Table of contents for July - August 2018 in Creative Machine Embroidery

It’s the year of the dog, according to the Chinese zodiac, and we’re all about celebrating our furry little friends. Our new exclusive Puppy Love embroidery collection is meant to do just that. Including six dog breeds, this collection is great for personalizing pet beds, food mats, treat bags, or items for you to flaunt your love of your pet! Try a shopping tote, picture frame or the slippers on the cover. I recently read that 44% of millennials consider their pet a “starter child.” Pet-friendly workplaces, pet insurance availability and homes or rentals in close proximity to dog parks are high on the priority list for these folks, who are even touting “pets over parenthood” as their new mantra. It’s probably in response to having children later in life…

1. Make pressing easier with a Stylist Sprayer that can extend spray for a longer duration than any spray bottle, with an even distribution in a fine mist. Use to dampen fabric for pressing without getting big blotches of water. ($10, stylistsprayers.com) 2. If you’re a dog lover, you need the CME exclusive Puppy Love Collection. This collection features the faces of some of the most beloved dog breeds, including a Yorkie, Bulldog, German Shepherd, Pug, Poodle and Corgi. You can place the designs almost anywhere, or turn them into iron-on patches that you can give to friends as gifts. ($4.99/design, $24.99/collection, shopsewitall.com) 3. Finish serged edges with a Hookey serger seam hook. This nifty tool allows you to easily pull in serged thread tails by slipping under the seam…

MATERIALS Materials listed are enough to make one pair of slippers. + ½ yard of cotton print fabric (slipper interior) + ¼ yard of coordinating solid fabric (slipper top) + ¼ yard or 1 fat quarter coordinating print fabric (binding) + ½ yard of vinyl or non-slip fabric (soles) + Cut-away stabilizer + ½ yard of batting + Thread: coordinating all-purpose & embroidery + Temporary spray adhesive + Pug face embroidery design (approximately 2.85"×3.70"; see “Design”) PREPARE • Download the Puppy Love Pug face design from cmemag.com/freebiesuntil Aug. 31, 2018. Load the design onto the machine. • From the solid fabric, cut two 9"×10" rectangles. Designate one long edge of each rectangle as the lower edge. EMBROIDER • Mark the center of each rectangle. • Hoop one solid rectangle with…

Creating panels of embroidered fabric isn’t difficult, but it does take careful consideration to stitch successfully. Choosing a simple, easily adjustable and repeatable design is the first step toward success. Design size, resizing flexibility and ease of repeat hooping are the important factors to consider when planning your fabric. “Quality thread and needles are always essential for successful embroidery results.” SIZE When choosing a motif for all-over fabric embroidery, the first thing to consider is the motif size. Nearly any size will work, but it’s easiest to work with small- to medium-sized designs. Large designs are difficult to repeat, especially when it’s necessary to use several hoopings to achieve the required fabric yardage. The smaller the motif, the more flexible it is for repeating, rotating, spacing and otherwise manipulating within…

• Outdoor fabrics are heavyweight but still require a stabilizer for embroidery. Use either two layers of tear-away stabilizer or one layer of paper-release adhesive tearaway stabilizer. Use large pieces that extend well beyond the hoop perimeter. • Position one piece of tear-away stabilizer on a flat work surface. Position a second piece of stabilizer over the first, but aligning the grain in the opposite direction to the first. Or use one layer of a tear-away paper-backed adhesive stabilizer. • If available, always embroider a basting outline on the fabric before embroidering the design to add more stability during stitching. • Even on outdoor fabric with a smooth surface, double or triple stitches may wobble or shift on the grainline, while stitching perfectly straight on another area. The featured designs…

MATERIALS + Cardigan pattern (See "Cardigan Cues" on page 55.) + Fabric & notions (as indicated on pattern envelope) + Lightweight knit fusible interfacing (optional) + Thread: polyester sewing & rayon embroidery + Size 75/11 or 80/12 ballpoint embroidery & sewing needle + Mediumweight cut-away stabilizer + Serger (optional) + Temporary spray adhesive + Border embroidery design (See "Design.") PREPARE • Follow the pattern guidesheet to cut each pattern piece according to your measurements. Knits are more forgiving than woven fabrics, so a precise fit isn’t necessary. Cut a larger size to have more room for layering garments under the cardigan, if desired. • Set the machine for an overlock stitch, if applicable, and finish each fabric piece raw edge before construction. Or serge-finish each raw edge using wooly nylon…

MATERIALS + Duffle bag pattern (such as Sew it All Jewel Tone Duffle; see “Source”) + 1 yard canvas or duck cloth + ½ yard of coordinating fabric (lining) + 3 yards each of 1½ "-wide polyester webbing & ribbon + 6" & 20" #10 plastic zippers + Cut-away stabilizer + Thread: all-purpose & embroidery + Removable fabric marker + Soccer crest (approx. 4"×6½ ") & collegiate alphabet (2" high) or dancer (approx. 4¾ "×6¼ ") & built-in alphabet (2" high; see “Designs”) CUT • From the canvas, cut two sides, one zipper facing, one tab and one main panel. Transfer all pattern markings using a removable fabric marker, including the facing stitching lines. • From the lining, cut three sides. Soccer Bag EMBROIDER • Print a design template for…

Celebrate ©Disney/Pixar’s Incredibles 2 with a stunning quilt featuring fun Super Power Burst embroidery designs. Any fan of this movie and its characters will love snuggling in this quilt for a summer movie night. For the quilt design, the Incredibles 2-inspired “Save the Day” panel is the center focus. A classic Friendship Star block completes a pieced border to add to the action. The design for the corner block was leveraged from a symbol found in the fabric collection. The excitement of the finished quilt came with the selection of the quilting and the special embroidery effects. Quilted lightning bolts and embroidered splashes of words across the quilt are the must-have finish for all cartoon hero quilts. MATERIALS Finished quilt size: 66" × 72" (oversized throw) + One fabric panel,…

Pattern # 8675: Fluffy Kitty Stuffy Beginner Pattern Party Pack! This pattern is perfect if you want to sew one Fluffy Kitty Stuffy for yourself or throw a group sewing party with your friends, troop, classmates or camp. This pattern assumes no sewing experience, and, like every beginner pattern, kids will learn how to use a pattern, thread a machine, sew a straight line, proper sewing terms and more. Pattern #8674: The Remy Bag Beginner Pattern In this easy-to-sew, no-experience-necessary pattern, kids ages 8+ learn how to use a pattern, how to thread a machine, proper sewing terms, sewing a straight line and more. Included in the pattern are practice sewing sheets and instructions that a child can read and a non-sewing parent can understand. Pattern #8672: The Comfy Pant…

lisa archer In the Hoop: Toothbrush Roll—page 18 picklepiedesigns.com ramona baird Light Display—page 48 asg.org/resources/conference “To say we have rivalry in our house is an understatement with nine adult children scattered across the country. There’s no way this mom is going to choose one team over another, but in a recent college auction, all my luxe cuddle throws and pillows with machine embroidered logos were the favorite bidding items.” colleen bell Cheering Section—page 60 theembroiderist.com kandi christian Porch Pretties—page 42 sewtimeless.com “My granddaughter is part of an equestrian team, so I made a logo for the farm team showing barrel racing.” pamela cox Heirloom Effects: Whitework Embroidery—page 30 nancy fiedler Quilt This: Density & Drape—page 22 soni grint Software Savvy: Design Anatomy—page 26 tricia patterson That’s…

Life’s not too “ruff” with these cuties around! These designs capture the essence of six beloved breeds and are perfect for dog accessories or accessories for dog lovers. They’re also great on décor and would make a fantastic finishing touch on a garment or bag pocket. Take a look at these canines’ sweet faces — don’t you want to take one (or more) home? Find the full collection at shopsewitall.com.…

Katrina Walker shares her design process for the lace yoke and sleeves of this stunning dress. Knitters and crocheters have long been able to create garment and accessory pieces that were made to measure. Why not home embroiderers? That’s exactly what I did for the lace yokes and sleeves of the all-over embroidery dress. First, I evaluated the pattern pieces for the yokes and sleeves for hooping. I planned to sew the lace with the edges butted together rather than with a traditional seam, so I removed the seam allowances from the pattern pieces. This also made it possible to fit the front yoke into one large hooping. This was desirable because the density of the lace and the intricacy of the design makes it difficult to make alignment across…

Trapunto is an Italian art form in which two layers of fabric are embellished with hand stitching and then a raised surface is created by sliding yarns, cords or stuffing wool batting between the fabric layers. The raised surface adds dimension, texture and warmth to quilted pieces. Traditionally, trapunto designs consisted of florals, grapes and vines. Once popularized in the United States, trapunto designs were inspired by art deco and created with colorful wools on white whole-cloth quilts. Today, you can use an embroidery machine paired with an outline machine quilting or appliqué design, and then stuff the design with wool roving or polyester fiberfill to quickly create the same trapunto technique. MATERIALS Supplies listed are enough to create a 10¼ "×177/8" wall hanging. + 16"×24" rectangle of quilting cotton…

MATERIALS + 1 yard of faux suede fabric + 2/3 yard of plaid minkee fabric + 1 yard of fusible fleece + 10 yards of coordinating readymade piping + ½ yard of mediumweight fusible interfacing + 1/3 yard of double-sided fusible web + ½ yard of muslin + 5¼ yards of 1"-wide polyester webbing + Stabilizer: mediumweight cutaway & paper-release adhesive cut-away + Two 24" regular nylon zippers + Two 1" metal parachute buckles + Two 1" metal D-rings + Two 1" swivel clasps + Two 18" square × 2" thick foam cushions + 12" square of 1/8"-thick plywood + Thread: 40-wt. embroidery, 60-wt. bobbin & all-purpose + Size 75/11 sharp needle + Pressing cloth + Tailor’s chalk + Piping or invisible zipper foot + 3"×5" index card + Volleyball…

MATERIALS + Mesh cut-away stabilizer + Three 7"×9" fabric rectangles + 24" length of 7/8"-wide grosgrain ribbon + 4"×6" rectangle of fusible webbing + All-purpose thread + Permanent fusible seam tape PREPARE • Download the ITH Toothbrush Roll design from cmemag.com/freebies until Aug. 31, 2018. Find the design after the expiration at shopsewitall.com. • Load the design onto the machine. EMBROIDER • Fold one 7"×9" fabric rectangle in half to 4½ "×7" with wrong sides together. Press to crease the fold. Sandwich the fusible webbing inside the folded fabric, and press to fuse the webbing to the fabric wrong sides. • Hoop a piece of stabilizer. • Embroider step one to create a placement line on the stabilizer. • Center one 7"×9" fabric rectangle right side up over the hoop.…

All whitework embroidery was originally done by hand, often with some areas stitched in layers to add depth within a design. Some craftsman began to pull strategic stitches tighter than others, creating small holes in the fabric, opening a lace effect later called pulled threadwork. Interlacing stitches, especially on sheer fabrics which first had many of its woven fibers removed (as in the drawn-thread technique), created an elegant open design called Ayrshire. Whitework is often credited as being the inspiration for lace. MODERN INTERPRETATION Any machine embroidery design can be stitched in a single white color on white fabric, but not all lend themselves to mimic elegant whitework. Look for designs that include authentic elements, such as scrolls, delicate flowers and leafy vines. Large motifs should be broken up, accenting…

Baby Lock provided the Destiny 2 sewing and embroidery machine: babylock.com. Hilos Iris provided thread used for this project: hilosiris.com. Janome provided thread used for this project: janome.com. Madeira provided thread used for this project: madeirausa.com. Robert Kaufman provided the Urban Zoologie print in Blush, Kona cotton solid in Peony, Whiskers & Tails print in White and Remix Slicker in Jet: robertkaufman.com. Sulky of America provided the Soft ’n Sheer stabilizer: Sulky.com.…

Beginner Pillow Learn how to merge two different designs to easily embroider them in one hooping. MATERIALS Supplies listed are enough to make one 12¾ " square pillow. + 8"×14" rectangle of outdoor fabric (main panel) + Two 5"×14" rectangles of coordinating outdoor fabric (upper & lower panels) + 14" square of coordinating outdoor fabric (back panel) + Paper-release adhesive tearaway stabilizer + Thread: all-purpose, bobbin & rayon embroidery + Needles: hand sewing & size 80/12 embroidery + Polyester fiberfill + Embroidery customizing & editing software + Embroidery designs: flower & diamond backdrop (approximately 2½ " square & 3¾" square: see “Designs”) PREPARE • Load the diamond-backdrop design into embroidery software. Center the design on the screen. If desired, change the design colors to match the chosen fabric. • Load…

• Choose embroidery designs with a larger surface area. The stuffed area should be filled but remain soft. If the design area is too small, the trapunto is hard, stiff and unattractive. • Using an extra quilting cotton layer sandwiched between the background fabric and stabilizer prevents the appliqué fabric from breaking away from the embroidery stitching. It also keeps the trapunto needle from puncturing through the stitching, causing the roving to poke through (1). • If using the trapunto panel for a quilt, the area where the points align in the appliqué design center may cause the fabric to pucker. To prevent the issue, quilt the area before stuffing the designs. Position two batting pieces over the design center, and then quilt as desired. Trim the batting close to…

BurdaStyle Star Cardigan 09/2013 #110; burdastyle.com Love Notions Boyfriends Cardigan for Ladies; lovenotions.com Patterns for Pirates Grandpa Cardi; patternsforpirates.com Kwik Sew 3916 Misses’ Shawl Collar Cardigan and Vest; kwiksew.com McCall’s 6996 Misses’ Gathered Collar Jackets & Belt; mccallpattern.com Style Arc Coral Cardigan; stylearc.com Kwik Sew 4208 Misses’ Open-Front Loose Jackets & Knit Tops; kwiksew.com Named Esme Maxi Cardigan; namedclothing.com…

MATERIALS Supplies listed are enough to create six 3¾ "-diameter coasters. + Six 6"-squares each of black felt & black polar fleece + Cut-away stabilizer + Embroidery thread + Temporary spray adhesive + Appliqué scissors + Seam sealant (optional) + ITH sport coaster designs (approx. 3.76"×3.77"; see “Designs.”) EMBROIDER • Download the coaster designs from cmemag.com/freebies. Load the designs onto the embroidery machine. • Hoop one felt square with a piece of cut-away stabilizer. Place the hoop onto the machine. • Embroider the fill stitch, and then the ball details. • Remove the hoop from the machine, but don’t remove the fabric from the hoop. Flip the hoop to the wrong side. • Spray temporary adhesive on one fleece-square wrong side. Center the fleece square right side up over the…

Passing on a love of sewing to a younger generation is increasingly difficult nowadays, with all the extracurricular activities and technology competing for kids’ attention. Home ec hasn’t been taught in most schools for at least two decades, and unless we actively prioritize sewing as a life skill and creative outlet, our children and children’s children won’t experience the joy and self-expression, not to mention empowerment and independence, that sewing brings. Laura Kelly, founder of Handwork Studio, has made it her mission to educate and inspire children to learn creative needle arts. Her tireless team provides an exceptional experience of exploration, education and encouragement through after-school classes, workshops, scouts, parties and summer camps in 10 states and 40+ locations. Now, the kids’ needle arts, machine sewing and fashion community is…