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	<title>Eileen&#039;s Machine Embroidery Blog</title>
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	<link>http://dzgns.com/blog</link>
	<description>Welcome to Eileen&#039;s Machine Embroidery Blog!  - Embroidery inspiration, expert tips and a whole lot of chatter on machine embroidery!</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Wed, 15 May 2013 13:21:36 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>Machine Embroidered Buttonholes</title>
		<link>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/05/machine-embroidered-buttonholes-2/</link>
		<comments>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/05/machine-embroidered-buttonholes-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 May 2013 13:21:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>eileenroche</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alignment and Placement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clothing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Embroidery Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home Decor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sewing tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wearables]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[free buttonhole designs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[machine embroidered buttonholes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sewing buttonholes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://dzgns.com/blog/?p=6508</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[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 thinking about marking the buttonholes, spacing them evenly, stitching them perfectly straight, even and parallel. How many times has the foot jammed against the seam allowance resulting in a shorter than planned buttonhole? Hmm&#8230; I don’t think it’s the machine. In fact, most machines have the ability to make a very professional buttonhole. The problem is the operator, me. My sewing/tailoring skills do not equal my embroidery skills. It might have something to do with my attention span but that’s material for another blog! If you’re like me, you might consider using your embroidery machine to create buttonholes. Why machine embroider your buttonholes? The number one reason for me is control. Machine embroidered buttonholes give me total control over the length of the buttonhole and the placement because I’m starting with a digital file that will stitch perfect duplicates since I don’t have to guide the [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/05/machine-embroidered-buttonholes-2/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>34</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>We’re So Proud!</title>
		<link>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/05/were-so-proud/</link>
		<comments>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/05/were-so-proud/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 May 2013 16:59:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>eileenroche</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alignment and Placement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Applique]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Be The Difference]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Behind the Scenes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clothing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Color and Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Contests!]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Continuous Embroidery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Digitizing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Embroidery for Children]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Embroidery Techniques]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Embroidery Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home Decor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hooping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[In-the-hoop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Just for Fun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lace]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lettering]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Offers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stabilizer Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wearables]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Designs in Machine Emboidery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[digital magazine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[magazine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online magazine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[special issue]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://dzgns.com/blog/?p=6465</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Toot, toot!  Beep, beep! A special digital issue of Designs in Machine Embroidery is free for you – just click here to access. You’ll find projects, free embroidery designs, videos from our sponsors and access to leading companies in the embroidery industry. Wondering what’s inside? It’s packed with educational material for newbies, intermediate and advanced embroiderers. Devour the expert information on stabilizers and how to embroider on ribbon, polos and t-shirts! Learn to create continuous embroidery with confidence; stitch a little something for the man in your life and develop your designer’s eye – all in this one special issue! Download the familiar .zip file, unzip and inside you’ll find an exciting interactive Adobe Acrobat PDF file you can read and enjoy from the convenience of your desktop computer or laptop. Use the free Adobe Acrobat reader to achieve full interactivity and flip through the pages, zoom in on projects and print whatever you’d like. Use the arrows on your keyboard to navigate through the pages: advance by clicking the arrows pointing down or right while the arrows pointing up or left will take you to a previous page. Look for the mouse icon and click on it to activate the [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/05/were-so-proud/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>35</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Machine Embroidered T-shirt</title>
		<link>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/05/the-machine-embroidered-t-shirt/</link>
		<comments>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/05/the-machine-embroidered-t-shirt/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 May 2013 13:24:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>eileenroche</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Behind the Scenes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clothing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Embroidery Techniques]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wearables]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Craftsy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[machine embroidery. eileen roche]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[T-shirt]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://dzgns.com/blog/?p=6412</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I’m just tickled pink that my latest class on Craftsy, The Machine Embroidered T-shirt, has launched! If you’re not familiar with Craftsy, it’s an excellent platform for learning intricate techniques. So I was thrilled when they decided to offer this class. My goals in teaching this class were to make garments that you would truly want to wear and make garments that really teach technique.  I think I did that. But you can be the judge. Here’s a look at the t-shirts. And some of the designs: The techniques include stabilizing knits, continuous embroidery, free-standing applique, learning how to work with placement guides and neckline transformations.  All of Crafty’s classes are very thorough – they never let instructors leave you hanging for more details. And if you have a question, you can ask the teacher. Just type your question on the discussion board just to the right of the video and you’ll get an answer within 24 hours – often much sooner. When I taught my first class on Craftsy, the Machine Embroidered Quilt, Craftsy taped my videos segments in my studio in Dallas. This time, they encouraged me to head to their place. I happily agreed because I love [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/05/the-machine-embroidered-t-shirt/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>82</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Nancy Zieman’s Sew Knits with Confidence Blog Tour</title>
		<link>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/04/sew-knits/</link>
		<comments>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/04/sew-knits/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:15:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>eileenroche</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Clothing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Contests!]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nancy Zieman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wearables]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[book]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eileen Roche]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nancy zieman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[newport tunic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sew with knits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sewing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sewing patterns]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://dzgns.com/blog/?p=6374</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Yeah! Another blog tour – combining a few of my favorite things – knits, anything designed by Nancy Zieman and gorgeous embroidery!  So what did I get when I put all those things together? A new favorite garment – my Newport Pullover Tunic, pattern designed by Nancy Zieman.  It’s the perfect canvas for embroidery – the cowl necks drapes softly over the shoulders displaying feminine embroidery designs and framing the face. The nifty little asymmetrical panel hits below the hip (that’s right– BELOW the hip! – thanks, Nancy!) and adds a playful touch to the garment.  It’s soooo comfortable to wear, you’ll want one too. There’s a good chance you could win the goods to make one of your own. Here’s how I created my tunic. I selected a comfy lightweight knit in one of my fabric colors – a deep slate that pairs well with brights, black or grays. And then I set off on planning the embroidery in Perfect Placement Software – which includes a delicious assortment of fashion embroidery designs. The Newport Pullover Embroidery Products Perfect Placement Software by Designs in Machine Embroidery available at your local sewing machine dealer or www.dzgns.com Materials Nancy Zieman’s Newport Pullover [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/04/sew-knits/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>96</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Made by Hand and Delivered in Person</title>
		<link>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/04/made_by_hand_and_delivered_in_person/</link>
		<comments>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/04/made_by_hand_and_delivered_in_person/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:46:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>eileenroche</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Behind the Scenes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clothing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Embroidery for Children]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home Decor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Just for Fun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stitching Sisters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wearables]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[baby shower]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blanket]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eileen Roche]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[machine embroidery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marie Zinno]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[onesies]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://dzgns.com/blog/?p=6353</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What better way to shower a first-time mother-to-be than by creating a gift from the heart. And if you can deliver it in person – all the better!  Last weekend, our family showered our niece with dozens of gifts for the new baby.  Lucky girl that she is, some of those gifts – well, many of those gifts – were made by hand. I gathered the handmade items for a photograph to share with you because I know many of you love to stitch for others. Two of my sisters created gorgeous items. The grandmother-to-be not only made a quilt and matching crib bumpers but also crocheted a blanket. The great-grands jumped into it too!  The gorgeous mint green crocheted blanket was made by her paternal great-grandmother. And my mom, the maternal great-grand, doesn’t sew or craft but she knows where to turn to get the job done. (No, she doesn’t turn to me!). A fellow assisted living resident crocheted the diaper bag and wipes container. Oh wow.  A big hit with the hipster parents-to-be. A dear family friend, Kathy, made the sheep applique quilt.  Kathy is multi-talented in the crafting world and really pulled out all the stops with [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/04/made_by_hand_and_delivered_in_person/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>136</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Hand is a Four-letter Word</title>
		<link>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/04/hand-is-a-four-letter-word/</link>
		<comments>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/04/hand-is-a-four-letter-word/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:43:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>eileenroche</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Home Decor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Quilting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sewing tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[binding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[daisy quilt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eileen Roche]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[machine embroidery blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sewing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stipple!]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stitching Sisters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tricks]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://dzgns.com/blog/?p=6331</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I’m a machine girl, always have been, always will be. I’m amazed, impressed, in awe, humbled by those who stitch by hand. But truth be told, I don’t get it. I think the ONLY thing I like about handwork is, it’s portable. You can throw it in a bag and take it anywhere. Kinda hard to do that with your embroidery machine. Just ask my sweet husband about that fishing trip we took to Arkansas. You know, the one where I told him, “I’m just going to bring a little bit of work with me. Okay, honey?” Here’s the photo of ‘my little bit of work’. But he still loves me. Since I don’t like handwork, I’m always looking for a way to turn handwork techniques into sewing techniques. Take binding for instance. Most people believe binding should be sewn by hand to the back of a quilt. I think that’s because they only make one or two quilts per year. Oh okay, that sounds kind of mean and it’s probably not true. It could be they just have higher standards than I do. That’s more like it. In fact, my standards on binding are not really that high. If [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/04/hand-is-a-four-letter-word/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>140</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>So you think life with an embroiderer is full of pretty stitches?</title>
		<link>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/04/so-you-think-life-with-an-embroiderer-is-full-of-pretty-stitches/</link>
		<comments>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/04/so-you-think-life-with-an-embroiderer-is-full-of-pretty-stitches/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Apr 2013 16:24:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>eileenroche</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alignment and Placement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[continuous embroidery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[napkin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[placement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sock]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[target stickers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[towel]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://dzgns.com/blog/?p=6313</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[My sweet husband came to me this morning and said, “Would you like to see evidence of life with you?” I wasn’t sure how to answer. Frankly, I was a little fearful of what that evidence would be. Would it be a Dove Dark Chocolate wrapper found on the coffee table? Would it be a wayward tea cup with a just a splash of cold tea in the bottom? Would it be one of my several pairs of shoes kicked off by the front door? Would it be a pile, ok, a tower, of magazines that he tripped over? But brave girl that I am, I said, “Sure, let me see the evidence.” And here you have it:  A target sticker stuck to the bottom of a clean sock. “Oh that’s not so bad!”  I laughed. Imagine how much worse it could have been. It could have been a needle, a straight pin or a rotary cutter blade. It could have been miles of thread tangled around a shoe (high heels are not for the sewing room!). The beauty is he knew what it was and how important they are to landing perfect embroidery because he sees me use them [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/04/so-you-think-life-with-an-embroiderer-is-full-of-pretty-stitches/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>132</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Who’s on First?</title>
		<link>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/03/whos-on-first/</link>
		<comments>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/03/whos-on-first/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 Mar 2013 14:15:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>eileenroche</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alignment and Placement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clothing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hooping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Just for Fun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wearables]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[baseball]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eileen Roche]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jeans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Machine Embroidery in 6 Easy Lessons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[multi-needle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[quick snap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[target stickers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[teal hoop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wearables]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://dzgns.com/blog/?p=6280</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You are!  Sure to be a hit with all baseball fans, here’s a little baseball stitching to get you into the mood for the season.  Celebrate Opening Day 2013, whether you’re a major league baseball fan or tee-ball devotee, by wearing this design. It doesn’t have to be on the back pocket of a pair of white jeans, it could adorn any pocket on a tote bag or polo shirt. Whatever your preference, show your baseball pride!  Here’s how to do it on a pair of jeans.  You’ll find the free downloadable baseball stitching design at the end of the article. Open the design in software and print two templates – one as is and one in mirror image. Set them aside. Decide if you can lose the use of the pocket – talk yourself into it because it makes adding the embroidery a whole lot easier. If you agree, separate a scrap of fusible web from its paper backing and insert it into the pocket. Press the pocket to fuse it shut. This will transform the jeans into one layer instead of a shifting layer (the pocket) on top of a base fabric (the jeans). If you really want [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/03/whos-on-first/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>93</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Serving Up Style</title>
		<link>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/03/serving-up-style/</link>
		<comments>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/03/serving-up-style/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 20 Mar 2013 15:48:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>eileenroche</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Applique]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clothing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guest Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hooping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[In-the-hoop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wearables]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marie Zinno]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[polka dots]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RikRak]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tennis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ZippyDesignZ]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://dzgns.com/blog/?p=6252</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Today we are serving up a fun hemline project by Marie Zinno. Enjoy! Designs suggested a hemline theme, which sounded like a fun project. My lifestyle is very casual; sewing, embroidering for my business, housework and driving my kids to after school functions. I generally do not dress up unless we have a special occasion. However, I’m lucky enough to play tennis 2-3 days a week, so I based my projects on a tennis theme. I embroidered two tennis skirts and a white long sleeve shirt with the Polka Dot RikRak designs from Zippy DesignZ. I focused on the shirt details (diagonal pockets) and coordinated the skirts to match with the shirt. The white shirt has only the multi colored polka dot designs; this is a great quick embroidery design that would work on many blanks. The Polka Dot RikRak designs are a versatile collection to have in your library. They add a unique element to baby and home décor items. In fact, I am going to use them as trim on burp cloths and baby blankets. Embroidery Products Polka Dot RikRak #3 embroidery designs by Zippy DesignZ available at http://www.zippydesignz.com/ Materials Poly mesh cut-away stabilizer (white) Polyester embroidery thread Templates of design [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/03/serving-up-style/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>44</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Secret is Out!</title>
		<link>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/03/the-secret-is-out/</link>
		<comments>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/03/the-secret-is-out/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:07:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>eileenroche</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alignment and Placement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clothing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Embroidery Techniques]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Embroidery Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nancy Zieman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Planning Embroidery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Software Techniques]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wearables]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[collars]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Designs In Machine Embroidery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eileen Roche]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[embroidery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nancy zieman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Perfect Placement Software]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wearables]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://dzgns.com/blog/?p=6231</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Ever wonder how Nancy Zieman and I get our embroidery designs to land exactly where we want them? We use a simple – I mean, really simple – software program that outlines the garment so we know exactly where to place the embroidery. Perfect Placement Software includes 30 outlines or garment sections plus over 70 beautiful embroidery designs. Since I work in this program all the time, I’ve printed templates of all the outlines and I keep them stored in a folder. I go to the folder first whenever I’m embarking on a wearable project. I flip through the templates and find the one that is closest in shape and size to my garment. Then I audition the garment section on the template. If it doesn’t fit perfectly, I move to the computer and open the program. In the program, I select the outline then tweak its shape and size to mimic my garment. Once that’s done, the fun begins. I select a design, drop it in the outline and play with proportion, size, rotation, etc. I can add as many designs as I want and actually ‘see’ the layout before I take a stitch. Nancy Zieman uses the same [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://dzgns.com/blog/2013/03/the-secret-is-out/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>221</slash:comments>
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