Just a reminder that there is a free letter each week right here on the Embroidery It home page/front page. Just scroll down to the bottom of the page to grab it. It changes weekly, usually on Wednesdays.
We are now up to the letter N. These letters are great for tags on packages, gift bags or to be used as an ornament on the Christmas tree. They are done in free standing lace with applique on top. These machine embroidery designs are made using your 4 x 4 hoop.
Friends, if you miss a letter, just head over to the Embroidery It store and you will find them for only $1.50 each. I’m keeping them affordable so even if you miss one or two, you can still easily get the ones you miss.
Thank you all so much and I have appreciated all the comments you have written me about the letters. So glad you are enjoying them!!
Thank you to those who have been joining me live over on the Embroidery It Facebook page on the second Tuesday of each month. For those of you who don’t know, you can stitch right along with me, real time. And I’m there to answer your questions. The applique coasters we’ve been doing are geared for the beginning machine embroiderer, but anyone and everyone of all levels is welcome. It is just a fun environment to stitch with others. It is the next best thing to actually being side-by-side with you stitching.
I also create a YouTube video of the project we are working on. Often times, I record the YouTube video the day before. This is a great way for me to work any bugs out before I videotape it live with you. Ha! And yes bugs to happen. Sometimes I’ve forgotten to have my scissors handy. In this video, I forgot to turn off the phone. I’m only human. 🙂
Anyway, here is the recording of the Watermelon coaster. And here is the link to the free design.
This link will only work during the month of June. If it has passed, there will be something else going on here that you can join in on. And if you miss it when it is free, it is only $1.50. Just enter the store to purchase.
It is always a fun time as we begin a new alphabet set. The letter A is free and ready for you to instantly download from the front page or home page of the website. Just click HERE and scroll down to the bottom of the page.
This embroidery design is a combination free standing lace and applique design. It fits in your 4 x 4 hoop and uses 2 colors of thread. One for the background and one for the borders. It is good to have bobbin thread that matches the top thread.
The original intent was these would be used as Christmas ornaments, but they can be used on tags for packages as well as identifiers on items like a backpack. Attach one to your sewing/embroidery machine when you go to your club meetings. Just imagine other colors to match birthday parties and other holidays.
The designs will remain free for one week and will then be placed for sale of only $1.50 in the Embroidery It store.
If you haven’t yet, sign up for the newsletter to receive notifications as each new letter arrives. Most weeks, the letter is changed on Wednesdays, but occasionally the schedule dictates a change so I don’t want anyone missing out.
Make it a great day everyone and enjoy the new alphabet!
Just a heads up to remind you that the Embroidery It sew along is this Tuesday, December 12th at 2:00 PM Eastern Time over on the Embroidery It Facebook page. It will be live so you may ask questions and join in the chat. This is PERFECT for machine embroidery beginners as you will see “real time” the making of this coaster.
This coaster is a free design for the month of December and the link to it is in the newsletter. Not a newsletter subscriber yet? Just sign up now. You will get the newsletter tomorrow so you can be prepared and stitch right along with everyone.
This is a great way to use up those little scraps and make a sweet gift.
I also show how to turn this coaster into a sweet ornament!
As a reminder, this design coordinates with the other sew along coasters we’ve been doing. The previous designs are available in both the Embroidery It Etsy store and Zibbet Shop.
If you are reading this and the sew-along is over, never fear. There is always something going on here at Embroidery It and like I said before, the newsletter is the best way to keep up-to-date with all the latest happenings.
I hope you are waking up to a beautiful day. For my Florida and southern state friends, oh gosh, please know my family and I are lifting you up in prayer. I’ve shared before that our home was affected by hurricane Charley back in 2004 when we lived in the Sarasota/Bradenton area of Florida. It didn’t have near the severity that you are dealing with, but I remember watching the water rise in the living room and pour in through the ceiling light fixtures and the door frame of one of the bedrooms. Buckets were strategically placed all around to catch the water. Stay strong. And for my Texas friends, I hope you are finding your way into a new routine and getting your repairs taken care of.
On another note, I want to let you all know the Embroidery It sew along is tomorrow at 2:00 PM Eastern Time zone.
This is geared to the new embroiderer, but EVERYONE is welcome. So if you are new to machine embroidery and would like to try a simple project where you can learn how to applique and make an in-the-hoop project, here is your chance to embroider right along with me and ask any questions as we go along. All you will need are a couple pieces of felt and two small scraps of fabric.
The design is free for newsletter subscribers but just through the month of September. Just sign up here on this website and I will be sending you a link to the design as well as a supply list.
The apple was August’s design. If you missed it, you can get it HERE in Etsy or HERE in Zibbet. All monthly designs will have a similar feel to them so you can make a fun coordinated collection perfect for gift giving.
Please share your finished coasters on Facebook and Pintrest and use the hashtag #EmbroideryItSewAlong
This way we can all find you and see your finished work!
One more thing, I would truly appreciate you letting your embroidery friends know about this so they can join in and learn about Embroidery It. ~ Thank you!!
I’m so excited to share with you that an in the hoop, applique embroidery sew-along is coming Tuesday August 8th! This will be a monthly sew-along on the second Tuesday of every month. This Wednesday’s newsletter will have all the details so be sure to sign up and get notified. Also I appreciate you sharing this with your embroidery friends and letting them know so they may join in too!
Here is a short video that tells just a bit more about what to expect.
I can’t wait to stitch with you!!
Also, here is the link for more information about the Embroidery Bee club mentioned in the video.
Welcome to the final day of the Embroidery It Birthday Party.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support, kindness and generosity. I truly appreciate each and every one of you. It is through you that my dreams, goals and visions are coming true. I sincerely thank you.
As we wrap up the birthday party, it is Sunday, a day of rest. I hope you will use these inspirational teacup coasters as a gentle reminder to enjoy each day and all life has to offer with its many blessings.
Make a set of 4 or 8 coasters for yourself, or they make a lovely gift bundled up and added with some tea, a teacup and a homemade muffin or small box of chocolates. Give as a hostess gift, housewarming, get well, birthday, retirement gift and the list goes on. There are 8 designs in the set.
These are stitched on felt and made in your 4 x 4 hoop.
You will find the Inspirational Teacup Coasters HERE in Etsy
I want to make sure you see the free alphabet and to remind you that the letter changes weekly. Be sure to grab it each week for FREE! After that, the letters do go up for sale in the Embroidery It Zibbet Shop. Today the letter “I” has been released. You may get it HERE.
Offering you the free letters is my way of saying “Thank You” for visiting and your support. I appreciate each of you so much!
Also, just a small head’s up. Remember last year’s Birthday Party? Embroidery It turns 3 in just one month! I’m working on a little some’in-some’in just for you that you won’t want to miss.
So excited to share with you the new free alphabet machine embroidery design set which begins this Wednesday.
It is an in the hoop double applique banner alphabet. It matches the same size as the previous banner letters so the additional pieces will coordinate perfectly.
Thank you for letting your embroidery friends know about this both so they can find Embroidery It as well as get in on the very beginning and not miss a single letter.
What a rainy day we are having this morning. I’m thankful for the rain and the bit of coolness that it brings. Makes for a quiet day at home to embroider, and read.
I pulled out Mackinac Island Fudge coffee this morning for a pick-me-up and the girls like it too.
I want to remind you to be sure to pick up the free cross stitch letter “q” this week. I will be changing it out early Wednesday morning so you still have a couple of days.
Finally, and this is the first time I’ve shared this with you all, I’m working on getting Embroidery It up on Shopify.
There are several reasons for this. I think it is a good next step. I’ve still struggled with getting my own website shopping cart system working here. I just don’t know enough yet and if I had problems with the shopping cart, I wouldn’t know how to fix them. Shopify is more like Etsy in that they handle the payments securely and safely for everyone and I’ve heard wonderful things about Shopify. I think I can basically sell directly here on my website and then when you click to buy, it will take you over to Shopify. Still working out the details on that. On Shopify, I can arrange my designs in a way that will be easier for customers to navigate and find. Shopify will cost me less money. It is a monthly fee plus a small percentage that will be less than what Etsy charges.
It is a learning curve for sure though. Some of my pictures show up dark. I think I need a different photo editing software to correct this problem.
I won’t be leaving Etsy so for those of you who love Etsy, you will still be able to find me there. Etsy has a special place in my heart as that is where I started. Finally, I think it is a good thing to be a couple of places in that if Etsy ever decided to shut down for who knows why…I have a back up going. Or, if Shopify went away, I would still have Etsy.
Shopify will have a newsletter sign-up form and if all works as planned, it will merge with the one here so you won’t need to sign up again.
Update July 20, 2016 – At this time I’m no longer moving forward with Shopify. It still is not giving me what I want in a website. Pooh! I just need to get my own website here up and running properly.
That’s all for now…Have a wonderful day friends, no matter what the weather is like in your area.
Here is a sneak peek behind the scenes of creating an Embroidery design.
Here I am in the Embroidery It studio. First I sketch my designs on my sketch pad. I always use a pencil and sometimes colored pencils.
Then I transfer the design to the computer using embroidery software. (I use Generations, but there are a number of different ones out on the market. Most have a 30 day trial so if you are looking for one, try several to see which feels the most intuitive to you) What you see in front of the computer is an electronic sketch pad or tablet and pen. I use a Wacom, but again there are several different ones out there.
All my designs are digitized by hand. I never use auto digitizing. Also, all designs at Embroidery It are my own artwork. You will not find these designs elsewhere.
After the design is digitized, I test it out on my embroidery machine. Sometimes what I think looks good in my head and on paper doesn’t always translate well to thread and fabric.
I make any computer changes to the design as is necessary and stitch the design again.
When I’m satisfied with the design I gather it in all the formats.
I also photograph the finished design.
Then I put the design in my Etsy shop and I write about it here!
And that is what goes into the making of a design.
Want to add the extra sparkle to a child’s t-shirt or as a pretty element on an Easter Basket? Set of 4 applique Easter eggs that any little girl will love. Made easily in your 4 x 4 hoop. Just sew or glue rhinestones in place.
I’m typing this on a very cold and blustery morning. Snow covers the ground and I keep replenishing the bird seed in the feeder for all the hungry creatures. Even the squirrels come to nibble on the ground what the birds drop. Precious sight to see the bright red of the cardinals against the snow.
While my home is decorated for Valentine’s day, it is time to start thinking ahead as the next holiday is St. Patrick’s Day. With St. Patrick’s Day, we know spring will be just around the corner.
To get us ready for St. Patrick’s Day, the Banner Shamrock will add lively color to our home. Pair it with some banner alphabet letters to make a welcoming sign. It is made to be the perfect size to go with the letters.
An important thing to note…The buttonholes are the last color to stitch in the design. This means it is easy to eliminate them as you don’t have to stitch them. By doing this, you can use this shamrock design as an applique on a shirt, tote bag or towels!
There are two designs in this set. One where the shamrock stem points left and the other right so choose which works best for your project.
Stay warm friends and have some fun stitching some green for a change.
Just a heads up that you have through Tuesday to grab the letter T for free this week. It is currently at the bottom of the home page and will soon be replaced. Requires a 5 x 7 hoop.
Thank you so much for requesting more of the candy holders. I’m pleased to let you know that the Christmas Candy Holder set has now been released and is available in the Etsy shop.
This is the PERFECT time for you to use that Embroidery glitter fabric or other fun fabric you have in your stash. Glittery fabric absolutely sparkles on the Christmas tree. Burlap is so popular right now and these ornaments work well with that as well. Also think about stitching on some beads or buttons. How sweet would that be!
These candy holder designs can be used as Christmas ornaments, attached to a package, place settings at the table, hung on doorknobs or hung on garland that spirals up the staircase. Let your imagination go!
A pine tree, wreath and bell are the three designs in the set and all are made in your 4 x 4 hoop. Step-by-step instructions included with many color photos.
Hop on over today and you can whip up a bunch this afternoon for your Christmas decorating.
And because I know many of you will be asking, I got my glitter fabric from BFC-Stash.
Blessings,
Nancy
life is good and precious so be creative daily and live life beautifully
I finished the garden flag I had been working on for my dear brother and Sister-in-law. I embroidered the design onto ogsnaburg fabric which you can find at the store located with the utility fabrics. Then I stitched on the ribbon stripes and finally backed it with duck cloth. When turned right side out I did a bit of topstitching around the edge as well. I didn’t use a pattern, just kind of winged the design myself using an existing garden flag for the approximate size. For the finishing touch I added a bow out of the same ribbon that was made the stripes. I think I need a bit of bow making practice. 🙂
This was the first one I made and have now made a couple more since using burlap which was fun to stitch on. In hindsight, I wish I would have bought some purple Kansas State wildcat fabric to create the monogram letter R. Maybe I will just have to make them another one next year.
The small font was built into my machine but the applique letter “R” is from 8 Claws and a Paw.
