Sewing circles can be accomplished several different ways.  You can physically draw a circle on your fabric and then carefully follow that line in a freehand style with your sewing machine.  You can also use an attachment for your machine that is usually screwed to the bed around the sewing foot. These range in price and can really stretch your wallet.  I did a brief search and here are a few examples I found.

Another option is to use a template.  I have designed one that will allow you to sew circles from 2 inches up to 20 inches. The concept isn't something I invented. In fact it has been around for quite some time, but I think you will like the simplicity of creating and using this one. The digital download is available in my store here.

One of the hardest things to do when sewing circles is getting them equally spaced; especially if you want to sew concentric circles that get bigger each round.  A template and marking your center will make that a lot easier.  

Here is the magic piece of equipment.  A small tack or lapel pin and some masking tape.  You can sew circles right now if you have these two tools.  Just push the tack through the tape making sure the sticky side is facing the machine bed.  Put the fabric over the tack and sew. One other important thing is to either interface your fabric or use a light tear away stabilizer.  If your fabric is very soft or stretchy, it will tend to get pulled and distorted by the feed dogs.  Then your circles won't be very symmetrical. 

Why is the Sew Circles Template helpful if you know the tack and tape will work?  Exact measurements and placement of your circles. Let's say you are sewing a quilt and you want to put circles in just the right spot.  In fact you want to quilt the top using circles.  Knowing where those will land and how big they  need to be will make your finished project so much better.

You can also do applique on top of a project using a template. Just layer the base fabric and the applique fabric.   Sew a circle, trim the fabric away then satin stitch around the edges all without removing the fabric from the machine. The template makes exact size and placement easier and quicker.  In fact you can sew almost hands free. 

Moving the tack to new size locations on the template is very easy with the masking tape.  You can see I am lifting the template here, inserting the pin and then it will be placed on the machine bed for sewing. All you need to know is how big you want to sew your circle. Push the pin through the appropriate hole in the template and stitch. I bet you would enjoy sewing round pillows this way over trying to do them freehand. Just layer the two fabrics right sides together and sew around. Leave a small opening for turning. You could really get some projects done quickly.

If you are interested in how the Sew Circles Template is made, I have an  instruction video below. It shows you all of the steps, how to calibrate the template to your particular machine foot, and a few sewing tips. Your creativity with it is unlimited. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work. 

Spring is starting to show herself in our area and I am ready with a brand new embroidery design.  This is an In The Hoop Plant Stake. We usually start seeds growing in multiple areas of our home this time of year.  Sometimes we start them indoors because of the threat of cool nights.  Other more hardy seeds or bulbs are in outdoor pots, beds or the ground. We can get too energetic and forget what we have planted.  This embroidery design will allow you to use your seed packets while protecting them from the weather.

I found other ready to purchase options online, but in all of the review comments, the main complaint was the top opening.  This allowed moisture to fill up the plastic and the seed packet deteriorated quickly.  My In The Hoop Plant Stake is designed for the opening to be at the bottom so once your seed packet is installed, it will be safer. The interior plastic is also folded at the bottom. This creates a small lip where the packet sits. I also like that you can see from the front or the back.  All of your seed packet information is available like germination times, plant heights and planting times by area.  There is a small pocket where you will insert a dowel so you can place your plant stake wherever you want in your garden.

This project uses plastic that is purchased in the decorator section of your fabric store. The same type that you might use to cover your dining room table. It is easy to work with and usually inexpensive.

The entire project is completed in one 5x7 hooping. There is some creative cutting that allows you to fold the design down while in the hoop. Masking tape holds all of your pieces in place while they are sewing.

With a little trimming the project gets neatened up and you are ready to insert the dowel and seed packet.  I think you could also use this to decorate other plants for special occasions. Or you could insert pretty cards to change the seasons.  The options are endless.

You can find dowels in the craft section of your big box store. They are typically found in packs so you should be able to make multiples of this project very easily.

Has the sunshine been peeking out in your area and are you inspired to create some of these In The Hoop Plant Stakes? Look for the instruction video below to watch this project come together. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

Who else is getting itchy feet to travel?  I sure am.  In my part of the world, we have many gray days this time of year and the urge to visit someplace warm and tropical is usually starting.  The last two years have only increased this feeling as we have really begun to feel the need to stretch our surroundings. So I am releasing a brand new In The Hoop Luggage Tag design. I have a feeling travel will be in my future and yours.

 This project is very quick and easy to complete.  Notice I chose denim fabric and it has pinked edges to avoid raveling.  In fact, I used recycled blue jean material which is a bonus. You could use old pants in your closet and make something brand new for each member traveling in your group.  

The front and back of the design are sewn in two separate 5x7 hoopings.  Look how cute the little airplane is buzzing through the sky.  Snaps can be color coordinated with your thread and fabric. The hanger I used is made of ribbon, but you could use cord or decorative elastic.

The inside of the In The Hoop Luggage Tag has more cute text and a clear pocket.  As an extra "Lagniappe" the design download includes a printout of the paper template you see in the clear pocket.  So you can make a bunch, print off the inserts and fill out all of the important information.

If you have never sewn with clear plastic before, this project is a great way to try it out.  You can find the plastic in the decorator section of your fabric store.  Your embroidery machine will do just fine and because the foot is slightly higher than a normal sewing machine, it will glide over the plastic without sticking.

A few pieces of masking tape will secure it in place while the stitching happens.

So are you getting excited to plan a trip?  You don't have to go very far or spend several days. In fact if you have been staying home like us, taking an overnight trip somewhere will probably be just enough to get started.  If you have matching luggage in your vehicle, this In The Hoop luggage tag will let everyone know whose suitcase belongs to them

If you are interested to see how the In The Hoop Luggage Tag is created, I have an instruction video you can watch below. It will take you through all of the steps.  I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

A Brand New embroidery design is being released today. It is the In The Hoop Bunny Bum.  I think you are going to really enjoy this little project because it can be finished two different ways. It has some unique steps in the design to allow you to complete the entire process in one 5x7 hooping.

Look closely and you will see one of the finished Bunnies has a hanging ribbon on the top.  The other bunny is installed on a dowel. The front shows all of the sweet details of a smiling bunny rabbit.

When you turn them over, you see the details of the feet and a cute fluffy fringed tail.  A ribbon bow tie finishes everything up.

Look how cute that Bunny Bum is.  When I designed this I imagined spring time wreaths on front doors.  If you made several In The Hoop Bunny Bums, you could insert them facing both directions around the wreath.

Or you could stick the dowel into a house plant or flowers as an added decoration. Tie a pretty satin bow around the pot and you have a cute springtime gift for someone!

Decorate a small tabletop tree for springtime with several different pastel bunnies.

Or you can add bunnies to your Easter baskets in between all of the other goodies. These would look so sweet on your desk at work.  Teachers would love these as a gift.

One fun technique is adding the ears so they stand up. Your embroidery machine does the stitching. 

The tail is another fun part because it is digitized to be fringed. Here you see the trimming that will create that fluffy look.

Here is a sneak peek at the creative cutting you do in the hoop so the design can be completed in one 5x7 hooping.

Everything is turned out here and ready to stuff with fiberfill. If you have remnants of fleece in your stash, you can see that this little design would make great use of them.   

If you don't have dowels, you can use take out chopsticks.  That would be a great way to recycle!  Hot glue keeps the dowel where it needs to be while you hand sew the bunny closed.

Are you ready to create your own In The Hoop Bunny Bum? Maybe you are inspired to start pulling out those springtime decorations. In my area, we are trimming back our plants, cleaning out flower beds and looking through seed catalogs. Just a few more weeks and we will start to see those early spring flowers pop up. 

If you would like to see how this project comes 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.

My latest embroidery design is releasing today and it has so many techniques in it. I think for a small project you will love trying all of the different things I have packed into this design. It is the In The Hoop Lucky Towel Topper. Lets take a look at it.

The inspiration for this embroidery design started here. I purchased this decorative towel from my local Dollar Tree so it begins with an inexpensive item. Even better, you can cut the towel in half and make two towel toppers. 

The towel topper has many different parts.  There is a tab that will be used to attach it to your oven or dishwasher handle. The body of the topper has quilting and also notice the nicely hemmed edges.  Applique is laid down and then decorative text is sewn. I used a variegated rainbow thread to add to my St. Patrick's Day Theme.  Keep in mind that you can be "Lucky" any time of year so this project could be used with plain towels and other fabrics. I see all kinds of cute items in my local stores and the word "Lucky" is sprinkled all over the place.

You can embellish your towel with RicRac and buttons also. I used my sewing machine and a needle and thread for this part of the project. Let your imagination run wild and use up some of those smaller bits and pieces in your stash.

A 5x7 hoop with tearaway stabilizer is used for the topper portion of the project.  Then a second embroidery design is included so you can install the towel inside the topper with wash away cutaway stabilizer. The design sews a placement line that tells you where to place the finished topper and then sews across to secure your towel. If you have a sewing machine you can quickly sew with that instead. Cutting that towel in half reduces the bulk so your embroidery machine foot can handle it. 

One of the neat techniques you will use is creative folding and pressing on the tab. The In The Hoop Lucky Towel Topper download includes a graphic you can print out that has instructions for the tab piece of fabric.  Hem tape and your iron will morph this fabric into a nice tab with a finished edge and enclosed seam.  You won't have to pull out your sewing machine for this part.

Iron on Hem tape will also help you create finished hems on the front and the back of the topper fabrics.  It is a nice detail that keeps your project looking professional. It also makes it ready to insert your towel with minimal effort.

Fusible fleece is a fun product used on the front fabric that will give your project a nice quilted look. The appliqued front will give you a chance to do some trimming with your scissors or an SVG cut file is included in the design download that you can use with your cutting machine.

Here is the topper once it has been completed and pressed.  All of that happens in your 5x7 embroidery hoop. It is ready for the towel to be slipped into it.  You decide how long you want your project to be. So put the towel just inside the topper or move it into the upper area for a shorter finished product.

Here is a view of the second included embroidery design attaching the towel to the topper. Masking tape is used throughout the project to hold your pieces in place while they stitch. Of course if you have a sewing machine and it would be quicker for you to just sew the towel into the topper with a seam across, that is another option.

This view shows the wash away cutaway stabilizer removed and you can see the fabric is damp around that seam line. Marks for the snaps can also be seen in the tab.  It is generous in length and you can adjust that with the placement of your snaps depending on where you will be hanging your In The Hoop Lucky Towel Topper.

Once you have finished all of your embellishments, you will have a cute and unique finished product. You can see that this little design has a lot going on. So you will have an opportunity to try different techniques and products.  I love having fun and learning while I create.

If you are interested in watching this project come together, I have an instruction video below. It takes you through the entire process so you can follow along as you create your topper. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

Valentine's Day is fast approaching and Hearts are everywhere in our local stores.  So in honor of that upcoming day, I am releasing a brand new simple Fringe Heart Embroidery design.

I really like quick and easy designs for those last minutes projects and this one will most certainly fit that description.  In a short time, you can put this on pillows, T-Shirts, quilts or anywhere you want to spread some love.

I used a variegated thread on my sample so you could see that by making a unique thread choice, you will have a lot of options to use this design; not just for Valentines Day, but for other occasions. Moms, Dads, Grandparents and Kids are happy to receive some love.  The inside is blank so you can customize it with your own text.

The design stitches out with a wide satin and you can see the inner zig zag stitching also. This is important because you have to have something to hold those long threads in place for your upcoming trimming.

When you are ready to create the fringe, flip the hoop over and slide a small pair of scissors underneath the bobbin threads. Carefully snip those and the long fringe threads will be released.

Here is everything trimmed away and ready to turn over. Keeping the design in your hoop during this part will make it easier to trim as the hoop keeps it taut.

Then use a blunt object or your fingernail to gently pull the fringe to the front of the hoop.  It's that easy.  

Interested in trying fringe embroidery for free?  Check out this cute little Caterpillar available in my Free Embroidery Designs.

Have I got your creative ideas for Valentine's Day perking?  Visit my store here to see the new Fringe Heart Embroidery Design. Watch the short video below to see this design come to life.  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 here and my first design is being released today.  How about a Round Tuit Coffee Mug Wrap designed for the procrastinator in you?  This time of year is kind of dreaded by a lot of people isn't it?  There are a lot of things ending and life slows to a crawl for celebrations. Then the normal get back to work tasks creep back in.  The hardest part is getting started. So I designed this mug wrap to remind myself that I will                                     "Get Around To It" 

I am a hot beverage lover and real coffee mugs are necessary in my opinion.  It is truly a small pleasure that I indulge in daily.  There is something so decadent in sitting quietly with a warm mug enveloped in a quilted wrap.  I chose a floral fabric for this wrap and the quilting looks so pretty. I look forward to using it on my favorite pink mug.

This project has some applique in it so small pieces in your stash can be used up.  The design will require at least a 6x10 hoop and the entire wrap will be completed in one hooping except for a small opening to turn.

The text is really cute and simple.  I think the sky is the limit with color choices in fabric and thread.  

A button finishes everything off. If you are like me, you probably have a lot of buttons in your stash that need a project home.

What a bright and cheerful wrap.  I love the colors. Now instead of procrastinating, I can say I am going to get "Round To It"

Get The Round Tuit It Coffee Mug Wrap Embroidery Design here. I hope your New Year is going great so far and you are working on all of those needed tasks in your world. Remember to add in some time to be creative too. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

Happy New Year to you in your part of the world.  In honor of this day, I am releasing a brand new FREE New Year Ball Drop Embroidery Design. This is a fun one because you can play with MYLAR to add some sparkle. It has also been digitized for Knitwear. So decorate those T Shirts or Sweatshirts.

First there will be a placement line that will tell you where to place the MYLAR.

You can use whatever color you can find in the gift wrap section of your store and let your machine sew it down. I like to add a few small pieces of tape while it sews.

It will add amazing sparkle. I also used a variegated thread color on my sample above. Look how pretty all of those colors came out.  The MYLAR has also been pulled away for the remaining elements to sew.

Festive, Fun and you get three different sizes in the download. There is a 5x7, 6x10 and 9x12 (or 9x9 for JEF machines)  So you can stitch out one for each family member.  One more creative idea is to use some Glow In The Dark thread.  Perfect to see while you watch those fireworks!

Now you can see the original design does not have a year on it. That is because I want you to be able to sew it in the future. You can add your own fonts to customize the date like the picture above.

If you don't have MYLAR, no problem. It will look like the shirt above. Just an open fill with no sparkle.

Or just leave the year date off and your shirt can be used in the future. So many ideas for you to be able to celebrate the New Year Ball Drop anywhere in the world. My family will celebrate close to home this year which is perfect for us. When caring for a Mylar design, I would wash on delicate or hand wash and line dry.

Get this and lots of other FREE EMBROIDERY DESIGNS 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.  See you next year!

My latest project was quick, easy and fun.  Yesterday was Christmas and I usually receive at least one gift with great smelling lotions, bath salts and perfume.  My favorites for sure.  If you have read many of my other posts, I am a saver of things that can be used again, recycled or repurposed.  Well, you know that means the bag that contained all of the toiletry items will become something I plan on using instead of throwing away.  I even save the hard paper inserts.  They are perfect for gift tags. Look at the deep purple color inside that bag. I can cut that apart and use it for lots of projects. The plastic bag could be taken apart and used for in the hoop applique projects and there is also a perfectly good zipper. So how much would those items cost if you purchased them separately? Or what would this bag cost you if purchased?  Not to mention it would be a shame to toss it in a landfill.

There aren't too many things that need to be covered up once the paper and tags have been removed.  Just the top band has writing and that will be easy to disguise.  So, if you have something like this from your gifts, hang on to them and maybe try this project..

How cute is this?  It took me less than an hour to do everything on this bag. So how did I get it done?

First I measured the area on the top of the bag that I wanted to cover and found some ribbon in my stash.  I used my computer and Microsoft Publisher to design the artwork.  If you are using this program, you can find these images by inserting pictures from the internet inside the program.  Just click on the Creative Commons area for free pictures.  I grouped everything together and then saved it as a picture. This is important in Publisher because you can only mirror print items that it sees as graphics.  I inserted the saved image back into the software, rotated it and printed to my Sublimation printer.

The ribbon I chose is 100% polyester satin. Since I used white, I could print anything I wanted on it.  I did print it slightly larger than the ribbon so there would be some bleed around the edges and the artwork would fill up the ribbon. A few pieces of heat tape allowed everything to stay in place for pressing.

I set my heat press to 380 degrees and 60 seconds.  Then all I had to do was wait.

I also used my iron to press the ribbon under on each edge so it would not unravel.  My sewing machine was set up for regular sewing with a zipper foot.

A few pins and some masking tape held the ribbon in place while I did the sewing.

I added a small piece of grosgrain ribbon to the zipper pull with some beads. Now I  have a new make up bag that is just the color I wanted.  It really makes me feel good to reuse, upcycle things and be crafty.  If you would like to see more details on this project, watch the video below. I hope I have inspired you to upcycle something today, share something you learn and be generous with what you create. Someone, especially our planet, will thank you for your hard work.

This week has been all about the beanies in my studio.  The time of year is perfect to decorate these accessories.  I am not sure if you have seen or felt the supply crunch this year but the decorator industry definitely has.  For months, certain ball cap brand favorites have been no where to be found. Many companies are not accepting new customers until they get their back orders processed. I think that is why you will see this very trendy project everywhere.  I have even heard my embroidery friends state they love doing beanies so much, they would rather sew them all day instead of ball caps which are more intensive to embroider.  I will admit these are lots of fun and I have digitized several brand new designs for you to enjoy. Let's look at them below.

My first design is a Plain Patch for a beanie. This one completes really quickly and you can add your own fonts from your collection or machine. All of these Beanie Patch Designs are digitized to use Faux Leather or Marine Vinyl. There are so many vinyl colors out there, you will be able to use these over and over.

The next design is the Boss Beanie Embroidered Patch. You probably have someone in your life that kind of rules the roost. This is perfect for them.   

How about a Beanie Patch For Daddy? I used a tan faux leather for all of these and I can just imagine camo or hunter orange beanies with these patches. 

This Hubby Embroidered Beanie Patch would be so cute for a new couple. In fact, that is what inspired me to design all of these patches. It just grew from there!

Here is the Wifey Embroidered Beanie Patch. In a different thread color so you can see options. I like it stitched both ways.

We can't leave out Mama for a Beanie Patch. No matter how old our kids get we are always gonna be Mama.

Now here is where it gets tricky. What do you call your Granny?  Maybe she goes by Nanny and she needs a Beanie Patch too.  

In our family we had at least one Papaw so he needs a beanie patch.

There is probably a Mimi somewhere in your friends or family right? Well Mimi needs a beanie patch.

I know a lot of families have a Pops.  So I have created a Pops Beanie Embroidery Patch. Again, all of these are easy to sew and I love the Rustic border. It really does create a unique finish to the patches.

Now you might be wondering how do I sew a Faux Leather Beanie Patch on?  I have got you covered there also.  Scroll to the bottom of this page or to any of the beanie patch designs in my store and you will see a great instruction video. Also, when you download any of these you will receive cut files, design sheets and full color instructions to make it a fun and easy 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.

Christmas is fast approaching and we will celebrate on December 25th. Did you know in many places around the world, the celebrating continues through advent until January 6th? This is called the Epiphany.  I like the idea of observing this tradition until after the New Year. Maybe that is why so many people keep their decorations up until that time.   My latest In The Hoop 12 Days Christmas Tree Skirt embroidery design will help you do that.  This has been such a fun project to create. I think you will love seeing how it unfolds.

This design stitches entirely in your 5x7 embroidery hoop. There are 12 designs included and each one creates a different panel you can see above.  Once completed, it will be 16 inches across. This is the perfect size to use with a tabletop Christmas tree.  

Or you could decorate with some holiday candles.

Maybe you need a special place to leave Santa some Milk and Cookies?

So how can you complete a project that will be 16 inches across in a 5x7 hoop?  First you will stitch each panel.  Here you see one ready for releasing from the hoop.

Once it has been removed from the stabilizer, you will load the next embroidery design and stitch it out. Then, use a small amount of masking tape to hold the panel to the hoop, and your machine will sew a connecting stitch. It is very repetitive and once you have the first two panels sewn, you will get the hang of it.  

The project will continue to grow as you stitch and add panels.

Until finally you have all of the sections stitched out.

Even the back of the project looks pretty because you use a matching bobbin for the satin stitching.

Have I got your interest?  Are you trying to figure out how this works? Want to get the In The Hoop 12 Days Christmas Tree Skirt design? Scroll down to the bottom of the page and you can watch the instruction video.  When you download the design, you will also receive full color instructions.

I hope you are having a wonderful Holiday Season. Remember to share what you learn and be generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

Digitizing is one of those skills that definitely gets better with time and practice.   If you are reading this and are a complete beginner, you may not want to hear that. I remember just starting out and thinking I had to know everything all at one time. If I took a class or watched videos I sometimes came away with feelings of being so far behind and never being able to catch up. Sound familiar? Well guess what?  I have been digitizing for several years now and I still feel that way sometimes. There will always be someone out there who has more skills or more expensive equipment.  So how can you move forward?  Get friendly with your software of choice and tools available to you at this moment. Then, if you want to learn more or buy better, you can. ALSO remember, there are a multitude of ways to do machine embroidery. So be careful of thinking one way is the CORRECT way. Tools, techniques and products have a way of coming around in circular patterns.  It may look like a brand new thing or the latest buzz but they might just be old school reimagined. Keep an open mind and be ready to experiment. I thought I would show you some easy ways to digitize a cute design with built in software shapes. My latest design releasing today is Red Nosed Reindeer in honor of our holiday season and I used only ready made shapes that are in my program. No artwork necessary. Just playing with those shapes to see what I could come up with. This way of creating machine embroidery should be able to be used with any digitizing software as they usually include built in designs to help you.

Here is the reindeer portion of my design.  If you will notice when I originally digitized it, I was working in a 4x4 size hoop you can see in the picture. I added text later and moved it to a 5x7 hoop with that addition. In my software (Hatch by Wilcom) you can see all of the shapes listed on the right side of the screen by color. When you look at this Objects view, it really does keep it simple so you can sort everything. I like to do this to make sure I keep my color changes to a minimum. 

In Hatch by Wilcom, when you click on Digitize it will open up and you will see a Standard Shapes option. This is where all of those choices open up to you. 

Here is the shape I used for the collar. Also I wanted to keep my stitch count lower so I chose a cross stitch fill pattern for most of the shapes.  That choice is available when you click on the shape and on the Fill choices at the right side of the screen. Remember these options may not look exactly the same in your software, but similar choices should be available.

Each cross stitch shape was also outlined with a bean or triple stitch.  That can be done by making sure you have clicked on the shape and choosing create layout on the left side of the screen below digitize. A flyout will open and you can add any type of outline listed as well as the color choice.

I used a border shape that looks like a shield for the face.

How about this shape for the ears?  Once they were added I just rotated them and moved into place.  You could also create the first one, duplicate it then mirror so they are the same size.

A heart shape works well for the muzzle of the reindeer. Just rotate and move onto the face.

Antlers might sound tricky but check out this banner shape. Again create one resize it so it is the size you need, duplicate and mirror.

A circle shape can be used for the nose and then a tatami stitch is used for the fill so it really stands out.

A star shape is filled with cross stitch and then outlined like the other shapes.

Circles for the whites and pupils of the eyes. Then a satin fill is chosen for them.

So far most of the shapes are easy to add and put in place. You may have some parts that include trims that you don't want.  That is when you may need to add some travel stitches in between the objects like the ones circled in red.  These are just stitches that will keep your machine from trimming when you have the same thread color on objects. You can see these trims when you look at the design with True View unclicked. You will need to digitize a single stitch line. Start at the trim from one object then continue to the start area of the second object. In Hatch by Wilcom you can also click on objects you want to Join using the control key and then press the letter J. This is a hotkey that joins the objects and will hopefully remove trims between them if they are close enough and the same color. Any small triangles will denote trims.  In this picture all of the trims have been removed from the brown objects.

Here is that area mentioned earlier where you can create outlines for each shape if you want to. Click select on the object, create outlines and offsets. The shape will be outlined exactly on the edge and will usually be placed right behind the object in the stitch order for better stitch registration. I think it just gives it a better finish on those cross stitch fills. I didn't outline the shapes with Tatami or Satin Fills to keep the stitch count down.

I used fonts built into the Hatch by Wilcom software for the Merry Christmas words. This did increase my design and a 5x7 hoop was used for the stitch out. Normally you want to know your design size from the beginning but I didn't resize the reindeer. I simply added the text underneath and it no longer fit into a 4x4 hoop. Finally, all items were grouped together and then moved to the hoop center in the software before saving.  If you don't have digitizing software, I do have this Red Nosed Reindeer Design available in my store here. How about some ideas for last minute Christmas gifts?

A bag for that ultimate lover of the season. Notice the text colors were changed on this one and others below so they stand out more.

A onesie for a little cutie.

Or a Bib?

An apron for Christmas morning when you are baking those world famous Cinnamon Rolls?

A Holiday Tea Towel for kitchen or bath?

A warm sweatshirt to wear for that Holiday gathering?  So many ideas and there is still time to do some creating before the big day. 

So why am I showing you how to digitize when I sell designs myself? I want you to be successful whether you buy my designs or create them yourself.  If you are reading this article, you love machine embroidery and are my kind of people.  When I started trying to learn how to do machine embroidery, there were only a couple of professional industry people that were openly generous with digitizing information. I am forever grateful to them because my digitizing craft has brought me forward in life. It is always here when I am ready and sits back quietly when I am otherwise busy.  I want to pay it forward to someone out there like I was helped. So, are you getting excited to try using built in shapes in your digitizing software? I think you could do an infinity of embroidery designs using this technique. That would be a real confidence booster for you in your stitching journey. Or maybe this has inspired you to try machine embroidery again and you need some inspiration? If so, try my Free Designs Page. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work. 

A brand new FREE Embroidery design is being released today!  This Tree Of Life stitches out in a 4x4 hoop.  The cross stitch pattern will bring back memories of "Old Fashioned Holiday" projects. If you are like me, you may have some pillows, hankies or tea towels from your creative relatives. I love walking in my local thrift stores and finding these treasures. So much work goes into hand sewing. It truly is a labor of love.

Maybe you love the cross stitch look but don't have the patience to work with needle and thread?  This is a great way to try it with your embroidery machine. Here are a few ideas to stitch this Tree Of Life design out.

A soft Cotton Tea Towel would look perfect hanging in your kitchen.  You can add some meaningful text above or below the tree.

A designer pillow for a chair or sofa is another great project. If you purchase plain covers that slip onto pillow forms, you will have a custom gift.

A wine holder as a gift filled with your favorite brand would be a unique gift for friends or family.

Check out my store page for this FREE Tree Of Life embroidery design and many others. All you have to do is add designs to your cart. Pick one or all of them, then proceed to checkout. Enter your info and receive an email link to download.  I hope you enjoy this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

My latest In The Hoop Santa Tized Holder embroidery design  being released today is a cute way to carry hand sanitizer for the holiday season. It completes in a 5x7 hoop and finishes really fast.  If you have marine vinyl remnants in your stash, you will be able to stitch up several in no time.

The text is a play on words and I know it made you smile. I love corny jokes. The project is designed to complete in one hooping and with some creative cutting, even the top loop will finish so you can install any kind of hanging hardware you like.  I used a key ring here.

Now I bet this picture has piqued your creative thoughts?  If you are interested in seeing the instruction video you can scroll to the bottom of this page and watch.  Wash away cutaway stabilizer is the best way to get a good stitch out so all you are left with is the project once complete. I like to use the type that is woven as it has enough strength to hold the weight of the stitching.

The tab is looped so various sanitizer bottles will fit inside. I had several that I showcased in the instruction video. If you give this as a gift to someone, they should have no problem finding one to fit.

Are you ready to be "Santa" Tized?  Look for the design in my store here and don't forget to watch the video to see how the project comes together. I know you will enjoy making these and maybe filling a few stockings.  I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

Pine Cone Turkeys are cemented in my childhood memory.  They were an annual craft in my elementary school years.  Usually the last day before we got our fall break the teacher would have puzzle pages, mazes and some sort of craft.  We usually used construction paper for the pine cone turkeys but this In The Hoop Pine Cone Turkey project will make them sturdier and sparkly.

So how cute is this?  A simple pine cone transformed into a decoration that you can use on your holiday table. How about one for each of your family members and dinner guests?  Notice the small tag hanging on the front says "Thankful For".  A chalk marker can be used to fill in whatever you want. How about a new family tradition where each person writes in what they are most thankful for?

The special material used to give all that textured shine is Mylar. I have talked about the magic of Mylar before and it is so much fun to work with. Look for it in the gift wrapping section of your local store.

Ultra Firm Interfacing is the other material that allows the finished pieces to stand up tall. Here you see the pattern piece for the turkey tail. Mylar gives the shine to the front, the interfacing gives structure and the fabric conceals all of the stitches on the back so everything is pretty.

Here is the tail with all of the beautiful fall colors. You can customize those any way you like. You can also see the removal of the Mylar. It comes away very easily.

Once all of the pieces are completed, there are a few steps to prep them for installation. Here you see yarn being used  in button holes.  This allows the pieces to be woven into the pine cone and held securely in place. 

Have I piqued your interest and sparked some creative thoughts?  You can watch the entire In The Hoop Pine Cone Turkey video stitch out below to see how fun and easy this project will be. See the design here in my store. Once the Thanksgiving season is over, you can remove all of the pieces and store for next year. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you create. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

October has flown by for me.  I have been busy making and donating, designing and doing a little bit of traveling.  My latest embroidery design came about a couple of months ago and it is finally being released today.  It is an In The Hoop Medic Alert ID Tag. Even better, it is FREE.  

Like most of my designs, there is usually something that triggers my creativity.  On this particular one, I had a friend that became acquainted with an autistic person.  The family had tried the medic alert jewelry for identification purposes, but this person did not like it and wouldn't wear anything that they could keep permanent.  He also had a tendency to run away if he was in a stressful situation.  This caused a lot of stress because the family members always worried. I thought about a possible solution that could be worn on a pair of shoes.  If they were used to wearing shoes, the id tag wouldn't be noticed and the shoestrings would keep it tightly secured.  Also, it could be washed and dried along with the shoes. Once I digitized the ID Tags, I noticed they could also be attached to pretty much any other item like bags or key rings.

If you use a light colored fabric, you can also write all of the important info on the inside of the tags.  A Sharpie or laundry marker will help make it more permanent so it can go through the wash. If it fades, just write it again.

Here is a tag attached to a small bag zipper.

Here is a tag on a key ring

And here is a tag on a shoe.  If someone had a fall or fainting spell, you would definitely notice the red medic alert on the tag and then see it could be opened to reveal information.

The ITH Medic Alert embroidery design will complete two tags in a 4x4 hoop. So it is great for using up scraps in your stash.

When you download the design, you will receive color instructions. I also have an instruction video for you to follow along with. My wish is you will make these and donate to someone in your life that can use it. Check out the video below. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you make. Someone will appreciate your hard work.  

I have a new Free Ribbon Survivor Embroidery design being released today. Click the link above to be taken to our free design page where you can download one or all.  This time of year we are coming into the month of October and Breast cancer awareness. There are many other Ribbon causes that use the ribbon and this design is perfect to use for all of them because you can choose your own colors.  

Notice the ribbon, text and each rainbow line are all different shades of pink or purple.  You can stick with those or stitch out with your preferred thread colors. This is also sewn in a 5x7 hoop so it is a good size design that will show up on your projects. Let's look at some mock ups to give you some inspiration.

How about doing a tea towel for someone you love?  The open stitching would work very well on flat cotton towels. Fluffy towels might hide the open stitching so if you are going to do this project try to find those broadcloth or diaper material towels.

If you have a run or walk event planned, you could sew the design to a shirt . This baseball style with colored sleeves would be really cute.

Lunch bags or any kind of tote would be a great gift for a loved one so they can be reminded daily that they are a survivor.  This bag could be for an ovarian cancer survivor.  Just change the thread colors to lighter shades of teal.

How about sewing the Ribbon Survivor Design to the back of a jacket?  This black jacket would really showcase the stitching and if you use metallic threads it would pop.

This would be a "cheeky" survivor display. Stitched on the back of a pair of sweats for a Ribbon Run and you would give someone a smile.

Finally how about on a pocket of your luggage? You may strike up a conversation with other survivors while traveling. 

Are you inspired to do some embroidery?  Remember, this would be a great design to add to your donated items.  There are several other Service Projects on my site 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.

If you have visited my site in the past you may have noticed that my projects are varied and unique according to the materials I have on hand. That is because I have a habit of shopping in the remnant bins and clearance sections.  I love to find items that are on are their way out because of season changes. In fact, if you use your creativity, you can save some money and sew projects to donate. This solves problems. First, those items will become something brand new and usable. Second, you will be giving back to your community which is always positive. Third, you can lift your own spirits if you suffer from feelings of depression or getting low. It is true that doing for others always makes you feel better. The hardest part is getting started. This Felt Crayon Pouch is a great project for accomplishing all of those things.

So this picture might pique your interest a bit.  A 9x12 piece of felt is the main part of the Crayon pouches. I was walking in my local Hobby Lobby and in the rear corners, they usually have the clearance section. Sometimes you find gold there.  The felt pieces are usually .99 cents each.  I found these for .19 cents.  There were others for .24 cents.  There is nothing wrong with them.  The store was restocking to move in their fall merchandise and these were from the previous season. Now you may have thoughts of Pumpkin Spice and Falling leaves in your head right now, BUT.... the receiver would love these bright colors and cute designs ALL YEAR ROUND.  So when you are feeling low, drive to your local store and just walk, look and keep an open mind. When you find a great deal, buy the materials bring them home, sew then give it away. You will feel better.

This project really lends itself to assembly line production. I was able to mark pin and sew several of these then move on to each step in the pattern. I finished 36 of them in two sewing sessions of about 4 hours each.  It is all straight sewing so beginner friendly too. Do you belong to a sewing guild or lead a scouting group?  Your members could whip these out quickly for Christmas shoebox giving.

I wanted to include crayons and a small tablet in each of the pouches so I calculated the cheapest crayons I could find locally. Right now school supplies are marked down in most stores and you will probably be able to find them cheaper than these. I went to Walmart and the usual price on a 24 pack of Crayola crayons are. 50 cents each. If you have ever purchased them you will notice they have duplicates of several colors in these boxes. You will have multiples of blues, reds, oranges, greens and purples in one box.  Weird but true. So these are perfect to split up and use.

The small tablets came from the Dollar Tree. These composition books are usually in packs of three for $1.00. The size is perfect to slide into the crayon pouches.

When you download the pattern you will also receive this cost breakdown sheet.  I wanted to show each unit cost including the crayons and tablets. Also, this will  make it easy for you to buy enough materials for 36 pouches.  Where I got everything, yardage amounts for the Velcro closures, ribbon for the loops, Felt squares, crayons and tablets.  It assumes you will have thread and free labor also.  But if you are looking for a service project for your organization, you could print this page off and take it shopping. It also shows three different price ranges depending on whether you are able to find the felt at a discounted price. If you pay full price, each unit would be around $1.55. If you are able to find the felt for .19 cents, each unit will cost around .80 cents. WOW!  Kind of fun to see what you can do with materials that might be overlooked and a little bit of creativity.

Wouldn't you love to get something this cute for free? I can think of so many places these would be appreciated. How about, classrooms, libraries, doctor's offices, shelters, retirement centers, adult daycares, cancer treatment centers, police and firemen, counselors?  Have I got your creative side sparked?  GO HERE to get the FREE Pattern. Watch the video demonstration below to get even more inspired.  Better yet, September is National Sewing Month. What a great way to celebrate by sewing and donating. 

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

A brand new FREE embroidery design has been released today!  Daddy's Little Helper is in honor of LABOR DAY.  When I was growing up, our household was a working one.  That meant we didn't take a lot of vacations or if we had an extra day off from work and school, we utilized that time for home projects.  In fact, anytime Mama or Daddy were working around the house inside or out, we were right there beside them. It was encouraged and today I am glad because I can do just about anything around my house.  Or figure it out.  So I digitized this cute design to pay homage to those times.

 All of my free designs are available for download here in my store. So check  them out.  They are very easy to receive. Just add them to your cart, enter some information and you will receive a link via email.

Daddy's Little Helper has been digitized for hats so it will sew center out and up.  You can also stitch it on flat items.  Here are a few ideas. Remember the little helper could be a boy or girl so the sky is the limit on your color choices.

You could of course do hats or you could decorate little aprons.

Hoodies or sweatshirts would be other great items to add this cute design.

So what are your plans for Labor Day?  Maybe this project? GET THE DESIGN 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.

Ironing or Pressing is something that should become second nature when you are doing any kind of sewing project.  I can admit that when I began sewing as a child, it was my least favorite part and I couldn't understand why I had to do it.  There were many projects I completed without pressing between steps but they didn't turn out exactly as I hoped.  As I practiced more, I saw that using my iron to create flat surfaces and hem openings made fitting pattern pieces so much easier.  Now, it really has become just a habit to heat my iron when I am starting to sew.  My board surface shows the use so I have been thinking about updating the cover with a bright piece of fabric.

This is the before picture.  It might be a little hard to see, but it had become stained with the steam and spray starch over time.

I really had never looked at how it was attached to the board until I decided to update it. When I looked closely, I realized the manufacturer had used just an overlock seam and some heavy duty string to gather the fabric around the edges.

The string that had been passed through the overlock seam was tied off on the end and there was a small piece of plastic that held the wrapped string in place.

This is a picture of the piece of plastic.   The document below is a good resource if you would like to replicate the plastic piece.  I scanned the piece on my printer and it should print off in a good size.

I used a piece of plastic cutting board from the Dollar Tree to trace over and it worked just as good as the original.

My fabric is canvas that I found in a remnant bin at Hobby Lobby.  When I purchased it, I wondered what I could do with 18 inches of fabric.  Well, you can always think of something creative. I used a heat away marker to trace 2 inches wider than the ironing board and cut around it.  That extra 2 inches was enough to come up and around the board.

2 layers of quilt batting made the board extra fluffy so I will have padding now when I press projects.  I just cut the batting to the size of the wooden top.

On my serger, I set up my seam for a four thread wide overlock.  I finished the entire edge around the perimeter and then finished the thread tail with a needle so it wouldn't unravel.

I used a  large needle with 6 strand embroider floss underneath the seam leaving extra length on the ends. This is the part that did take the longest to complete.  It would be good TV time sewing.  My best advice is to use a large blunt needle so it doesn't get caught on the fabric as you are passing it underneath the seam. I tied the ends with a knot and a bow so I could grab them and pull to gather. 

The fabric was put face down then the batting and finally the board.  When I pulled on the string, the cover began to gather.

The edges cupped around the board just right and then I used the plastic piece to wrap the string around and lock the position.  All of the ends pieces were neatly tucked under the material.

Here is the newly covered ironing board ready for use.  I love the bright color.

                      BEFORE                       AND                         AFTER

I have a video you can watch below that shows 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!