Today I'd like to share some information about embroidering garments sewn from scratch or store bought. Embellishing garments with machine embroidery is one of my favorite this to doin my own sewing space. How about you? Are you interested more about this topic? Recently, I covered this very topic as a guest educator on the 2022 Sewing Machines Plus Hoop Fest. This online, five day festival celebrated the love of machine embroidery with tons of product demonstrations, detailed machine features outlined and described by industry experts, plus dedicated educational segments twice a day every day! Broadcast on both Facebook and YouTube, you can find videos for all five days HERE on the Sewing Machines Plus YouTube channel. My segments aired on Tuesday and Thursday.

Tuesday's topic was "Pretty" Perfect Placement, with a show and tell of multiple sample garments, fashion ideas to illustrate flattering placement on garments, and methods to target the placement and prep for quality results. If you'd like to watch this particular segment, you'll find it on this YouTube video, with the 30 minute presentation starting at time stamp 4:34:00 HERE.

Thursday's topic was Tips & Tricks for embroidering on Ready-to-Wear, with the 30 minute presentation starting at time stamp 2:03:00 HERE. I followed up with a few more ideas for placement, tips for using templates, then showed some detailed ways to position and hoop garments. I also shared a special offer for a placement chart with some really specific guidelines for placement on garments and more! You'll find this in a downloadable PDF form HERE on my website.

By the way, if you're looking for a free software program you can use for printing templates plus a whole lot more, look no further than the website of my friends at Designs in Machine Embroidery. They offer a free software program called Embroidery Tool Shed. CLICK HERE to download this program from the Designs in Machine Embroidery website. There's even more to love about this software! It works on both Windows based and Mac computers! I love having embroidery software compatible with my Mac.

To compliment these two segments, you'll find a summary of tips for embroidering on ready mades below. For even more information, I encourage you to watch my It's Sew Easy TV segment from show 1402, with more on this same topic. You'll find it on my YouTube channel HERE!

Tips for adding machine embroidery to readymades:

• “It’s best to test!” I dig into my stash or purchase a small amount of fabric yardage that’s as close as possible to my ready-made and test the design and stabilizer combination before embellishing my actual garment. Of course, if you have a similar garment you can use for a test, that works too.
• Denim is ideal for many embroidery designs, usually needing only a layer or two of light to medium tear-away, or a layer of wash-away stabilizer on the back to achieve good results. Jean jacket backs are a great canvas for added embroidery. Steer clear of bulky seams and consider adding trim to compliment the design.
• Light weight fabrics and fabrics that stretch benefit from a stabilizer bonded to the fabric. My “go to” stabilizer for knits or fabric with a stretch factor is fusible no-show (cut-away) mesh. If you're using non-fusible no-show (cut-away) mesh, you’ll need to adhere stabilizer with temporary adhesive spray such as Sulky KK2000. 
• If possible, pre-wash garments before embroidering. This takes care of any shrinkage issues and eliminates excess dye.
• Stock up on stabilizers. This subject is too big to cover in one short show but keep these general rules in mind: Knits and thin fabrics benefit from a stabilizer that is temporarily or permanently bonded to the fabric. Tear-away or wash-away generally works well for stable woven fabrics. Avoid hooping stiff tear-away with your garment. Use a medium weight stabilizer instead, or consider “floating” the tear-away under the hoop. Any fabric with nap or texture requires a water-soluble or iron-away topper to keep stitches from sinking into the nap or texture and getting lost in the fabric.
• Use the smallest hoop possible, whenever possible, and you will have better registration with your designs.
• For ease in embroidering, choose garments that can open up perfectly flat. However, don’t let lined garments stop you from adding embroidery. Carefully open up lining as much as needed to establish a generous flat area, and then either hoop traditionally or use wash-away or tear-away sticky stabilizer to temporarily hold fabric in place. Clip or tape excess fabric to keep it out of the way while stitching.
• If you have a piece that is impossible to hoop, embroider on a sheer or complimentary fabric, and then trim, treat with seam sealant if necessary, and use hand or machine stitches to apply to your piece as an appliqué. If sewing is not at all possible, select suitable fabric glue and glue in place.
• Design templates make embroidery easy and very accurate. Learn to use a software program to print templates and your embroidery life will be so much easier. Your design placement will be more accurate too!

I'd love to hear your comments and answer any questions you much have right here on this post. Please leave your comments below.

Be sure to check out the bonus video at the end of this post!

If you've never embroidered on vinyl, you'll be surprised at how easy it is! And, if you have already embroidered on vinyl, you know how fun it is! Take a look at this vinyl desk tray design with a custom monogram in the center.

I've found that desk trays can be the perfect gift for someone who seems to have everything. Great for organizing, they're perfect for catching clutter on tables, desks, and countertops.

This particular project was created wearing my Brother Ambassador hat and is posted on the official Brother blog. You'll find instructions for making your own when you CLICK HERE. 

While this project is full of techniques accomplished with the Brother Luminaire, you'll find that I also included instructions for creating a tray using an embroidery machine with a 4-inch hoop capability. You don't need top of the line features to make a nearly identical tray. Take a look at my alternative monogram design idea for smaller hoops.

The Brother post also includes a link to the featured design shown above. I have good news for you! This classy design is free for a limited time and you can download the .pes file during the month of June 2022.

Bonus #2, here is a download (in PDF format) of my instructions for using special selection and grouping features to create the monogram frame with the Brother Luminaire:

By the way, once you learn the basic techniques, this tray can be made using other sizes, either square or rectangular. Looking for more gift ideas? A square tray is ideal as a holder for matching custom coasters. CLICK HERE and you'll find my coaster instructions from a previous episode of It's Sew Easy TV.

I hope you enjoy the project, the free design, and the bonus video featured here. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the project!

I had the opportunity to talk sewing with my friend Janice Ferguson on my most recent Sew . . . Tell Me YouTube Live show. We had a great time and the live chat was full of friends enjoying the conversation, loving all the great sample photos and enjoying the great tips Janice shared with everyone.

I invite you to watch the replay below, and then follow up with the information included below the video.

Janice is well known for her heirloom sewing expertise, with a long history of designing, writing, and teaching for well known heirloom magazines such as Martha Pullen's Sew Beautiful magazine and Creative Needle. Sad to say, neither of those are being published these days. If you have old issues you know how valuable each and every one of them was.

In more recent years, you can see Janice's beautiful work published on Stitching Sewcial, the official Brother blog. Her projects span a wide the range of items, including children's wear, home decor, and stunning gift projects, with each project chock full of tips and detailed instructions. 

Many of the projects highlighted during the live show are from the Brother blog. I've included some specific photos from the show with links for you below. Simply click the image to go to each project page and see Janice's projects with complete instructions.

Both Janice and I would love to hear your comments or answer any question you have. Feel free to share your thoughts on the YouTube video HERE as well!

Cover up an ordinary canning jar and use it to hold a bouquet of flowers or anything else you choose! This is my most recent project created for Brother while wearing my Brother Ambassador hat. It includes a free design available for a limited time from Brother. You'll find complete instructions, plus a link to the lacy butterfly design when you CLICK HERE.

In addition to producing the project and instructions, I covered the project during the Brother Sews live show. You can watch the replay video below:

There are a few different ways you can use this project. Options include creating greetings for other occasions. Take a look at the samples below for more ideas:

These quick to stitch greetings are embroidered on inexpensive craft felt, using frame shapes built in to Brother embroidery machines. In the instructions and the video, you'll see that I created another oval for the back. This back piece has buttonholes that serve as a way to mount the greeting by slipping it onto an ordinary chopstick.

Note that the original instructions show the buttonhole markings vertically on the felt.  I apologize for the error, as seen in Figure #4 in the original instructions. The images you see in the photos above show the correct layout for the buttonholes.

--------------------------------------------

The free butterfly design is sized to fit within a 4-inch hoop. However, if you have larger hoops sizes you can consider embroidering multiple butterflies in one hooping. By rotating and moving the butterflies, I was able to stitch a total of four in my SA448 6-inch hoop.

I'll repeat the fact that you'll find complete instructions when you visit the official Brother blog. I'd like to make you aware that there are two errors in the instructions. The first is the orientation of the buttonholes as shown above. Be sure to stitch them horizontally. 

Also, you will need two fabric rectangles AND two fleece rectangles. Below, you'll see a corrected copy of Figure #7 from the original instructions.

I hope you enjoy this project! Feel free to leave your comments or questions below. Happy sewing!

Are you curious about machine embroidery software and want to learn more? Then keep reading. This post and with video highlights is for you!!! I had the privilege of interviewing Roy Garland on one of my Sew Tell Me YouTube shows. Roy is the Chief Technology Officer at Designs in Machine Embroidery. In this interview Roy shared some insight into what digitizing is all about. He also shared some of his incredible embroidered artistry with friends of Let's Go Sew.

Here you'll find some highlights from this fun filled show. You can watch it from beginning to end by clicking on the arrow above, or go directly to the timestamps listed below for specific parts of the interview. Enjoy!!!

Check out these addtional designs created by Roy, using the DiME *My Lace Maker software.

It's always fun to take a plain tea towel and transform it with a bit of embroidery and some colorful trim!  I created this towel for the Brother Stitching Sewcial blog for the month of April 2022.

The featured FREE design is available for download in the .pes format and fits a 4-inch hoop size. If you read the instructions in the Brother blog posted HERE on their site, you'll see that I used a special method I call "off site" embroidery to avoid stitching directly on the towel. Please see my important note at the end for a link to the free design.

Essentially, "off site" embroidery consists of stitching the embroidery design on something else, and then applying it to the project as an appliqué. There are lots of advantages to this method. In this case, I wanted the backside of the towel to be free from the customary, unattractive "wrong side" stitches. There are other reasons to use this technique. If you'd like to learn more, below you'll find links to other "off site" embroidery projects I stitched in the past.

• Dress with Blue Roses-It's Sew Easy TV show 1204-2
• Pashmina Mania-It's Sew Easy TV show 1703-1
• Wrap Dress-As seen in Designs in Machine Embroidery

Below you'll find the addition of the Brother Sews YouTube show where I walk through the project with show host Angela Wolf. I shared lots of tips in this video. Enjoy!

No embroidery? No problem! Appliqué is an easy way to add a design element to your tea towel in place of embroidery. I found a cute tea cup design on the Quilting Daily website HERE. Appliqué is an easy way to add colorful accents to your projects. CLICK HERE for an appliqué tip sheet. 

Now, back to the embroidered tea towel project. In celebration of April being National Serger month, I used the serger to make the ruffled trim that ties together my pretty purple color scheme. Follow the instructions and you'll learn how to use a gathering foot on the serger. This foot makes it easy to gather one strip and sew it to a second strip all in one quick pass.

Of course you can use any color combo you choose for the project. The tea cup itself is made up of just three different colors, making it easy to change for your own personal color palette.

I'd love it if you would visit the Brother blog and then come back here to leave your comments. I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have too!

Happy stitching!

Below is a PDF version of the project you can view or print.

The February edition of the Let's Go Sew with Joanne Banko LIVE show (held on 4th Monday of the month), was full of information, fun conversation, and lots of friends sharing thoughts and asking questions in the chat. We had a live give-away too and at the end this post you'll see how you can enter to win another give-away right here.

​This time around, the show turned into a virtual learning session on sewing machine needles, as we learned from industry expert, Rhonda Pierce. Rhonda gave us all insight into everything it takes to understand the dynamics of sewing machine needles and gave guidance as to how to select the right  needle for the sewing task at hand.

Have you ever been confused about what needle to use? Wonder what all those numbers mean on the needle package? Questioned whether changing the needle before it breaks is really important? And really, why are there so many choices?

Click on the arrow above to watch the full replay of this show. You'll get answers to all of these perplexing questions and come away with more knowledge about needles than you ever thought possible!

Rhonda's personality is the perfect fit for her role as she teaches about the most important 2” piece of steel in the sewing machine – the SCHMETZ needle. 
​
Let me tell you a little more about Rhonda:

Rhonda Pierce has a dream job! As VP, Marketing Director of Euro-notions, and Spokesperson for SCHMETZneedles.com North America.

She is THE expert when it comes to needles! You may have seen her with her favorite prop, the SCHMETZ 17-inch “Super” Needle with all of the features and parts a real "true live size" needle has. She publishes the Constant Contact eight year All Star Winner SCHMETZ newsletter and inspirational e-zine, SCHMETZ Inspired to SEW. Rhonda is a certificated FitNice System Instructor and earned a Brendon Burchard High Performance Certificate. Her quilt, Color Splash, was displayed at three International Quilt Festivals. 

Rhonda’s personal blog documenting sewing & quilt projects is www.SewMoreStitches.com. Let's take a peek at some of her inspiring blog posts!

A true blue sewing enthusiast and extraordinarily creative sewing artist, Rhonda has made many beautiful creations! In the above photo she's wearing her latest garment creation. Read all about Tunic Tease on her blog here:
​NZP Tunic (sewmorestitches.com)

Here you see Rhonda wearing her favorite Citrus Berry Sweatshirt Jacket. Check out the details on this project here: 2018 SEW Retreat (sewmorestitches.com)

An accomplished quilter, Here you see Rhonda with her 1000 Half Square Triangle quilt. This was her first completed Pandemic Project, Thangles Christmas Salad Quilt. Read all about it here in this blog post: Stay-At-Home, IX (sewmorestitches.com)

During the show, Rhonda shared so many resources with us. Helping us to select the right needle for now and in the future, and keeping us all inspired to sew, embroider, quilt, and craft! Check out the following links:

UPDATE! Announcing the winner of the Schmetz My Pad Needle Keeper, PLUS four runner up winners!

Click on the arrow to watch the wheel spin and see the random selection of winners!

First Prize winner of the Schmetz My Pad Needle Keeper is  MaryAnn S!

Four runner up prize winners will receive a Schmetz Luggage Tag Color code Chart and ABC Pocket guide:
Winner #1 - Lucy D.
Winner #1 - Marjorie S.
Winner #3 - Connie M.
Winner #4 - Phyllis B.

Thanks to everyone who left a comment on this post and congratulations to the winners. You'll be notified by email.

Now that you have your head full of needle knowledge, head to your sewing space and enjoy some happy sewing time!

P.S. Save the date! the next Sew . . .  Tell me LIVE show will air on my YouTube channel on March 28th. I have yet another great guest lined up for you!

As you can imagine, I get lots of questions on the topic of Machine Embroidery! This post includes a link to a recent LIVE show with a Q&A session with a focus on selecting stabilizers for your embroidery projects and preventing puckered embroidery. The show lasted almost 90 minutes and was packed with interaction, input, and tips contributed by those who participated in the chat. If you missed Q&A part one, which was a mix of sewing, machine embroidery, and serging, you can watch it HERE.

I do believe this idea of a Q&A LIVE show is going to be a regular feature so watch for more. If you sent a question that hasn't been answered yet, you can be sure I have it on my list for the future.

Watch the replay by clicking on the video below. As always I would love to see your comments posted on the YouTube video HERE.

Thanks so much to all who attended live and all who watch the replay. Live shows like this are your chance to learn something new and visit with sewing enthusiasts who share your passion for sewing and machine embroidery! I was thrilled to see so many participate in the chat. By the way, you do need a YouTube or google account to actually chat on YouTube. I'd also like to encourage you to subscribe to my YouTube channel and click the notification bell if you want to know when new videos come up on the channel. It was great visiting with everyone who joined the live show!

Below you'll find a slide show with highlights from the show. Many of the featured projects included here are from my book titled Wrapped in Embroidery, my design collection titled Just Jackets, and blog projects created as a Brother Brand Ambassador for the Stitching Sewcial Brother Blog.

It's Sew Easy TV show 1407-3: Machine Embroidery for Ready-Made Garments

I hope you enjoyed the information in this post! Feel free to leave your comments and questions here.

Ta Da!!! Here is my finished big block of appliquéd Folk Art embroidery designs!

It was great to see so many embroidery and appliqué enthusiasts join in on the fun live show this past week! Being on with Ashley Jones, lead educator for Designs in Machine embroidery was a real treat!

My appliqué quilt block was still in a work progress as I showed the steps to take an appliqué file from my Brother embroidery machine to the Brother ScanNCut to pre-cut all my pieces, in prep for placing them on my pretty Folk Art block. Designs shown above    are part of Folk Art motifs included with my new Just Jackets embroidery and appliqué design collection. Any and all of the appliqués from the collection could be prepared in the same manner.

If you missed the show, you'll find the replay below.

Just to re-cap, our goal for the show was to present a wide variety of options for getting all those appliqué fabric pieces cut in preparation for stitching, with the Just Jackets collection as the featured set of embroidery appliqué designs. My new collection is for so much more than Just Jackets! You can purchase this item as a direct download from Dime, or as a physical package HERE on my site. I encourage you to check out the options and see what works best for you.

Of course, the techniques covered in this close to 90 minute video will work for other appliqué designs as well. With or without software, and with or without a digital cutter, watch this show and learn how to cut appliqués by trimming in the hoop, using an electronic cutter, printing a template, and stitching a template directly on the appliqué fabric.

Check out the links for specific instructions:
Time stamp 20:25 - Overview of the many ways to cut with Ashley showing trimming in the hoop and pre-cutting with a stitched template. Both of these methods work with no added software or equipment needed.

Prepping fabric with Serial Magic fabric stiffener and then an application of the Dime Fuse Me webbing is something featured in our projects. I like to use this light weight fusible web a majority of my pieces, using a small craft iron and fusing as I go by carefully taking my hoop off the machine and placing my hoop on top of my Totally Tubular Hooping Station.

Time Stamp 32:01 - Discussion of the Fuse Me fusible webbing product.

Time Stamp 39:57 - Making use of a digital cutter, with a demonstration of "coding" the appliqué using the combination of a Brother machine and a Brother ScanNCut with the capacity to read the appliqué data from the machine. I used the Brother Luminaire and the Brother ScanNCut DX for my demonstration. Check with your Brother dealer for compatibility of other machine models and ScanNCut pairing combinations.

Time Stamp 57:40 - Last but not least, Ashley showed how to use the Dime Patches and Applique software program to turn appliqué cutting data into the file formats usable on various brands of digital cutters. With a few simple clicks in this new and full featured software program, you're ready to head to your cutter so your pieces are ready to such when you start up your embroidery machine.

Comments were coming in fast and furious so I'm sure I missed the chance to answer some of your questions. Feel free to leave your comments here and I'll do my best to answer. The subject of Embroidered Appliqués is quite a broad topic. It's one that I'm passionate about and I plan to delve more into this in  future blogs and videos so stay tuned for more!

You've got questions and I've got answers! I wrapped up  a year of monthly Let's Go Sew LIVE shows by broadcasting a show filled with questions sent in by fellow sewing enthusiasts on my email list. The questions I received included a variety of subjects. They were very insightful and I'm convinced there were many others who benefited from hearing answers to the questions they submitted. I know I had a great time visiting with everyone who joined the live show! You can watch a full replay of the 1 hr 23 minute show by clicking on the video below.

Before you read on, I'd like to tell you that I had so many questions, I'll need to schedule a Q&A part two in the near future!

Question #1 - Connie from Kirkland WA asked about thread storage, which led to a discussion of threads, bobbins, and bobbin cases.

If you are changing bobbin cases for any reason, be sure to check your manual or machine manufacturer to be sure you are removing and replacing parts correctly. CLICK HERE for a tip sheet showing how to remove the bobbin case from most Brother machines. 

Question #2 - Cindy in Gladwell MI wants to know more about embroidery categories. She knows about Applique embroidery and In-The-Hoop embroidery but would like me to shed some light on bobbin work, redwork, & regular embroidery designs. Video shows samples of the following:

• Fill stitches, also known as tatami stitches. These run stitches are used to fill up large areas of an embroidery design and they can be even or created in a way to form a wide variety of patterns.
• Satin stitches (Steil stitches) which are zig zag stitches placed close together. They’re commonly used for lettering, outlines, and some details in a design.
• Running stitches, they are the same kind we are familiar with on the sewing side of the machine. Bobbin work embroidery designs are made up of long straight "running stitches that have no tie off. 
• Bean Stitch, AKA a triple straight stitch. This is just a straight stitch but sewn three times on top of itself, producing a thicker, more prominent stitch. Redwork designs might be made up of a bean stitch or a regular running stitch stitched one or more times. Note: Redwork can be any color and is often referred to as redwork because designs mimic the old fashioned iron-on transfer designs that were stitched by hand in red embroidery floss.

​Learn more about Bobbin Work HERE in this video and HERE in this free tip sheet.

Learn more about Redwork in this blog post HERE.

Question #3 - ​Margo writes from Fayetteville GA asking what Osnaburg fabric is used for.

If you read my blog post on redwork you’ll see me mention one of my favorite fabrics, Osnaburg cloth. An economical fabric, it looks a little like muslin, but it is thicker, more loosely woven and has characteristic brown flecks. 100 percent cotton it has a homespun look that is great for curtains, crafts, and anything where you want and more natural or old-fashioned look. I l love using it to make table toppers, napkins, tea towels, & bread bags. It pairs beautifully with natural colored lace such as Cluny lace. As a bonus it's easy to fringe! Always pre-wash as it shrinks a bit.

Here is a link to the table runner project featured in the video: Fringed Osnaburg Table Topper

Question #4 - ​Jan in Greensboro NC  asked the following serger question, What is the cleanest way to end a serger stitch? The slide show below shows the steps.

Question #5 - Patti W. asked about choosing and using serger stitches. Aside from tips in the video, you'll find more serger info in this blog post HERE.

Question #6 - Cindy Ball asked if I use a cover hem machine and we talked about an alternative which is to use a 4.0mm stretch twin needle. Patti W. also asked what causes skipped stitches/broken threads on a cover hem machine. 

Watch It's Sew Easy TV show 1611 HERE and you'll see me sew a dress/swimsuit coverup with cover hem stitchery!

You'll find a PDF with more instructions HERE.

Question #7 - Lucy from Georgetown TX wanted to know the secret for sewing decorative stitches that stay straight. On the Brother Luminaire the laser gridlines can be extra helpful for stitching straight, especially with the oversized decorative stitches. Re-size the grid until it matches the right and left side marking and sew slowly, keeping the lines parallel. See image below for reference.

Question #8 - Cyndi B. had the following question for me, “What is the most difficult sewing challenge you have ever been asked to do. I shared the story of a velvet dress and cape made from very expensive fabric, and I showed some embroidery samples that were quite a challenge, including the lapels on a ready made jacket shown below.

Question #9 - Last but not least, Cindy from Odessa TX, wanted to know more about my design collections. Here is what she wrote: How do you come up with your Inspirations for your Design Collections? Your Jean Jacket collection is so Beautiful, as is the Wrapped in Embroidery. I didn’t know if you have an Art background that gives you the ability to create your Beautiful Collections? Would love to hear how you decide on your designs and transfer that to Embroidery.

Watch the video for my plain and simple answer. You can learn more about Wrapped in Embroidery HERE, and the Jean jacket collection HERE.

Many thanks to all everyone who sent in questions and watched the show live, or via the replay. I can't wait till next time when we talk sewing and tackle even more topics!

I had the chance to spend some time with my friend Eileen Roche from Designs in Machine Embroidery as a guest on her Between Friends show Thursday December 16th. The topic we chose to talk about was something that has become common and somewhat essential in the world of embroidery these days, and that is embroidery software. I know, some of you are software aficionados and others are skittish about using software.

Truth be told, I remember the very first software class I had many years ago and I am here to admit I left the class in tears. I was used to making a sewing and embroidery machine sing and dance. However, the idea of having to mix that fun with what I perceived was the high-tech, new, and unknown world of software, threw me for a loop! So, yes, I sulked for a few hours but then the well of determination within me said wait a minute! No . . . I won't be beat by this!!!

In actuality, the gentleman who taught the class that left me tearful was a die-hard techie and he didn't realize thee were those sitting in class who only had a molehill of experience compared to his mountain of knowledge. I'm sure I wasn't the only one who left class confused and bewildered. As is typical, when you are already confused, you don't tend to ask questions for clarification. When I later began to teach software myself, I never forgot that experience. As a result, I strive to guide "wanna be" software users slowly and gently into the big world of embroidery adventures made possible with software options.

Today, software is something I use almost daily to enhance the potential of my embroidery projects. Below, you'll find the full video replay of the 35 minutes Eileen and I spent talking about the benefits of software and showing software tips and tricks. 

Could you use a few quick gift bag ideas? If the answer is yes, this post is here to help you stitch a few quick and easy projects. Previously posted on the Brother blog, note that these all fit into the "easy" category and are made from low cost, readily available materials. I created some of these for an embroidery machine, while others require only simple stitches on your sewing machine. First, I'll share the newest one with you.

Note: Pages on the Brother blog load slowly. Be patient when clicking on the images.

This little bag is currently featured on the official Brother blog. Made from inexpensive felt with a free embroidery design for you to download, be sure to snatch the free design before December 31, 2021. Click on the above image of the bag to view and download the written instructions. Below, you'll find a recent video where I demonstrate the steps for making this bag during a Brother live show broadcast on YouTube and Facebook.

The next little bag is one of my favorites. Instructions call for small bits of fabric to make confetti and the bag itself is made from commonly found polyester organza. 

This bag is one of my all time favorites. It takes a bit longer to make but is truly a gift in and of itself, one that will likely be kept and put on display. Add the family name to the roof for a fun custom touch!

In this project you'll learn some neat ways to use Frame Shapes included in the embroidery menu on all Brother embroidery machines. You only need a 4-inch hoop for this project! If you don't have an embroidery machine consider cutting appliqué shapes that mimic the ones you see here and add buttons or trim to accent the shapes. Click on the above image to view and download written instructions for the bag. 

You won't find the wreath design in the instruction file, so you'll need to download the design separately HERE.

Sew up this bag with festive fabric and add some trim for a quick and easy last minute gift package. Instructions call for a special pearl sewing foot to apply craft pearls found on a string. You can skip this step if you like, or simply add trim of your choice. Click on the above image to view and download written instructions for the bag. ​

This fifth and final bag features pearls at the top edge just like the previous bag. I made mine from polyester organza for an extra elegant look but you could use ordinary quilt weight cotton or something similar if you like.

Custom printed ribbon is a unique addition to this bag and the ribbon itself can serve as a gift tag. The Brother P-Touch Ribbon & Tape Printer is a creative tool that allows you to print custom messages on satin ribbon of various colors. Decorative patterns are built in to the printer, with themes celebrating all sorts of hobbies and special occasions.  custom printed ribbons are sure to get ooohs and ahhhs from everyone who sees your pretty packages! Check your local craft supplier for machine availablity, or look for a retailer online and find out more about this item HERE.

I hope you enjoyed this ideas for hand crafted gift bags. I'd love to read any comments you care to share!

Follow along with me as we look into time-honored sewing techniques from the past, learn a bit of history along the way, and see how vintage can be "made modern" with Amy Barickman from amybarickman.com. Watch the video and read the entire post and you'll get a chance to win your choice of one of Amy's popular DIY courses! More info at the end of this post. 

On the 4th Monday of each month I go live on my Let's Go Sew with Joanne Banko YouTube channel at 7PM EST, where I'm joined by a special guest along with chatting friends in the live chat window. My most recent show was filled with delightful conversation, unique samples, and a glimpse into sewing history with my guest Amy Barickman. You can watch the entire show by clicking on the YouTube video you see at the top of this post. You'll also find contact information so you can connect with Amy in the show notes for the YouTube broadcast. 

​Here, I wanted to share some highlights from our conversation, give you more sewing resources to explore on your own, and provide links to FREE downloads from Amy.

First, a little about Amy . . .

Amy’s has designed over 1200 patterns and 80 books and introduced new brands such as her Vintage Notions book series and Fabriflair®, dimensional paper piecing designs.

​Recently, Prym Consumer, USA maker of Dritz® and Omnigrid® acquired Indygo Junction. Amy is now able to put her full attention to her passion for sharing fabulous vintage textiles & projects stitched by hand and sewn by machine. Her repertoire includes embroidery, quilts, fabric & notions, as well as DIY publications from the past with modern relevance.

Amy's Mom was a big influence. Introducing her to sewing at a very young age! You'll learn more about her mom's background in the video.

During our time together we talked a lot about projects, tips, & tidbits taken from the Vintage Notions book. 

May I say Vintage Notions is one of my all-time favorite sewing books! It's a unique collection of month by month, seasonally themed chapters with photos, patterns and project instructions, heartwarming essays, and yes, even recipes! Each chapter takes you back in time to an era when homemaking and handcrafted items were valued as special skills elevating not only the lives of the individual but the family unit and society as a whole. While the projects may be from a past era, you'll appreciate their time-honored status at home in our modern lives as well. The book is full of inspiration and projects suited for modern times, but I love picking up the book when I just feel the need to relax and unwind as I read and view pictures that take me back to a slower time.

In the book, Amy begins with a history of Mary Brooks Picken, her sole inspiration for the book. Mary Brooks Picken had accomplishments too numerous to mention in this paragraph, so I invite you to read more in the book. Mary was a pioneer in sewing education and a champion of elevating the various creative arts practiced in the home, sewing and otherwise. Learning sewing at a young age, she eventually founded The Women's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences in Scranton PA, attracting students from around the world. Her school helped empower women of her day to achieve status through their domestic accomplishments. 

As modern-day creatives we recognize the fact that Mary's time was obviously quite different from our own. However, we still want the world to know that creative expression, and sewing in particular, deserves high status and praise for making our own lives and indeed the world at large a better place.  

Continuing the tradition of educating and empowering creative enthusiasts, both women and men, Amy offers online DIY courses based on her fabulous collection of vintage fabrics and notions at VintageModernMakers.com. Would you believe there's even a course on Pearl Buttons? During the live show Amy told us how these beautiful buttons were made in the past. Who knew their origin was the Mississippi River?!?

​Personally, I have a small but cherished collection of both old and modern "shell" buttons as I call them. With their multi-colored hues, I find them to be the perfect choice for so many of my garment projects. I've even been known to remove plastic buttons on a ready-made blouse and replace them with pearl buttons for a quick up-cycle project.

If you love buttons too, I encourage you to read one of Amy's own posts about identifying pearl buttons HERE. You'll also find some really special button images as part of her unique digital image collection, specifically Mother of Pearl Card collection images.

Check out all of Amy's course offerings at her site, VintageModernMakers.com. Grow your appreciation and knowledge while you create practical projects. Be inspired by Amy’s interviews with textile experts as well as artists and makers! Each “Primer” course includes sewing patterns and technique tutorials. Amy shares fascinating history lessons including field trips to museum exhibits.

Speaking of printables, in the video we showed a sewing themed coloring page. This is a Freebie offered by Amy. Click on the above image to download your own copy. It would be fun to color it in and hang as art in your sewing space. Join her newsletter for more FREE printables HERE.

Yet another favorite project we touched on in the video was aprons made from men's shirts, one of the "magic patterns" included in the Vintage Notions book. I have this page bookmarked in my own copy. As an added resource you'll want to read Amy's blog titled Let's Up-cycle! A Shirt to An Apron!

​We chatted between ourselves and interacted with friends who joined us in the live chat for a little over an hour. The time flew by! Now it's your chance to re-watch or watch this video for the first time. While you're on YouTube I encourage you to subscribe and sing up for notifications on my channel, so you'll know each and every time I add a video or begin a new live show.

Now, about that promised give-away. . . Amy has generously offered my Let's Go Sew community the chance to win your choice of one of her great courses. Simply leave a comment at the end of this post, telling us what you enjoyed about the video along with one new thing you learned while watching. On Saturday November 27th, 2021, I'll put all the names into a random drawing and pick a winner to be notified by email.

I hope you enjoy the video and feel inspired by the samples shown and stories told. I'll close with a quote from Amy: 

"Let the beauty of vintage textiles & the history of handmade ignite and enrich your creative spirit!"

November 27, 2021 was the day we drew a winner! Judy O'Dell wondering the random drawing and she'll receive a free online course of her choice, courtesy of Amy Barickman. Congratulations Judy!

Make a mat for your machine and you'll not only have a pretty surface where your machine sits, you'll have handy storage pockets for the tools you use most often. You can customize the size to fit any machine you have in your sewing space!

I have two versions of this custom machine mat for you. The first one was created using a Brother machine that falls into a category of machines that are a bit below mid range, meaning it's an affordable machine with features that can take you beyond beginner sewing. I'm referring to the Brother Pacesetter PS200T model.

You can create a similar mat using nothing more than a straight stitch for the cross hatch lines of quilting, a zig zag stitch for attaching the appliqués, and decorative stitches to define the pocket spaces. Below you'll see what the finished mat looks like.

You'll find complete instructions for this version on the official Brother blog when you CLICK HERE.

Version Two of the mat was originally featured on It's Sew Easy TV show 2006-2

This one has embroidered pockets as shown in the photo below:

Would you like to watch the show? I've included it here for your convenience. You'll find coordinating downloadable instructions when you CLICK HERE.

Pockets on this mat were created using a special fill stitch feature in the Brother Luminaire machine, with the fill added right in the embroidery mode.

Brother Dream machine owners and those who have the Stellaire model have a feature call My Design Center. Machines with this feature have the capability to create a similar pocket using shapes and fancy fill stitches. I thought you might like to know how to make this pocket style with My Design Center machines so I made a 5 minute video for you. 

Between the videos and the written instructions, you'll be able to create your own custom mat and spruce up your sewing space with something practical and pretty! Enjoy!

P.S. I'd love to know to hear from you and read your comments! If you've made one of these or plan to do so, please let me know!

Sewing for babies and making baby gifts is always a fun way to use both sewing and embroidery capabilities on your machine!

Admittedly, the only "babies" I ever raised had four paws, fur, and answered to the call of "here kitty kitty!" However, I have made many baby items for gifts. I've seen the joy on an expecting mom's face when she received hand-crafted items perfect for her upcoming bundle of joy.

In this post I'll share some of my favorite baby days projects created for the It's Sew Easy TV show and the Brother blog where I regularly contribute as a Brother Ambassador. Follow along as I share some photos, descriptions and links to instructions.

This practical terry wrap is perfect for baby's bath time! Originally featured on It's Sew Easy TV show 1513, you can make this wrap entirely on the sewing side of the machine or choose to add embroidery for the triangular shaped hood. Packaged bias binding makes it fast and easy to finish but you can also consider making custom bias binding for a super cute color coordinated finish. CLICK HERE to watch the video on my YouTube channel. Download a PDF copy of the instructions with an easy step-by-step method for an inconspicuous seam on continuous bias binding HERE.

Make this quick and easy bath mitt using a wash cloth and a bit of embroidered ribbon trim. The little duckie design is available as a free .pes design download from Brother, included with the project instructions. This fits in a 4-inch hoop, making it ideal for new or entry level machine embroidery owners. CLICK HERE to download instructions and the design courtesy of Brother Sewing Machine Company.

Another quick and easy project, this baby bottle cover is super cute with added embroidery and it can be easily trimmed with something simple like decorative stitches or classic rick rack. To learn how to make this CLICK HERE to watch It's Sew Easy TV show 1503. You'll find the instructions for measuring and making a custom sized cover, plus a free bonus burp cloth pattern HERE on my site.

This blanket has to be one of my all time favorite baby gifts to make and to give. Simply cut a rectangle of one or two fabrics and purchase a package of satin blanket binding and you're on your way to making a blanket with a professional finish and a soft edge baby will love to cuddle under. Once you learn the technique for mitering the corners you'll likely keep this as one of your "go to" baby gifts for future baby showers and gift giving. I spent quite a bit of time working out the details for making this easy and effortless. I suggest you watch the video HERE on this page and download the included written instructions for step by step photos to help you master this technique.

Yet another burp cloth, cos what new parent can't use more of these!?! Grab a package of cloth diapers, some bright strips of fabric and decorative thread and you are ready to whip up one or a half dozen in no time at all! I  recently created this project for the Brother Stitching Sewcial blog. You'll find the instructions HERE. Design ideas include picking a few favorite baby themed embroidery designs, choosing fun sayings to use with built-in lettering, or consider using just decorative stitches or fabric appliqués if embroidery is not in your repertoire.

I hope you enjoy these baby days projects! Great for gift giving but quick enough for  a creative parent to be to make as well!

Save the instructions so when you here the news that so and so is expecting you'll be ready to stitch something cute, made with your sewing skills, love, and a little help from your sewing machine!

I'm starting the slow process of cleaning. clearing, clutter busting and rehabbing my sewing space. I have no set deadline and plan to move at a pace that does not stress me out. I thought I would share so of my ideas and invite you to join me in the journey in the hope that it will help you to get the clutter under control, perfect your workflow, and generally make your creative space more inviting. I want you and me too, to feel inspired and rejuvenated each time you enter it! 

Today we tackle the menagerie of magazines. I should start by saying that I have gone through the process of culling magazines and sewing periodicals many times in my sewing life. Before easy access to the internet became commonplace, we didn't have any other way to learn and be inspired with reading material except for magazines and books. For almost ten years I had the privilege of contributing to what I considered to be the premier machine embroidery magazine, Designs in Machine Embroidery. Copies of my contributions are on my must keep list. The batch of magazines that remain are going through the should it stay or should it go process. Below you'll find my best list of ideas and methods for tackling this stack of shiny paper full of pretty pictures and golden information.

​Begin by sorting a pile of keepers and discards. Think through your list of sewing friends that may benefit from magazines you are through with. Discards may be newfound treasures for them.
 
Now it’s time to go through the keepers pile. If you don’t have the dreaded FOMO (fear of missing out) syndrome like I do, you may be able to breeze through the index of your saved magazines to see if anything is there that still interests you just by looking at the titles in the index. You may be like me and want to leaf through page by page just to make sure you are not in fact missing out. Now you are ready to plough through and see what you can’t part with. See if any of the following ideas work for you.

I hope you found some of these ideas helpful. I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas about managing the menagerie of magazines!

My most recent Let's Go Sew LIVE show on YouTube featured Ellen Miller as she shared delightful samples found in the pages of her book titled Creative Couture embellishment.

I first met Ellen on the set of It's Sew Easy TV and helped configure the machine so she could demonstrate bobbin work and Sashiko style stitchery. Ellen was used to sewing on an industrial straight stitch sewing machine and quickly adapted to the fancy schmancy computerized Brother machine she needed to use for taping the show. This was Ellen's debut appearance on TV and if you listen to her tell the story, she did not expect to have to sew at all. However, she was thoroughly prepared to show all of her step-by-step samples. She quickly adapted to the show format and did both, showing and sewing Sashiko samples. Watch show 1505-1 HERE on the KS Productions website and you'll walk away with a great appreciation for Ellen's detailed instructions and inspiring samples.

I knew Ellen would be a great guest for my Sew Tell Me interview series. Her book is filled with incredible techniques that would translate well into special embellishments not just for clothing but for home decor and art quilts as well. Watch the video and you'll see Ellen show samples from the book and share tips for easy embellishment.

Ellen also told us all about some great resources for beads, fabric, and trims. Below are a few of her favorites.

• Beads:

https://www.firemountaingems.com

• Online Fabric Resources:

www.emmaonesock.com
www.gorgeousfabrics.com (Ann Steeves)

• ​Brick and Mortar store in Midtown Manhattan:

New York Elegant Fabrics
www.newyorkelegantfabrics.com

In the back of her book you'll find even more resources, plus a glossary for techniques that will enrich your sewing knowledge and pique your interest to learn more.

Below is a link to a replay of the YouTube show on my channel:

Hope you enjoy the interview! If you have more questions for Ellen please leave them in the comments section at the end of this post and I'll forward them on so we can get answers directly from her.

Follow Ellen at her website here:
https://creatingembellishment.com

Find information about ordering Ellen Miller's Creative Couture Embellishment book here:
https://creatingembellishment.com/the-book/​

Contact Ellen directly here:
https://creatingembellishment.com/contact/​

My friend and fellow Brother Ambassador Angela Wolf, hosts the twice weekly Brother live shows and invited me to share tips for preventing embroidery puckers on this recent show. Below, you'll find an outline of the tips presented. I went into a lot more detail and showed lots of samples during the show.

Angela and I enjoyed having a lively conversation. As usual, comments coming in from viewers always spark good sewing conversation and lots of clever questions. 

During the show, I happened to mention the benefit of embroidering on pre-quilted fabric. I shared one of my favorite projects for single faced pre-quilted material, a custom hanger cover. Many asked for instructions so I'm including a link to the download HERE. You'll also find a 2 minute coordinating video showing a variety of hanger cover samples. These are quick and easy to make for your self or to give as a welcome gift. 

Looking for even more in-depth information of preventing puckered embroidery? Many of my tips were included in a recent It's Sew Easy TV show. CLICK HERE to watch Preventing Puckers on It's Sew Easy TV show 2012-3. You'll find a detailed tip sheet I wrote to coordinate with this 7 minute show.

I'd love to hear about your embroidery experiences, with or without puckers. Please leave your comments below!

On the fourth Monday of each month you can look forward to a Live YouTube show on my Let's Go Sew with Joanne Banko YouTube channel. In this post you'll find the replay for my April show along with follow up details and extra information I thought you would enjoy. This month my guest was Beth Sweet, owner of Quilts and Lace quilt shop in Melbourne, Florida. You can read Beth's full bio at the end of this post.

I met Beth Sweet a few years back while attending a Brother convention. We had a warm relationship from the very start and knew we would eventually connect one day for a special event.   

Well, it turns out Beth planned a really big special event in the fall of 2019, putting together a Caribbean cruise with myself, Beth, and Aira Kekäle teaching 21 enthusiastic sewing enthusiasts as we sailed, sewed, and had a wonderful time visiting island destinations together. Allan Reid (aka Aira's hubby) was our invaluable assistant throughout.

Beth and I have stayed in touch ever since! In this new series of interviews, I knew Beth would be the perfect person to talk to about patchwork and machine stitchery both for seasoned quilters and those who are just starting to explore the world of quilting.

Beth shared her own personal sewing journey and told us how she actually did not like sewing at all when she initially started in school, and how she ended up being passionate about piecing quilts. We talked about many ways to get started with quilting and continue advancing your skills with tips, tricks, & tools. She showed us inspirational samples and gave us a peek into classes offered in person for those who are near the shop, and online offerings for everyone else interested in sewing new and fun projects.

More about Beth Sweet . . .

So, how did her journey lead her to owner/operator of Quilts and Lace? Here is the story in Beth's own words:

Throughout the years, I have had many jobs that I believe contributed the bits and pieces that prepared me for owning a quilt store.  Hard to fathom that my first job out of college selling switches for Micro Switch of Honeywell to other sales positions, being a wife, mother of two, substitute teaching, volunteering in the community to most recently working at quilt stores led me to have, I believe, a few of the skills needed to owning a business!

I knew that I loved to teach and appreciated the variety and challenges that happen every day at a sewing store.  Because of this and due to the joy I receive when working with people, learning constantly about fabrics, notions, social media, computers and how to use the sewing, quilting and embroidery machines, I decided to write a business plan. I found that developing ideas for how I would manage a quilt store very exciting. A wonderful series of events led to me working at the same store I now own. Through the guidance and support of the previous owners, I purchased Quilts and Lace on November 22, 2016 and became the new owner of Sweet Time Quilting LLC DBA Quilts and Lace! 

Is your serger collecting dust? Recently, I asked a group of sewing enthusiasts what they have been doing with their serger. One honest friend replied collecting dust! I'm afraid this is all too common, especially when someone is new to the world of serging and is intimidated by the dials, knobs, and general strangeness of this machine when compared to a sewing machine. After all, most of us can sit down at just about any sewing machine, thread it up and at least sew a straight seam.

Sergers, also known as overlockers, seem to look just a bit different and while there are some similarities between sergers and sewing machines, they are truly two different animals. 

In this post I'll share some simple Do's and Don'ts to follow. Whether you are a seasoned serger stitcher or a newbie when it comes to overlockers, I think you'll find a tip or two that will work for you.

My final don't? Don't let your serger collect dust. Stay tuned for more tips and tricks for using your serger to the fullest. CLICK HERE and check out this Let's Go Sew tip sheet and learn more about how sergers and sewing machines differ.

Want to see a video with tips for when to sew and when to serge? CLICK HERE to watch Sew it or Serge it, as seen on It's Sew Easy TV show 2101-1. On this show you'll see me demonstrate a variety of techniques using both the sewing machine and serger.

Would you like a PDF version of the Do's and Don'ts to print and keep by your machine? CLICK HERE.