This week's special
Note from Eileen: A big welcome to guest blogger Lorraine Allen! Many of you may remember Lorraine when she worked in customer service here at Designs. Now she’s living in Utah and is definitely missed in Dallas. Since I’m on my honeymoon I thought I’d let Lorraine share an easy t-shirt makeover. It’s so...
Those stretchy, skinny t-shirts are so popular. Here are some tips on how to stitch them successfully. First, the right embroidery design for the right fabric is crucial. Don’t try to force a design on any fabric. Look at the limitations of this baby soft knit fabric (sheer, 4-way stretch and nubby). That’s an...
If your sewing skills are holding you back from tackling complex projects, you might be interested in seeing how an embroidery machine can simplify complicated sewing tasks. How? The tough/challenging/persnickety steps are handled by digital files completely eliminating the need for top-notch sewing skills. You’ll be amazed to see how easy it is to...
Click here to download this article as a PDF for future reference. Many of you wrote that buttonholes are a struggle when it comes to sewing. I agree! One of the worst parts about adding a buttonhole is it’s just about the last thing you do when making a garment. I begin to sweat...
A few weeks ago I shared some thoughts on a t-shirt revamp project. It’s definitely finished, photographed and worn many times. If you missed the June 22nd post click here. I thought I had a game plan but I think I learned that ‘game plan’ really means a place to start. My initial plan...
Hmm, why another t-shirt? I must confess, I live in them, I’m always on the prowl for the perfect t-shirt. And recently I found one that I just love – for $6.99. Wore it one day, felt so comfortable I went back and bought 6 more. Well, half of them are for testing embellishment...
We received a message from Melinda on our Facebook page asking for some tips for embroidering on children’s shirts. Here are my top 10 tips for embellishing children’s shirts with machine embroidery. 1. Keep it light. Kids hate stiff, itchy embroidery so select embroidery designs that have a low-stitch count. 2. Use applique to...
Guest post by Katherine Artines - There I was on the first morning of International Quilt Market in Houston last Fall, excited about being there, ready to go on the floor the next day to gather up inspiration like someone spilled M&M’s in front of me, sitting in her schoolhouse daydreaming, when WHAM! Eileen showed...
1. Find a focal point. Examine the garment to determine if there’s a design detail that could serve as the starting or focal point for the embroidery. On this plain sheath, the slit is the only detail. I can choose to accent it or ignore it. 2. Sketch a few possibilities. You don’t have...
Combining embroidery with patterned fabric is challenging but here are a few tips for a successful outcome. • Add a plain fabric as the base for the embroidery. • Take your color cues from the printed fabric. • Differentiate the scale of the embroidery In this tunic, I selected a base fabric (manufacturer unknown)...
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