home, I was welcomed by this beautiful mum in my yard. I had to share this because it came from a very small piece that broke off another one last year. I nursed it all last winter and look how beautiful! What wonderful memories I have from this trip.  I feel so lucky to have been able to go and that we can congregate once again with others that enjoy our crafting journey. I have a video you can watch below with more footage from my travel.  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 and I have been seeing my Original Faux Leather Beanie Patch Design  being a very popular download recently.  One of my YouTube viewers asked if I could make more patches but larger for longer names. So that is just what I did. The original design completes a patch that is roughly 1.5 inches high x 3.3 inches wide. Here are the new sizes available in my store.

There is a 1.5 x 4 inch Beanie Patch Design that will require at least a 5x7 hoop.  The original design was sampled in a 5x5 Mighty hoop, but this one will exceed that sewing space. You can use regular hoops or sticky stabilizer and fast frames.

A 1.5 x 5 inch Beanie Patch Design will give extra stitching room.  It requires at least a 5x7 hoop as well. If you are curious, you can read my older post here also.

The largest is a 1.5 x 6 inch Beanie Patch Design.  This will give you maximum stitching room to fill up the front of a beanie. It will also stitch in a 5x7 hoop and you may need to rotate your beanie when sewing out or the hoop position in your machine.

Here is a view of them side by side so you can see what they look like.  There is also a Plain Beanie Embroidered Patch Set available in my store now. So if you want to have all four sizes available, you can.

There is a video you can watch below to see how my original design stitched out on a beanie. These new longer designs will embroider similarly. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

Brand new Embroidery designs are being released today for Fake Fur.  I know you might not want to think about it, but Christmas is really close. For those in the decorating world, our season is already underway.  Stockings and Santa Hats are a big part of this time of year and fake fur will surely be at least one item you might be asked to embroider.

The Fake Fur Underlay design pack includes six different sizes you can place on your fake fur item and then add additional embroidery right over it. This will keep the fur pile laying down so your embroidery doesn't get swallowed up.  Another name you may have heard this called is a "Knockdown Stitch"  I like to call it a global underlay because that is a great way to think about it.  It is essentially a light density fill underlay that covers the "global size of the design" Stabilizer is a matter of choice when using these designs. If your fake fur is very stable and you have a Mighty Hoop, you may not even need stabilizer. It is best to make samples before you try the designs on Client items.  Fake fur differs between manufacturers. If you feel a stabilizer is needed or you are floating the items, tearaway can be used or sticky stabilizer for hard to hoop items.

Each design in the Fake Fur Underlay pack is going to have a height slightly larger than 2 inches.  In researching Christmas Stockings and Santa Hats, the 2- 3 inch cuff is pretty common, so each design should fit well within that standard height.  The widths will vary from 3 to 8.25 inches. So you should be able to find a global underlay design in this pack that will work for you as long as it will fit your hoop and the item to be embroidered on. Don't forget you can take seams out of items, do the embroidery and then re sew the seams.  This is a common practice on things that are too tight to get in your hoop or over the arm of your embroidery machine.

As a bonus, the Christmas Text Design above is included in the download also.  So are you ready to get started on your seasonal embroidery?  I have a video below you can watch that shows how the designs will stitch out. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

If you have been doing embroidery for any length of time, you have probably received a request for patches. They are very popular to wear on clothing or add to accessories. Different groups are also known for them like law enforcement, fire departments and motorcycle riders to name a few.  I have a brand new Blank Patch Embroidery design that is perfect to practice your patch making skills with. It finishes to 3.25 x 2.5 inches and can be made in a 4x4 hoop.

Since it is a plain patch design, you can add your own embroidery elements to it and customize. If you are not certain how to make the patches, I have a brand new video you can watch that shows the material I use as well as different tips for success.

I have found this Poly Patch Twill from DIME and it is one of my new favorite tools in my embroidery studio. There are many colors to choose from and it already has been stabilized. This makes for easier prep work.

I use my Silhouette Cameo to cut the twill and have good success with getting nice clean edges.

Here is an example of a test cut using the Silhouette. A cutting machine isn't the only way to prepare your patch fabric. You can also trace the paper pattern included in the download and use scissors or a rotary blade. If you do have an electronic cutter, an SVG file is included in the Patch design download for your use.

Once the patches are sewn there is final clean up work that needs to be done. This is just a teaser for you as the video has so much information , I know you will enjoy watching it. So drop below and click on the link. Don't forget to look  for my new Blank Patch 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.