-
Machine Embroidery Series – Wool and Cashmere
This series is written by guest blogger, Pamela Cox. Pamela is an expert embroiderer, designer, digitizer and all around wonderful girl! We are so happy to have her contributing to the Sulky Blog! Wool and Cashmere Cooler temperatures are quickly settling in, so let’s turn our attention to fabrics which will keep us warm. Wool is a natural material obtained from sheep by spinning their crimped locks into long fibers which are then woven together. 100% wool can be found in a wide range of weights, nap density, and weaves. It can also be blended with other fibers, both synthetic (polyester, acrylic) and natural (cotton) fibers. Beautifully embroidered…
-
Quilt Market Recap from Cotton + Steel
Hello! I’m Devon from Cotton+Steel, and I’m a guest on the Sulky blog today to tell you all about the Cotton+Steel Fall Quilt Market experience! Quilt Market is always a blast, but this one was extra crazy and fun because we have so many projects in the works. While we’re recovering from the excitement, we wanted to share a little bit about our latest Houston experience, and especially tell you all about our new line of Sulky thread. The first two days of our time at Quilt Market are always dominated by setup. We only have a limited time to transform all of our booth spaces from empty squares of…
-
An Easy Burlap Table Runner Perfect For Your Fall Table
Not that you could tell by the temperatures outside, Fall is in full swing. That means it’s time to make some fun Fall-ish stuff for the house (Don’t tell my hubby, he thinks we have too many Fall decorations as it is). I had some burlap laying around, and I wanted to test the boundaries of machine embroidery on burlap and the results are so cute! I love my new table runner! Here are some tips to make your own: I used an alphabet that came with my embroidery machine for the ‘N’ in the center and used this scroll design from the Sulky Embroidery Club And this Pumpkin design…
-
Machine Embroidery Series – Re-Think Those Old Sweaters
This series is written by guest blogger, Pamela Cox. Pamela is an expert embroiderer, designer, digitizer and all around wonderful girl! We are so happy to have her contributing to the Sulky Blog! We all have sweaters hiding in our closets which are still very near and dear to our hearts. Although we cannot part with them, we also would not be caught dead actually wearing them!!!! Let’s think of a way to make these memorable sweaters into practical items bringing comfort to our busy lives. For success in stitching with knits, begin with a basic understanding about their construction. All knits, whether manufactured or hand-knitted, incorporate a series…
-
A Great Bag Tutorial For Breast Cancer Awareness Month
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I decided to make a bag to hold my bras and undies when I travel. If you have been reading my blog for a while, then you may remember that one of my best friends is a breast cancer survivor. She fought like a girl and after a long journey through chemo, radiation, several surgeries and recovery, I am happy to report she is cancer free. Ladies, please, get your mammogram. It’s uncomfortable, I know, but after walking through this journey with my friend, I can say with confidence that a squish of your girls is a much better option. Okay, I am off…
-
Machine Embroidery Series – Suede Cloth and Corduroy
This series is written by guest blogger, Pamela Cox. Pamela is an expert embroiderer, designer, digitizer and all around wonderful girl! We are so happy to have her contributing to the Sulky Blog! Fall is here, bringing cooler temperatures and the kids are back in school! Two of my favorite fabrics for this season are suede cloth and corduroy. Although one might think they are vastly different fabrics, they actually have a lot in common, especially when it comes to machine embroidering. Both materials are “nap fabrics”; meaning their surface has a texture which reflects light. Different shades of color are evident depending on whether the nap is “down” (surface…
-
Liquid Solvy Starch Recipe and Uses
As I said in my last post, I prefer to make my own starch and my favorite recipe the is one from the last post because it takes the wrinkles out of the fabric without leaving anything but a nice smell behind, but sometimes, I need a little more stability. When I am piecing anything on the bias or sewing with more delicate fabrics, I really want the fabric to act more like cardboard than fabric during the actual sewing process. The best way to achieve that is to make Liquid Solvy! An added bonus is I can make this with the left over Solvy bits that I pull off…
-
My Favorite Homemade Starch Recipe
Several years ago I started making my own starch from scratch. I took a class with Edyta Sitar, and she made her own and gave me her recipe. I changed it slightly to fit my uses, but this is basically the same recipe. Homemade Starch Recipe 1 cup of Potato Vodka 4 cups of distilled water 15 drops of organic lavender oil Why make your own starch, you ask? I have several reasons. First, it’s the absolute best at getting out wrinkles and not leaving any residue. Second, I have friends with allergies and this starch doesn’t have any harsh chemicals. And lastly, but arguably the most important reason, if…
-
FREE Sulky Webinar – Free Motion Doodling Celestial Wall Hanging
When you’re finished piecing a quilt top or other project, do you wonder what you can do to take it from “meh” to WOW? Maybe you have a stack of unfinished quilt tops collecting dust in your closet? Or perhaps you need some fresh ideas to embellish wearable art, totes, and more. Introducing doodle quilting to the rescue! Learn how to apply the fun and simple process of doodling to free-motion quilting with confidence. In this webinar, Beth Bradley of Martingale Publishing, will show you how to make the quick and easy Celestial Wall Hanging. This simple wall hanging gives you lots of bite-size opportunities to practice doodling designs from…
-
Machine Embroidery Series – Linen
Linen is the perfect fabric for summer clothing and it is also very popular for home linens and decorative pillows. Let’s not forget accessories such as aprons, purses/totes, guest towels or handkerchiefs. Although the natural flax fiber can be combined with synthetic ones, linen fabric is at its best when 100% natural fibers are used. Linen can be found in a wealth of colors and in a variety of textures: delicately smooth and refined through to a nubby, coarse appearance. How the flax stalks are “processed” and the fibers spun all play a part in the look and weight of the fabric. Linen fabric should always be pre-washed and dried…
