Some Machine Embroidery Going On

Well last week I did find some time to do a couple small embroidery projects.  One of the ladies I work with wanted the school logo put on a shirt

 

 

And my daughter had gotten a beach towel for my grandson so I put his name on it!!

 

 

Also I realized that since my last post prior to last week was in November I hadn't told you that due to an unexpected financial blessing I was able to purchase the Floriani Total Control - U embroidery software

 

 

which I am still learning to use.  I know I had told you I had gone to a couple different Floriani events where the software was demoed and I really fell in love with it but it is somewhat expensive.  I am hoping to find some more time to learn this software.  There are a few events coming up between June and November that I plan to attend.  Most events are not very expensive and if you are into machine embroidery I highly recommend you attend if you can, you always walk away with free stuff (spools of embroidery thread, stabilizer samples) not to mention the knowledge of those teaching!

 

I am spending more time in my sewing room mostly trying to get it cleaned up so that it is useable.  I recently took some time to clean and rearrange it and once I get a little more cleaned up I'll post pics for everyone to see.

 

Well until next time!!

Jodi



Vacation

Well I have to say this was a pretty productive week while I was on vacation.  I made a pillow for some family members that celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary, even though it was last year!!  We actually were on vacation last year when they celebrated it and wasn't able to attend

I also fixed a bathing suit for a friend.  When she bought it, it showed too much cleavage for her comfort so I fixed it by adding some material to the top

 

She let me know that it turned out perfect which always makes you feel good about helping others.

 

I also made 2 sets of baby bath towels

 

Fixed 2 pairs of shorts and repaired sheets for my brother.  I'm sorry to see the week end but feel very rested and relaxed and I guess ready to go back to work tomorrow.

 

Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day and please remember the true reason we celebrate this day



Well until next time,

Jodi



 



Embroidery Club

Well as I talked about 2 weeks ago I attended a Floriani Event at Calico Cupboard Quilt Shop.  They also have an embroidery club that meets the 2nd Saturday of each month.  Well for this month it was cutwork embroidery, something I had never done before so I decided to participate.  Here is my linen napkin that we worked on.

 

The first corner (top right hand corner) was a disaster even though you cannot see it in the picture.  For some reason my machine was not behaving well.  The tension was way off.  The second one worked better after I adjusted the tension.  The third one then was off again the tension was too tight and the bobbin thread was showing.  It was as if my machine was trying to adjust itself.

 

Luckily when I set it back up and worked with it today doing more embroidery it had adjusted itself again and everything was running smoothly.  So after I had gotten a couple other embroidery projects done with no problem I decided to try the final corner on the napkin and it was perfect with no adjustments on my part.

 

Next month they are doing endless lace and inserting it into a sweatshirt sleeve so I'm seriously thinking of attending that one as well.

 

Once I get the projects I've been working on today I'll post more pictures.

 

Until next time!!

Jodi

 



Floriani Event

This past weekend was a great event.  I participated in the Floriani Event held at Calico Cupboard Quilt Store in Pataskala, Ohio.  I attended one of these before 2 years ago but it was only a 1 day 4 hour event.  This one was 2 days for 12 hours, just let me say that by the end of each day you were on information overload regarding stabilizers. 

 

He showed lots of great samples and had lots of different ways to get to the same result.  For a man that has only been doing machine embroidery for approximately 6 years he was very knowledgeable.  Of course the big push was to purchase their Floriani Total Control Embroidery software at the reduced price of $1999.99 (regularly $4300) but I do have to say that I really do like their embroidery thread and stabilizers.  I have been using them the past 2 years and have very little issues with them.

 

Now to just get the embroidery unit setup and start using it a little more to justify my purchases.  Oh well it was a fun and informative couple of days.  I have decided to start participating in their embroidery club meeting each month to try to help me be more productive with the embroidery.

 

Sorry no pictures this week,

 

Until next time,

Jodi

Update on sewing projects

WARNING!!!  PICTURE HEAVY!!!

Hopefully everyone had a nice enjoyable Thanksgiving and are now busy working on Christmas gifts, or whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year.  I have been fairly busy working on new projects and some UFO's.

To start here's an update on my red and white blocks from Karen's block swap from a year ago this past May

The top is completely pieced together I just have to get the batting and decide what material I want for the backing.  It is a twin size and I have 1 or 2 blocks left to maybe make pillows.

I started this table topper

during our Guild's Quilt Retreat back in October, I had it to the point of cutting the corners diagonally and putting the border piece on with the pumpkin stems now I again just have to put the sandwich together and get it quilted.

Last year I made a quilt for my mom and step-dad for Christmas 

so I decided to make one from the same pattern for my mother and father-in-law, so here is the start

so I have 14 of 49 blocks made.  The cream squares have little burgundy hearts and the burgundy squares have a different pattern but it was the closest I could come to the burgundy hearts.  The cream and burgundy hearts will also be the squares in between.

I also did a special order embroidery job

one of the girls I work with purchased a 31 Gifts Sling Bag (I think is what it's called) that is a backpack, she wanted her nieces name put on it as a birthday gift.

Well hopefully I didn't bore you too much with this post but I really have been somewhat busy.

Well until next time,

Jodi

Latest special order

My cousins daughter asked about a special order shirt for her daughter's first birthday.  She bought the shirt, fabric and had the number designed already done,  I think it turned out pretty cute.  I have never done applique like this before

 

Please ignore the photography, that is definitely not my strong suit.  I think if I ever do something like this again I'm going to suggest using 2 different thread colors.  Maybe a lighter color for the outline of the number and a darker one for the lettering.

 

But overall I'm happy with how it turned out, I put Floriani No Show Fusible Mesh on the back to help with the scratchiness of the embroidery.

 

Well until next time,

Jodi

 



Finally Some Sewing Going On!!!!

Well I finally got to spend some time in my sewing room!!!  I have so much more to do but I'm so glad I got to do something, my nieces birthday is tomorrow but they had her party on Saturday so I put this together for her, she will be 3

Her party was Hello Kitty theme so I made this bag, bought a Hello Kitty activity pad & crayons, Hello Kitty gift bag and Hello Kitty card.  I think I had it covered!!!

I did get some more done on my red and white block quilt top but not enough to take and post pictures.  Hoping to find some more time this week to get more completed on it.

Well until next time,

Jodi

Wedding Gift and another Graduation Gift

My husband is a member of this private club and 2 of the members got married this weekend so I was trying to come up with a gift for people I really don't know very well.  I though about doing the pillow cases again but then I didn't know their last name so that wasn't going to work.  I like doing towels so I came up with these

Since I don't have any idea what colors they use in their home I picked white hand towels, but it wasn't the best choice once I decided on the design.  The white tub on HERS doesn't show up very well but it worked.

I also got another graduation blanket done for my cousins daughter, 

it was a little late, but better late than never!!  I didn't realize she was going to be at my nephew's grad party, guess I should have since they are related!!!  But my mind was on other things that weekend.  So I gave it to her grandma to pass on.  This is a better picture than the previous ones I posted, since I actually remembered to take the picture before I gave the gift.  I really need to get better at doing that!!

Didn't get as much done as I would have liked but at least I got something done, much better than I have been doing.

You know too many projects and just not enough time to get them all done in the time I'd like, darn job gets in the way!!!  But I'm very thankful for the job I have, wouldn't want it any other way really.

Well until next time,

Jodi

Graduation Gifts

Well I did manage to get some sewing done Friday evening, I made 2 graduation blankets, I forgot to take pictures before I gave them to the girls but here's a picture of the girls with their blankets

and here's a picture of one of them up close

not the best picture and sorry about the cleavage shot!!  The girls really liked them and one of the fathers suggested he might swipe his daughters.  I prefer to give gifts like this than money since the money goes all too quickly.

I did get a few other small things done but nothing really photo worthy except the notebook cover and its laying in my kitchen so I'll have to take a picture and update this post later.

Well until next time,

Jodi

Nothing New

Not much going on around here in the sewing room, I did attend a Floriani Embroidery Seminar on the 5th, it was very informative.  For those that attended we received a package with thread, designs, stabilizers and other misc info that I really haven't had much time to look at yet, hopefully I'll get to it soon.  Some of her samples were absolutely beautiful and she made it look so easy, guess we'll find out in time.  Well just soon as I have time to put something together I'll show you pictures, have some ideas in my head now just to get them stitched out.

Until next time,

Jodi

Gift

Well, I did manage to get a gift done for a friends wedding 2 weeks ago

I love doing these for friends and family.  I just think they are appreciated so much more.

Until next time!

Jodi

Another special order

A friend was trying to figure out what to get someone for Christmas and I was telling

her about the embroidered bath towels I do and she placed this order

They turned out very nice, I'm pleased.

Until next time,

Jodi