Friday, July 29, 2011

Machine Embroidery on Fleece

Yesterday we used our serger to sew a simple fleece blanket. Today, we decorated the blanket with a monogram using our new Brother PE700II embroidery machine.

There are a number of  worries when embroidering on fleece. First, fleece is stretchy, so the material needs to be well stabilized. Second, embroidery has a tendency to sink into fleece and disappear. Third, since I decided to embroider as an afterthought and not as part of the original design, I did not want to ruin what my kids thought was already an awesome blanket. Despite the worries, the embroidery turned out fine and the blanket was exactly as I hoped.

Tools
Embroidery Machine
Embroidery scissors

Materials
40 wt polyester embroidery thread in white
Solvy
Ultra Solvy
Sulky KK 2000

Step 1
Hoop the area to be embroidered. Embroidery can be scratchy. I wanted the initials in the bottom right-hand corner of the blanket so the embroidery would not cause the blanket to be less soft.

Step 2
Stabilize the top of the fleece that will be embroidered. Some folks prepare the material before hooping, but I like to conserve stabilizer so I hoop first. Cut a piece of Solvy a tad larger than the monogram.  Spray the top of the fleece with a  Sulky KK 2000 or another fabric glue and stick the solvy on the top of the fleece. The Solvy will prevent the embroidery from sinking into the fleece and disappearing.

Step 3
Stabilize the bottom of the fleece that will be embroidered. Cut a piece of Ultra Solvy also a tad larger than the monogram.  Spray the bottom of the fleece with a  Sulky KK 2000 or another fabric glue and stick the Ultra Solvy on the bottom of the fleece. The Ultra Solvy will stabilize the fabric as your machine embroiders.

Step 4
Select the thread and stitches for your embroidery machine. Thread the machine. Attach the hoop to the machine. Check your programming. Begin stitching.

Step 5
Use embroidery scissors to snip excess threads.

Step 6
Remove the hoop from the embroidery machine and then remove the fleece from the hoop.

Step 7
Trim stabilizer. Use scissors to cut away excess Solvy and Ultra Solvy. Set aside for future use. Tip: Small or warped pieces can be dissolve in water and used as paint on stabilizer.

Step 7
Dissolve the stabilizer. Hold the embroidered corner of the blanket under warm running water until the Solvy and Ultra Solvy dissolve away.

Step 8
Set blanket aside to dry.

Further Reading
"Machine Embroidery With Confidence: A Beginner's Guide"; Nancy Zieman; 2005
"Creative Beginnings in Machine Embroidery: Innovative Ideas for Expert Results"; Patty Albin; 2006.
"Embroidery Machine Essentials: How to Stabilize, Hoop and Stitch Decorative Designs";  Twigg Jeanine; 2001.
"Machine Embroidery on Difficult Materials (Book & CD Rom);  Deborah Jones; 2009.
"Machine Embroidery Wild & Wacky: Stitch on Any and Every Surface"; Linda Turner Griepentrog, Rebecca Kemp Brent; 2006.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Make an Easy to Sew Fleece Blanket with Your Serger

Need a quick present? I was shopping at my local Hancock Fabrics and could not help but look in the discount bin.  I found some fabulous fleece for $3 and $5 a yard. One of my sons wanted a new stadium blanket for cold days in the stands at school, picnics on sunny days... and other things I may not want to know about. This plaid fleece was the perfect start to a present I can make in under 15 minutes.

Tools
Serger

Materials
Fleece by the yard
Serger thread in coordinating color
Size 12 needles

Step 1
Select the fleece. I chose a plaid to make as a stadium blanket for one of my sons. 

Step 2
Cut the fleece to the size you want for your blanket, if needed. I was able to skip this step. The fleece I bought was 60 inches wide, so I bought exactly the length I needed to create the blanket. A typical throw blanket is about 50 x 70 inches.

Serge off selvedge
Step 3
Set up your serger for a four thread overlock.

Use plaids to serge straight line
Step 4
Serge the edges of the fleece to remove both the edges and the selvedges.

Serged edge as faux binding
The serged edges create faux binding. Designers tip: It is easy to serge a straight line when serging stripes and plaids. Just sew along the line.

Completed blanket!
Related Tutorials
Make a No Sew Fleece Blanket
Make a Throw Blanket from Old Sweaters

Further Reading
"Sew What! Fleece"; Carol Jessop, Chaila Sekora; 2007.
"Fleece for Kids: Easy-To-Sew Clothes & Toys"; Mary Vollertsen; 2005.
"20 No-Sew Fleece Throws (Leisure Arts #3741)"; Banar; 2004.



Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Make a Grocery Tote Bag from a T-Shirt

Shopping bag from T-Shirt
Anything made of fabric that is old or unwanted can be reclaimed and reused. Larger items can be harvested to create large amounts of fabric... but small items can also be used. If my house is like yours, you have a LOT of T shirts. Some of those T-shirts are stained. I keep a few old T-shirts around for house painting and other messy projects, but let's face it, even with all our crafting, how many messy day T-shirts does a person need?

We have a bag law in DC. Any business that sells food or drinks is required to charge 5 cents per bag. The grocery store, the pharmacy, the gas station, the convenience store, department stores that sell gift chocolates, office supply stores and other stores that sell sodas are all subject to the bag law. No more free bags. I was always pretty good about reusing bags, but the bag law gives me extra incentive. Bottom line: I carry a lot of bags in my purse.

Like scrap fabric, old T-shirts are great items to upcyle into shopping bags.

Adjustable strap for t-shirt shopping bag
Tools
Fabric scissors
Rotary cutter
24 x 36 self healing mat
6x24 quilting ruler
Embroidery scissors
Sewing Machine or Serger 

Materials
Serger thread or sewing thread
Needles

Step 1
Place the T-shirt on a cutting mat or flat surface. Cut off the sleeves, the hem and the neckline of the T-shirt. Save the hem. Continue cutting until you created two 18 x 20 inch rectangles or the size needed for the T-shirt you have and the bag you want to make. Cut one more piece of 2 x 26 inch cloth to act as a strap.

Step 2
Place the right sides of the cloth together and align the two 18 x20 inch rectangles. Sew or serge three edges, leaving the top open. We used a 3 thread rolled hem stitch with our serger in a contrasting color thread to sew the two side seams and the bottom seam. We left the hem exposed so it looked like piping. You can use a sewing machine with a tight zig-zag stitch, press the seams open and then sew a zig zag or overlock stitch over the edges of the fabric if you do not have a serger.


Add depth to bage
Step 3
Turn the bag inside out. Give the bag depth by folding the two bottom corners out and sewing across the corner at a 45 degree angle. Again, we used a 3 thread rolled hem stitch on our serger so the excess fabric was trimmed as we sewed. If you do not have a serger, you can use a sewing machine with a tight zig zag stitch, cut off the excess fabric with scissors or a rotary cutter, press the seam open and then sew a zig zag or overlock stitch over the edges of the fabric.


Step 4
Fold the 2 x 26 cloth you cut for the handle in half. Press the cloth with an iron. Serge the cloth on the long side using a 3 thread rolled edge.  If you do not have a serger,  use a sewing machine and a standard hem for the handles of your bag.

Straps serged in place; lettuce edge
Step 5
Turn the bag right side out. Pin the strap for the handle to each side of the bag just above the side seam. Hem the top of the bag. We used a 3 thread rolled stitch with the same contrasting thread on our serger to hem the top to create a lettuce edge. The handle was serged into place as we sewed the hem. If you do not have a serger, you can use a sewing machine and a hemmer foot to create a rolled hem with a sewing machine or select a standard hem for your bag.


Further Reading
Make a Grocery Bag from Scrap Fabric
"Refashioned Bags: Upcycle Anything into High-Style Handbags"; Faith Blakeney, Justina Blakeney; 2009.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Make a No Sew Fleece Blanket

No Sew Fleece Blanket
Use fleece to make a quick, inexpensive throw blanket to decorate your home, use on the porch swing or by the campfire or to give as a gift. Fleece is a synthetic fabric invented in 1985 and used widely in outdoor clothing. Fleece is celebrated for both its softness and its ability to insulate even when wet.

Fleece does not fray when cut so fleece is an ideal material to have even small children use to create throw blankets to give as presents.

Materials
60" x 80" fleece

Tools
Sewing scissors or rotary cutter and mat
Ruler or yard stick
Pinking shears (optional)

Step 1
Select your fabric. Fleece does not fray when cut and fleece in a fabric shop is usually sold on 60 inch wide bolts making fleece an ideal fabric for you or your kids to use to make a quick, no sew throw blanket.

Step 2
Consider the pattern of the fabric when making your cuts.You may need to purchase extra fabric to center the pattern on the blanket.

Step 3
Use scissors (or a rotary cutter on a cutting mat) to cut the fleece to 60" x 80" or the size throw blanket you desire.  If you purchased fabric that is 60 inches wide, measure 80 inches in length and use a ruler or yard stick to cut evenly.

Step 4
Check the edges to make sure the edges are straight. Trim, as needed.

Step 5
Add fringe, if desired, by using scissors or pinking scissors to cut the ends of the blanket. Begin by making about two inch cuts every two inches the width of the blanket. Add additional cuts, as needed, until your blanket has the look you like.

Further Reading
"90 Minute Fleece: 45 Projects for Beginners And Busy Sewers"; Nancy Cornwell; 2007.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Decorate a Handkerchief

Every year, twice a year,  it happens. I begin to panic about what to have my kids do to make "thank you" presents for their teachers. The challenge is great. I want the presents to be something the teacher can use and enjoy, but I want a project my kids and I can make together. For me, handmade is just more thoughtful and I want my kids to at least participate in the process of making the gift, if not make it themselves.

Decorating handkerchiefs is one of my favorite Christmas or end-of-the-year-thank-you gifts. The kids learn to sew and the teacher gets a present he or she can use and enjoy.

Tools
Tailor chalk
Sewing Machine
Embroidery scissors


Materials
Plain white handkerchief for men or women
Decorative thread

Step 1
Select the thread and stitches you want to decorate the handkerchief.

Step 2
Mark the handkerchief with tailors chalk where you want to add the decorative stitches. Since my kids were doing the stitching, I used a ruler to draw a line on the handkerchief to show my beginner sewers exactly where the stitches should go. We set one handkerchief aside to be strictly for practice. Very soon, my kids no longer need to use chalk as guidelines. Skip this step if you ware comfortable stitching.

Step 3
Stitch the first design with the sewing machine.

Step 4
Switch thread. Stitch the second parallel design with the second color thread.

Step 5
Use embroidery scissors to trim threads.

Further Reading
"The Complete Photo Guide to Sewing"; Singer; 2009.
"Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts: An A-to-Z Guide with Detailed Instructions and Endless Inspiration; Martha Stewart Living Magazine; 2009.
"Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts: Basic Techniques for Sewing, Applique, Embroidery, Quilting, Dyeing, and Printing, plus 150 Inspired Projects from A to Z; Martha Stewart Living Magazine; 2010.