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5 Father’s Day Gifts to Sew & Embroider
Here are five Father’s Day gifts to sew, some of which are even easy enough for kids to sew themselves. Dad String Art Pick up a canvas and outline letters using a lightbox. Poke holes along the letter outlines and then thread a needle with two to three strands of Sulky 12 wt. Cotton Petites thread (choose a Blendables™ thread for a neat look). Instruct the kids to sew back and forth through the holes until the desired look is achieved. Dad can hang this in the office, garage or work space and keep it forever! This project by the blog teachbesideme is great for kids of all ages as…
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3 Outdoor Embroidery Projects to Make in an Afternoon
Summer is coming and it’s time to get the patio furniture out of hiding and gather some fun outdoor embroidery projects to jazz up your deck decor. Using blanks, like tea towels and bath towels, is one super simple way to embroider personalized projects in a fraction of the time. Weigh the cost of purchasing a blank, or set of blanks, rather than the yardage needed to create the project if the main focus is embroidery. You may save a couple of bucks along with a couple of hours (or more!) and end up with something just as sweet. Here are three ideas for outdoor embroidery projects to get your…
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5 Summer Break Sewing Projects for Kids
Now that the kids are out of school for the summer, it’s time to keep them busy with some summer break sewing projects. These easy projects for kids to sew require just a bit of fabric and beginner hand-sewing skills. As the summer goes on, move on to more advanced sewing techniques, like machine embroidery. They will love watching the machine do its magic and picking out all the thread colors for the design. 1. Glove Monster This cute project by Craftaholics Anonymous repurposes all those single gloves you have left from winter. Add a bit of felt scraps and choose a few colors of Sulky Cotton Petites™ threads and…
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Memorial Day Projects & Sentiments to Honor Fallen Heroes
This weekend we remember the heroes who gave their lives to protect our freedom with Memorial Day projects. To show our love and respect, we bring out our American flags and salute those who have gone before us. Many of us host gatherings to celebrate America. A veritable pre-fourth-of-July, with hot dogs, watermelon and maybe even some fireworks. Some of us decorate with red, white and blue. And of course we need some homemade quilted treasures to sprinkle throughout the house. It’s a great time to be with loved ones and reflect on sacrifices that have been made and are made every day that allow us to live our lives…
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Rainbow Felt Wreath with Hand Embroidery
With so much rain (and even snow) in much of the country we’re looking for the rainbows and sunny days ahead! Whip up a rainbow felt wreath to bring some color to your front door and start searching for that pot of gold. Rebecca Greco shares just how fun and easy making this rainbow felt wreath is. Not only does it only take a few hours to stitch, it doesn’t require many materials, either. Make one for a retiring teacher or lunch helper to say goodbye once school is out for summer – or one for yourself! Add an initial or monogram to the center for even more personalization. This…
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Pillowcases for Pets in Need to Make & Give
Pillowcases for Pets: Calling all Animal Lovers! It’s National Pet Month, so we’re taking a slight departure from our Pillowcases for PEOPLE in Need charity sewing initiative to bring you Pillowcases for PETS in Need! Use an existing pillowcase or create your own using our free pattern. Stuff it with batting or shredded memory foam, and then whipstitch the cuff closed. Or simply insert a standard pillow into the pillowcase (if your pet is well behaved and won’t tear it apart!). It’s easy to add appliques to the pillowcase body or add machine embroidery to the pillowcase cuff–a cute doggie or kitty design, fire hydrant or fish adds a little…
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Emerald Gemstone Quilt Block + Rayon Threads for Quilting
Treat yourself to a precious gem and make a gemstone quilt block! Paper piecing and quilting with rayon thread combine to make a gorgeous Emerald Gemstone Quilt Block. The emerald is May’s birthstone, but also one of the “big three” of colored stones. Emeralds are all the rage, with some people choosing them for engagement rings over the traditional diamond. MJ Kinman, designer and creator of the famous Gemstone Quilt blocks, hosted a webinar with us and explained her wild-motion quilting techniques. This quilting is what she prefers for her gemstone quilt blocks and it becomes a cathartic experience with its calming repetition. For paper piecing these intricate gemstone quilt…
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How to Sew Metallic Thread on It’s Sew Easy
Metallic is the new black! No need to shy away from learning how to sew metallic thread. It’s not as difficult as you may think. This metallic cork tote was made for It’s Sew Easy, a public television show on PBS and Create stations nationwide. The 1700 series begins airing today, May 16, 2019. The metallic tote above is featured on the second episode of the series, 1702. Contact your local PBS station to find out when it airs in your area, as each station has different programming schedules. Ellen March, Director of Content for Sulky takes you through some of the construction of the tote as well as tips…
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Embroidered Apron, Free Design & Free Pattern
Embroidered apron patterns are fun and functional, plus they remind us of our moms, grandmas and other influential women in our lives (I’m sure aprons remind some people of certain men in their lives, too). On the week before Mother’s Day, we invite you to make a new embroidered apron pattern using fun fabrics and a cute spring-inspired embroidery, courtesy of Chelsea Briner of Sew Simple Home. We hope it gives you the warm fuzzies! This embroidered apron pattern is a great gardening apron, as it gathers up to hold your fruits and veggies as you pick them! Fun and functional at its best. About Chelsea Chelsea Briner is a…
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Free-Motion Lilac Pillow + Free Pattern Downloads
Make a Free-Motion Lilac Pillow to add springtime decor to your home. This pillow tutorial includes free free-motion lilac pillow embroidery templates from Katrina Wright. About Katrina Katrina Wright lives in Colorado with her supportive and creative family. As a member of Sulky’s Designer Endorsement Program and SAQA, she loves to exhibit her fiber art and talk about the advantages of fiber as a medium. When she’s not stitching, you can often find Katrina hiking along a trail being inspired by the beauty around her or tending to her flower garden. To learn more about Katrina, visit www.kwfiberart.com. The Free-Motion Lilac Pillow Technique To learn more about free-motion, including a…