Innholdsfortegnelse for September - October 2017 i Creative Machine Embroidery

1. It’s Tootsie Roll Time by Riley Blake Designs brings back fond Halloween memories. This fabric line has all of the nostalgic charm you could ask for. Imagine using this fabric for children’s pajamas, trick-or-treat bags or a candy-themed colorful quilt. (prices vary, rileyblakedesigns.com) 2. Colorful autumn leaves tumble to the ground in this delightful 55"×70" throw or lap quilt. Falling Leaves digital quilt pattern includes complete yardage and cutting requirements, basic quiltmaking lessons, template-free quiltmaking, simple foundation patterns, breezy quilting plan and easy appliquéd stems. ($7.99, quiltandsewshop.com) 3. HTC RinseAway Water-Soluble Stabilizer is designed for open embroidery on light cottons and linens. When the embroidery is finished, the excess tears easily away from the stitches and the rest dissolves in water with the first wash. This type of stabilizer…

MATERIALS + ¾ yards of 45”- to 54”-wide cotton duck (exterior) +5/8 yards of 45”-wide matching woven cotton (lining) + 2” square of mediumweight fusible interfacing + Tear-away stabilizer + ½ yard of ready-made leather piping + 7” jeans zipper with brass teeth + Thread: all-purpose, bobbin & embroidery + 20” to 22”-long ready-made leather purse handles (or leather to make your own; see page 35) + 9” length of3/8”-wide elastic + 1¼”x3” strip of leather + 6” length of1/8”-wide leather cord + Leather sewing machine needle + Two ¾ ”-diameter magnetic purse snaps + 1”-wide swivel clasp + Removable fabric marker + Zipper or narrow straight-stitch presser foot + Temporary spray adhesive (optional) + Embroidery designs: cross-stitch squares in two sizes (approximately 3” square & 4½” square; see “Designs”)…

MATERIALS + Leggings pattern (such as Dot to Dot Leggings; see “Source”) + 4-way stretch fabric & notions (amount according to pattern envelope) + Mesh cut-away stabilizer + Temporary spray adhesive + Thread: all-purpose & embroidery + Ruler + Removable fabric marker + Embroidery design (approximately 4¼ "x7½ "; see “Design”) PATTERN Look for patterns that require four-way stretch fabric. Leggings are typically designed to have negative ease, which means the finished garment is smaller than your actual measurements. Working with a knit fabric that stretches both cross- and lengthwise will not only make leggings that feel comfortable, but will also keep the material from stretching out of shape or creating baggy knees. Also, look for a pattern that has only an inseam (and no side seam). This allows for…

COUCHING Couching is a technique that secures fiber to a fabric surface with stitching. Use stitch direction, spacing, length, thread and fiber to create different textures. Use a variety of fibers for couching, from fine silk thread to thick wool yarn. Experience and testing determines which fiber and stitch lengths provide the best results. Specialty couching presser feet are available for most embroidery machines. The foot feeds a fiber through a hole in the foot, while simultaneously stitching it to the fabric. Some couching feet also have an additional thread guide that’s attached to the machine to help feed the fiber through the foot. If available, use the threading tool provided with the foot to easily thread the fiber through the foot before attaching it to the machine. After threading,…

MATERIALS + Skirt pattern with side panels (such as Liesl + Co.’s Everyday Skirt) + Denim fabric & notions (amount according to pattern envelope) + Tear-away stabilizer + Temporary spray adhesive + Thread: all-purpose construction & variegated embroidery + Denim embroidery needle + Chalk or removable fabric marker + Pattern paper + Wide border design (approx. 3"x8"; see “Design.”) PREPARE • Download the Geo Border Embroidery Design from cmemag.com/freebies until Oct. 31, 2017. Find the design after the expiration date at shopsewitall.com. • From the denim, cut out all the pattern pieces except for the side panels. • Trace the side panel pattern onto pattern paper. • Mark the indicated seam allowances on the pattern piece. Draw a line down the vertical centerline. • Print three design templates; cut out…

MATERIALS Materials listed are enough to make one squash ornament, approximately 4"x5¾ ". + Two 4½"x6" rectangles of felt + 4¼ "x5¾" rectangle of batting + Medium- to heavyweight tearaway water-soluble stabilizer + Thread: bobbin & rayon embroidery (colors according to design) + 4" length of ½ "-wide coordinating ribbon + Polyester fiberfill + Embroidery tape + Chopstick or other turning tool + Hand sewing needle + Appliqué scissors (optional) PREPARE • Download the Happy Harvest Squash design from cmemag.com/freebiesuntil Oct. 31, 2017. Find the design after the expiration date and the rest of the collection at shopsewitall.com. Load the design into the machine. • Load one bobbin with thread to match the outline color. Use standard bobbin thread until step six, and then use matching thread in the bobbin…

MATERIALS + 1 yard each of orange & black felt + 1/8 yard of gray felt + 9"x12" square of yellow felt + Thread: matching all-purpose & glow-in-the-dark embroidery (See “Source.”) + Paper-release adhesive tearaway stabilizer + Temporary spray adhesive + Permanent fabric glue + 31" length of 1"-wide hook-and-loop tape (hook side only) + Scalloped or pinking shears or wavy rotary blade (optional) + Dowel or heavyweight string for hanging + Alphabet embroidery designs with numbers (approximately 0.73"x0.91"; see “Designs”) PREPARE • Download the Countdown to Candy pattern from cmemag.com/freebiesuntil Oct. 31, 2017. Find the pattern at shopsewitall.com after the expiration. Print and then cut out each template. • From the orange felt, cut one 22"x31" rectangle for the back and one 22"x29" rectangle for the front. Cut one…

1 Embroider several freestanding leaf shapes and decorate a green top and hair bow or hat to instantly become a fairy, like actress Bella Thorne. 2 Find your inner Frida Kahlo and embroider a peasant top along with freestanding flowers attached to a headband, like designer Rebecca Minkoff. 3 Grab a Hawaiian shirt and thread some freestanding flowers onto a fishing line for a matching lei to become a luau gal, like Katie Couric. 4 Attach a large freestanding lace butterfly to an elastic headband or hair tie, and wear it with all black attire to create a simple butterfly costume like Sonja Morgan. 5 Personalize a cape for your furry friend using embroidered lettering to transform him into a devilish dog or super hero.…

lisa archer (“In the Hoop: Creepy Crawlies” — page 26) is the owner and creative director of Pickle Pie Designs. She loves the challenge of creating in-the-hoop designs that reflect her personal style. Home Base: Holly Springs, NC Visit: picklepiedesigns.com pamela cox (“Unique Technique: Felting in the Hoop” — page 22) received a fashion design degree from The Boston School of Design with an emphasis on patternmaking. Purchasing her first embroidery machine added a new dimension to her education. Home Base: Dublin, NH lisa shaw (“Software Savvy: Working with Borders” — page 18) has been involved with machine embroidery education and inspiration since the mid ’90s. Lisa’s teaching philosophy is that the computer is a tool, and the artistic beauty that we can create with the computer is inside…

Easily create custom leather handles suitable for many tote styles. Materials • 9”x24” rectangle of soft, pliable leather (See “Sources.”) • Leather glue or contact cement • Size 90/14 or 100/16 leather needle • Walking foot • All-purpose thread • Four 1”-wide rectangle rings • Rotary cutting system Construct • From the leather, cut two 2”x24” strips for the handles and two 11/8”x24” strips for the backing. • Draw a line ¾” from each handle long edge on the wrong side. • Apply leather glue or contact cement to one handle long edge up to the marked line. Fold the edge toward the wrong side, aligning the edge with the line; finger-press to secure. • Repeat to glue and fold each remaining handle long edge. Set aside to dry. •…

• Always pre-wash the fabric before embroidering. This allows it to pre-shrink, which will help reduce puckering when laundering the finished garment. • Use a ballpoint needle to prevent the fabric from being damaged while embroidering. This type of needle has a rounded tip that pushes the fibers aside while forming stitches rather than piercing through the fabric. Lightweight knits require a size 70/10 needle. When embroidering a heavyweight fabric, such as a double knit, use a size 80/12. • Knit fabrics easily stretch out of shape when hooped, which leads to image distortion. To prevent this, don’t hoop the fabric with the stabilizer. Hoop only the stabilizer tightly and spray it with temporary spray adhesive. Position the fabric over the tacky stabilizer and finger-press, making sure there are no…

The instructions are for a bed for a small animal. To make a larger bed, determine the desired diameter and add 1” for seam allowances, and then use a ruler or thumbtack and string to draft a circle that size. Cut as many 5”-wide crosswise strips as necessary from the solid fabric to fit around the main fabric circle when seamed end to end. Refigure the yardage requirements when increasing the bed size; the circle top and base require the diameter in yardage up to the width of the fabric. MATERIALS Supplies listed are enough to make one 4”x17”-diameter bed. + ½ yard each of 45”-wide print minkee fabric (top) & washable faux suede fabric (base) (See “Source.”) +1/3 yard of 45”-wide solid minkee fabric for the sides (See “Source.”)…

If you’re not yet ready to cut up and embellish your favorite jeans, a simple skirt like this is a great canvas for practicing denim embroidery. Here are a few tips. • Preshrink the denim. • Pick embroidery designs with some weight. A very open design or a design that uses only a single line of stitching will likely disappear against a denim background. Denim is the place to go big and bold with dense designs. • If you want to use lighter designs, consider stitching the design multiple times. • Embrace contrast! Depending on the shade and color, denim’s texture can make lighter colors disappear against it, even more so as the garment is worn and the fabric fades. Pick thread colors that pop. • Consider using embroidery designs…

PATTERNS An online course is a perfect starting point to create custom lingerie patterns. BurdaStyle Academy has an extensive course, Sew and Draft Your Own 10-Piece Lingerie Collection, taught by My Johansson-Ganjoo. The class provides basic slopers and simple step-by-step instructions to walk you through the process of fitting lingerie patterns, including robes, slips and nightgowns. Best of all, these personalized creations are taught with techniques for sewing and drafting patterns using knits and stretch fabrics, making the lingerie comfy as well as attractive. If you don’t want to draft your own lingerie, check out the patterns as a great place to start. DESIGNS The ultimate custom touch to bespoke lingerie is the addition of beautifully coordinated embroidery. Look for designs that are relatively lightweight, for a graceful drape on…

Snake Eyes MATERIALS + Two 14”x20” rectangles of fleece + Red & dark green fleece scraps + Cotton scraps (for appliqué eyes) + Thread: all-purpose & rayon embroidery + Paper-backed self-adhesive stabilizer + Removable fabric marker + Polyester fiberfill + Temporary spray adhesive + Snake eyes appliqué embroidery design (approximately 49.5mmx98.9mm; see “Designs”) CUT • Download the Snuggle Monster pattern from cmemag.com/freebiesfor free until Oct. 31, 2017. Find the pattern at shopsewitall.com after the expiration date. • From one fleece rectangle, cut one pillow for the backing. • On the remaining fleece rectangle, trace the pillow shape. • From the red fleece, cut one tongue. • From the dark green fleece, cut six scales. EMBROIDER • Load the appliqué design onto the embroidery machine. • Print a design template and…

This kooky spider is ideal for stitching on black felt, which is readily available. Use a wool-blend felt rather than the acrylic kind found in small sheets. Wool-blend felt has more body and keeps the spider from becoming floppy. Find it in smaller fabric shops or on the bolt at larger stores. If you want to try something new, check out cork fabric — a new trend in sewing and the perfect material for in-the-hoop designs. There are two types of cork fabric — one has a polyurethane backing and the other a woven fabric backing. For this project, the polyurethane-backed cork works best, since the edges won’t fray. It stitches beautifully and comes in a variety of colors, like the purple cork fabric used for the sample. Find it…

MATERIALS + Orange & green 40-wt. embroidery thread + Fabric-like water-soluble stabilizer + Three 12” lengths of green floral wire + Chopstick or pencil + Hot glue gun + Spray starch (optional) + FSL pumpkin design (See “Design.”) PREPARE • Download the Pretty Little Pumpkin embroidery design from cmemag.com/freebies until Oct. 31, 2017. Load the design onto the machine. EMBROIDER • Wind a bobbin with orange embroidery thread and another with green embroidery thread. Thread the machine with the orange thread. • Hoop two layers of water-soluble stabilizer. • Stitch eight pumpkin panels. If the hoop size allows, stitch two or three panels in the hoop at one time, ensuring at least ½ ” between each shape (A). • Using the circle design, stitch four circles in the same orange…

Border designs offer endless project possibilities. Instead of using a border design as an edge treatment, create an allover design by combining one or many border motifs into one larger design. This technique is perfect for patterns that have side panels or any smaller pattern pieces that lend themselves to embellishment. Try this technique on jacket or pant side panels; along a lower sleeve or pant edge; on godet inserts in skirts or dresses; to create color blocking on a basic blouse; or along princess-seam side panels. Or alter existing patterns to accommodate panels for embroidery.…

BRAS, PANTIES & SLIPS SLINKY SLEEPWEAR Learn more lingerie sewing tips in the popular Craft U course, "Sew and Draft Your Own 10-Piece Lingerie Collection," available at craftonlineuniversity.com.…