Category Archives: Basic no-embroidery Machine Projects

Autumn Burlap Pillow

Posted on October 24, 2019 | 2 comments

Get a detailed tutorial for this pillow at http://blog.brothersews.com/home-decor/harvest-time-pillow

This fall pillow gives you all the colors of autumn, even if you live in Florida, as I do. The fabric selection for this season is just remarkable! A trip down the aisles of my favorite sewing store reminds me of our drives down the Blue Ridge Parkway in October. I can almost smell piles of leaves burning.

You can make this pillow in a very short time. Working with burlap is a drastic change in gears from heirloom and the burlap rose was fun. Every burlap flower I researched online required hot glue and I did not want that. So this is my version of a no-glue posy. Detailed instructions are in the post at Brother’s Stitching Sewcial blog.

This sturdy pillow can bring fall colors to the outdoors as shown above or it can enrich the colors in your home. By changing the print fabric on the sash, you could make this a Halloween pillow. Then swap the sash to fall fabric after Oct. 31.

It reminds me of Halloweens past with my children’s and grandchildren’s goofy costumes, of huge Thanksgiving dinners with family and friends, of fall festivals at church, of tailgating Gator football games, and fall festivals. So many memories of this season…..

Required disclosure: I am a paid Brother Ambassador/sewing expert. Not required: I love my Brother Dream Machine 2!

Check out the tutorial here and leave a comment if you like it. I would really appreciate it.

http://blog.brothersews.com/home-decor/harvest-time-pillow/

2 Comments

Posted in Basic no-embroidery Machine Projects, free patterns and designs, home dec

Summer Yo-Yo Frock

Posted on June 24, 2019 | 4 comments

This is my latest creation for Brother’s blog, Stitching Sewcial. I must say, this is one with which I am almost completely satisfied. That rarely happens!

Isn’t that back cute?

I do regret not noticing that Farmhouse Fabrics has gingham buttons. I would like to have used those instead of the MOP pink ones as shown. But then again, maybe not. I’d have to have them on hand to compare.

These are the bloomers.

The little garment, size 24 months, was inspired by Kari Mecca’s Yo-Yo and Buttonholes Bubble pattern https://karimeccasblog.typepad.com/my_weblog/yoyo-buttonholes-bubble-pattern.html which appeared on the cover of Sew Beautiful magazine summer, 2009. Continue reading →

4 Comments

Posted in Basic no-embroidery Machine Projects, infant clothing, machine embroidery

Garments for Ghana

Posted on June 16, 2019 | 16 comments

This is the first of 7 clotheslines that hung from the walls in fellowship hall.

Required disclaimer: I am a paid Brother Ambassador. Not required: I genuinely LOVE Brother machines.

UPDATE: The first picture is in from Ghana! Though this little girl is not needy, I think she is the daughter of Ghanese pastor who hosts the mission team. Gayle had said this child would be given first choice. She certainly looks pleased. Her father reported that she didn’t want to take off the dress and slept in it!

What an exciting, satisfying project this has been! Since the end of Feb. a group of ladies and 4 children of River City Church, EPC, have gathered every Thursday to sew for the needy children of Ghana. Our goal was to make 100 garments. We finished the last week in May with 76 dresses and 44 pairs of shorts!

Getting started with basic instructions.

Starting a pair of cargo shorts.

Our efforts were in support of this summer’s second medical mission trip to Ghana, led by a church member Dr. Lyle Wadsworth and his nurse wife Gayle.

NOTE: Please excuse the wrinkled dresses. The garments were pressed before being hung on the clothesline. But after being packed for shipment to Ghana, many were unpacked to be photographed. It was just too time consuming to iron all of them.

Overturned yo-yo’s created puffy balloons. The teepee bag covers a runaway balloon.

Continue reading →

16 Comments

Posted in Basic no-embroidery Machine Projects, boys, girls, Kids Sew, ladies, machine embroidery

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FREE Peekaboo Pumpkin Treat Bag

Posted on October 16, 2018 | 5 comments

 

Now here is a quick, easy and fun fall project for you.  Since orange gourd designs are appropriate through Thanksgiving, you can stitch up a whole pumpkin patch of these to share. Even without an embroidery machine, you could trace a pumpkin and stitch the entire project on your sewing machine.

A detailed photo tutorial and the free design in 4×4 a d 5×7 are available at Brother’s blog, Stitching Sewcial. You can be very creative with this little pumpkin, using various colors of felt, burlap or even a sturdy fabric.

I especially liked using my Brother P-touch Embellish ribbon and tape printer  to print BOO! for the black pumpkin tie.

black love the imprinted ribbon

 

There are so many great projects posted at Stitching Sewcial, like Angela Wolf’s lovely burlap jar covers embellished with Scan ‘n Cut letters FALL.

 

 

Having recently purchased a Scan ‘n Cut I was especially interested in this project.  Check out Angela’s post and her tutorial here.  I just love the long fringe at the top and bottom of the jars.

And here is another fall project from Joanne Banko, Fall Wreath–a great post, great project, great tutorial with a great free sunflower swag design.

 

Happy Fall to you all!  Enjoy stitching for this colorful season.

 

 

 

5 Comments

Posted in Basic no-embroidery Machine Projects, free patterns and designs, Holiday Projects, machine embroidery, party accessories and ideas, Tutorials

Kiss the Cook Dishtowel for Basic Machines

Posted on January 17, 2018 | 10 comments

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and many readers have already mentioned that they are working of projects for the day that honors love.

Many, of course, are stitching special outfits for their children or grands. One dear grandmother is making 35 gifts for her grandchildren’s classmates, some pencil toppers and the others toothbrush wraps. I’ve never heard of toothbrush wraps and think it’s something I need to find out about. Do you know anything about them?

Others are creating gifts for family and friends. Since not everyone has an embroidery machine, I’m going to be adding blog projects, like this dishtowel, which require only a basic machine. Continue reading →

10 Comments

Posted in Basic no-embroidery Machine Projects, home dec, turn tube hem, Tutorials

Maggie B’s Kitty Cat Ode to Joy

Posted on December 19, 2017 | 9 comments

Maggie B’s Ode to Joy dress

My 4 yo granddaughter and I really love this Ode to Joy pattern by Maggie B. It is offered to students in her on-line class with excellent directions and a multitude of step-by-step instructional pictures. Our little dynamo is always on the go, in a hurry to get wherever and impatient with fussy button closures. She’s a gal who has places to go, people to see, and things to do. So just get on with getting dressed!

One of the best features of this little frock is that it simply pulls over the head like a tee shirt. No buttons, no buttonholes.

As you can clearly see, the neck binding is loosey goosey. It IS important to use the correct size elastic and worth a trip to the store if you don’t have it on hand. Lesson learned.

With it’s pop-over style and comfy fit, Ode to Joy is a favorite of our Vivian Rose. The cat print is an added bonus, making it a very popular wardrobe choice. Continue reading →

9 Comments

Posted in Basic no-embroidery Machine Projects, girls, smocking

Too Big, Too Precious

Posted on August 4, 2017 | 9 comments

8 yo loving her too large, unhemmed smocked dress

 

This dress and this little girl make my heart sing.  Our summer has been so full,  so busy, and absolutely fabulous, but this dress is one of the highlights for me.  All this busy-ness is why  it’s been so long since I have posted.

Our pilot son flew the family down from their new home in New Jersey.  11 yo Robert and 13 yo Laurel spent the week visiting with old friends and spending time with their cousin Vivi.  What a wonderful family time that was!  Cousins, pool, golf cart rides, puppies to play with–it was plenty to make them happy.

 

Robert and Vivian Rose

 

Robert stayed with us when the rest of the family went home.  The next day we drove to the North Carolina mountains where we stayed at a fabulous cabin.

 

Now this is a great place to enjoy smocking!

 

At wonderful Bear Ridge Cabin in Brevard, our daughter Rebecca and Vivian Rose joined us while 8 yo Alastair was spending his last week at Camp Watitoh in Massachussets.   Our mutual friend Zahra and her two children also joined us while the daddies stayed at home working.

The children were just delightful, a special treat for this Nana and Granddad.

 

After s’mores, the children were all jammied up and ready for bed.

Continue reading →

9 Comments

Posted in Basic no-embroidery Machine Projects, girls, Nana fun

Maggie B’s Ode to Joy Dress

Posted on May 26, 2017 | 10 comments

 

 

Maggie Bunch has created a new classic with her Ode to Joy pattern.  I love everything about this dress–quick smocking, easy construction, use of coordinating print and the comfort of a pull-on dress or playtop with no buttons to fuss with.  It is smocked front and back with only about 90 pleats sleeve to sleeve.

 

 

Ode to Joy was first taught by Maggie as a class project at Sewing at the Beach and she is now offering it as an on-line sew-along class.  She has given several sew-along, smock-along classes, reasonably priced at $25.  They are a bargain at any price.

Step by step, Maggie sews along with you and posts even more detailed photos in the process.   She is also  is available to answer questions.  The class begins mid- June.  Registration is limited so if you are interested, check it out ASAP on her website here.   

Continue reading →

10 Comments

Posted in Basic no-embroidery Machine Projects, girls, smocking

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Style Conflicts

Posted on April 27, 2017 | 8 comments

CC Charlotte top and Parker Pants shorts–she likes it!!!!  I love the Confederate jasmine in bloom.  The scent is heavenly.

 

I doubt I’m the only Nana who has issues with what I want to sew and what a child wants to wear. My passion for sewing for my grandchildren and the fashion preferences of 4 yo Vivian have been at odds more and more frequently as she grows.  Even at a very early age she had strong preferences for her outer wear.  As you can tell from the name of my blog, I am an old fashioned Nana.  Vivi is a modern child, 2 generations removed.

 

enjoying Butterbeer at Harry Potter World

Continue reading →

8 Comments

Posted in Basic no-embroidery Machine Projects, girls, Nana fun

How good is good enough?

Posted on March 12, 2017 | 9 comments

children with their teepee bags at my grandson’s 8th birthday party

This is a question I have struggle with frequently. Does EVERY project require or deserve perfection?

Most recently, my struggle focused on the party favor bags for my grandson’s 8th birthday. The party had a sports theme, with a football pinata and soccer field cake. My contribution to the festivities was 12 teepee bags (click here for the post with the free pattern) 3 each from football, baseball, basketball and soccer novelty fabrics. After enjoying the bounce house and the girls swapping clothes and changing again and again with the garments in the dress up box, the bags were stuffed by the children with the spilled contents of the smashed pinata.

Like most of you readers, I am very, very busy. But I am also very, very fussy about my sewing. Often I ask myself, is it better to sew more with a few imperfections or better to sew less and get my projects as close to perfect as possible? In fact, I rarely achieve results even close to perfect. Continue reading →

9 Comments

Posted in bags, Basic no-embroidery Machine Projects, free patterns and designs

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