Machine Embroidery Applique Tutorial

Here's a quick tutorial using Embroidery Boutique's Ho Ho Ho design to demonstrate how I do machine applique.  Sorry for the bad pics!

Step 1: Hoop stabilizer and stitch all placement stitches.  In most designs you will need to skip through the tack down stitches and/or satin stitches to get to the next placement stitch.  

Step 2: Unhoop stabilizer and cut touching design pieces apart. If pieces don't touch I just spray fabric with spray-n-bond, stick to stabilizer and cut.

Step 3: Spray fabric pieces with spray-n-bond, stick to stabilizer pieces and cut the pieces out. Be sure to cut them just a tad bigger than the stitching line to ensure they get stitched during tack down.  And don't forget to remove stabilizer from fabric and store it to use next time.

Step 4: Stitch placement stitches on item being made.  This time go in order.  Placement, add fabric, tack down, satin.  If you use heat-n-bond light, iron after tack down.

Step 5: All pieces are tacked down and you're ready for satin stitches! You can see in the picture how my pieces are hanging just outside the stitching.  This design had wide satin stitches and covered everything perfectly.  If there is excessive over hang I trim it before satin stitches.

Ta Da! The finished shirt!

I've always used this method and love it because I can keep the design template I stitched on stabilizer and use it time and time again for the same design.  It really speeds up the process because I can have one shirt stitching and all the pieces ready for the next one and do not have to stop to trim in the middle of stitching the design.  I keep all of my designs in craft bags labeled with the design name and size.  Hope this helps!

Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas! 

Christmas Jammie Giveaway from Sunfire Creative

Lots of cute jammies and lots of designs to choose from!  Your children will look so cute in their personalized jammies on Christmas morning!  Visit us on Facebook to see what else we've been creating lately!

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Click HERE to order!  If you have already ordered and win the giveaway, I will refund your PayPal account.

Good Luck!

Miscellany Monday

It's been a while since I've blogged or linked up with Carissa for Miscellany Monday, but I think it's time for a quick update, so here goes:

{one}

Jack

This boy is a MESS!  You can't tell in this picture, but he insisted on wearing two shirts and because he is 3 with a mind of his own, both are on backward and inside out!  I even took him to Kroger just like that...

Jack looks so big carrying a lunch box to school.  Randomly one day last week, he decided he was going to take his lunch.  He found his lunch box and packed it with Nutrigrain bars, goldfish and his toast from breakfast.  This is now a daily occurrence.  He will gather up his snacks, put them in his lunch box and off to school we go, but most days he doesn't eat his snacks and eat whatever the school is having that day instead.

Growing up too fast!

{two}

Love them!

Jack is a Daddy's boy!  If he sees that Randy is going somewhere, he will jump up, get dressed and go with him.  Below he's learning about welding.  

 {Three} 

Chick-fil-a

Yep, you read that right - we will be without a Chick-fil-a for at least the next month!  We don't go to Chick-fil-a often, but you know how you want it EVERY Sunday?  Yeah, that's how it is right now!

{Four}

Sunfire Creative

I made this sweet little outfit for my friend Courtney over at Tails from the Trials.  Her daughter will be 2 in March and they're having a Garden Party theme.  I think this outfit fits the theme just perfect!

 My little cousin will be welcoming a baby boy, Carter in May, so I've been busy sewing a few things for her too!

 What have you been up to?

Christmas 2012

 Christmas at the lake

Aunt Linzi and Jack

 Silly cousins - Jack and Brady

 Me and Ran

 My mom looks like she just won the Amazon lottery!  

 Smile

 Papa and his tour de Texas beers

 This is my first "good" manual picture with a Nikon D3100- I have no idea how I even got it this decent!  I will learn to use that camera this year!

 My Favorite Tree EVER!

 'Twas the night before Christmas...

All Jack really wanted for Christmas was a motorcycle, but since Santa thought a 3-year old is a little young for a motorcycle, he brought a new bicycle, Home Depot work bench, tools and art supplies.

There was a bad storm Christmas morning, so our power went out right as my mom was getting ready and didn't come back on until a few hours later.  Opening gifts in the dark is fun! 

I had envisioned a precious family picture in front of our tree with everyone in their matching jammies, but this was as close as I got.

We had a very, very blessed 2012 and I am thankful for all we have been given and all the blessings in our lives.  I'm excited to see what 2013 has in store for us!

Happy New Year!

H-A double L-O-W double E-N spells Halloween!

We went to a friend's kid's birthday party and they had a cute little pumpkin patch set up out in front of their house.  If one pumpkin is good, don't you think 2... or 3 would be better?!  Jack had fun picking out his pumpkins and decorating them with wiggle eyes, stickers, markers and lots of other goodies!

 This was Jack's first year to carve a pumpkin and let's just say he wasn't quite sure about all the pumpkin guts!  I thought he would dig right in and love playing with all that slimy nastiness, but he wouldn't even touch it!  Thank goodness Daddy jumped in and saved the day!

My little firefighter!  He was not happy about wearing the hat, despite the fact that he usually loves silly hats.  He kept telling me it was weird.  Everything he doesn't want to wear these days ends up being weird.  Some days I swear my 3 year old is already 13!

Jack didn't really like going up to people's houses, but he loved the candy and running around with the big kids.  Monsters Reese and Carson didn't even scare him!  

Happy Halloween!