"Sara said... April 27, 2010 4:21 PM
I was thrilled to finally get my embroidery machine. I did not know there were so many things that you could do with them. I learned how to do paper piece quilting by doing it on my embroidery machine. In fact my first two projects I ever created on my embroidery machine were a paper pieced Christmas stocking and an applique Christmas ball to hang on my tree. My machine came with a pretty basic autostitch program for digitizing and I was able to create the stitches for both of my projects using simple outlines and sending different color blocks to the machine multiple times. That was a few years ago. Since then I have learned to hand punch my designs and have been learning to do free hand quilting. My best advice I can give to anyone is to have fun and don't be afraid to make a mistake. Sometimes we are our own worst critics."
Congratulations, Sara! We hope you enjoy your project kit. Check out how easy it is to draw a winner. We popped over to http://www.random.org/ and entered the number of comments. With just the click of a mouse, the winning number is pulled. Fair, fast and fun! Maybe this week you’ll be a winner. Even if you don’t win the Denim Collection and Denim Fashion Guide, you’re still a winner because I’ve posted two free grommet designs. Just click here to download.
Why grommet designs? Rinda, an avid Designs reader wrote and asked for a resource for embroidered grommets just like the ones Deborah Lashbrook taught in “Don't buy Grommets, Make Eyelets” published in the Jan/Feb 2010 issue. Deborah provided digitizing instructions for making large eyelets – perfect for threading a curtain rod through but I know many of you don’t digitize so I did it for you. And along the way, I learned a few things.
There’s a great little rotary cutter that does a fine job of slicing open the circles. It has a guide for your index finger. It takes a minute or two to get used to it but it’s ideal for going around tight curves – like a 1” circle! Look for it at your local craft store.
The grommet designs are basically an applique but instead of adding fabric you are removing fabric. Hoop your fabric (my sample is actually a quilt sandwich) and stabilizer. Stitch the first two colors. Remove the hoop from the machine and place it on a cutting mat. Use the small rotary cutter to slice away the fabric and stabilizer from the inner circle. Reattach the hoop to the machine and stitch the final color, the satin stitch outline.
I opted to skip the satin stitch and apply large plastic grommets to the quilt sandwich (this will eventually be a handbag).
I love these grommets – you’ll find them in the home décor department of most fabric chain stores. They have two sides, one male and one female.
Voila! It’s so easy, I love these things! You’ll find dozens of uses for grommets.
It’s t-shirt season and we want to help you look your best! This week we have chosen to giveaway Eileen’s
Embroider It Yourself Series—Little Black Tee to one lucky embroiderer!
We want to hear about your first embroidery project! Did you make a garment, a quilt or perhaps monogrammed linens? Was your first project a success? A complete disaster? What did you learn from the experience?
Post your comments between April 30 and May 6 for your chance to win. The winner will be announced on May 7 along with a new giveaway!!
The Little Black Details:
Watch Designs Editor Eileen Roche, as she transforms simple tee shirts and turtlenecks into fabulous, fashionable tops with embroidered lace. The CD includes 4 basic t-shirt makeovers, 30+ minute instructional video, printable instructions and 6 lace embroidery designs.
Embroidery formats include ART, DST, EXP, PES, SHV, XXX
(Minimum 5” x 7” hoop required)
Total Value: $49.99!
4 comments:
I have alwlays shied away from grommets....now I don't have to....thanks for the great tutorial!
My first embroidery project was just a stitchout...I was too afraid to try anything more intense. Then I made that stitchout into a drawstring project bag for sock-knitting. It was so successful, I now make them and donate them to be used as prizes in competitions like Sock Madness and Sock Wars - 2 international sock knitting competitions!
Pick me!!!!!
My first project was of a turtle stitched out on a t shirt. It stitched out beautifully, except for the colors. Being a newby, I exactly followed the colors that showed up on my D 1 screen. Unfortunately, they were not the colors of a turtle! Fortunately, at the time, my grandson was only 1 and didn't know the difference! I learned that one must always look at the pdf file that comes with the designs to check and see if those match the colors that show up in my vip software. If not, I can then change them before I put the designs on the disk that goes into my machine.
Gail
My first embroidery project were a set of napkins with a strawberry spray in each corner. They turned out great & were very appreciated as a gift to a friend! I learned that if you take something plain & add an embroidery detail - pizazz!
Hi Eileen,
I will never forget the day I purchased my embroidery machine, I could not wait to get it home and out of the box. I read the manual cover to cover, set the machine up and programed in my daughter's name to embroider on a windbreaker she loved to wear (and was easily left behind). I was half way through stitching her name onto the left front of the jacket before I realized I hadn't removed the plastic grid template that is used to make sure the material is lined up correctly with the center design marking! That was 5 years ago and I still chuckle to myself every time I use that grid template to line things up!!!
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