CREATIVE MACHINE EMBROIDERY

creative machine embroidery

EDITORIAL Senior Editor Amanda Carestio Creative Editor Kate Zaynard Online Editor Jill Case Technical Editor Kim Saba ART Art Director Kerry Jackson Embroidery Design Artist Genevieve Stafford Hook Photography George Boe Illustrator Nathan Ziebarth Photo Stylist Allie Liebgott MARKETING & ADVERTISING Marketing Manager, eCommerce Whitney Dorband Ad Trafficker Lori Hauser Advertising Manager Nancy Mayhall Advertising Manager Mary-Evelyn Dalton BUSINESS Director of Content, Craft Tiffany Warble Group Art Director, Craft Emily Simpson Marketing Director, Craft Kim Greenlee Director of Media Sales Julie MacDonald F+W, a content + ecommerce company Chief Executive Officer Gregory J. Osberg SVP, General Manager, F+W Crafts Group David Pyle Managing Director, F+W International James Woollam VP, Consumer Marketing John Phelan VP, Digital Jason Revzon Newsstand Sales Scott T. Hill Scott.hill@procirc.com…

a note from the editor

Dear Readers, When I was in my senior year of high school, I was required to memorize and recite the first 18 lines of The Canterbury Tales in the original middle English. I can actually still do it, but I won’t. I’ll just give you the gist: Spring inspires people to travel. I think it has something to do with new life starting to bloom; it stirs the blood the same as it stirs the sap in the trees. And of course, for many of us summer is the ideal time for a vacation.My major upcoming travel is planned for the fall, so instead of indulging my wanderlust, I’m going to have to spend my spring planning, preparing and embroidering. Luckily there are many great ideas in this issue to guide…

tips & tricks

DUST BUSTING Use a microfiber eyeglass cleaning cloth to get the last bits of dust out of the bobbin area. After cleaning the area with a small brush, gently wipe the cloth around. You will be amazed at how much more dust it will pick up. Diane S., email SUPPORTING ROLE As you rinse water-soluble stabilizer from freestanding lace, collect the water and pour it into a spray bottle. Use the mixture to stiffen freestanding lace, dimensional embroidery designs or anything that needs a little body. Connie, Facebook COLOR CODE MODE To keep stabilizer rolls organized, place a different-colored hair tie around each type, such as blue for water-soluble, red for tear-away, yellow for cut-away, etc. Keep a reference chart noting each color to easily identify the rolls. Pauline M., email Visit cmemag.com for more techniques and tricks to…

must haves

1. Celebrate spring with the adorable Wish Bunny Embroidery Design. This sweet combination of appliqué and embroidery combines to make a whimsical design perfect for kids (or adults who love cute bunnies). ($1.99, urbanthreads.com) 2. Eliminate unpleasant odors, instantly freshen fabrics or just elevate the mood with Grow Air + Fabric Freshener. It’s made from 100% plant-based ingredients so you can feel safe using it around your home. Fragrances include Bamboo, Lavender Blossom, Citrus Cedar and Apple Pomander, and all of them are toxin, phthalate and paraben free. ($12, growfragrance.com) 3. Bring a touch of the tropical to your home with the CME exclusive Tropical Greenery Embroidery Design Collection. These large-scale designs are perfect for home décor projects and look fantastic on pillows, towels and more. Or combine them to create an…

layering designs

EXPERIMENT • Experiment by overlapping designs to create a completely new composition and allow for endless creativity without the need for special embroidery software programs. Use this technique to embellish all kinds of projects, such as jacket backs, pillows, table runners or place mats. • Use embroidery designs that have separated or overlapping design elements. Don’t use dense designs or those with heavy satin stitching because the machine’s needle might catch on the heavy stitches. • Eliminate possible problems by evaluating the stitch count where designs overlap. Slow the machine when stitching overlapping designs or passing over dense areas. • Always begin stitching the lowest layer and work up to build designs and dimension. Don’t layer more than two designs to prevent stitching complications. • Use adhesive-backed tear-away stabilizer to hold the fabric in the…

in-the-hoop quilt blocks

You may be familiar with in-the-hoop projects; your embroidery machine will embellish and construct a small project such as a wallet, coaster, ornament or mini purse “in the hoop.” Using your embroidery machine to embellish, construct and even quilt a block in the hoop gives you accuracy and details like the pros. Paper-piecing patterns are perfect for in-the-hoop quilt blocks. Refer to the “Quilt This” column from Jan./Feb. 2019 for instructions for digitizing your own, or search the web for “piecing in the hoop” or “in the hoop quilt blocks” for ready-to-stitch designs. Use water-soluble web or paper stabilizer as the foundation. Add sashing and borders, and then use your long-arm, sit-down or domestic machine to quilt in your favorite method. Once the top is washed, your quilt will be as soft…