Category Archives: home dec

Flannel Board Quilting

Posted on September 16, 2010 | 2 comments

24″ quilt for American Girls dolls

I’ve always wished I could come up with a catchier name for this technique, but Flannel Board Quilting is the best I can do.  Through the years in various classes taught and articles written, I have called it Grid Quilting or Faux Quilting, but none of those titles pleased me any more than Flannel Board, which has a meaningful basis.

 But enough about the name.  This is a very useful technique for quick and easy projects.  Let me  tell you about it.

The idea for this method originated from a request by sweet Debbieanne Prusserman, hostess of the New England Academy of NeedleArts  doll school held on Cape Cod some years ago.  Mildred  Turner and I were the teachers and had been charged with designing an American Girl’s wardrobe.  The school was fabulous and we had a grand time, staying in Debbieanne’s historic 1790 home and teaching in her studio with a group of wonderful ladies.  Continue reading →

2 Comments

Posted in home dec, machine embroidery, quilts, techniques

Tagged , ,

Liberty Love Quilt

Posted on September 6, 2010 | Leave a comment

 

made for me by my teenage daughter (Liberty from my stash) while I was out of town

made for me by my teenage daughter (Liberty from my stash) while I was out of town.  It is flat but was flapping in the breeze.

This triple Irish Chain quilt was made by my daughter, Rebecca, when she was 16 years old.  Fifteen years ago, it was my birthday present.  It was also my Liberty of London tanna lawn, but no matter.  My Liberty is Rebecca’s Liberty. And I love this quilt.

Rebecca was introduced to needlework at age 5.  She smocked a little bonnet and bishop dress for her favorite doll, an Alice in Wonderland by Madame Alexander.  Alice in Wonderland.  Becca always called her Allison Wonderland.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted in home dec, quilts

Americana Decorating

Posted on August 14, 2010 | 2 comments

One bedroom in our cabin has an Americana theme.  We’re pretty patriotic folks and decided this theme suited us.

The quilts and wall decorations were readily available.  Because the cabin is rented out almost half  the time, I didn’t want to make any quilts and fret over whether or not they were being abused.  But almost without exception, our guests have been lovely and few things have been damaged in the 15 years we’ve owned the cabin.

There were no patriotic pillowcases for sale but it didn’t matter, as I prefer to make my own.  With a bolt of  pima cotton broadcloth and my Brother ULT 2003, I was in business. Continue reading →

2 Comments

Posted in home dec, machine embroidery, quilts

Woodland Treasures Nursery

Posted on July 30, 2010 | 2 comments

zWoodlandTreasuresheadboard2

Sewing for a grandchild’s nursery is pure joy.  When Sue Box’s embroidery design collection, Woodland Treasures, was released, I ordered it almost immediately.  I knew these designs would be just what my daughter-in-law would want for her baby.

zWoodlandTreasuresfootboard

When Shelly, with her overwhelming interest in nature and her environmental science degree, was months away from delivering our first grandchild, I was on a New Grannie High.  I began major projects with new enthusiasm.

zwoodlandtreasureslaundry

Shelly had also volunteered as a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for years before her pregnancy.  She spent countless hours preparing  Mother Nature’s orphans for independent life in Florida’s woodlands.

zWoodlandtreasuresewing

Shelly agreed that these fantasy woodland creatures were perfect nursery companions  for her baby.

Continue reading →

2 Comments

Posted in baby accessories, home dec, machine embroidery, serger

Greek Sewing

Posted on July 28, 2010 | 2 comments

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 →

2 Comments

Posted in bags, clothing, embroidery blanks, home dec, ladies, machine embroidery, school accessories, sporting gear

Tagged , ,

Teaching in Puerto Rico

Posted on July 20, 2010 | 6 comments
This is the view from one of the classrooms. The other had the same view along one entire wall.

This is the view from one of the classrooms. The other had the same view along one entire wall.

In all my years of teaching, I have traveled to some beautiful places, met beautiful people and seen beautiful projects. San Juan, Puerto Rico, was one of my favorite venues, a place at which I taught several times for Luis and Rosa Medina, owners of the San Juan Brother dealership. They were absolutely the most gracious host and hostess that you could imagine.

Their 12 year old daughter helped out but spent most of her time in the classroom, sewing on the Quattro 6000D.

Rosa Medina and 12 year old Deborah, a sewing student! We all talk about learning to sew on our mother's old straight stitch machine or some even tell tales of learning on a treadle. But Deborah is learning more than basic sewing on this technological wonder. June Mellinger, in ivory shirt, discussing project with two entrants.

Rosa Medina and 12 year old Deborah, a sewing student! We all talk about learning to sew on our mother’s old straight stitch machine or some even tell tales of learning on a treadle. But Deborah is learning more than basic sewing on this technological wonder.

On one of these trips, June Mellinger and I taught the classes and were asked to judge a sewing competition. June, by the way, is Brother’s Director of Education in the US, president of the American Sewing Guild and just a terrific, fun lady. We were absolutely astounded at the variety and quality of the entries.

The following photos show just a few of the beautiful items the ladies brought from all over the island.
Continue reading →

6 Comments

Posted in boys, clothing, girls, heirloom sewing, home dec, infant clothing, machine embroidery, uncategorized

Tagged , , , , ,

Gingham Dog Quilt Part III

Posted on July 16, 2010 | 2 comments

Note two sizes of yo-yo’s.

YO-YO’S:  This was really fun.    Suzanne Sawko has always been charmed by yo-yo’s and made a vest of Liberty yo-yo’s for an article in Creative Needle magazine.  But she did it the fast and easy way.  She created a machine embroidery design that does the most tedious part of yo-yo construction, turning under the raw edge, most of it bias.  I’ve always kept that technique in mind…..

After completing the floss weaving through the entredeux and pinstitch on this quilt, it needed something.  There was a bit of congestion at the entredeux intersections and it just lacked……dimension.  That was my objection to the design.  It lacked dimension.  So I decided to make yo-yo’s with Suzanne’s machine embroidery file.  The technique is so simple, so obvious, so neat. And it could be done without an embroidery machine.

Liberty and regular, original weight Solvy (or other water soluble stabilizer) was hooped together, with the Liberty right side facing up, covered with Solvy.  Then 6 circles were straight stitched, at least 1/2″ apart, the smaller size in the 5 x 7 hoop (130mm x 180mm) and the larger size in the  160mm x 260mm hoop.   After the stitching was complete, the Liberty and Solvy were removed from the hoop and cut out, 1/4″ away from the stitching line.  A slit was made in the Solvy and the circle turned, like a pillow top.  Using a point turner, the outline was smoothed and  then the circle was pressed. The result is a perfectly turned circle.  Continue reading →

2 Comments

Posted in baby accessories, heirloom sewing, home dec, machine embroidery, quilts, techniques

Gingham Dog Quilt Part II

Posted on July 15, 2010 | Leave a comment

At this point, there is a large square of Swiss flannel in the center, framed with four blue gingham triangles, creating a medallion. Four smaller triangles create the “snowball.”  The perimeter of the flannel snowball  is pinstitched, with the holes from the wing needle in the flannel and the “reach” stitch in the gingham.  The perimeter of the square gingham frame is also pinstitched.

DOG/CAT EMBROIDERY:  All the text files were stitched, including the poem itself as well as the “bow-wow” and “meow” text.  The gingham dog and calico cat was a design from Dakota Collectibles.  Suzanne arranged the text in an arc or wave over the dueling pets.

In an effort to  reduce the stiffness of the  design, the white portion of the gingham dog design was omitted, allowing the white flannel to do the job.  The design was often mirrored for variety.  The shades of blue and yellow 50 wt. DMC machine embroidery thread were varied for the same reason, to create  interest and variety.   Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Posted in heirloom sewing, home dec, machine embroidery, Nana's nursery, quilts

Gingham Dog Quilt Part I

Posted on July 12, 2010 | 4 comments

This is one of my all-time favorite projects.  My dear friend, Suzanne Sawko, and I collaborated on the design, she digitized the straight line text and I sewed it.

It was a major project and telling you about it will take more than one post.  I doubt many of you would have the patience or endurance to plow through all the details at one sitting.  However, those of you who seek new techniques might find some tidbit of interest in the non-conventional creation of this quilt.  So this is part one.

The quilt celebrates the amazing capabilities of today’s computerized home embroidery machines. Uncommon sewing and quilting techniques make the project interesting and relatively easy. With the whimsy of a classic children’s poem, the beauty of fine heirloom fabrics and the charm of embroidered gingham dogs and calico cats, this quilt has delighted each of my grandchildren.  It hangs now in our upstairs nursery, next to the crib.

crib with quilt rack

What makes this quilt interesting?  Well, the basic construction, for one.  I will never forget my original disdain for quilting, especially after hearing a non-quilter comment that to her it made little sense to cut perfectly good fabric up into little pieces and then sew it back together again.  At that time, I naively concurred.

But there is none of that cutting up and resewing here.  This quilt is very non-traditional in every respect but the design.

QUILT TOP CONSTRUCTION:  The foundation is a 50″ square of Swiss flannel,  a luscious but shifty fabric which creates its own challenges.  Pulled threads created a centered grid of 7″ squares.  After the threads were pulled, the entire piece was starched and pressed.

Continue reading →

4 Comments

Posted in baby accessories, heirloom sewing, home dec, machine embroidery, Nana's nursery, techniques

Shower Curtain Monogram

Posted on June 1, 2010 | 4 comments

ShowerCurtainMonobathwhole

 

The talents of one who sews are always in  great demand.  Judy Day writes, “ This was done for my niece, Alison.  She rented an apartment that was in much need of  ‘fixing up.’  The owner gave her permission to re-do some things.

 

ShowerCurtainMonobathside

 

She and her mom completely redid the bathroom, from painting to putting in new tile.  Staying with black, white and grays, Alison added the red flower picture to really make this bathroom pop.

Continue reading →

4 Comments

Posted in home dec, Judy Day's creations, machine embroidery

Tagged , ,