Table of contents for March - April 2018 in Creative Machine Embroidery

One of the best things about sewing is being able to completely customize a project, from the silhouette to the fabric to the embellishment. Creating your own fabric adds another level to customization and lends itself well to the addition of embroidery. Oftentimes, manufactured fabric prints compete with embroidery. I find myself choosing mostly solid color fabric for embroidery projects so the stitches will have the most impact. But I do love prints, and many of them complement embroidery motifs nicely. So I try to at least incorporate fabric prints into linings, borders, straps, plackets or cuffs. A great workaround to using prints with embroidery designs is to create your own fabric print. Upload an inspiration image, sketch or more tech-savvy digital graphic or illustration to Spoonflower and have your…

Pulled-thread embroidery is a form of whitework made popular as early as the 17th century by peasant women trying to imitate the lacy fabrics of the wealthy. This hand-stitched skill intentionally distorted the original weave of a natural fabric, creating holes by pushing fibers aside, and then anchoring them in their new location with a stitch. Because the importance of methodically placing holes in cotton and linen fabric was to create an illusion of lace, this technique originally matched thread to fabric colors — in many cases, white. MODERN INTERPRETATION A pulled-thread effect is achievable on any sewing machine that offers suitable decorative stitches, whereby the needle will strike the same place more than once, by using a special wing needle. Machine embroidery collections specifically featuring this heirloom accent are…

MATERIALS + 2¼ yards of lightweight denim + Thread: all-purpose & embroidery + Lightweight tear-away or cutaway stabilizer + Temporary spray adhesive + 7"-long invisible zipper + Removable fabric marker + Pattern or tissue paper (optional) + Southwest-themed satin stitch & running stitch border embroidery designs (approx. ½"×4" and 2"×7"; see “Designs”) PREPARE • Download the Sedona Skirt pattern and the Arrowhead Border embroidery design from cmemag.com/freebies for free until April 30, 2018. • Print out the pattern and full-size templates of the needed embroidery designs. • The pattern is designed to fit a 26" waist. Adjust the pattern pieces by trimming or adding pattern tissue paper to each piece to fit your waist accordingly. Add ½ " for wearing ease. For example, if a 27" waist is desired, add…

MATERIALS + Button-down short sleeve shirt pattern (See “Sources.”) + Fabric, interfacing & notions (amount according to pattern envelope) + Mediumweight tear-away stabilizer + Thread: all-purpose, embroidery & matching bobbin + Temporary spray adhesive + Removable fabric marker + Embroidery software + Vertical geometric designs (approximately 3/8"×6"; see “Designs”) PREPARE • Download the Geo Beads designs from cmemag.com/freebies. Find the design at shopsewitall.com after the expiration date. • Position the upper-front pattern piece on a flat work surface. Draw a vertical line ¼" from and parallel to the center-front line, extending it from the neckline to the hem. Draw a vertical line 3/8" from and parallel to the first line. Designate the column as the first of six design-placement columns. • Repeat to draw five additional columns along the upper-front…

Use treasured fabric scraps from your stash to create different appliqué blocks and backing squares. Create the quilt assembly-line style for maximum efficiency. Separate each construction step into individual sewing sessions: Press and cut all the blocks, embroider the blocks, stitch the rows and then finish the quilt. Experiment with the appliqué and stipple quilting thread colors to coordinate or contrast with the block fabrics, but use the same bobbin thread color throughout for consistency.…

This BurdaStyle Girl’s Sleeveless A-Line Dress is a great choice for any holiday, birthday celebration or play date. Depending on the fabric choice, it’s easily dressed up or down, and further complemented by embroidery. For this dress, choose a fun, playful print regardless of the occasion. Pick a solid for the center panel in order to have a blank canvas for the embroidery. The featured dress is made of a woodland-inspired print, and the thread colors were changed to pick up colors in the print. Experiment with different prints and designs on the Sprout site to see which combination you like best. Once you make one, you’ll see how easy it is to make several of these dresses for girls age 3 to 10.…

lisa archer In the Hoop: Bunny Ears—page 22 picklepiedesigns.com ramona baird Alpha Mat—page 64 kandi christian Cherries Jubilee Jumper—page 52 sewtimeless.com “Reverse action tweezers. When not in use the points are closed but when you pinch the handle together, the points open. They’re great for picking up jump threads during the embroidery process, for holding threads as the back of an embroidery is cleaned and to thread the sewing machine needle.” pamela cox Heirloom Effects: Pulled Threadwork—page 30 “My most unexpected tool is my dog, Beckett. She reminds me to get up from the machine and move. She makes me take a break and go outside for a short game of keep-away, which Beckett thinks is much more fun than fetch.” nancy fiedler Quilt This: From Practice to…

MATERIALS + Two 7"×9" rectangles of felt + 6"×7" rectangle of cotton fabric + All-purpose thread + Tear-away stabilizer + Embroidery tape + Two 6" or larger lollipop or popsicle sticks + Headband + Hot glue & glue gun + Embellishments (such as ribbon, feathers, rick rack, crystals, etc.) PREPARE • Download the ITH Bunny Ears design from cmemag.com/freebies until April 30, 2018. Find the design after the expiration at shopsewitall.com. • Load the design onto the machine. EMBROIDER • Hoop a piece of tear-away stabilizer. • Stitch step one to create placement lines on the stabilizer. • Center the felt over the placement lines. Tape the edges of the felt to the stabilizer to secure it. • Center the fabric right side up over the felt, and tape in…

Twin-needle embroidery is another embroidery technique that employs a specialty needle. Twin needles are available in several sizes that correlate not only to the size of the needle, but also to the space between the two needles that are joined by a single shank. This specialty machine needle is often used to create heirloom techniques, such as pintucks or finished hems, in addition to machine embroidery designs. Since the two top threads share a single bobbin thread, the tension often needs adjusting to fit the application. For decorative stitching, decrease the tension to allow each upper row of decorative stitches to lay flatter. In machine embroidery applications, twin needles are suitable for designs from your collection to produce unique, creative results. Outline designs work best with a twin needle, especially…

Add a touch of southwesterly charm to your home décor, garments, gifts and more. This collection of motifs is heavily influenced by the art and design of the American southwest. With 10 designs total, the collection includes two large-scale motifs, six borders and two coordinating corner designs, perfect along the edge of a skirt, on a high-end faux suede pillow or on bright linen napkins — just add Fiestaware! Find the full collection at shopsewitall.com.…

If using an embroidery machine that has standard-size hoops, such as 4x4 or 5x7, create the quilted-top design using standard sewing machine settings • Using a removable fabric marker, draw a diagonal grid with the lines spaced 13/8" apart across each main exterior panel. Position one panel right side up over one corresponding purse-stabilizer panel; treat as one piece. • Install a walking foot onto the machine and select a 3mm stitch length. Stitch along each diagonal grid line (1). • Repeat to quilt the remaining exterior main panel. Designate one panel as the upper panel.…

MATERIALS Materials listed are enough to make one 2"×44" bag strap. + Two 2½"×44" strips each of print cotton & canvas + 4"×10" rectangle of suede + ¼ yard green organza + Two swivel lever snaps + Eight 8mm × 6mm double-cap rivet sets (See “Source.”) + Rivet tool set (See “Source.”) + Soldering iron or wood-burning tool + Thread: all-purpose & embroidery + Needles: 90/14 universal, 75/11 embroidery & hand-sewing + Stabilizer: fabric-like water soluble & fabric spray + Beetle & two sizes of butterfly embroidery designs (1.34"×1.4", 1.06"×1.55" & 1.48"×2.12"; see “Designs.”) PREPARE • Copy or trace the hardware strap template from page 63. • From the suede, cut two end pieces using the template. Slip each suede piece through a swivel lever snap; set aside. EMBROIDER •…

LINEN Linen is available in a wide variety of colors, weaves, blends and weights. Select medium- to heavyweight linen when sewing linen in colder months. Linen is a very stable fabric, making it very easy to cut and sew. Most patterns drafted for woven fabric work well when paired with linen. To minimize shrinking and wrinkling, select a linen blended with a synthetic fiber, such as rayon. The manmade fiber prevents wrinkling during wear and reduces the amount of shrinkage. Always launder the fabric per the manner the garment will be laundered once constructed. Launder the linen fabric on the hottest cycle available on the washing machine. This softens the fabric and results in the maximum shrinkage. In addition, after construction, the more the linen garment is laundered, the less…

SUPPLIES + Wrap top pattern (such as the BurdaStyle Wrap Top for Sprout Patterns) + Fabric & notions (according to pattern guidesheet) + Water-soluble tear-away stabilizer + Removable fabric marker + Press cloth + Thread: all-purpose, bobbin & rayon embroidery + Embroidery design (approx. 3”×7”; see “Designs”) EMBROIDER • Cut out the fabric pieces, following the digitally printed lines on the fabric (if using a Sprout pattern). • Working with the outer front piece, stitch the darts and mark the hem allowance across the right side and lower edge. • Print a template of the chosen design and audition it over the outer front right side until satisfied with the placement. The featured design was placed ¼ ” from the side and lower-edge hem allowance. • Using a removable fabric…

DESIGN Designer handbags are made using a slightly heavier leather than traditional garment leather sold in fabric stores. While this makes a better handbag due to its ability to maintain its shape beautifully over time, heavyweight leather presents special construction and stitching challenges for both sewing and embroidery. The first step toward success is carefully choosing a design for both bag construction and embroidery embellishment. Choosing a bag pattern that’s easy to stitch is the most important stage of the heavy-handbag process. Choose a design that has a very simple structure with few seams, like those featured on page 37. If these seams can be sewn with the raw edges facing outward (wrong sides together), so much the better, as these are easier to sew since mediumweight leather can’t be…

MATERIALS + Girls’ sleeveless A-line dress pattern (such as Butterick 5876) + Main & contrasting fabric (amount according to pattern envelope plus 8") + Water-soluble stabilizer + Temporary spray adhesive + Removable fabric marker + Thread: matching all-purpose & embroidery + Needles: size 75/11 embroidery & size 120/19 wing + Double-sided tape + Double-scallop hem appliqué (approx. 5.47"x6.93"; see “Designs”) PREPARE • Position the front pattern right side up on a flat work surface. • If the pattern includes a hem band, position the hem-band pattern right side up over the front pattern, aligning the hem-band upper edge 1¼" above the front lower edge; pin (A). Treat as one pattern piece. • Fold the dress fabric in half lengthwise with right sides together. Position the front pattern over the dress…

MATERIALS Supplies listed are enough to make one 24½ "×29" quilt. + ¼ yard each of 10 coordinating print cotton fabrics + 1¼ yards of coordinating print cotton fabric (backing) + 1 yard each of coordinating print cotton fabric (sashing & binding) & paper-backed double-sided lightweight fusible web + ¾ yard of low-loft cotton batting + Lightweight cut-away stabilizer + Thread: all-purpose, bobbin & embroidery + Temporary spray adhesive + Spray starch or sizing + Appliqué iron + Appliqué scissors + 5×7 hoop or larger + In-the-hoop alphabet appliqué quilt block collection (See “Designs.”) CUT • Press each fabric with spray starch or sizing. • Designate one of the ten coordinating fabrics as the flange fabric. • From the remaining nine coordinating fabrics, cut a total of twenty-six 6" squares…

BurdaStyle is the leading digital pattern company online, and the patterns they produce are fashion-forward with European sensibilities and couture elements. The patterns range from super easy to advanced expert, in standard sizes, plus sizes and children’s sizes. Until now, patterns from BurdaStyle.com were only available digitally, meaning once purchased they are delivered to your inbox to print, tile and tape together before cutting. Now, BurdaStyle has partnered with Sprout Patterns to offer their patterns printed directly onto fabric yardage. The size you request is digitally printed onto the fabric of your choosing from a custom solid or print from the Spoonflower library, allowing more time for sewing and embellishing. CUSTOM FABRIC Adding stenciling, stamping or embroidery repeats is one way to customize fabric yardage. To take it a step…