Category Archives: embroidery blanks

Harvey’s Penn Apron

My son-in-law, Harvey, is a fabulous cook. He’s a marvel at the grill and an artist in the kitchen. My daughter and grandson eat his gourmet meals at least 6 times a week. Harvey cooks like we sew–with passion and lots of education. He reads cook books like we read sewing magazines.

This apron was personalized for Harvey. While he has jumped right on board with our family’s Florida Gator-mania, he is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and feels a strong connection to his alma mater.  Continue reading

Greek Sewing

Greekpillowpic

 

Greek life on college campuses can be a wonderful experience.  The costs vary according to school and fraternity, but the cost of the on-going gift giving can have an unexpected impact on the budget.

With back-to-school just around the corner and rush set to begin in a few weeks, it seems timely to offer these gift and garment ideas in the hope that it might be useful to those of you with co-eds packing for university.

Fortunately, my daughter’s sorority experience commenced after the machine embroidery explosion hit the sewing world.   The following text is taken from an article I wrote for Creative Needle  some time ago.  The photos are all taken from the magazine itself.

 

Greekbags

*****************

“It’s All Greek to Me”

On college campuses throughout the country, co-eds proudly wear Greek “letters” proclaiming their affiliation with a social sorority or service club. Students use surprisingly large portions of their budgets buying shirts, caps and other “lettered” items from the specialty stores found in every college town. Continue reading

Busted!

Laurel, still wet from her most recent swim

Recently, we were delighted to have of our grandchildren, Robert, 4, and Laurel, 6, for three days and nights while their parents enjoyed a well-deserved mini vacation.

Our son, Ryan, and his wife, Shelly, were hiking in Oregon, on the other side of the country, about as far away from Florida as they could be, three time zones to the west.  We were footloose and fancy free!

While they were at Nana’s house, Robert ate just one serving of vegetables, Laurel ate two juice pops in one afternoon, ice cream was considered a dairy food and their whims for new embroidered shirts (Toy Story, Wiggles, etc.) were lovingly indulged. We stayed up late watching Toy Story, slept late in the morning, lounged in the pool and picnicked at the park.  We had a big time.

On our last night with the children, we had planned a bonfire and marshmallow roast, as soon as we finished watching another Disney movie.  At 8:30 p.m., before the movie’s conclusion and 15 minutes past their regular bed time, the parents called, surprised that the children were still up, giggling and bouncing around.

With neither regard nor awareness of the violations we were committing, the children prattled on to their parents about our plans for the rest of the evening.

Busted!

Continue reading

Samantha and John Deere

Amy is a busy young mother, teaching school full time and working on her doctorate.  But still she sews–it is her creative outlet, her soother. Though her mother, Judy Day, has sewn all her life and made smocked and heirloom sewn dresses for Amy, her sister, and now the grandchildren, Amy just began sewing a few years ago.

When she was bitten by the machine embroidery bug, she really blossomed. Aside from being very creative, Amy is meticulous in all her sewing.  She sews for her own child as well as the children of her friends.

This  darling set shows her sense of practicality–one pair of pants, two shirts, one with short  sleeves, the other with long sleeves for cooler days.

The hair bows she always makes to coordinate with the outfits are always the perfect finishing touch.

I don’t know this for a fact, but I suspect someone in Samantha’s family has a  tractor.   This shirt is sure to please a John Deere fan.  The other, with  her name and the cute monogram is just cute as a button for school or play.   And the two shirts/one pair of pants set is a great idea for back-to-school, especially here in the South where a November day can be 35 or 85 degrees.

Great job, Amy!

Another Busy Mom Tote

This past week, Rebecca and 16 month old Alastair spent a few fun filled days with us.  Among her gear was a tan tote bag of faux fabric imprinted with Alastair’s pediatrician’s office info.  Heavily loaded, as always, the bag’s side seam had begun to come apart, so I offered to mend it.

That’s when she mentioned that she would surely like a monogrammed tote as large as the one I embroidered for her sister-in-law.  As a matter of fact, she could really use two!  Continue reading

Roger’s Gator Shirt

You’ve heard it before—our family loves the Florida Gators. Bbut that doesn’t make us unique in this state, or any state for that matter.  The Gator Nation is huge.  Every time the subject of college sports comes up, more Gators make themselves known.

This was the case when I went to out-patient therapy for my first knee replacement  two years ago.  My wonderful therapist, Roger, not only loves the Gators but was himself a lineman on the team during his years in Gainesville.  He attends every home game, as good a fan as he is therapist.

He’s a big, tall guy, size 3XL, a size unavailable in much of the Gator Gear line.  So I was pleased to be able to embroider a shirt for him, in his size.  Continue reading

Matching Mismatches

 

Laurel in her matching mismatched outfit.

Laurel in her matching mismatched outfit.

Some time ago, there was an article in Sew Beautiful magazine that caught my attention. After buying children’s separates from the clearance rack, the author coordinated them with other separates by using embroidery or appliqué designs. The little outfits looked like matched sets from an upscale department store.

I couldn’t help but think of on-line dating services, like Harmony or Match.com. Previously unknown individuals meet up and match up and sometimes even marry up. Ask me how I know—but  then again, I took an oath of secrecy so never mind.  Don’t bother. Continue reading

Therapy Duds

The preparations for my upcoming knee replacement surgery remind me of packing to go to our cabin in the mountains of North Carolina. There are appointments for this and that, lab work, X-rays, haircut, which is scheduled for two days before surgery. It’s bad enough to look like you’re suffering from a bad case of the flu, but at least my hair will be clean and all the same color.

I’m busy preparing smocking and embroidery, lest my idle hands become the devil’s playground. Today, I suppose that old adage could only be caution against mindlessly surfing the net or playing endless games of computer solitaire. Heaven knows I won’t be playing poker in the lobby of the rehab center.

Like going to NC, the packing for this 3-week “getaway” requires some special clothing.

Two years ago, I had my right knee replaced. Given that this time I have the same orthopod, same hospital, same rehab facility, I pretty much know what to expect. And I expect pain, blood, sweat and a few tears. But I can handle that. I’m tough. Continue reading

Apple of Oma’s Eye

 

Alastair, 14 months, with his personal pastry brush at the ready.

Alastair, 14 months, with his personal pastry brush at the ready.

 

When I first saw the machine embroidery design featuring a  rosy red apple with the text, “of Grandma’s eye,”  I thought it would be fun to stitch on an outfit for Alastair  in recognition of  his other grandmother’s love.

As one design in a newly released collection, it tempted me to buy on sight.   But then I realized that it was the idea that appealed to me as much as the design itself. And I could certainly reproduce a satisfactory facsimile of the design. So I did.

 

AppleofOmascan

 

Alastair’s paternal grandmother, “Oma,” adores him as much as I do. So I thought this little ready-to-wear set would give her an extra big smile the next time she sees him.

Continue reading

Tool Time Boy

 

Robert, 5, with the tool caddy he made with his grandfather.

Robert, 4, with the tool caddy he made with his grandfather.

 

 

Since 4 year old Robert joined Laurel for homeschooling 6 weeks ago, shop class with Granddad has been a part of his curriculum. Robert loves it and so does his grandfather.

 

ztooltimeshirtscan

His first project was the tool box he is holding in the photo. He was so incredibly proud of it  that he carried his tool box around his home, showing and re-showing it to his entire family, all of whom ooohed and awwwwhed appreciatively. Seeing the satisfaction on that little boy’s face  just melted my heart. And Bob’s, too.

 

ztooltimescrewdriver

 

Continue reading