Tuesday, March 15, 2016

LOTS OF FUN EMBROIDERY PROJECTS!

Goodness I know it's only been a couple of days but I can't seem to get settled in with the time change.  I thought I was sitting down here early enough to get this done before dinner, but it is already 5 o'clock!  I wasn't ready to go to bed until 10:30 last night and that was a force, lol.  I usually hit my bed around nine thirty or so, and turn my light off by 10.  I wake between 5:30 or six and begin my day.  This morning I didn't wake up until almost six thirty and I've been behind all day....I KNOW it will happen, but for a while I am just off.  I DO LOVE how light it is though.  I am behind on my post plans as well as Monday was SUPPOSED to be my sewing day post, but I promised myself no stressing, so here I FINALLY am LATE Tues afternoon, lol.

Honestly I can't even remember when I did what so I will do my best to just tell it.  I DID get my sewing machine back last Tues and I have been embroidering ever since.  I have been almost obsessed with what they call "in the hoop" designs which if you have an embroidery machine means that the entire project is made "in the hoop".  This could be a multitude of things from purses and bags and bibs and shoes and honestly many things you just can't imagine.  Literally hundreds of designs.  I will confess [I REALLY just didn't know a thing] that when I first came across these designs almost 3 years ago now when I first got my machine, I thought it was for a certain kind of embroidery machine.  It wasn't until I made the gingerbread Christmas ornaments this year that I figured out I was mistaken, and they are designed in ALL formats just like most embroidery designs.
Anyway, a while ago I stumbled across in the hoop designs for stuffed animals and I have been REALLY wanting to try them out.  I was thinking that they would most likely eliminate the "fiddly" things that are involved in sewing these the standard way [and I was right!] AND would have the added benefit of being able to embroider on the eyes and mouths etc.  I was really excited to give this a whirl. My only concern was would I be able to figure out the pages of instructions that come with each design??  I started with what I KNEW would be really simple.  Little "softie" baby dolls for both Claire and Sophia.  I did have a little bit of a hard time with what they were saying to do with the faces, as the colored fabric of the buntings would be behind the thread of their faces.  And the thread was to be a very light pink.  Sooooo being the brilliant gal I am [jk here!] I simply put a piece of plain white fabric BEHIND the stitching first, and it worked beautifully.  Let me show my very first "IN THE HOOP" softie dolls

I MADE CLAIRE'S A LITTLE BIGGER THEN SOPHIA'S AS AFTER ALL SHE IS A LITTLE OLDER, LOL.  I WAS ALSO ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PUT THEIR NAMES ON THE DOLLS AS OBVIOUSLY THE DESIGNS DO NOT COME PERSONALIZED.  IT JUST NEEDED LITTLE BITS OF FABRIC [WHICH I HAD IN MY STASH] FOR THE BUNTING AND THEN OF COURSE THE REST IS DONE WITH THREAD.  THEIR WHOLE FACE LIKE I MENTIONED ALREADY IS DONE WITH THREAD.  WHEN THE DESIGN IS COMPLETE YOU TAKE IT OFF THE HOOP AND STUFF IT AND WHIP STITCH THE OPENING CLOSED AND THEY ARE DONE.  THESE DESIGNS WERE QUICK, EASY AND FUN.  MY KIND OF PROJECT!

CLOSER LOOK AT CLAIRE'S.  HER'S IS MADE WITH A SUPER SUPER SOFT PIECE OF COMFY FABRIC THAT I HAD ORIGINALLY MADE HER A BLANKET OUT OF

AND SOPHIA'S IS MADE WITH A DOTTED MINKY ALSO SUPER SOFT!
This went sooo well I was anxious to try my next one which was to be an owl.  Now I have to say he was a little bit more work, and took me a while to understand what in the world the directions were saying, but once I figured it out it too went pretty well.  I was absolutely thrilled with the way he came out.  He was made with fabric left over from the quilt and with what I had on hand.  I really wanted him to match the quilt so I kind of took my color scheme from there.  Let me show you Mr. Owl....

HIS BODY IS A SOFT LIGHT PINK FLEECE, AND HIS WINGS AND FACE AND A TINY PORTION OF HIS EYES ARE FABRIC AND ALL THE REST IS DONE WITH THREAD.  THE FACE FABRIC AND THE WING FABRIC IS LEFT OVER FABRIC FROM THE QUILT.  THE ONLY PART OF THE EYES THAT IS FABRIC IS THE WHITE, THE REST IS ALL THREAD.  I DID NOT TAKE A PIC OF THIS [AND I CAN'T BEAR TO NOW, LOL] BUT THERE IS A SMALL POCKET ON THE BACK OF HIM.  I GUESS YOU COULD PUT LITTLE THINGS IN IT TO CARRY AROUND OR WHATEVER.  I WOULD HAVE JUST LEFT IT OFF PERSONALLY, BUT I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO AT THE TIME TO SKIP THAT STEP.  I THINK I COULD NOW THOUGH, LOL   HE IS FINISHED THE SAME WAY BY WHEN ALL THE STITCHING IS DONE HE IS REMOVED FROM THE HOOP AND STUFFED.
 .
HERE HE IS BY THE QUILT.  MATCHING PRETTY WELL I THINK, LOL

Now I also purchased a hedgehog design, but I have not made him yet for a couple of reasons...first, he is A LOT more complicated, and the fabric I intend to use on him is long and kind of fury so it is sure to be a challenge.  Probably going to tackle him tomorrow.  Then....to switch things up a bit I decided to make a banner with Sophia's name on it for both the shower as a decoration, and then for her to hang in her room as well.  I will try SOOOOO hard to give you the condensed version of what went on here.  But it won't be easy.  It too is an "IN THE HOOP" design.  But I quickly figured out it was a poorly designed design, lol.  That has been the case with other embroidery designs I have gotten in the past, but truthfully MOST of them have been great.  The problem will be hard to understand if you don't have an embroidery machine and then have done an in the hoop design, but let me just say this....they had you leaving the tear away stabilizer out as your last step AFTER the satin finishing stitch had been done and it showed!!  There suggestion was to CAREFULLY cut away what was left [mainly fuzzy linty stuff] with sharp sissors and try REALLY HARD not to cut into your satin stitches....UUMMM soooo not a good idea.  Sooo I tried my best with a sample one and figured out that not only was this a BIG BIG problem, the stitching itself was sooo dense it was going to require two pieces of stabilizer [and it is VERY pricey] and I HATED the way the fabric was wrinkling up on the square AFTER it was cut off as well.  Sooo I considered pitching the whole design and starting from scratch looking for something else, when it occurred to me I could just use felt. Felt could be cut outside of the satin stitching a little bit [which looks great!] hiding any problems with the stabilizer, and it is does not ravel or wrinkle, and is WONDERFUL to be embroidered on.  I know all of this from the gingerbread ornaments again btw.  Soooo then I kind of made up my own design using their basic square.  I put a the letters on the squares with a font from my machine, and a tiny row of roses at the bottom also gotten from my machine,  So then I made up a few more playing with different colors of thread and felt before I FINALLY settled on what I went with.  There are hearts at the beginning of the banner [I already owned this design] and a rose design between Sophia and Rose which I bought for a dollar on sale.  It took FOREVER to stitch these out.  Two whole days to be truthful.  But they are done and I am LOVING the way they came out.  I still have to string a ribbon through all the buttonholes at the top of the squares, and I am still debating on what color of ribbon to use.  I am leaning heavily towards lavender.  Let me show you this...



CLOSE UP OF HEART

CLOSE UP OF ROSE

CLOSE UP OF ONE OF THE LETTERS




CLOSE UP OF BORDER
BLURRY HORRIBLE PICTURE I KNOW....I WILL TAKE ANOTHER WHEN THE RIBBON IS ON.

And then BEFORE I did all of this embroidery, I found in my stash this BEAUTIFUL knit that I forgot I had so I decided to use it up.  I made another nightgown for Sophia with a matching beanie hat AND matching little bottie shoes.  There was still some left so I made a little pair of leggings and a matching head tie as well, lol  These are all quick and easy and right up my alley.  I could not bear not using his perfect knit.




OK that's it for now....I need to jump off here and make something quick as hubby is due home any minute.  I'll leave you as always with some grandkid pics.  These are of little Claire.  I know she gets the most pics on here but she is the baby and her mama takes and sends me lots of pics.  Besides she's too cute to resist.  Hope you are all having a good week.  Blessings to you all Debbie


SHE IS HER MAMA'S CLONE IN THIS ONE

SUCH A HAPPY GIRL

WHICH ONE IS YOUR FAVORITE?  MINE IS THE MIDDLE ONE


6 comments:

  1. You do such great work! I love everything. The pictures of little Claire are so sweet and I think the second one is my favorite too.

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  2. I love those plush dolls! I MUST get in to the shop and find out how to upload designs!!!!!!! I must!!!
    The outfits out of the pink knit are darling! You really got a lot made out of that!!
    Love the pics of little Claire! The middle is my favorite too!!
    xo Kris

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  3. Love your little stuffed dolls and owl. And your little granddaughter is just adorable. I enjoy seeing what you've been creating :)

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  4. Such cute little things. It is obvious you are having a ball creating baby things for those special little ones. What fun things for them and their moms. And little Miss Claire is so adorable. I have never seen three siblings look so much alike. I also like the middle one, but also love that sweet smile of the last one.

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  5. If you ever thought of going into business, you'd have a hit with those personalized dolls, They are wonderful! Sophia Rose is going to be one beautifully dressed baby! Is Claire standing up? Good heavens! She's not a little baby anymore. Love all those expressive photos!

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  6. Love what you are making. So adorable. I can't pick just one. I love 2 and 3 the best. I love how she's laughing in number 3 but her eyes are so beautiful in #2.

    Have a great day.

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I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!