What a way to start the New Year off with a BANG! Linda
at Buzzing and Bumbling is cheerleading for Madame Samm at
www.sewwequilt.com!! I love both these ladies and am thrilled to participate in their "In Your Words" blog hop. My theme is "Machine Embroidery" ...something new for you? If you are interested or if you've never before thought this was a viable option due to expense, then,
this is the post for you!
WINNER CHOSEN BY RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR - CONGRATULATIONS TO COMMENT #99 Judy JCnNC from Shade Tree Quilting is the winner of one of her choice of the tea/coffee towel - Please let me know which day of the week you would like!
Judy JCnNC said:I am a follower already - and love your blog. Judy C
How sweet! Thank you all for your kind comments - I have tried to answer all your e-mails directly. All the Best, Mary Ann @ RocknQuilts
The 'broken photos' have now been fixed!!
Madame Samm has all photos from each day placed on a Pinterest board HERE
When Linda of Buzzing and Bumbling approached me for this blog hop, she said she would like to feature embroidered words on useful household items. I was right in the middle of a set of tea towels, so without hesitation, I signed up for the blog hop! I hope you'll enjoy my entry...
What could be more inviting than a set of embroidered towels for your kitchen (or a friend's!)?
These did not take long to do. I could embroider one towel in about 25 minutes.
How, you may ask?
With an embroidery machine!
If the costs have scared you away in the past, please read on...things have changed!
Brother has just come out with a
'get your feet wet' embroidery + sewing machine for around $399. It features a 4" x 4" sewing field, which is great for many projects. It comes with seventy built-in designs that are really easy to stitch out, plus more designs to choose from at
www.ibroidery.com or a
limited edition Simplicity line embroidery machine for around
$300 (Please consider purchasing from your local quilt shop so that you will have someone nearby for lessons, supplies and for warranty work.)
Both machines would be perfect for monogramming, enhancing 5x5-8x8 quilt squares, and sew much more...please feast your eyes on the following projects from
www.emblibrary.com
You can use designs for
quilting a quilt sandwich (limited to your hoop size), making jewelry, lace, Christmas tree ornaments, decorating purses, backpacks, jeans, shirts, making logos, personalizing your work, creating quilt name tags, appliques, in-the-hoop projects that sew themselves, etc.!
Giveaway instructions below...
My most recent project is a set of seven dish towels for my sister-in-law who just moved in to a new house. I'd like to show you how I get a project started:
1. Collect necessary items
Embroidery scissors
Embroidery and bobbin threads
size 80 needle (new is best)
Madeira bobbinfil in white (make up three to four bobbins for the seven towels)
Madeira Rayon embroidery threads (the colors do not wash or bleach out)
Stabilizer: wash-away, tear-away
(See Nancy Zieman's book for assistance with stabilizers for embroidery.) Cut all seven at once to save time.
seven flour sack cloth dish towels (bought at the local Dollar Store for only $1 each!)
Days of the Week dish towel designs from www.emblibrary.com in the size that fits your hoop capabilities
laptop or desk computer with flashdrive and internet connection
 |
| All embroidery machines can handle this size :-) |
2. Hoop stabilizer and dish towel
|
Wash-away, tear-away stabilizer on bottom, flour sack tea towel on top
with three inches left at the bottom of the hoop for each of the seven towels |
3. Transfer design from
www.emblibrary.com to flash drive on your computer, then enter into sewing/embroidery machine
|
| flash drive inserted into the USB port of sewing/embroidery machine |
|
| Select appropriate design according to your machine's instructional manual |
4. Turn the design in the sewing machine before stitching out so that it stitches out in the correct direction.
| utilizing my instructional manual, I turn the design to match how my towel is hooped. |
5. Stitch out the design - the machine does all the work! My granddaughter loves to do this part :-)
|
The Pfaff creative performance being used here has pop up display windows showing
which color to switch to and when. Some displays are in black & white only, but still let you know what color changes to make according to the number listed on the spool and thread number charts available from thread companies. |
6. Snip jump threads, unhoop, tear away stabilizer from the back and launder.
7. Iron, fold and wrap to present to your lucky recipient!
A magazine that I subscribe to that has loads of helpful tips and information is Creative Machine Embroidery. They also have a
free blog! And for my blogging friends and followers, a
free, online PDF file entitled "Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid".
Hopefully machine embroidery is something you might try - please let me know with your comment! What questions do you have for me? I'd love to help!
GIVEAWAY!!! Thank you for sticking with my long blog post - as a reward, I would like to offer one embroidered tea towel in the day of the week of your choice. If you love coffee as much as my sister-in-law and I do, you'll want to win one of these!!
Five chances to WIN!
1. Please leave a comment here on this blog stating which type of coffee or espresso you enjoy most.
2. Please visit
www.emblibrary.com or and tell me what embroidery design(s) you enjoyed most.
3. Let us know what project you'd enjoy making with an embroidery machine.
4. Leave a question about machine embroidery OR let us know what embroidery machine you own.
5. "Follow" me here at Rock n Quilts or let me know if you are a current follower.
Thank you!
(Open to international addresses. Must leave your working e-mail address if you are a no-reply blogger, or a new winner will be chosen. One winner will be chosen at random and notified on Tuesday, January 15th, 2013.)
Please visit all the bloggers participating in the hop today - thank you!
Monday, January 14
For a complete list, click
HERE.
@
P.S. Wouldn't these be cute?
