Happy Thanksgiving

I've been having a good morning. Yesterday, I baked bread and such, and between risings, I digitized some more designs. Now I'm waiting to start the side dishes, I thought I'd transfer the embroidery designs to images and post them.

The first is a name tag for Embroidery Club, I know it looks simple, but it used three or four tools in the software. We had to manually digitize the applique frame and the eyelet, then we were in import into the Embroidery and add our name.

So I was playing and writing up my notes. Some how I got volunteered to type up my notes and email them to all the classmates.

I also met a nice lady at the Sewing Expo, that lost her Viking dealer in the night. One day the dealer was there and the next day, the store was gone. I am sharing our class notes, so she can practice too. I tried to get her to visit us, but the 2 1/2 hour drive was too much for her.

Then while playing I made the turtle and the weird lizard for my Christmas gift giving. The turtle is a Hawaiian Tattoo my girlfriend has on her ankle. The lizard is for our Geocaching friend. All I need to do is add the lettering and test stitch.

I also have started two more designs, but I'm not done, yet. Maybe tomorrow I'll get a chance to stitch them out and take good pictures.

My Hubby is down to 2 working days, before he starts the new job on 1 Dec. So Friday, I'm going into his office and help him, box up his pictures and books. He also has three boxes of forms to shred. I think I'm going to be on my feet for a few hours shredding. I think he is taking me to lunch, as payment.

Things I'm Thankful for.

Family, yes all of them.

Health

Friends

Again Happy Holidays. Watch out for crazy drivers tomorrow on Black Friday. I'm staying away from the stores. I like shopping in my jammies, via the Internet.

Digitizing fun

I want to tell you that I have been busy, but today I had a second class on manually digitizing. I wanted to show you my homework. I digitized the designs using the manual tools in my software.

Flowers, I put four copies the design on the image below.

I've started to redo some of the designs I did with the Wizard, because they need help. My classmates asked me to type up my notes and email them to them, wow what a compliment. Two weeks ago I helped a classmate, by pulling my notebook over and walked her through the steps in my notebook. She told me she never takes good notes, so before we left I copied my notes and gave her a copy. This morning she stopped and told me that my notes helped her finish her homework. We had to digitize the tree and the flowers and stitch them out.

Tomorrow is all about the baking, but between dough rising and such, I can work on the laptop at the kitchen island.

Sorry I got lost

I wanted to blog about the Original Sewing Expo, while I was there. I got asked to put away my camera twice. So the few pictures I got are with my iPhone and are all blurry.

I took a full load of classes. I mentioned the day before classes, I still need to finish my skirt.

I finished my Tote and love it. I used it the rest of the weekend. There is also a small pocket just inside the top that perfectly fits my cell phone . Next time I may make the bottom wider. The mesh vinyl is fun.

Thursday was laptop day. I took two classes, a digitizers workshop that turned out to be the same class as last year, but the instructor switched software brands. I couldn't follow him click by click. The second class was on the new 4D Monogram module. I liked it and can see tons of use for this module. The module is a wizard that lays out everything you want and then makes it into an embroidery, without fussing around with sizing. Then I got the call. At 630 I took a copyright class and learned a few new things, like the difference between copyright and copyright registration. The teacher, Connie Spurlock was also the Mesh Tote bag instructor.

Friday was a lecture on pucker proof embroidery, a refresher on stabilizers. Then I got a class on Photoshop, so My photos on the site should start looking better really soon. Katie Bartz taught Photoshop and I can't wait until her new book comes out.

My friend Bobbie and I took a quick drive the the Mall of America and had lunch at Bubba Gump's Shrimp Shack. Bobbie collects Madam Alexander dolls and wanted to check out the American Girl Doll Store. You would not have known that there is a recession going on by the crowd. They have the cutest crafts set, which includes a table, sewing machine, thread pins, tape measure, etc. I don't collect dolls, but I wanted it. I restrained myself. We both had 4 o'clock classes so we zipped back to the hotel.

My Exciting Bags in a Flash class, was fun because the instructor had us show off our bags, then did a trunk show of some of her bags. She recycles old bags, belts and leather from thrift stores to make bags. She used an old clip on earring as a closure clip on a small dressy shoulder bag, with lace and it looked very vintage.

The evening class was Embroidering for a Profit. I knew alot, but I'd love to visit Melanie Coakley from EmbroideryFx in her shop in Tennessee. I need to define my business a bit better and find my niche. I'm very sure what I don't want in my business.

Saturday, Bobbie went off to visit her grandkids who live in the cities. I had a hands-on class, You embroidered this for me? We embroidered a tote with an Applique Monogram, then a golf towel and a hankie. I did the hankie for my step-mother, she's going to love it. Debra Bohn teaches this class and she is fun.

I got to talking and skipped a stabilizer class, LOL. Then I was shopping and thought my last class was at 2:30, but my friend Dori said no the class is at 2. So I snuck in the back 2 minutes late. Embroidery Trouble Shooting, again with Debra Bohn. I got great ideas how to rescue some of my mistakes.

I was pretty good with the shopping. I bought one bundle of fabric (got a free quilt pattern). I bought a bias tape ruler, wash away basting thread, an organizer purse (to copy) and a tool called the Embroidery Wand. I also bought 4 design packs from MomoDini, they have great Chinese embroidery. I bought dragons, koi and two flowers. I like how their designs are flowing lines and simple fills versus very heavy dense fills. Their designs are listed in the new Nancy's Notions catalog, the design pack comes with the thread for the designs.

Long Moment of Panic

This afternoon, I had a very long moment of panic. Then my training kicked in and the calm, became business. What am I talking about? My son is in the Army and is stationed at Ft Hood. He called home and is okay. Today a gunman, maybe two gunmen killed 12 people and 35 injured on the largest military base in the US. I've been on the phone reassuring family and friends that our son is fine. So I'm going to go back to calling and will post about the conference tomorrow.

Thank you for your prayers for our nations sons and daughter who have choosen to serve our country in the military. My family is military. Hoo Rah, Go Army, Aim High.

Serve Country and God.

The day Before Classes

I had a great time at the Sewing Expo. I took two classes.

This morning was the Perfectly Skirted class. The teacher, Emma Seebrooke brought racks of knits and slinky to choose from. The class fees included, the pattern of our choice and the needed fabric. I started a trumpet skirt in cranberry (my favorite color). I need to finish the waist band and hem my new skirt. I learned that using a stay tape in the seams of a knit makes it easier to sew the seams. I will post pictures once I'm home and can finish the hem. I can so see me making more of this skirt.

Then after a quick bite and potty break, my afternoon class rocked.

Tote-ally Fun Vinyl Mesh bag, taught by Connie Spurlock of Idaho. The class fee include the pattern and the kit to make a great tote bag. I'd post pictures, but goofy me. I left my bag next door in my friends room, she was yawning at dinner, so I'll get it from her in the morning. I learned a new technique to make the bottom of a tote. You know when a tote has a different color bottom, like LL Bean Boat Bags. I learned a quick way to make that bottom. Then we used an enclosure for the top of the bag. Once we were fnished with the totel, we had time to make a small zippered mesh bag from the leftover mesh and a scrap of fabric. My bag was 7 x 8 finished. That bag is next door too.

I know I know I promised pictures. Tomorrow, for sure.

Tomorrow is all about the digitizing software. I signed up for two classes, then in the evening I'm going to take a Develop it, Copyright it, Get it to market class. I'll take some pictures of the exhibit hall. Okay. I need to check my email and then run downstairs to the little shop and get some batteries for my mouse, it died.

Original Sewing and Quilt Expo

I'm so excited.

I'm packed and ready as I'm going to be. I'm picking up a friend in 2 hours and we're driving to Minneapolis to the Original Sewing and Quilt Expo. This is going to be my second year going. Last year I went armed with my laptop and learned that I didn't like my software. So I bought new software and love it.

This year they have the "Bring Your Own Machine (BYOM)" for sewing classes. I'm bringing mine and I can make small bags in the hotel in the evenings. Last year I kept wanting my machine. I'm not bringing the embroidery machine just the regular simple machine.

I've been running around trying to get a weeks worth of chores done in 2 days, which is why there has been no sewing. I will take pictures and post while I'm there. Of course there is no guarantee, but I'm going to try.

Show and Tell

Wow I find that having the Show and Tell can motivate me. I saw on some site, where they were selling a design pack of circles and initials so you can use them like key rings for your scissors. Of course me, I have to laugh and say I can make that in 2 minutes on the computer. So I did:

Then I made a new camera strap. I hate the one that came with my camera, it kept trying to slide off. Off course I made it too long so I added a bead to for adjusting and it works great. I used the Jump rings from the jewelry department to attach to the sides of the camera. I like the small snap hooks on the ends of the strap.

But when I came upstairs for lunch loook what was outside my house. Snow. I did not touch up the photos or use any thing special. I only downsized them to 4 x 6. This is really how it looks outside my front door.

Driveway and Yard on 30 Oct 09, 1 pm. Every year since we moved to Bemidji, we have had snow or rainy and cold for Halloween. The kids here wear snowsuits under their costumes. This is why I call my blog, Brr midji Designs. I'll post more really reason pictures in January when it's 50 below. Bemidji is the first city on the Mississippi River, the Headwaters of the Mississippi is about 50 miles away. Every winter when the lake freezes, yes freezes, people ice fish and put like fih houses, little trailers on the lake to fish from. So the joke is that Brr...midji is the second city on the Mississippi.

Just for your info, Bemidji is indian for "river runs through it." The Mississippi River runs right through Lake Bemidji.

Sew n Tell

Amy Lou Who has this sew show and tell on Fridays. I love it it gets me movitated. I also found this link to previous sew and tells. I loved the Apple Cyder Slap Napkin Ring Tutorial on 29 Sep 09. I saw the slap things for my stablizers on Nancy's notions where you get 12 printed and 8 blank wraps for $35. Or make your own.

Ignore my mess, I've been on vacation and as soon as I got home I got sick.
So what I did was start with Apple Cyder's directions and modified it. I cut the size down to 3 1/4 by 12. I embroidered two in my 5x7 hoop. Then I cut the purple slap bracelet from Oriental Trading Company (12 for $5) and pulled off the cover. Boy was I surprised to find a metal measuring tape under the nylon cover. Then I stitched and slid the bracelet into my new cover and stitched then end. I didn''t make the end fancy like Apple Cyder did. but other than you guys and the Embroidery clubs I belong to who is going to see my new stablizer wraps.

I am a member of two embroidery clubs at different shops. Last night was my local Husqvarna Viking dealer, she is my software, stablizer and thread dealer. The group loved my wraps, I also gave a copy of the tutorial I printed off to the dealer to email a link in the newsletter. I need to print another copy of the tutorial off for Monday, I drive 75 miles to the nearest Babylock Dealer, she my machine dealer. Yes Dealer, it is an addiction, just a legal one. LOL

This is our oldest daughter, her husband and the three grandkids we joined in Disney World for a week of playing. Oh my was it hot. It was 95 and a heat index of 105 the whole time. Heat Index, it snowed at home in northen Minnesota while we were gone. I'm more used to wind chill, than heat. I went from sweating to fleece, it is great to be home.

Vacation

Hi, I have survived the last two weeks of computer problems. The Windows update ate my dongle. Kinda like the dog ate my homework. I got both the laptop and the desktop fixed, after 2 weeks of fighting and fixing and fighting and fixing. I got the designs finished and embroidered on the safety vests. (No pictures, sorry was in too much of a hurry to finish today)

The Geocaching Guy liked the vests so much he wants me to bring my Babylock BMP8 to an event in Spring to embroider hats and such. He wants me to make the event hats and then be available to add embroidered names to the back of the hat. I can also sign up people to do their logos.

Anyway, The Hubby and I are off to visit the Grandkids at Disney World. See you in a week. I will be found near the embroidery places in Hollywood Studios and the Magic Kingdom.

Banging your head on the kitchen table elicits a response

I have been having a bad week or more. My 4D software stopped acknowledging my dongle. (the cute little red thing you have to have to make the software run) . I called Tech Support twice and my dealer three times, not in that order. I even joined the Yahoo group for 4D.

*** Have you every noticed that the Caps of 4 is $ ****

Anyway. Last week my desktop stopped but I was not in a total panic, because my laptop worked. But I called Tech Support. They only give you one free call. Because my problem was so unusual, he gave me a another free call. We ran, he held while I ran the updates, I already ran months ago. No fix. Next suggestion, to run the HASP runtime fix, the dongle is made by Aladdin called a HASP USB. Nope, didn't fix it. SO on to uninstalling the whole thing and reinstalling the software, PS don't forget to delete the folder on the c:/ called 4D, otherwise it won't install properly. Check! Nope didn't work either. On Saturday, I worked on 2 of the 4 digitizing designs for a friend, needs to be done and stitched by Thursday. Sat, I finished 2 and saved, then made dinner and got distracted by a movie with the Daughter. Sunday after church and lunch I thought I would work on the other two. NO such luck, my dongle would not work. Banging your head on the kitchen table elicits a response. In my house, my teenagers run and hide in their rooms.

First thing Monday (yesterday) call Tech Support back. She walks me through more things to try, then she suggests, that I run to my dealer and try my dongle in her computer, to see if I need a new dongle, or if it is my computers, yes plural. Okay, I ran over there and my dongle works fine in the dealers computer. I had to convince her my dongle would not kill her computer too!

Anyway I was to drive to Grand Rapids yesterday and I turned the problem over and over in my head on the 1 hour plus drive. I got home at 5 pm, fixed dinner and crashed out on the couch. Hubby is sick with the flu and I didn't get a lot of sleep. This morning after running errands, I decided to Restore my computer to before the problem happened.

Eureka. It worked. On both computers. I finished design number 3. Turns out the a Windows update caused the problem. Now I'll skip this update.

On the good news side, I picked up my Magna Hoop Patch Kit and I'm going to work on that for the rest of the afternoon, while the Motrin kicks in.

Hats

I just finished a dozen hats for my favorite customer. He's really funny, he changes his mind 3 times while you are talking to him, then he calls later and changes it again.

He wanted his name on his hats, but not just his name, he wanted Kitchen Designer. He is funny, but he had a point, if you have someone work with you and you know he is the boss. He's got his name on his shirt and hat, then you call that guy direct every time.

So 1/2 of the Hats with Logo only and 1/2 half with kitchen designer on the back. I made a template and then used it to hoops the hats in seconds.

I'm smarter than the average bear, my Husband says so.

When I drop off the hats I have another order waiting for me. I just know it, because every time I go in that happens.

On my own news. I finished a baptism towel for a friend, whose niece was being baptized. Turned out nice, but I need to make the font bigger next time. When I washed out the topping and stablizer the lettering sank into the towel. Maybe I'll use a background of hearts or something first. Sort of like a monogram with tight stippling.

I cleaned out my Etsy store and am renovating with new pictures, new focus and new items. So I'm off to make deliveries, and to take new orders. I need to stop by Ben Franklin and get a few items.

New Camera and roaming around town

I Love my new camera I was looking at the slim, click and go ones, because I also use it when we travel. But because it was a birthday present, the hubby got a say. He wanted a bigger one. but I told him that I would not want to carry a $600 big camera around Disney World. He picked out a Sony version but when I went back to Target to pick it up (it was a good price without shipping), it was gone. So I played with this one and the Canon version, wrote down the information and got on the computer again. The Canon had poor battery life.

Paul and Babe downtown Bemidji MN

So today I played hooky, no sewing, just shopping and playing with my camera. I went downtown to take pictures of Paul and Babe, our city is famous for the 18 foot tall statue of Paul. The statues were orginally made by the American Legion for parades in 1937. They were placed in the park in 1939.




Lake Bemidji, behind Paul and Babe. Bemidji, is Ojibewe (Local Native American Tribal Language of the Chipeawa Indians). means "river runs through it". The Mississippi River runs through the lake, from the south west side to the north east side. We are on a continental divide so the Mississippi starts out heading north and east, then turns south, east of here. While I was down town I picked up some maps the the River for canoeing, and camping. The headwaters of the river is 57 miles (river miles) from here in Lake Itasca Park. You can straddle the river at the headwaters.

Then I headed home and decided to take pictures, but the best one is of the lake at the end of our road, Lake Alice does not have a public access to the lake, which means the land all the way around the lake is privately owned. I was on the dirt road to take the pictures.






















I will show you the shopping stuff tomorrow. I bought a nice demin shirt, a night gown, a tap pant set and a dress for our trip to Disney World in October. I can't wait.

Serger Book reviews

Serging. what a wonderful thing. I got my serger off the bookshelf, tuned up and ready to go. I like the first book, Simple Serger sewing, it got 50 projects to make and I marked about 10 projects to get me started. There is a great placemat project. maybe for Christmas presents. Everybody is using Linen, but I find that it doesn't wash and dry without major ironing. I'm a wash and go girl.

The second book not so much, good thing it was free. Quick and Easy Sewing with your serger, had some great pictures of the mechanics of the serger. It has 15 projects, some recyling or refashioning clothes. I got one tip out of the first transformation from a sheath dress to a tunic. I'm going to refashion a hoodie sweatshirt into a non-hoodie something. I can't decide whether to add a zipper or to leave it a pullover. I'm going to embroider it, but I have a hard time deciding on designs.

I dropped off the polo shirts and first thing each of the guys asked was "Hats?" I guess I need to hoop some hats. I laid out the business logo for hats, but the boss had not yet ordered hats, his daughter told me to go for it and asked for a dozen. She pays the bills. I loaned her my favorite catalog, boss man wanted to look at jackets for winter. A customer of theirs was checking out the shirts. I need to print more business cards. Pronto.

Pretty good birthday so far. I got my new camera, but the hubby won't let me open the package until after cake and ice cream. It's been very hard not to pop open the package as its been sitting on the dresser for a week. Tonight I will be playing with the new camera. My cheap old HP 5.0 megepixel Photosmart M425 is going to a new home. The new home doesn't know it yet, I love surprises, especially since I get to spring one on someone. She had her camera out at a cookout over the weekend and I asked if it was hard to get film for her camera. She signed and said it was really hard and that maybe she might have to break down and come into the 21st Century. I need to find all the parts (Cables) etc for the HP camera to package.

Fabulous Fat-Quarter Bags

101 Fabulous Fat-Quarter Bags by M'Liss Rae Hawley. Book review, I like the simple designs, plus then she shows tons of options. for the same bag style.

Plus I just found out M'Liss Hawley is going to be a teacher at the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo, in Minneapolis 5-7 Nov 09. I'm so excited. I have a great friend, going with me. I asked her at the last minute last year and she had a great time. Now to decide which classes to take. Last year I took every machine embroidery software class they offered.

No sewing today, I did Saturday chores. Then a little baking and some odds and ends, before going to a pig roast, hosted by friends from church.

Patterns under control

I have one job left to finish and then I'm foot loose and fancy free. Which means I can work on my own designs. The jobs have all been boring shirts, hoop a shirt, stitch a shirt, hoop another shirt while first shirt stitches, etc etc etc. Anyway, The last box of blank shirts arrive this afternoon so I can finish the last job tomorrow/friday. Three weeks of shirts and more shirts. I did shirts for a new restaurant in town. It took a long time for me to convince the owner it was better to order the shirts with the embroidery on them through me, versus bringing me the shirts to embroider. Minnesota says that an embroidered shirt is a shirt. Clothing is not taxed in Minnesota, but Embroidery Only is a service and is taxed. I got the exact shirt style he wanted from the wholesaler at 35% off what he was going to buy them at, because I bought in bulk.

Look what I did yesterday while shirts stitched, in between hoopings of course. I pulled out all my patterns and got them organized. I even started an Excel file so I can find them. I moved them into their own new home, a nice file cabinet, out of the yucky chip board ones in the laundry room. I sorted them by categories; misses, womens, children, mens and other (purses). Wow did I have a lot of 1970 and 1980's patterns. A bunch out of date, I couldn't find them on the designers website.

















I might have to slim down my collection and either give them away or even sell them on eBay.

Got a piles of magazines in the mail yesterday. I was wandering around the U-Handbag site and noticed that Lisa Lam (don't you love her name) designs great bags and then only posts a picture and a pic of the magazine cover that it's in. I got curious and went digging on the magazine Sewing World's site and found I could order old copies by calling their USA 1-800 number. I flipped though Lisa's list of Bags for Sewing World link and found out which old issues I wanted. They came today. Plus I ordered an subscription, little pricy, but way worth it.

I need to find that pattern for the shirt on the cover of the March 2008 Sewing World. I liked that the magazine lists the pattern on the contents page Simplicty pattern 7791, but it was really Burda 7791 for the leggings and Burda 7793 for the top. Kind of startled me when I googled it, the picture was the same on the pattern cover and the magazine. If someone wants to trade, leave a comment and I'll let you have two from my pile, your pick, tell me which category and I'll send you an email with the list. NOTE: I only want the Burda 7793, blouse top not leggings.

Gotta go get ready for date night with the hubby. Every Wednesday is date night, I look forward to time just the two of us. Even though our kids are college aged, it's nice to not be interrupted when I want to talk to him. I'm keeping him.

Baby wall hanging and bobbin wraps

I stitched out the first block of the baby wall hanging. I ran out of No Show Mesh stablized and I decided to try it anyway. Bad idea. I got puckers. I had to run to the Embroidery shop and get more stablizer, before I killed more cloth and thread. Yes this is really how messy the top of my cutting table is normally.

I have to tell you about something I saw on the back on a sewing catalog, Clothide. While these are really cool bobbin wraps, as they call them (42 wraps for $3.95). I ran to Walmart and got 48 for $2.00 in the hair accessories department.

I have tried all sorts of things to control the loose thread on my embroidery thread. The thread company I like, is now making the spools with retractable bottoms to help control thread. I have tried press and seal, it works for the first time or two, then it looses the stickiness.

So I went from wild thread tails everywhere to nice and neat in seconds. I am storing my hair bands, in old Crystal Light tub containers. I have the containers everywhere in my sewing room. My rotary cutter fits perfect in one and another hold my marking pencils, and my chop sticks.

PDF Files and book in review

I was having troubled loading PDF files, but I think I found the best site for Tips and Tricks on Blogger. I signed up for the site to upload my PDF's at, I'll try and upload a file tomorrow. Today I finished writing the next tutorial for my large tote.

This book is called Rainy Day Applique
by Ursula Michael

ISBN: 978-0-89689-539-3


The book came with a CD-Rom with 100+ designs. I love that. I'm not big quilt person, but this book may make me into a wall hanging person. She has a heart maze motif on page 51, that I love. Her designs are simple and easy to follow. I'm not one to follow someone else's patterns, but I get great ideas from their designs.

Today, I played in my software on making appliques. I opened a picture, and then traced the design with a single stitch, then traced the design with a satin stitch. I was getting better the slower I moved my mouse pen, with the higher stitch count. I did a skull for Halloween treat bags and I did the parts for my Iris placemats. I need to place all the parts together to finish the design and stitch it out.

finished designs

I finished the wall hanging designs, there will be 4 embroidered blocks 7 x 9. I'm already to stitch the first block out, hooped and all.

I forced myself to do the polo shirt job first today. I even wrote out and printed off an estimate for the work, per shirt. I even included cost per baseball hat and added an option to go with long sleeve polos. I delivered the estimate and two stitched out samples, one for the owner and one for the daughter. The daughter runs the office. Now the hard part is waiting until next week for an answer.

I made a neat little template for laying out the location of the logo and the employee's name on the shirt. It's hard to see but I put holes in center and every inch on the cross hatch. To use the template I line it up with the button placket and using a chalk pencil, mark the center and two holes each direction, then remove the template I connect the dots. I found it is good if I also mark the inside for the shirt, that way as I add stablizer, I put it in the right place, and less waste.

I had to run a few errands and ended up in Joann's for backing fabric for the wall hanging, stablizer and thread. This sweet pink flowered fabric will be the backing.

I might even make the same fabric be the sashing fabric. Decisions, Decisions.

I have to tell you about this book I got. I got crazy and spent all my crafters choice points at once and got nine books (9) in the mail. Maybe I'll tell you about a book a day.

On the front cover is a table runner with Irises on it. My dishes have Irises on them, so I'm gonna make placemats. But because I don't want to hand stitch all the pieces for the placemat, I'm going to practice my skills and have the embroidery machine applique the pieces down.

Uffta, time to go cook. (Uffta is a Norweigian phrase that has no real definition) My definition is that uffta means "Ohy M God". Because you use it the same way, with that inflection. Okay gotta cook.

Custom Tote Bag

I made a custom tote bag.

I did not use a published pattern, I've been designing this pattern in my head and in tote bags for a while. The ladies at church really like it and I've made a bunch. Each bag's embroidery and color's are for the recipient. I even had one lady pick out the fabric online for her bag.
Each bag has 3 large patch pockets and four folded inside pockets. I always like longer straps, so the straps are 28 -29 inches long. I have been writing the directions for the pattern and should be finished this weekend.













I took a ton of pictures as I made this bag, for the tutorial. This time I actually wrote on the parts with a chalk marking pencil so the pieces were easier to see in the pictures. The only hard part is that this bag is black, with a black lining. The chalk showed up almost yellow.

I spent yesterday morning working on designs on the computer. I finished laying out a baby gift wallhanging. I want to spend this afternoon stitching out the parts. I mixed up the printed pages, so I need to go back and relook at the colors, I taped the wrong color charts to each of the four embroidery blocks. I'm happy with the designs, I decided to quilt the borders with. Now to cut and starch the basic blocks and sew. I'll post pictures as I finish.

I also finished a design for a polo shirt. I need to stitch that out today. All in All yesterday was a good day. I even picked up my new glasses. A few minutes of dizzy, but it went away quick. The bio-focal is a little higher than the last pair.

PDF for Notebook

Okay I'm having trouble adding the PDF to the sidebar. Here's the Tutorial. I'll read up on the stupid PDF thing and fix it.

Suede Notebook cover

This cover is made from Ultra Suede. Fits Spiral Notebook 6 1/2 x 9 1/2

Materials:
One piece of suede 10 by 26
Small clothes pins
Embroidery Design of choice Max 6 x 9

Cut 1 piece of suede 22 wide x 10 tall (cover)
Cut 1 piece of suede 3 1/2 wide x 5 tall (pocket)
You can make two pockets like shown in pictures. Mine were 3 1/2 x 4.

Mark large suede for embroidery between 12 and 18 inches from left.

Hoop sticky tear-a-away stabilizer in hoop. Lay suede over top of hoop, smooth suede down to sticky. Stitch design. Trim all threads and extra stabilizer.

Place pocket 1 inch from bottom edge and flush with right side edge.
Option 2 pockets, place both flush with right side and layered.

Sew ¼ inch seam around each side, stay stitch each corner.

Fold pocket to the wrong side of the suede 4 inches and sew each raw edge. Fold opposite side in 3 inches and sew each of the raw edge.

Stitch ¼ inch around all the outside edges to finish notebook cover.

Suede happiness

Yes, I lost 2 weeks again.

Look what I maded. I got a new Dakota Collectibles CD of embroidery designs, "Quilting". I love celtic designs for their simplicity. I love this ultra suede in sage green. Much better than the cheap purple plastic cover of my notebook. I added two pockets to the inside cover.

I made a PDF of the directions, see the sidebar.

Oh the Hubby called it's Date Night. I have 10 minutes before he honks. Love that Man.

Spats, Spits and Sputters

Wow, I look up and a week has gone by.

Spats:

I got asked if I would help make Spats (Shoe Covers that look like boots) by a friend, who is a director of a childrens theater. I found this great link to a U-Tube video on how to make Spats from Thread Bangers.com.

http://www.threadbanger.com/episode/THR_20090603

Spits:

I embroidered 18 t-shirts for our scout troop to go to camp.

Before, During and After.

I also got volunteered to make name tags for the girls' bags for camp. How this keeps happening to me, I really don't Know. My husband and I used to have an agreement to not volunteer each other for things, but some how, it now only applies to me volunteering him.

Any way this is how the Name/Luggage tags turned out. I am really proud how easy and how nice they turned out. I found a font on the Internet and using Quick Fonts, I didn't have to position the braille dots by hand. So each tag has the name in English and then in braille on the other side. This way the two girls who are visually impaired can find out whose bag is whose easily.

I laid out each name in English and then in Braille. Stitched out on some blue ultra suede, fold in half, sew around the edges, trim. Using the Crop-o-dile to punch a hole and the grommet part to squish the grommet. Quick to thread a snap key ring on and Finished.

Sputters:

I sewed out a polo for a job and the font was not dense enough, and the highlights on the chef's hat were too light. I fixed the design so I can sew it out tomorrow. I don't like to test sew out a design. I just go for it. Then if it doesn't work, I just used the messed up shirt as a test shirt. I have one polo that has a dozen designs going every which way. Funny.