Ground Control

The heading of this post may give you the idea that I feel under pressure!!  Not true just a statement of fact.  I have been searching thru my fabric stash and compiling or rather organizing my collection of threads in an attempt to be less scattered the next time I decide to begin a glorious NEW embroidery project and that has led me into the essence of this post.

Over the years I have become a bit sloppy in regards to organization and discovered that a GIGANTIC amount of times is used up in decision making such as deciding the project to actually work on, then finding the proper fabric or fabrics, seeking the design to make that real WOWwhen completed and finally aligning  the thread colors to make it all work.  Well there is no cutting corners on the previously mentioned actions, organization of all the elements involved can sure put racing stripes on your activities.  So now we come to the point I am trying to make.  I am personally setting a goal for myself to set up a new plan for all the elements involved in the embroidery process.  Since I don’t have it all worked out in my own brain yet I am not going to expound upon giving others a path to follow.  Since we are all very individual and single minded no one plan is for everyone.  My quest is to find or create a plan that will work for me and I am surely open to suggestions from others on the absolutely best way to organize all—projects, designs,  fabric, thread, needles, hoops,  etc.  I am aware that there are different limits for all of us  in regard to space, finances and time so my plan may take a long mental contemplation as well as considerable dedication in that direction however,  tips tricks, inspiration and recommendations shall be very welcome.

Because I believe that every post should end on a posative, remember that today is a new day and whatever you do share a smile, or a thank you and remember to take time for YOU in that place inside where you can find joy and happiness.

Christmas is such a wonderous time for those of us who celebrate the reason for the season and so I am posting a joyous few words.  Because I work in retail selling the machines that I so dearly love and use on a daily basis.  Well maybe not daily 'cause working sometimes keeps me away from my dear embroidery machine.  It is so exciting to create or recreate the designs purchased during the year to ad to clothing, toweling, table topers, and even make ornaments to hang upon the tree or light pulls etc.  Of course I had so many ambitious plans many of which will have to be continued during the coming months to actually make for another CHRISTMAS.

As I awoke on Christmas morning I began to think of Christmas Past and the gifts so close to my heart.  The Joys of all the Christmases my family and I spent with Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.  There were always hand made sweaters, socks, aprons and even quilts.  Oh how my Grandmother would have glowed if provided with one of these wonderous embroidery/sewing machines of today.  We were a crafty bunch well maybe not me I was too busy to deal with needle and threads then, little did I know it would be such a pleasure to me in my later years.  I alway want to say it was in me all along I just didn't know it. 

In the past few years I have wished for a little magical elf to be as good as me at the machine and perhaps much better, to while away some hours on my projects for me, but alas the elves also are busy and boping here and there.  However the greatest joy is remembering and sharing, believing and knowing there is a JESUS and he lives in my heart and the hearts of the millions of Christians who share this joyous season.   As I lookforward to the New Year my hopes and prayers are for all to find joy and peace in 2011.  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Thanksgiving is past and we are fast pushing toward Christmas and the New Year.  Wow how time flies.  This will be a short updat as time is slipping past me.  I can’t believe that we are already at the end of November.  I have gifts yet to be completed some with glorious embroidery and others  just clever creations done on my oh so wonderful embroidery machine.  Recently I upgraded my embroidery software to be able to become (would you believe) the actual creator of some designs.  Needless-to-say there is a learning curve at this point and my abilities toward learning seem to have slowed down a bit, but I will trudge forward and shortly will, and of course you must be expecting this, try to stitch out and show at least one of my own designs. 

At the moment I am working on making holiday napkins for several members of my family will add a picture or two if I get off this grand computer and back to the sewing. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and will find the Christmas Season filled with love and joy

Well here we go chasing the New Year, however the most important thing should be remembering how to be Thankful. Looking over the past year I have been like a loose cannon trying to do everything and be everything I should be, of course with no real plan, just do!!! Since this is a blog about machine embroidery I will expound upon that at this time for it is the most endearing time to get the designs of the season running perfectly on all the wonderful things I have made and or bought and personalize them. Of course a little planning on my part would have me ahead of schedul instead of behind the eightball. Since I did mention in my last post that I was now working in retail selling sewing machines including the wonderous embroidery machines that are available. It is like letting a child loose in a toy store. My remarks at this time are, if you have an embroidery machine I hope it is humming with creations and that the joy of completing another gift or sample or bazar display you will sit back and say I am proud and happy.  Sometimes things do not always go beautifully and fullfil you dreams of creation are just a little less than what you had dreamed.  Don’t get down on yourself and remember that others don’t know what you minds eye was envisioning.  Some of my absolute personal dislikes have become prized posessions to those who only saw the one completion and were duly impressed. 

In Three days it will be THANKSGIVING and so I wish to all who may read this a day filled with love, kindness and the many blessings that are all around us in even the smallest things.  May your heart be truly Thankful!!

This is like starting a new blog, and yet not wanting to loose all that has gone before.  Well that’s me always want to save everything.  Again racing the clock to get breakfast etc. then move on the the important things.  Since tomorrow is Nov. 2 and I consider that a very important day.  I will expound upon that for a brief moment and say as loudly as I can GET OUT THERE AND VOTE. 

When I reach my conclusion on this particular post I will immediately publish it because though I really enjoy blogging and posting I have spent little time getting into it.  It has taken me weeks to figure out how to get to the dashboard for this blog since it has been so long since I actually did a post and the way to access it for changes and posts has also changed, thru trial and error I am now back. 

Now to get on with what this blog is supposed to be about I will mention that sewing is so many things to so many people.  Since I started working at retail sales–selling sewing machines—I have discovered how many different ways of creating, mending there are and how helpful it is to know just what someone really wants a machine for.  When I was younger I wanted to have a machine so I could sew for my children or mend the rips and tears that arrived in my pile of family clothing.  I bought a machine and did this and that with it, but never really became a sewer.  Well if you read or have read some of my earlier blog posts you know sewing wasn’t my thing until I met my first embroidery machine and from that day on it has been a love affair.  When I am gone my family will come in and look at the mass of machine attachments and tools to work the wonder of sewing and crafts and shake their heads in disbelief.  I hope that one or two of my 5 children will discover the joy and creativity of the art and artistry of sewing.  As this morning is running away from me very quickly I am going to wind up with just this short blurb and once again bow my head in thanksgiving and wish that your day is filled with hope,  joy and peace for you and yours.

Sometimes I feel like a terrible failure, but once my reserve clicks in again I resolve to be more active.  This is another resolve.  I am racing the clock as usual to get lunch and then to work, but just want to get something on this blog to show that I am not  DEAD OR LOST. 

By way of real information I am going to mention a tip regarding threading your sewing or embroidery machine of which for many years I was not aware.  It is important to always thread your machine with the presser foot in the up position.  Perhaps this was  mentioned to me a long time ago, but either I was not paying attention or it did not register.  Somehow a light goes on when someone tells me why.  There are tension disks in the threading path and when the presser foot is lowered those disks are closed or tightened– you can check this out by threading your machine (presser foot up) and see that there is little or no tension when you pull on the thread–put the (presser foot down) and note that there is now a tightness or pressure when you pull on the thread.  You can of course once the thread path is completed lower the presser foot to thread the needle.  Following this procedure always will help to prevent many thread problems.  Just a quick tip especially for new sewers/embroiderers.

As always as this day spins along my wish for all is that you find joy in all you do.  Have a great day.

HOLY MOLY it has been a very long time since my last post.  Here are my excuses and believe me they really are excuses.  Again I walked into my favorite store and they were having a demonstration of the newest, happiest, snappiest biggest dog-gone hoop embroidery machine I had seen to date and I watched.  Determined not to be impressed and of course lacking the finances I said to myself  “Self we are just going to sit here and look.”  Well trade up, determination shot and the financial assistance of my Best Friend I became the proud owner of the very next best thing since sliced bread.

By the time I got home and unpacked the Dream Machine and read some of the Guide Book I looked around and suddenly there appeared this huge puff of smoke and before I knew it I had been captured by THE EMBROIDERY GENIE.  Without batting an eye this charming genie looked me straight in the eyes and said go get busy you have some finances to correct!!!!  So all right HE (the Genie) didn’t have to be so blunt even though he was right so I put on my thinking cap and fired up my DREAM MACHINE and began making all manor of things even sold the majority of them and was very proud of myself.   However, my progress was very slow so one day in my relaxing down time this terribly charming genie once again appeared, placed piece of paper in my hand and said I think YOU should think about this they will call you.  While I was still thinking my phone rang and when I hung up I was getting ready to go to work for the very store where I had purchased my DREAM MACHINE. 

Now would you believe the GENIE has apparently disappeared, but as you can guess, in working for the Store I am now surrounded by all the goodies available to sewing and embroidery enthusiasts—thus the long lapse in my BLOG POSTS.  Hopefully I will be able to keep some kind of control and manage at least weekly updates and information.  As always my final words today are make every moment a new experience and fill each and every day with joy and peace.   

Hope this finds a few folks out there who might still be checking.

Have been scrambling around to figure how to get all the projects I have planned into the works and still stay semi sane.  Well discovered the answer is a simple “do what you can and stop scrambling”.  Heck with all that scrambling I was beginning to feel like an egg.  Having finished the top of one Christmas Gift I feel much like I have accomplished something.  Don’t remember, did I tell you this can be the way it is sometimes?  I know  that I still have to add the batting and backing to finish the wall hanging that I have created.  Now mind you I ambroidered it and put it together, but did not create it.  All the designs were from Husqvarna Viking Folio #95 called Special Techniques Christmas.  I have not yet taken pictures, but will soon and try to ad them to this blog post.  I called it a wall hanging , but it is made like a small quilt and can be used as either. 

In order to continue working as much as I do on embroidery I have started a home based business to help me supplement my SS and offer me an ability to continue to be creative which is in case you haven’t guessed is a passion of mine. 

When I first started this blog I thought of putting in a picture of one of my daughters to attempt to get a larger number of viewers to my Blog, but honesty and reality won out and after all I am what I am.  This is the best I can do for today, but as always I wish for each and every person a day of joy and new commitment to whatever is closest to your hearts.  When we test our limits we learn more about ourselves.

Well  here are the two wall hangings different  emb. characters are the only difference.  As you can see my photography skills have not yet improved.

The day is nearly done, however my determination to be a better blogger I believe is taking hold, so here I go with a new post.  Since my first two pictures were pretty much devoid of color, I thought I would take a couple with some pizazz.  The first one is a linen kitchen towel I have made for my daughter to hang in an appropriate spot as decor in her kitchen.  It’s done with polyester thread so it should handle washings well and the colors should remain bright.  The towel size is 25″ x 19″ and folded in three the design is right in the middle of the lower half of the towell.   Positioning is something I will discuss in another post.

The next picture is a 16″ X 16″ pillow.  The design is a thread velvet creation.  It is a little unique as the stitch- out is in layers using different colors and when completed the top stitches are cut with a knife to expose the color underneath and the fluff of the cut stitches feels just like velvet.  I use a stiletto type seam ripper with a very sharp (new) blade and the trick is to find just the right amount of pressure so you don’t cut too deeply.  On the back side of the embroidered design I put some fabric glue just in case I cut a stitch or two.  Heaven forbid my design should unravel and come apart. 

As you can see my photography and croping skills need some improvement, but at least this a representation of what is done and how.  I could not make a set of pillows as shown above because I did not have enough of the pillow fabric which has a very pretty antique look.   I should have taken a picture of the back so you could get a better effect.  This was my first attempt with the THREAD VELVET DESIGNS so I was playing cautious and didn’t want to ruin a large piece of fabric.  Oh well one is good.

That is about it for today.  Don’t let the day end before you find a bit of  joy and tuck it into that place where you store treasured moments.

Golly once again I am amazed at how time flies.  12 days since my last post.  I am going to have to find a way to stay focused .  The words of an old folk song that  go sort of like this “nail your shoes to the kitchen floor, lace them up and bar the door and thank the Lord for the roof that’s over you” I am guessing that would be a good way to stay focused.  But then there are those of us who would leave the shoes all laced up so pretty, nailed to the floor, the door bared and climb out the window.  I am not saying that is a picture of me and I would probably have a good deal of difficulty getting out the window anyway,  so I expect a little training and self control would do just fine.

Since my last post was about thread and the pictures they paint I thought I would continue along those lines today.  I have found that I personally have several different brands of thread in my thread cabinet and the main reason for that is not that I can’t get threads of almost any color from one source, but that in my travels (not escapes from my window) I come upon certain colors that just say take me home-and I do.  For the most part I try to use all rayon or all poly in the same design, but am not above mixing them if I get the desired effect or don’t have just the right color in the type I am using at the time.  I can’t personally tell you that this is a no no, for it seems to work just fine for me. 

The very next problem is that when the designs come up on the embroidery screen, of course depending on what brands you have stored in the memory WOOPS those don’t look like the right colors and they more than likely are not so you have to be careful to put the color numbers in order next to you so you keep things in order of the stitch out.  Often the colors of your thread purchases do not have color names, only color numbers and heck that is no help so you analyse the color swatches that come with the designs.  NO SURPRISE I usually take a sheet of paper and number the colors and give each of the ones I’ve decided to use a name you know like brown, dark brown, red clay mud and so on in order on the sheet.  Makes life a lot easier as you sew.  Also now that you are comfortable with your machine it is really fun to stitch out the design in the colors of your choice so the above works just fine for that. 

I have a big question, ARE YOU HAVING FUN?  Secondly even though there are moments of  frustration are you finding joy and pleasure in what you are doing or have done?  Remember we all see things with different eyes, emotions, perspectives and all are individual ASSISTANT CREATORS.  Let individuality fly, grow and prosper.  I hope your days and nights are filled with happiness and peace.