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Quick Gifts for Dad to Sew & Create
Gifts for Dad to sew & create! Father’s day is just around the corner! We have some wonderful embroidery designs with a mustache theme in the Sulky Embroidery Club for Dad (Click on the picture of the design to take you to the Sulky Embroidery Club site to purchase the design): You may remember this post I wrote about gifts for dad that gives lots of tips on doing machine embroidery for dad on a handkerchief On a shirt cuff And this great tutorial for a notebook cover So don’t forget dad! He deserved a little something homemade with love too. Happy Sewing!
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Learn From the Best to Improve Your Sewing Skills
Learn from the Best How to learn from the best? When people ask me what is the best way to improve their sewing skills, I tell them two things. First, practice! Nothing takes the place of good old fashion trial and error. The second thing I say is take a class from Ellen Osten! She has forgotten more about sewing than you and I will ever learn. I remember my very first class with her. I left that room empowered to try new things and with a whole base of knowledge. I have never learned more in a single class than I did in that first class with Ellen. Ellen…
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Free-Motion Fun with Eric Drexler
If you have seen any of Sulky National Educator and Free-Motion Guru, Eric Drexler’s work, then you know what an amazing artist he is. Last summer, he learned how to Zentangle®. The Zentangle Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. When Eric learned it, he immediately thought, “I could do this with thread!” So he did! And he has created some amazing things. (Eric did the above pattern using a FriXion™ pen, but once ironed this amazing pattern is gone! So, he figured out a way to get the pattern on the fabric and yet still keep it – learn his secret.) So…
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Some Inspiration!
Sulky Certified Teacher and Quilt Artist Chris Eichner recently sent me these great pictures of a maple leaf that she thread painted. I was already impressed and then I asked her about how she made these two leaves. She answered, “Those aren’t two separate leaves, that is the front and back on one leaf that I thread painted onto an already quilted wall hanging.” How cool! She said she used Sulky Solvy® as her template. She drew the design onto the Solvy with a pen (I recommend using a FriXion pen), then she stuck the Solvy to the front of the quilted wall hanging with Sulky KK 2000 Temporary Spray Adhesive.…
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Easy Computer Bag
Remember I did a tutorial on Matchstick Quilting awhile back? (if not, here it is). I took those pieces and made them into a very simple bag to carry my computer! Here is how I did it. I took my 2 pieces that I had Matchstick quilted and squared them up to 2 matching pieces at 15″ x 17″. Next, I added a zipper to the top (The top for me was the 17″ side). Sometimes people are a little nervous about zippers so I thought I would walk you through this one. Start by unzipping the zipper a couple inches, then lay the zipper face down on the right…
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Upcycled reusable shopping bags
I need to confess. I am obsessive when it comes to the environment. I recycle everything, I compost, I reuse and I upcycle as much as posssible. I think it is important to be a good steward of the one and only planet in the Galaxy that God made for us humans to live on. I always have my reusable shopping bags in my car in case I need to stop at the store, but the ones that I had purchased are starting to wear out. Instead of going and buying more, I started looking around the house for something I could use to make shopping bags. I found this…
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Simple and Sweet Baby Quilts – Tutorial
When I received this baby shower invite, I was ecstatic! My friend Vicki has wanted a baby for so long so and to hear the news that it was twins just added joy. I knew that I wanted the gifts to be special. So I called my friend and Professional Long Arm Quilter, Donna Cusick, and asked if we could make some baby quilts for these two little baby boys. These are the quilts we made and here is how to make them for your next baby shower. Supplies: (2) 12-1/2″ squares from 3 coordinating fabrics for the front 1-1/2 yards of fabric for the back (We used Cuddle™ fabric)…
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Sewing Online With Sulky – sign up for a Free Webinar!
We have had a wonderful response to our first Sewing Online with Sulky Webinar! We filled all the available slots in the first couple days so we have decided to double the available spots for attendees! Please join us for Sulky’s first online webinar hosted by one of our National Educators, Michelle Umlauf. This webinar is absolutely FREE. All you need to do is register (Do it soon before we fill up again!). The best part is, since this is an online event, we are coming to you. During this one-hour webinar, we will highlight a project published in our newest book “Embellish Your Life with Sulky”. You will learn the secrets…
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Tips for Machine Embroidery on Onesies
I have been all about baby lately! I have several friends that are having babies soon so I am making lots of baby things. I made a sweet blanket for one and Taggies for a set a twins. (Go here to check out the blanket and here for the Taggie tutorial). Next up, the onesies! I love seeing a brand new baby in a cute little onesie with a name or little embroidered applique on it, but let’s be honest, onesies are tiny and can be hard to embroider! Here are a few tips to make things a little easier. Hoop Size. Use a hoop that is about the same…
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Taggie Blankets for Baby Tutorial
I love making things for babies and soon to be moms. Everything is always sweet, soft and truly appreciated. One of my favorite baby gifts, Taggies, also happens to be easy to make and incredibly popular with both the baby and the mom! I just finished up two Taggies for a set of twins due this summer. Here is how to make one for your next baby shower! Supplies 1 – 18″ square of Cuddle™ Fabric 1 – 18″ square of flannel fabric approx. 32 ribbons and/or trims cut in 4″ lengths (pick a variety of textures, colors and widths) Sulky® 40 wt. Rayon Thread (for embroidery) Sulky Prewound Bobbins Sulky…