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It's Sew Easy TV Show 1606: Accessories With Star Quality

4/27/2019

4 Comments

 
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Images in this post used with express permission from KS Productions.
Fabulous fabrics and amazing accessories shine in the limelight of this It’s Sew Easy TV show!
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Kay Whitt from Serendipity Studio is up first with a wonderful jewelry pouch. With Mother’s Day coming up this circular pouch could be the answer to the “what can I make that’s special enough for Mom” question. In fact, this item would fill the need for many gift giving occasions.

I've made a couple of these myself, using a similar method but taking the extra step of adding a monogram to the center circle outside the pouch. This shows only on the bottom side but it sure makes the owner feel special.
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Wait till you see how quickly Kay puts hers together with her rainbow of fabric choices.  Throughout the show he dishes out tips left and right! I suggest you listen close and keep paper and a pencil handy. One of her tips includes the use of a guide for stitching around the circle. Below you'll see one of my favorite guides. Although it's designed for use with the walking foot, it slips nicely into the slot at the back of the standard presser foot holder. This featured accessory is for Brother machines and you'll find more info when you click on the image.
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Kay has complete directions for you along with a printable pattern for this project. Click on the image below and it will take you right where you need to go.
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In part two, Joanne Hillestad (AKA The Fat Quarter Gypsy) makes her first appearance on It's Sew Easy with a pretty quilted tablet cover.
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She'll teach you how to mix, match, and make your case with eye-catching fabric selections. Joanne provides instructions for her project as well. Click on the star image below to view and download these.
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You’ll see that foam is the filler for this project. It’s interesting to note that the popularity of this foam, be it fusible on one side, fusible on both sides, or standard. It's often seen as a replacement for batting. Joanne is quick to point out that it’s important to keep this foam out of the seam allowance.  While I think batting is still a good option in some cases, this product works well when you want that extra puff that the foam gives.  

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 If you're ready to go and watch the show simply head over to www.itsseweasytv.com. this show airs until noon EST on May 3rd.
4 Comments

It's Sew Easy TV Show 1605: Night Time Glamour

4/19/2019

2 Comments

 
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Images in this post used with express permission from KS Productions.
This show is a guide for sewing glamorous looks for night-time or daytime! 
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Luxurious fabrics are featured along with styling details for garments with a bit of glamour. First up, you'll see my modern day version of a dress that shines with a  1940's vibe.
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Ahhh the delight of sewing and then wearing a new dress! There’s something so complete about a dress. Pop in on, add shoes and desired jewels and your outfit is finished.

In this show I had the opportunity to show a dress that’s custom sewn, embellished with elegant embroidered scrolls, and finished off on the inside with a favorite stitch on the serger, the two-thread overcast. Look closely and you’ll see that I’m wearing a Wrapped in Embroidery wrap with the same design I used on the dress. This simple design is favorite for lighter weight fabrics. In this show you’ll get tips on placement, stabilizing, choosing color combos, and precisely stitching embroidery on dress weight fabric. 
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Photo shows two different thread colors. Needle thread is navy and the lower looper thread is red.
While the machine was embroidering I swung over to the serger to demonstrate serging with two-threads. With a two thread option you place a convertor in the eye of the upper looper. Then you thread the lower looper and just one needle, left for a wide stitch and right for a more narrow stitch. This results in an overcasting stitch that's soft and lighter in weight than the standard serger stitch. It's also great when you need thread economy since you only need two spools to match your fabric. Keep in mind that this stitch doesn't lock at the needle line but it does lock at the raw edge. Check out all the detailed instructions HERE. 
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​In the next segment Angela Wolf drapes a cowl neck top on a dress form. Watch as she slashes and pins her way towards an elegant sleeveless top. Her top is trimmed with bias at the neck to avoid a floppy back facing. If the idea of draping is a little daunting for you, study this segment and apply some of the finishing and hemming techniques to a pattern with the same or similar styling.

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d insetIn the last segment Londa Rohlfing shows a quick tip for creating a cascading neckline with a 9-inch strip of fabric. She also shows how to add a drape at the hem. Stitched in like a godet, this “hankie” hem treatment is popular in ready to wear. I've seen lots of pointed hems in the pattern catalogs recently as well! Take a look at her instructions HERE. 

Ready to go and watch the show? Visit www.itsseweasytv.com. This show is currently airing until July 26th at noon EST.


2 Comments

It's Sew Easy TV Show 1604: Star Studded T-Shirts

4/14/2019

1 Comment

 
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Images in this post used with express permission from KS Productions.
Trendy, fun fashion often starts with a great T-Shirt. Show 1604 is full of T-shirt variations for both kids and adults.
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Londa Rohlfing starts with a show and tell of feminine, artsy tops that include elements from menswear. Her creations are truly one of a kind with eclectic accents.​
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You’ll see garments that have been chopped and slashed, then mixed and matched to create new combinations. She uses knits and woven mixed together, then adds textural accents to top it all off. Her garments have some added spice on the back side. It's fun to decorate the back of garments and carry the theme form front to back. This is one of my favorite techniques to use for embroidered garments. After all, people see you coming as well as going!

Londa's featured technique is simple yarn couching with the “N” foot.  She also shows the multi-hole cording foot, which happens to be one of my personal favorites. This segment is a great example of ways to add artistic effects to seemingly ordinary garment styles. You'll find instructions for her tops HERE.

There are many ways to add couching and lots of accessories for the task. I've also demonstrated this technique in the past. CLICK HERE to learn about a few more couching options.
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In the second half of the show Emily Thompson makes custom iron-on vinyl decals with the Brother ScanNCut.
 
Watch as she scans in lettering and cuts iron-on flocked material. Emily's complete instructions are found HERE. This material comes in a package of assorted colors and is available from your local Brother dealer. I've used this particular material and love how it gives a soft, velvety look to the cut out design. For her second shirt she selected a transfer film that's thin and flexible. You'll see Emily "weeding" away the excess vinyl with a wooden pick. CLICK HERE to see a weeding tool designed by Brother specifically for this process.

The ScanNCut digital cutting machines opens up a world of crafting possibilities! Visit the Brother Crafts USA You Tube channel for more instructions and inspirational idea for the Brother ScanNCut machines.

Ready to go and watch the show? Head over to www.itsseweasytv.com to watch this show until Noon EST on April 19th.
1 Comment

It's Sew Easy TV Show 1603: Needle Turn Appliqué & More!

4/7/2019

0 Comments

 
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Images in this post used with express permission from KS Productions.
This show has three segments. First, you'll see Emily Thompson finish fashionable kids T-shirts more than one way. Next, you'll  learn to perfect the art of needle turn appliqué with Rebecca Kemp Brent. In the final "quick tip" segment I'll share some secrets for creating embroidered lace jewelry.
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Emily excels at making cute children's clothing! With a boy and a girl of her own she has ideal "in house" models for testing and perfecting clothes that kids love to wear.

In this show you'll see how to finish the neckline on a raglan sleeve style shirt. Visit the show website HERE, for a link to Emily's free boys and girls T-shirt pattern sized from 18 months to ten years old.  

Emily demonstrates and discusses her construction method for this type of T-shirt. The technical construction term would be the flat method, which frees you from having to stitch around a small neckline. This is a fast way to sew a knit shirt that has binding on the neck.

I invite you to  CLICK HERE  and take a look at my own version of flat T-shirt construction using a serger for the entire process That post also includes instructions on how to use the serger blind hem foot for a stretchy blind hem that looks neat inside and out.

Twin needle stitching also features prominently in Emily's segment. You can read a post I wrote a while back with twin needle tips HERE. If you have a Brother machine you'll find even more tips in this post HERE.
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Next up is Rebecca Kemp Brent. Prepare to be amazed by Rebecca’s appliqué tips and tricks! Watch and listen closely as she demonstrates needle turn appliqué. 
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Knowing Rebecca, she's tested and tried the notions and methods she touts before ever recommending them to you. The experience she shares will guide you to good results with this timeless technique. 
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Be sure to look up her PDF of instructions that coordinate with the show. These instructions are on the TV site right HERE.

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The show concludes with my own quick tips for machine embroidered lace jewelry. It's so much fun to make something from minimal supplies such as thread and stabilizer.
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It's especially fun to make jewelry in any color you desire! I choose non-metallic silver and gold for my samples. Each design you se here is from a Brother collection available on USB. CLICK HERE for show #1603 instructions to learn more about this collection. It comes on a USB ready to use in Brother machines but has the potential to be imported into embroidery software for conversion to other formats. I would also suggest that you check your own built in design menu. I know the Brother Dream2 8550D has several lace jewelry designs built in.

If you're ready to watch show you can visit www.itsseweasytv.com. This show airs until noon EST on April 12th, 2019. Enjoy!
0 Comments
    Welcome!
    ​
    E
    ach week at noon a new show airs online at itsseweasytv.com.
    This blog features a preview of each weekly show.
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    Author:​

    Joanne Banko
    Brother Ambassador

    Inspiring Sewing Enthusiasts to make the most of their machines!

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