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Designing Quilts that Look Like Gems with MJ Kinman
Designing Quilts for Quilts that Glow by MJ Kinman MJ Kinman is a textile artist with a passion for designing quilts that resemble gems. Her Diamond Diva quilt kits and Birthstone Gem quilt kits allow you to create your own gems with easy-to-follow directions and piecing templates. To celebrate National Quilting Month, MJ talks all about designing quilts, creating quilts and why she quilts with Sulky 40 wt. rayon thread. DESIGNING QUILTS I like to tell people that I make the biggest diamonds in the world. But instead of using the hardest substances on earth, I use the softest – cloth. I love everything about designing quilts and creating my…
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Quilt Binding Hacks & Time-Saving Tips to Learn
Quilt Binding Made Easy Learn some great methods to bind quilts that save you time and frustration, resulting in a professional finish. Binding a quilt is the last step in finishing the project you spent countless hours creating. Whether you opt for premade binding in the package or create your own binding strips, there are several methods for applying quilt binding depending on the desired finished look and your machine capabilities. Traditional Quilt Binding Techniques People bind quilts in tons of different ways. Quilters use either single- or double-fold binding, either cut on the bias or along the straight grain, depending on the look and the need for stretch. (Fabrics…
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Your First Machine Embroidery Project – A Beginner’s Guide
Start Your First Machine Embroidery Project! by Pamela Cox It’s time to start your first machine embroidery project to wrap up National Embroidery Month! We’ve covered how to start adding machine embroidery techniques into your sewing repertoire, and we’ve defined the must-know machine embroidery terms. Now it’s time for the fun stuff–embroidering that first project. WHERE TO FIND MACHINE EMBROIDERY PROJECTS The internet is a veritable salad bar of sewing, quilting and machine embroidery projects. How do we know which ones are good for beginners? Narrow your search by being very specific. What do YOU want to make (think small, and go bigger once you’ve had more practice.)? Do you…
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Machine Embroidered T-shirt + Tips for Stabilizing Knits
Machine Embroidered T-shirts Machine embroidered T-shirts are often the first project beginners want to make. But taming those stretchy knits in the embroidery hoop can prove challenging. Light-weight cotton Jersey knits are tough to stabilize without stretching and puckering as the end result. With a few tips from expert Pamela Cox, a plain T-shirt is easily transformed into a “one-of-a-kind” special gift. Knits stretch, which is why we love them. However, we need to control this property during the embroidery process and yet still enable this wonderful trait to return. Because Sulky offers a variety of quality stabilizers to choose from, even within each category- Tear-Away, Cut-Away, Wash-Away, and Heat-Away–…
