Table of contents for Summer 2022 in Creative Machine Embroidery

MATERIALS Supplies listed are enough to make one hair elastic embellishment. + 4" square of cotton broadcloth fabric + Cut-away stabilizer + 1 1/8"-diameter craft covered button kit (see “Source”) + Thread: bobbin & embroidery + Removable fabric marker + Elastic hair tie + Hair elastic embellishment designs (see “Designs”) EMBROIDER • Load the chosen design onto the embroidery machine. Hoop a piece of cut-away stabilizer and the fabric square. • Place the hoop onto the machine. • Embroider the design, changing thread colors as desired. Remove the hoop from the machine and the fabric from the hoop. Trim jump threads and cut away the excess stabilizer from the design perimeter. CONSTRUCT • Using the craft cover button kit, center the cutting template over the design; trace the template perimeter…

MATERIALS Supplies listed are enough to make one blanket. • 60" × 76" cotton tablecloth and vinyl tablecloth (cut it to 60" × 60")• White fabric to fit largest hoop (front flap)• Contrasting fabric to fit largest hoop (front flap backing)• Four contrasting fabric strips 2" × the width of largest hoop (front flap border)• 2" × 12" webbing and hook-and-loop tape• Cut-away stabilizer• 9½" × 14" hoop (or 5" × 7" for embroidery only)• Matching embroidery thread• Embroidery design (see “Design”) EMBROIDER • Download the Beach Blanket embroidery design from www.sewdaily.com/go/CMEfreebies until July 31, 2022. • Hoop the white front flap fabric with cut-away stabilizer. • Stitch steps one through nine to create the frame outline, the lettering, the sun, umbrella and beach–ball and the flap outline. • Using…

MATERIALS • 1/3 yard of pink organza• 40-wt. rayon embroidery thread• Water-soluble stabilizer (see “Source.”)• Soldering iron or wood-burning tool• Hand-sewing needle & all-purpose thread or glue gun (optional)• 9"-diameter wooden hand embroidery hoop• Fabric scraps• Several spools of ribbon in various widths• Monofilament• Rhinestones, glitter glue & beads (optional)• Butterfly embroidery designs (approximately 2" × 1½", 3" × 2¼" and 4¼" × 3"; see “Designs”) Single Butterflies PREPARE • Download the medium single-wing butterfly embroidery design from www.sewdaily.com/go/CMEfreebies.Load the design onto the embroidery machine. • Hoop one layer of water-soluble stabilizer between two organza layers. EMBROIDER • Thread the needle and bobbin with embroidery thread. • Position as many large, medium and small butterflies in the frame as possible. • Embroider the designs. • Unhoop the fabric and the…

Some stuffed animal blanks have embroidery areas larger than 5" square, but select smaller designs in order to have plenty of room to work. Always load a full bobbin into the machine before embroidering the animal tummy so there's no need to remove the hoop during embroidery. When giving an animal to a baby or child, consider securing the zipper tab with a few hand stitches to prevent little ones from removing the body section and losing it. Also, tuck in a note letting the parents know they can remove the sections for washing.…

STITCH ALONG WITH US Register at sewdaily.com now through July 31, 2022, and get this fun cat toy design and how-to free! Then stitch the catnip fish with us completely in the hoop! THE DESIGN Your feline friend will love playing with this little tropical fish toy. It’s easily stitched in the hoop using felt, then stuffed to give it some dimension. Use dried catnip for the stuffing to really get your cat excited to play! You’ll enjoying being able to share your love of embroidery with your beloved pet. This design is made to look like a yellow tang, but tropical fish come in lots of colors. Mix and match your favorites for a school of brightly colored toys. You can use cotton for this project, which provides some fun…

MATERIALS + Lightweight denim or chambray fabric & 1½ "-wide elastic (amount according to measurements) + Cut-away stabilizer + Thread: all-purpose, bobbin & embroidery + Pattern or tracing paper + Rotary cutting system + Western floral border design (approximately 2¾ " × 6¾ "; see “Design”) DRAFT • Measure your natural waistline, or wherever you wish the skirt to sit; record. • Measure your hip circumference at the fullest part; record. • Divide the hip circumference measurement, or the waistline measurement if it’s larger than the hip circumference, in half, and then add 3"; record as the waistline measurement. • Measure from the chosen waistline position to the desired front-hem length, and then add 1"; record as the skirt length. • On a piece of pattern or tracing paper, draw…

MATERIALS Supplies listed are enough to make one apron. + 2 yards of coordinating print cotton fabrics + Thread: all-purpose & embroidery + Water-soluble stabilizer + 2 yards of 1/8"-diameter cotton cord + Cord stop (see “Source”) + 1½ "-diameter button + Rotary cutting system + Large safety pin + Garden design (see “Design”) PREPARE • From two coordinating fabrics, cut two 18" × 22" rectangles for the main panels. • From one fabric, cut three 4½ " × 21" rectangles for the waistband. • Position the main panels with wrong sides together and raw edges aligned; handle as one piece. Position the main panel on a flat work surface and designate one short edge as the lower edge. • Round each lower edge corner using a plate or ruler…

MATERIALS • Tank sewing pattern with princess seams (such as the Oso Tank by Kimberly Payne for Sew News)• Woven floral fabric (amount according to the pattern; see “Source”)• 7" invisible zipper• Adhesive stabilizer (either tear-away or wash-away)• Thread: embroidery & coordinating all-purpose• Butterfly grouping embroidery design (approx. 5" × 8"; see “Designs”)• Design placement app (such as mySewMonitor™) (optional)• Serger (optional) PREPARE • Reduce the length of the front, side, and back pattern pieces to the desired cropped hem length. For reference, this sample has an 8½ " side seam including allowances. CONSTRUCT • Cut and assemble the pattern following the pattern instructions, but instead of binding, zigzag- or serge-finish finish all the upper edges, press 3/8" to the wrong side, and topstitch after the zipper is installed. •…

MATERIALS Materials are enough to create one 58" × 59" curtain. • 2½ yards of 54"-wide semi-sheer polyester fabric• ¾"-diameter curtain rod (length depends on window measurement)• Thread: 40 wt. rayon embroidery & 100% polyester construction• Needles: 75/11 embroidery, 70/10 sharp construction & hand sewing (optional)• Stabilizer: sheer cut-away & lightweight water-soluble paper• Rotary cutting system (optional)• Editing software (optional)• Floral scroll embroidery design collection (see “Designs”) PREPARE • Use new machine needles and fine pins to reduce the risk of snagging the fabric. • Before stitching on the project fabric, test-stitch the decorative stitches and embroidery designs on a fabric scrap. Note any tension or stitch length adjustments. • Choose embroidery designs that are compatible with lightweight fabric. Designs should offer good stitch coverage without excessive, dense stitches, which…

Q How do I incorporate machine embroidery into my quilting? A Machine embroidery and quilting are a great combination, and there are a wide range of ways to put them together. I’ll share a few of the best ways to get started. Perhaps the most basic way to add embroidery to a quilt is to add embroidery to one or more blocks. This will look best if the block in question is a solid piece, such as a square, rectangle or along a wide border or sashing, as embroidering over piecing can make the overall effect too busy. Choose solid or low-volume fabric for your embroidered blocks, as embroidery can get lost on intricate or busy prints. Use a mediumweight cut-away stabilizer that’s not too stiff. Depending on your preference,…

This summer, let some flowers bloom in your garden and your sewing studio. We’re so inspired by this runway look from Paris Fashion Week during the Giambattista Valli Womenswear Spring/Summer 2022 show. Peasant-style dresses and tops are a perfect chic-yet-comfortable daytime look. Add a lining to suit your needs or keep it sheer for a garden pool party cover-up. PANTS PATTERN Opt for a peasant dress pattern with gathered sleeves, front square panel and mini length skirt. Have a favorite peasant blouse pattern? Lengthen it into a dress! FABRIC COLOR PALETTE When it’s hot out, select a fabric that breathes. Lace and embellished sheer fabric make a chic statement together, and don’t forget a border print. FINAL TOUCHES The front panel just begs to be embroidered. What better to complement…

julia griffey (“Pony Up”—page 31 and “Bella Blooms Purse”—page 38) likes to make fun and modern projects using her sewing and embroidery machines. She holds an MA in apparel design and an MFA in design and teaches at Webster University in St. Louis. When she’s not teaching or in her sewing room, she’s striving to be solid B+ parent. www.machineembroiderygeek.com stacy schlyer (“Summer Love”—page 20 and “Abilene Skirt”—page 24) is a self-taught seamstress and self-proclaimed fabric junkie whose goal is to reach SABLE (Stash Accumulation Beyond Life Expectancy). She lives in Kansas with her family and blogs about her sewing adventures daily. stacysews.com milinda jay stephenson (“Beach Blanket”—page 42) is an author whose latest novel, Annie Laura’s Triumph, published by Mercer University Press, documents the lives of sewing women in…

MATERIALS Supplies listed are enough to make one travel bag. + Zipper Pouch pattern (see “Source”) + Fat quarter of canvas or quilting cotton (shell) + ½ yard of quilting cotton (lining & handle) + 14" zipper + Fat quarter of fusible fleece and fusible woven + Self-adhesive cut-away stabilizer + Zipper foot + Thread: bobbin & embroidery + Alphabet embroidery designs (up to 1½ " tall) PREPARE • Download the Zipper Pouch pattern from www.sewdaily.com/go/CMEfreebies. Print out the pattern, and then cut out. • From the shell fabric and fusible fleece, cut one 12" × 19½ " rectangle. • From the lining/handle fabric, cut one 12" × 19½" rectangle for the lining and two 2½ " × 8½ " rectangles for the handle. • From the fusible woven, cut…

MATERIALS • ½ yard each of canvas fabric & woven cotton lining• 12" square each of light & dark pink woven cotton fabric (appliqué)• Stabilizer: fusible polyester mesh & paper-release adhesive tear-away• Thread: all-purpose, bobbin & embroidery• Two 1"-wide rectangle rings• 1"-wide adjustable slide buckle• 14"-long outerwear zipper• ¼ "-wide double-sided fusible web tape• Floral appliqué design (see “Design”) PREPARE • Download the purse pattern and floral appliqué design from www.sewdaily.com/go/CMEfreebies. Print out the pattern, and then cut out. • From both the canvas and lining fabric, cut two main panels on the fold, two 2" × 6" rectangles for the tabs and one 2" × 60" for the strap. Designate one canvas main panel as the front panel and the remaining as the back panel. EMBROIDER • Print one…

MATERIALS • Ready-made tank top• Heavyweight cut-away stabilizer• Lightweight embroidery backing (see “Source”)• 5" square of felt• Thread: all-purpose, bobbin & embroidery• Hand-sewing needle• Two 3/8"-diameter buttons• Embroidery software EMBROIDER • Open the embroidery software. Select the lettering/monogram feature. • Select the desired font, and then type the word “Bloom.” Adjust the spacing between the letters to allow enough space for the three-dimensional flowers. • From the embroidery-software design catalog, add two flower stem designs to the word design. Position one stem below each “O” letter. Adjust the stem height and size as desired. • Once satisfied with the design, ungroup the word. Delete both “O” letters (A). • Group the entire design. If needed, adjust the design size to fit the desired hoop. • Save the file. Load the…

MATERIALS + Specialty stuffed animal embroidery blank (with a zipper opening & removable body section; see "Sources") + Stabilizer: paper-release adhesive tear-away & lightweight transparent water-soluble tear-away (topper) + Size 80/12 topstitching needles + Polyester embroidery & bobbin thread + Angelina film (amount & color depend on desired design; see “Sources”) + Markers: ultra-fine permanent & air-soluble fabric + Non-slip mat + 1½"- to 2"-wide ribbon (optional) + Approximately 5"-square embroidery design *(see “Designs”) ANIMAL OPTIONS • All stuffed animal blanks are meant to be embroidered, but some styles are simpler to hoop and stitch than others. Some of the easier animals to hoop are the ladybug, owl, turtle, and penguin. When the body-stuffing sections are removed, these animals lie almost entirely flat in the hoop because very little stuffing…