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Gifts to Sew + Free Patterns
Quick Gifts to Sew + Free Patterns We’re all running out of time to make holiday gifts, so we’ve compiled eight quick gifts to sew that you can make before the clock strikes midnight on Christmas Eve. These quick gifts to sew are also small-scale projects, which means you can utilize your fabric stash! Plus, you can choose different embroidery designs, add fun embellishments, and experiment with various thread weights and types to make each quick gift unique. Fleece Hat Everyone can use a hat during the winter months! This fleece hat pattern comes in kid and adult sizing, and it’s easily sewn in less than two hours. If you…
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Machine Embroidered Cork Key Fobs
Machine Embroidered Cork Key Fobs By Pamela Cox Making these machine embroidered cork key fobs were quite easy (and fun!). Cork Fabric is one of my top favorite materials to stitch on! It cuts easily and the edges do not fray. It also easily feeds through a sewing machine, allowing a true seam to be stitched, and it even accepts machine embroidery! Specific information about working with Cork Fabric can be found in Sulky’s Materials Blog Archives. Key Fob Instructions The basic concept is to embellish a strip of cork fabric, back it with another strip, trim, and add hardware! Yes, it really is that easy! It takes more time…
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Sulky Sticky Fabri-Solvy to the Rescue: Fixing Damaged Clothing
Eric Drexler, Sulky® National Educator, and Grandpa Extraordinaire came to the rescue for his granddaughter recently. He was kind enough to share his super fix with all of us: You know with four granddaughters there will be lots of damaged clothing. I was presented with this the other day. Where the two rows of lace had separated, I used a strip of Sulky Sticky Fabri-Solvy™ on the back of it to hold it together while I was sewing, because I didn’t want anything visible when I finished. It did a great job holding and all I had to do was put a little Sewer’s Aid on the needle and make sure…
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Easy Christmas Tree Skirt & Invisible Thread Tutorial
Christmas Tree Skirt by Ellen March This Christmas tree skirt tutorial is super easy and helps use up all the holiday fabric remnants in your stash. You’ll learn how to make the Christmas tree skirt, plus learn how to work with invisible thread for a flawless finish. This Christmas tree skirt is reversible, too, giving you more bang for your buck! And you can adapt the tree skirt to make a holiday tablecloth. The featured tree skirt was sewn on a Husqvarna Viking Designer Epic sewing & embroidery machine. Christmas Tree Skirt Supply List Approx 1-1/2 yard of backing fabric (amount depends on size) Low-loft batting Approx. 1/2 yard each…
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10 Reasons You Didn’t Finish Making That Gift (And quick alternatives you can do in minutes)
I never learn. Every year, I over-commit myself to a number of gifts that I can actually make and give people for Christmas. And every December 26th I resolve to start earlier so I can actually get them all finished. One year, I failed so miserably at finishing gifts, I literally just gave my family the fabric with ‘IOU’ notes attached. My family members were not thrilled. I didn’t get the normal warm and fuzzy feeling that I cherish from giving people I love handmade items. No, instead, I felt horrible. Not a great way to start Christmas morning! In order to help you avoid that feeling, here is a…
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In-the-Hoop Christmas Stocking Tutorial
In-the-Hoop Christmas Stocking by Pamela Cox Stitch this Christmas Stocking to use as decoration, a gift, or to fill with goodies! It is made in two “in-hoop” sections: the embroidered stocking, and the lining, with finishing touches stitched on a sewing machine. Don’t be afraid of the high stitch count for the patterned stocking front. The rows are decorative patterns, so the stitches are all small. It stitches up quicker than you might imagine. Supplies: 1/4 yard wool felt 1/4 yard lining fabric 5-1/2” decorative cording Topstitch Needles: 100/16 – use with wool felt 80/12 – use with lining Sulky® Stabilizers: Sticky +™ Soft ’n Sheer™ Thread: Sulky 40 wt.…
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FREE Gift Tag Pattern & Printable
Holiday Gift Tags by Ellen March Handmade holiday gift tags are the perfect finishing touch to a wrapped present. Even better if you include a message to the recipient, letting him or her know you made what’s inside, too! These cute handmade gift tags are made using Sulky 12 wt. Cotton Petites thread but you can also use 30 wt. or 40 wt. thread for different looks. Download the free printable to use as a hand embroidery template, machine embroidery template, or simply print them out onto card stock and use the tags as-is! GIFT TAG SUPPLY LIST Supplies listed are enough to make 6 gift tags, depending on size…
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Holiday Mini Hoop Ornaments – FREE Hand Embroidery Patterns and PDF
Aimee Davis of daisyeyes handmade created these adorably festive Holiday Mini Hoop Ornaments and honestly, we’re obsessed with them! The best part? The pattern is designed for all levels of embroiderers and is perfect for beginners, so even the little ones can join in! These would make a great addition to the Christmas tree or even to hang around the house. Supply List Fat quarter of white cotton fabric Sulky® Stick ‘n Stitch™ Stabilizer + a printer (if desired for printing your patterns) Thread Heaven (suggested for using with sewing Sulky Stick ‘n Stitch) Embroidery needle Small embroidery scissors Mini wooden hoops (holes are 1″) Red/white cotton bakers twine for…
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A Perfect Little Dress – Tips for Making a Dress for 18″ Dolls
My friend Erin Hentzel just came out with the most adorable book, “Doll Dress Boutique.” It is full of over 40 projects, including a dress for 18″ dolls. If you have a young girl in your life, she most likely has a doll this size. These dresses make great gifts, but they are also great projects to use to teach the younger generation how to sew! Because of my love for all things 70’s fashion, and because I had a small piece of this awesome 70’s-style fabric, I decided to do a take on this dress from the book. The directions in the book are great, and easy to…
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2018 Houston Quilt Festival Winners
The 2018 Houston Quilt Festival is underway and the winners of the quilt show were just announced! Drum roll, please…. Best of Show Sponsored by Handi Quilter Winner: Sherry Reynolds – “Eternal Beauty” Abstract, Large Sponsored by Elna First Place: Eunjoo An – “A Self-Portrait in an Ancient Bronze Mirror” Abstract, Small Sponsored by Benartex First Place: Shirley Gisi – “Cool Jazz” Alternative Techniques Sponsored by Madeira Thread First Place: Aki Sakai – “Small Happy Crazy Quilt” We’d like to give a special congratulations to one of our Sulky Designers, Karlee Porter, who won 3rd place in this category with her incredible quilt titled “The Royal Huntress”. The quilt took…