Category Archives: machine embroidery

Happy Independence Day and Cornfed Cutie

Posted on July 4, 2014 | Leave a comment

happy_4th

UPDATED:

I hope you all are having a fabulous 4th.  We’re grilling burgers, hot dogs and corn on the cob while waiting to watch a Capitol 4th on tv tonight.

 

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Granddaughter Vivian Rose tucked right in to a traditional 4th of July dinner–fried chicken and corn on the cob.  Notice the bare chicken bone–that little girl can eat!  She is loving that corn on the cob.

 

 

 

So this is a relatively quiet celebration for us.  Holidays always cause me to look back on good times and good years gone by.  So I am sharing with you some of my fondest memories and grandchildren outfits from earlier Independence Days.

 

Patriots-corner

This is on my to-do list. I’d love to hang this when we have another 4th picnic.

 

When our children were younger, we hosted an annual  4th of July picnic for family and friends at our home (scroll down to the bottom if you’d like to read about the picnic).  Fun, fun, fun! Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, brother-sister, girls, machine embroidery

Wedding or Holiday Chair Backs

Posted on June 13, 2014 | 11 comments

 Another wedding repost.  Quick and easy to make, these chair covers could be embroidered for birthdays, Christmas or other holidays.  Any event that calls for a guest’s special recognition is a good reason to whip up a few.

The BRIDE and GROOM chair backs lived with the trunk show samples I displayed when I taught classes.  At every event, they got a lot of positive attention, with students measuring and making notes on the construction.  

Have you ever made chair covers?  Please share pictures.

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zwedchairsCOMP

 

Sewing for a wedding is just about as much fun as sewing for babies.   It’s like the prelude to grandchildren. Continue reading →

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Posted in Binche Lace, home dec, machine embroidery, party accessories and ideas, serger, wedding

Wedding Aprons

Posted on June 5, 2014 | 4 comments

wedapronwhole1beccca

 

A wedding is not a marriage. A wedding is only the beginning of an undertaking that may or may not, someday, develop into a marriage. What the couple have on their wedding day is not the key to a beautiful garden, but just a vacant lot and a few gardening tools. (David and Vera Mace)

Because it’s June, the favored month for weddings, I will re-run some earlier posts about my daughter’s wedding.  Sure,  a lot of sentimental fluff is included but that’s because I’m a sentimental gal.  There are also some useful ideas for wedding sewing.

This month, my fabulous husband and I will celebrate our 46th wedding anniversary. I wish every couple could have this much happiness.

 

1968

1968. Because we wanted to be married in Florida, where we would start our life together, fewer than 30 guests attended. But we didn’t care.  My mother made my dress.

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Rebecca’s garden wedding for 130 guests at our home was a hands-on affair, orchestrated almost entirely by family and friends. Only the photographer, ceremony string quartet, reception Cajun band and wait staff were hired.

As soon as Rebecca and Harvey’s engagement was announced, my dear friend Susanna presented me with her own well-used tote bag.   It was embellished with the text MOTB–Mother Of The Bride. She had used this bag extensively while planning her own daughter’s fairy tale wedding.

Susanna graciously offered to serve as wedding coordinator and was promptly engaged in that volunteer capacity. From that time on, in our conversations and planning sessions, familial relationships were designated by letters–MOTG (mother of the groom), AOTB (aunt of the bride), Grandmother of the Groom (GMOTG) etc. It was fun.

 

Continue reading →

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Posted in home dec, ladies, machine embroidery, recipes, wedding

Pooh and Alastair

Posted on May 30, 2014 | 10 comments

It’s been such a long time since I have posted, but I’ve been having too much fun with 5 yo grandson Alastair to sit still and write.  He  has been with us for 10 delightful days.   More on that below.

 

Pooh suit

 

Meanwhile, I did manage to sew up a little suit using a commercial pattern.  You know how those 5 for $7 patterns from  Joann’s stack up.  As always, I was in a hurry and grabbed the first one which would work.  I should have looked through my Children’s Corner and Michie patterns.  Some modification was needed to meet my vision for a fully lined project. Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, Disney, machine embroidery, Nana fun

Slumber Party Pillowcases

Posted on May 12, 2014 | 10 comments
L cake

Laurel, out of the pool and ready for birthday cake

 

Granddaughter Laurel recently celebrated her 10th birthday at a resort hotel.   Five of her closest friends and a few mothers had a big time enjoying all the activities and amenities typical of a resort hotel.

 

pcs 6

 

For party favors, a pillowcase was embroidered for each girl.  I have been reluctant to post these photos because there is sooooo much puckering in the embroidery.  It was caused by operator error–my use of  inadequate stabilizer.  But the girls were absolutely non-judgemental and seemed to love their personalized gift.

 

six pillowcase party favors

six pillowcase party favors

Continue reading →

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Posted in machine embroidery, party accessories and ideas

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Free Big Bunnies Design

Posted on April 24, 2014 | 146 comments

3 bunnies

 

As a self-described Only-When-Absolutely-Necessary digitizer/machine embroidery designer, I worked up this design for a Children’s Corner Callie.   It was made in a huge hurry for my granddaughter to wear to the Bunny Lunch at church the day before Easter.

 

VR ball basket Continue reading →

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Posted in free patterns and designs, girls, Holiday Projects, machine embroidery, uncategorized

Easter Bunny Lunch~Casual Garments

Posted on April 23, 2014 | Leave a comment

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I hope you all had a joyful Easter.  We had a beautiful weekend-long celebration with a houseful of laughing adult children and grandchildren.  Our daughter, Rebecca, her family and our son Ryan’s family were here.  He is a pilot and, sadly, was unable join us.  We’re happy that he loves his work, but we miss him at so many family gatherings.

 

sandwiches

 

Friday night, while taking a break from my sewing, I made more than 100 little raisin bread/cream cheese/jelly sandwiches for Saturday’s Bunny Lunch at church.  My dear, helpful husband sat with me and cut away the crusts from 5 loaves while I spread the filling.  The sandwiches were topped with cream cheese carrots sprinkled with a little orange sugar which pleased the children.

 

tie design from Linnie Pinnie, with single bunny from

Tie design from is Linnie Pinnie, with single bunny extracted from Bernina’s Warm Wishes from Ingrid collection.

Continue reading →

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Posted in church projects, girls, heirloom sewing, machine embroidery, Nana fun, uncategorized

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Baby’s Easter Slip & Tips

Posted on April 16, 2014 | 6 comments
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slip for Baby’s Easter bow dress

 

This pink slip was made to be worn under granddaughter Vivian Rose’s white batiste Easter dress.  It create a soft pink shadow effect.

 

dress pink2

 

The slip bodice was monogrammed with white thread. Continue reading →

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Posted in girls, heirloom sewing, infant clothing, lace tape, machine embroidery

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Baby’s Easter Dress

Posted on April 12, 2014 | 14 comments
dress pink2

Vivian Rose’s white Easter dress with pink slip

UPDATE:  Finally I have a photo of Vivian Rose in her Easter dress.

VR Easter 14 crop

 

NOTE:  Please excuse the poor quality of these photos. They were taken midday, making it nearly impossible to get a shot without shadows.  The breeze was blowing and the dress kept moving.  And photography is not my strong suit.

Are you all busy with Easter sewing?  Busy, busy, busy has been the status around here for some time and it’s not been all about sewing.  With Aunt Rheeta’s visit,  Rebecca’s 3-day visit with Alastair and Vivian Rose,  and sleepovers with our other two grandchildren, progress on Easter outfits is way behind schedule.  But I loved every minute of these visits and have no regrets.

During that time, however, I did manage to make some progress on  Vivian Rose’s holiday finery and now that things have quieted down, I  have just finished her dress and slip.

 

dress no slip

dress without pink slip

Continue reading →

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Posted in hand embroidery, infant clothing, machine embroidery, shadow work, uncategorized

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Rheeta’s Visit ~Sweat Shop or Working Vacation?

Posted on April 8, 2014 | 26 comments
Rheeta

Aunt Rheeta has fallen in love with my Brother Quattro.

What a fabulous time we have had with my dear Aunt Rheeta.  She and her little apricot poodle, Molly, visited us here in Florida to escape the bitter Indiana winter and do a little sewing.  As it happened, she did more than a little.  In fact, my sewing room was like a sweat shop.  She accomplished so much!  Having an in-house sewing buddy was such fun.

We worked together, with most of the design arrangement done by me and most of the sewing done by her.    She is no newcomer to machine embroidery, only new to my Brother Quattro which she loved.

Rheeta has several major projects under her belt, including a spectacular embroidered linen communion cloth for her church, an exquisitely embroidered Bible cover and more.

Her primary goal was to finish high school graduation gifts for her granddaughter Alexa, a rising freshman at Texas A & M.  Rheeta’s first project was the requisite college fleece throw in school colors.

Edges are finished with a 3-thread wide serge.

Edges are finished with a 3-thread wide serge.  We didn’t worry about the wrinkles as the blanket was soon be packed tightly into her over packed suitcase for the trip home to Indiana.

 

The embroidery is Applique Market’s College Double Applique Alphabet.  As you can see, Rheeta used only the outline.  I love this versatile collection which comes with letters in

Since her acceptance letter,  Alexa has dressed her 4 lb. dog in a tiny, maroon, Texas  A & M shirt.  Certainly, she will be pleased with this fleece blanket.

 

Rheeta's granddaughter is, indeed, Princess of Quite a Lot of Laundry!

Rheeta’s granddaughter is, indeed, Princess of Quite a Lot of Laundry!

Continue reading →

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Posted in bags, home dec, machine embroidery, serger

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