Innehållsförteckning för Fall 2019 från Creative Machine Embroidery

Dear Readers, Okay, confession time: Halloween is my favorite holiday. It has nothing to do with candy and everything to do with the aesthetic — I love to get my goth on for a month or so every year. I especially enjoy the range of spooky and spooky-cute décor. I’m a sewist with a theater background, and Halloween is my best opportunity to dress up in public without looking really weird. In our Fall issue, we have lots of cute embroidered décor to get your house ready for October 31. There are glowing eyes to slip into mason jars and set up where they’ll keep a spooky watch on visitors (page 44) and a fun bat friend attached to a keychain and pompom to keep you company all month long…

MATERIALS + Readymade 100% cotton shirtdress + Stabilizer: paper-release tear-away & water-soluble (optional) + Coordinating synthetic embroidery thread + Coordinating buttons (amount & size according to the chosen shirtdress) + Hair dryer + Fiber-removal gel (optional; see “Source.”) + Toothbrush (optional) + Small blunt-tip scissors (optional) + Clear tape (optional) + Cutwork design (approximately 6"×7"; see “Design.”) EMBROIDER • Print a design template. Audition the template over the dress, making sure to place it in an area where the skin can be exposed; pin. • Load the cutwork design onto the embroidery machine. • Unbutton the dress. Hoop the dress and a piece of paper-release tearaway stabilizer, centering the template within the hoop. • If using the cut-free method, place the hoop onto the machine. Make sure the design center…

MATERIALS + 2 yards of cotton voile (or amount according to your measurements or desired alterations) + Water-soluble stabilizer + Straight ruler + Removable fabric marker + Thread: all-purpose, bobbin & embroidery + Floral border design (3½ "×9½ "; see “Design.”) CUT • Fold the fabric in half widthwise, matching the short raw edges (A). • Using a removable fabric marker, mark the center along the folded edge; label as point “A.” • Draw a straight line 30" below point A, perpendicular to the folded edge; label the line end as point “B.” Designate as the centerline. To create a shorter or longer kimono length, add or subtract from the 30" measurement as desired. • Mark 14" to either side of point B; label point “C” and “D.” Draw a…

GLOW ON THE GO If you don’t have glow-in-the-dark thread on hand, coat freestanding lace pieces with glow-in-the-dark paint. The paint acts as a stiffener and creates sturdy, glowing ornaments, just in time for Halloween festivities. Terri M., Facebook TESTING, TESTING My machine created loose threads on the stabilizer wrong side during embroidery. The tension was balanced, the needle was new and the machine was threaded correctly. I eventually discovered that the fabric wasn’t hooped tight enough and the stabilizer was too lightweight for the fabric. Always test stitch! Claudia, email TULLE TIME Use matching tulle as a topper when embroidering towels. It allows you to view the design as it stitches out and it tears away easily. Irene, Facebook Visit cmemag.com for more techniques and tricks to inspire…

Your embroidery library may contain lace collections acquired over several years. Often once used, these lace designs can become relegated to your unused files. If this is true for you, it might be time to explore adding lace to your quilts. Use lace on quilt blocks to create a romantic effect (as shown at right), use large inserts as appliqué fabric for crazy quilts or deconstruct a lace snow village to create a themed quilt. Freestanding lace looks intimidating, but there’s nothing mysterious about the process. If FSL is new to you, read on for tips for creating freestanding lace successfully. • Use 60-wt. thread on bobbin in a color that matches the embroidery thread in the needle. • Use water-soluble mesh stabilizer. Water-soluble mesh will prevent perforation caused by…

MATERIALS + Tear-away stabilizer + 3½" square of orange felt + Four 3½" squares of orange cotton fabric + 2" length of 3/8"-wide green ribbon + Orange embroidery thread + Slash cutter or chenille cutter (optional) + Wire brush (optional) + Pin back or metal clip & glue EMBROIDER • Download the ITH Pumpkin Cutie Clip embroidery design from cmemag.com/freebies until Oct. 31, 2019. Find the design after the expiration at interweave.com/sewing. Load the design onto the machine. • Hoop a piece of stabilizer. • Embroider step one to create a placement line on the stabilizer. • Center the felt over the placement line and tape in place. Embroider step two to create a small placement line for the ribbon. • Place the ribbon with ½ " extending over the…

MATERIALS Supplies listed are enough to make one decorative jar. + Felt fabric + Mason jar + Cut-away stabilizer + Thread: bobbin & glow-in-the-dark (See “Source.”) + Tape measure + Removable fabric marker + 75/11 embroidery needle + Embroidery design (approx. 1½ "×3"; see “Designs.”) PREPARE • Measure from the jar base to just below the threading to determine the felt height; record. Measure the jar circumference. Subtract 1" from the jar circumference; record as the felt width. • Cut the felt fabric to the recorded dimensions. EMBROIDER • Download the Spooky Spy Eyes designs from cmemag.com/freebiesuntil Oct. 31, 2019. Load the designs onto the embroidery machine. • Hoop a piece of cut-away stabilizer. • Place the felt center over the stabilizer center. Secure in place with tape. • Thread…

MATERIALS + ½ yard of 56"-wide striped outdoor fabric + ¼ yard of coordinating 56"- wide solid outdoor fabric + 2¼ yards each of coordinating fabric (lining) & at least 56"- wide headliner foam + Paper-release adhesive tearaway stabilizer + 5"×12" rectangle of mediumweight interfacing + Thread: coordinating all-purpose, bobbin & embroidery + Needles: hand sewing & size 80/12 embroidery + Point turner + Embroidery design (Approx. 3.94"×5.35"; see “Design.”) PREPARE • From the striped fabric, cut two 7½ "×56" strips for the upper and lower panels. • From the solid fabric, cut one 8"×56" strip for the center panel and two 2½ "×12" strips for the handles. • From the lining fabric, cut one 21"×56" rectangle for the main panel, two 2½ "×12" strips for the handle lining and…

BLAZER PATTERNS Opt for a structured blazer pattern with minimal seamlines, making it easier to sew in plaid fabric. BLOUSE PATTERNS Pick a classic blouse pattern with breast pockets and a button-up front. FABRIC SWATCHES Find complementary plaid fabrics in various weights, and grab a different plaid for each piece of the mix-and-match plaid look! You’ll also want to pick up an extra yard of each for matching the plaid stripes. FINAL TOUCHES While you’re at the fabric store, pick out some embroidery thread colors that will stand out on your plaid fabric and choose a fiery dragon to embroider on the chest of your blouse pattern. tip  You can also just thrift a flannel plaid button-up and add the embroidery.…

lisa archer (“In the Hoop: Pumpkin Cutie Clip”—page 23) 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. picklepiedesigns.com ramona baird (“Double, Double, Toil & Trouble”—page 30) is a freelance designer, digitizer, writer and educator. Passionate about all things machine embroidery, she imagines and creates things that challenge her as well as bring new skills and projects to the home embroiderer. With an AAS in Fashion Design, Ramona also designs projects for EmbroideryDesigns.com, RNK Distributors and Loralie Designs. nancy fiedler (“Quilt This: Incorporating Freestanding Lace”—page 16) has served as an Educator for Janome America for 14 years and designs and writes from her studio in Dwight, Illinois, with the help of her cat Jon Snow and…

HISTORY Sashiko designs are a very old form of Japanese hand sewing created with a simple running stitch design in interlocking patterns through one or more layer of fabric. The technique was used to quilt several layers of fabric together for warmth and durability or to strengthen single fabric layers. A distinctive element of Sashiko designs is the use of negative or blank space with an allover pattern. It’s the high contrast between fabric and thread color that showcases the simplistic nature of the designs. APPLICATIONS Today, Sashiko is used in many ways, including decorative mending and intricate machine embroidery designs. Sashiko machine embroidery designs often call for thicker thread or use traditional embroidery thread and repeat stitches three or more times to create distinct, heavier lines of stitching. When…

Beautifully embroidered garments are no accident. They're the result of careful planning and attention to detail. Thankfully, there are tried-and-true methods to make this easy for the embroiderer to accomplish. PLANNING The first step to designing a custom embroidery is to create a working template using your garment pattern piece. If the pattern piece is a half piece cut on the fold, it is handy although not strictly necessary to trace the pattern piece twice onto tracing paper to create a full pattern. Draw in the seam allowance, pocket placement and any other details that need to be kept in mind when determining design placement. Once the pattern template has been prepared, there are two ways to work with the template to create your embroidery design. One is using software,…

MATERIALS Supplies listed are enough to make one purse. + Tote pattern (such as Totes Adorbs; see “Source.”) + ½ yard each of print and solid cotton fabric (exterior) + 1 yard of coordinating or contrasting cotton fabric (lining) + 2½ yards of 20"-wide lightweight fusible woven interfacing + ¾ yard of double-sided lightweight fusible foam interfacing + Cut-away stabilizer + Thread: all-purpose, bobbin & embroidery + Four 1½ "-inner diameter metal screw-together grommets + ½ "-diameter magnetic snap + 4 metal purse feet + Removable fabric marker + Mini screwdriver + Pattern tracing paper + Seam sealant (optional) + Hand sewing needle (optional) + Floral antler design (approximately 5½ "×7¾ "; see “Design.”) ALTER • The featured embroidery design is slightly larger than the purse flap. To alter the…

MATERIALS + Two 4" squares of glitter vinyl, cork or other non-woven material + Two 4" squares of minky fabric + Tear-away stabilizer + 3" length of ½ " to 1"-wide ribbon + Polyester fiberfill + Swivel hook + Key ring + Thread: bobbin & embroidery + Embroidery scissors + Clear tape + Point turner PREPARE • Download the Bat Buddy design from cmemag.com/freebies until Oct. 31, 2019. Find the design after the expiration at sueoverydesigns.com. Load the bat design onto the machine. • Hoop a piece of tear-away stabilizer. • Thread the machine with embroidery thread in the top and bobbin thread in the bobbin. EMBROIDER • Place the hoop on the machine and embroider step 1 to stitch a placement line. • Remove the hoop from the machine,…

MATERIALS + Pair of readymade jeans + ½ yard of cotton fabric + ¼ to ½ yard of fusible interfacing (optional) + Woven or embroidered ribbon, fringe, pompom trim, piping or sequin tape (amount according to finished cuff measurement) + Thread: all-purpose matching & embroidery + Cut-away stabilizer + Removable fabric marker + Embroidery design (approx. 4¼ "×6¾ "; see “Design.”) PREPARE • Measure the width, both the front and back, of the jean leg to determine the circumference. • If you selected a tapered jean (like those found in skinny jeans), begin measuring at the point the cuff will be attached to the leg (A). Add 1" for the seam allowance; record as the fabric length. • If you have opted to use a different design or different size…

Learn how to create an invisible hand stitch. • Fold the opening seam allowances toward the wrong side; press. • Thread a hand sewing needle with button/craft thread; knot the end. • On the inside of the fold, bring the needle to the surface at the opening beginning point. • Insert the needle into the first folded edge and make a small stitch on the fabric surface. • Insert the needle on the opposite folded edge directly across from where the needle came out of the first folded edge. Take another small stitch on the folded fabric surface. • Continue to create stitches in a zigzag pattern from edge to edge (1). • Starting at the top and working down, pull the threads together to close the opening. Knot the…