Creative Machine Embroidery November - December 2017

Dear Readers, What’s my favorite go-to quick gift? A personalized blank. Think tea towels, tote bags, oven mitts, aprons—the list goes on and on. A monogram makes a great addition, especially for a bag or luggage tag, as do designs that represent things the recipient loves: tulips, dogs and cats, kitchen tools, fun sayings and sports motifs. Readymade items to embroider are all over the place: in your own home, a thrift store or, better yet, from an online store specializing in embroidery blanks. These items are relatively affordable and most places even provide a bulk discount. If you have six teachers, eight coworkers, four neighbors and six friends to make gifts for, consider purchasing a pack of 24 of the same blank, such as a cosmetic bag, and choosing…

lisa archer (“In the Hoop: Mini Stockings”—page 19) 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: Smocking In-the-Hoop—page 28) 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 julia griffey (“Travel Tags”—page 60, “Peek-a-Bloom Dress”—page 72) is a machine embroidery enthusiast who shares her projects and designs on her blog, Machine Embroidery Geek. She has an MFA in new media design and an MA in apparel design. Visit: machineembroiderygeek.com sue o’very (“Wreath Wrap”— page 64, “Present Perfect”—page 68) is…

ON A ROLL Use a child’s rolled drawing paper holder for easy access and storage for stabilizer. Marilyn M., email AHEAD OF THE CURVE Use cuticle trimmers to remover stitches from a dense design. The curved tip makes it easy to fit in places where you can’t insert a straight seam ripper. Jill B., email SOAKING SUDS Clean gunky embroidery hoops by soaking them in a tub of water mixed with a sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate cleaner. Remove hoops and wipe clean. Virginia K., email TEST QUILT Stitch out a test sample of a new design on a 6" or 9" square. Afterwards, use the test stitchouts as quilt blocks for a later project. Becky H., Facebook IN-THE-HOOP HELP Use medical paper tape to assist with in-the-hoop projects. Peggye D., Facebook…

1. CME’s Cross-Stitch Christmas Collection is perfect for adding nostalgic charm to any holiday décor. Add to tea towels, tree skirts, napkins or Christmas cards to really show off your classic take on Christmas. ($19.99/collection, $1.99–$2.99/individual,shopsewitall.com) 2. Go pro from home with Brother’s Entrepreneur 6-Plus 6-needle embroidery machine. This machine will give you the speed and finish of a commercial machine in the comfort of your own home. Some of the amazing features include high-definition LCD display, high-speed acceleration, 60 built-in embroidery designs, 37 built-in fonts, on-screen letter input & editing, intuitive color management, 3 USB ports and minimal noise and disruption. This machine is sure to take your embroidery skills to the next level. ($12,999, brother-usa.com) 3. Winter’s Grandeur 5 by Robert Kaufman is an…

FONT CHOICE The chosen font makes a big difference in the look of the finished project. Every font has a “personality,” such as feminine, floral or fun. Choose a font personality based on the desired project look. Evaluate the font choices for “Alex” (A). Which font is more appropriate if Alex is a girl who loves feminine things? Evaluate the font choices for “Ryan” (B). Which font is better suited for Ryan if he plays on a baseball team? Also consider the embroidery design style when choosing a font. Make sure the font and design style complement each other. Evaluate the font choices for the design shown at right (C). Which font looks better with the heirloom design it’s paired with? SIZING The lettering size greatly affects the design appearance…

• Sometimes lettering alone creates an adorable project. A clever saying in a cute font is perfect for garments, such as on a t-shirt or infant onesie. • Always use a topper when embroidering lettering on lofty fabric, such as terrycloth or velvet, to prevent the stitches from sinking into the fabric nap. • Most monogram designs have a low stitch count, so use light- to mediumweight stabilizer. Use heavyweight stabilizer when combining a high stitch count design with a monogram. • Use tear-away stabilizer when embroidering letters or monograms on woven fabrics that don’t contain stretch. Gently tear away the stabilizer so as not to distort the design. • Use cut-away stabilizer when embroidering letters or monograms on knit fabrics, as cut-away varieties won’t stretch with the fabric during…