Quick Projects

  • Crazy Patch Valentine Holder

    Crazy Patch Valentine Holder Using Hexies & Free-Motion Stitching

    Crazy Patch Valentine Holder by Melissa Shields Create a fun “Crazy Patch” Valentine Holder to contain the cards you’ll receive this Valentine’s Day. This also makes a great kid’s project to take to school, and it’s a fun stash buster that teaches some new techniques. Use a bunch of leftover hexies to create the crazy heart Valentine, or cut new ones from coordinating fabric prints. A die-cutting machine, such as AccuQuilt, Sizzix or Cricut, is especially helpful for this process. (The heart template can be cut this way, too!) WHAT IS A CRAZY PATCH Crazy patch is an old quilting technique that was a way to use up scraps and…

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  • Trimmed Tea Towels with Valentine Embroidery

    Trimmed Tea Towel with Valentine Embroidery

    Create a Trimmed Tea Towel for Valentine’s Day Decor This trimmed tea towel is adorned with cute Valentine’s Day themed fabrics, ribbon or trim, and embroidered with one of seven designs from the Sulky Scrolling Hearts design collection. The “I Heart You” thread palette includes the entire Scrolling Hearts design collection, along with 10 spools of Sulky rayon and metallic threads. Create several coordinating tea towels, using different designs for each, to display in your home for Valentine’s Day. SUPPLIES Sulky I Heart You thread palette Cotton + Steel thread by Sulky (to match towel and/or fabrics) Sulky Tear-Easy™ stabilizer Size 90/14 Organ embroidery needle & 70/10 Universal needle Sulky…

  • hot cocoa wall hanging

    Hot Cocoa Wall Hanging for Easy Winter Decor

    Hot Cocoa Wall Hanging Free Project by Chelsea Briner of Sew Simple Home Create a Hot Cocoa Wall Hanging featuring a fun hand embroidered design. This project is made easier by using Sulky 12 wt. thread and Stick ‘n Stitch stabilizer. Even kids can get in on the crafting action, as this also makes a great starter sewing project for all ages. When the temperature dips to freezing (or below!), hot cocoa is in order. Create a hot cocoa station this winter with a few snowflake-donned cups, cocoa packets, marshmallows and this fun project. Instead of “winter,” we’ll call this “hot cocoa season”! SUPPLIES Hot Cocoa hand embroidery pattern –…

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  • Machine Embroidered Jewelry Case: Easy Gifts Using Blanks

    Machine Embroidered Jewelry Case An embroidered jewelry case is a great holiday gift, or gift for any time of year. A jewelry case “blank” is meant for embroidery embellishment, and makes quick work of finding the perfect case to embroider. Machine embroidery on blanks, or premade items, are the easiest decorations and gifts you can make for the holidays. Stock up on blanks and choose a different embroidery design to personalize each one for different friends and family. From pillows to napkins and towels to bags and totes, there’s a blank suitable for everyone on your gifting list. BAG & TOTE BLANKS Purchased bags and totes are great canvases for…

  • Paper Pieced Apple Mug Rug

    Paper Pieced Apple Mug Rug by Vicki Holloway Create a paper pieced apple mug rug to gift to a new teacher. Or make a set of four using coordinating apple-print fabrics as a hostess gift.   Size: 5″ square SUPPLIES Sulky Paper Solvy Cotton + Steel Thread (colors to match fabrics) Cotton fabric scraps (such as a bright apple color, a light or white background color & brown for the stem) 5 1/2″ square each of batting & backing Point turner, chopstick or blunt knitting needle Apple Mug Rug Pattern Foundation Paper Piecing Print the Paper Pieced Apple Mug Rug foundation paper piecing pattern onto a sheet of Sulky Paper…

  • Machine Embroidered Teacher Journal

    Machine Embroidered Teacher Journal Cover

    Machine Embroidered Teacher Journal by Ellen Osten Surely you know a teacher starting school again (or for the first time) this fall who needs a machine embroidered teacher journal cover. Whether your kiddos or grandkids are starting school with a new teacher or your friends or neighbors are teachers themselves, this machine embroidered journal cover is a must-make! It’s perfect for school teachers, music teachers or just about any kind of teacher. Traditionally, teachers were gifted a nice shiny apple on the first day of school. This practice began in the 1700s, when teachers were actually paid by families in apples (or potatoes) for their work. Now the apple is…

  • back to school projects

    DIY School Supplies: 5 Projects to Make for Students

    Back to School supplies are hitting the shelves already, which means it’s time to delve into our fabric stashes and make some DIY school supplies rather than buying the standard stuff at the store. I love a pencil case as much as anyone. They’re so useful and can house so many things (not just pencils, of course). However, in my kids’ school, the pencil case from the mandatory supply list must be a hard-sided container. So, I thought I’d bring you some other types of DIY school supplies you can make, and even get the kids involved, too. 1. Personalized Lunch Bag You can make your own insulated lunch bag…

  • 3-D butterfly machine embroidery

    3-D Butterfly Machine Embroidery Design + Projects to Make

    3-D butterfly machine embroidery is a great embellishment that’s fun to make as well as display. Created mostly from thread, and a small amount of fabric, this design is easily changed by swapping fabric and thread colors, to suit the project or recipient’s interests. Butterfly Trend Butterflies are all the rage! At spring 2019 Quilt Market in St Louis, butterflies were flying everywhere, as garlands, on fabric prints and even as large-scale quilts. American Quilt Retailer noticed the trend, too, and featured a slew of butterflies on the cover of their Quilt Market edition. This trend is here to stay, so we’re bringing you a new, exclusive 3-D butterfly machine…

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  • July 4 machine embroidery

    July 4 Machine Embroidery Designs & Projects to Make

    Celebrate Flag Day and Independence Day with July 4 machine embroidery! These projects are easy to make–all that’s needed are some cute designs to add to your collection. Pick up the Sulky Patriotic Machine Embroidery Palette, including 10 spools of coordinating rayon thread in red, blue, white and metallics, to make things super simple. 1. July 4 Machine Embroidery Placemat This project is completely free! The pattern and Fun Fireworks designs are all available for download in the format of your choice. They work perfectly in Sulky metallics, too. Just be sure to install an Organ metallic needle to account for the friction produced by metallic thread. 2. Reflective July…

  • Farther's Day Gift

    Father’s Day Gift to Sew & Give: Free-Motion Hand Print Tie

    Need a quick Father’s Day gift? Jazz up the standard tie gift with free-motion stitching using your child’s hand print. This up-cycling project starts with a standard tie straight from the closet or thrift store and makes it a keepsake that dad can wear to work on the daily. Trace the child’s hand on the tie and refashion it by free-motion stitching around the hand print. Use Sulky Tear-Easy stabilizer to keep the tie from stretching out as you sew. The full instructions come from Heather at heatherhandmade.com. From Heather I love sewing, up-cycling, and refashion, and I share that love when I teach others how to sew with sewing…

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