Garden Tote Project #2

Hello everyone!   It looks like April showers this weekend for the Tampa area, so let's sew!

If you are playing along with me in this challenge, then you have already downloaded your pattern, taped it together and cut out the pattern pieces.  If you are new to this challenge, check out my post here.

Are you ready to go shopping?  My first stop was my favorite store! a.k.a "Mrs. Brill's closet"  That is what I called it when I was teaching and my students had to use the fabric from my classroom. 

MATERIALS:

1 1/4 yards of canvas, home dec or outdoor type fabric.  ( I used some lightweight canvas that I will back with Decor Bond first) (sample- white with green circle print)

1 1/4 yards of matching fabric for the lining and tote accents. (lime green accent fabric)

1/3 yard of light fabric such as canvas for the designs.  There will be paintworks designs so you will want to be able to paint on the fabric.

1 1/4 yd. of fusible fleece

1 1/4 yd. of 1/4"elastic

Thread: all purpose for construction.

** The tools for each of the designs will be included in the actual posts.

If you have any questions, please leave me a comment below!  I have to go shopping for the lining and tote accents.  See you later!

Coming tomorrow...  the designs I have selected for my project!

Spring has sprung!

The last two weeks have been beautiful here in Tampa, Fl and my husband and I have been working in the yard.  We lost a few plants this winter when we had a freeze in January and so we had to replace a few.

As I was flipping through my Creative Machine Embroidery magazine the other day, I came across this garden tote project.  My garden tote is looking pretty shabby, so I thought I need to make a new one!

I also thought that the front pockets would be a perfect palette for a few DesignWorks projects.  So I am challenging you all to 'dust' off the DW software and tools and come play with me.

You can download the free pattern for the Garden Variety Tote here until April 30th.  If you would like to play along, then print off all of the pattern pieces and tape them together.  BEWARE - there are 16 pages.  Cut out the paper pattern pieces and set them aside.

You can pick up the magazine at your local JoAnn Fabrics or you can download a digital issue from the same link above.  The instructions to sew the tote are in the magazine.  I will go over a few steps but not all of them.

If you do not want to make a garden tote, of course you can make any project you would like.

Coming tomorrow...

Fabric requirements and  materials for the garden tote.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! Daily Art Hub posted this free design on New Year's Eve.  I made sure to find some free time to design a Paintworks project to share with the Facebook Divas.

I thought I would share it with everyone after all the design is timeless!

It was very quick and easy but the hard part was trying to find a project but maybe Nancy W, our DW Paintworks queen can think of an idea!

You can find the DRAW file here.

You can find the EXP file here.

Speaking of Nancy W here is a Christmas project she made for her husband's co-workers.

 Here they are packed full of goodies!

Here is the T-shirt I made using the Dream Princess collection.

All of the Bernina DesignWorks collections are like "take-out" food.  Ready to go!  Just send the files to your USB stick and the machine will read them.  You DO NOT have to own the software to use them! 

May the new year brings you lots of good health and happiness AND stitchin' time!

He has arrived!

The final appliqué is here for the Gingerbread Man!  I started again with the Gingerbread Paint file.

I then thought about HOW I wanted this design to stitch out.  Remember when we made the cookies, we made the dough first and then cut them out with the cookie cutter.   So the brown background is first!

So I changed the Fill to an Appliqué with an >Offset of -.03 and Cleaning >Laser Cut or Precut.

Then I changed the Outline to a Satin Stitch of between .06-.08. You decide!

I then added and Autoborder >To the inside of 1.0 and Running stitch for an added security measure. ( this is a change that I made this year)

This is last year's design.  This year I left the eyes and mouth with a Paint fill

I hope you give it a try!  Here is the Gingerbread App file.

Gingerbread Man Recipe

Today's lesson is really a quick one.  It seems as if the days are flying by and soon Christmas will be here.

You can find the files for the recipe posted on my SweetAline designs blog here.

***Well it appears that I left the 1/2 off of the recipe for the salt and spices.  Clearly I did not make the recipe while reading my apron! :)  The font is Run Murray Hill and is perfect for stitching recipes on  project!

Here are the revised files:

Gingerbread recipe revised in ART can be found here

Gingerbread recipe revised in EXP can be found here.

Gingerbread Man- He's just a cut up!

Yep - today's lesson is "cut him up!"

After you open up the software, select New and select your Gingerbread Man Paint from your most recent designs.  Change the hoop to your largest hoop with foot #44C.

Click on each section (except the eyes and mouth) and convert the outline to Cutwork and delete the fill.  For all of the sections, I checked  Running Before for 1.0 mm and an Offset of .3mm.

I drew a rectangle around each shape so I could place my pieces on the hoop.

Be sure to convert the outline to a Running Stitch or it will paint the rectangle. Drag the top tray to the bottom so the rectangles will stitch out first.

Here are my cut out shapes. ( I did not save the original design and this year, I did not line them up neatly.)

He is a big guy, so if you want him make him smaller, I would resize the Gingerbread Paint design first.

Here is the cut file if you want to give it a try and do not have time this week to 'play'!

I thought I would also add the link here to my SweetAline designs blog to see the original post from last year.

Let's Celebrate this festive season!

This past weekend, my niece was visiting and I was inspired to bake Christmas cookies!  Now I must tell you this is H-U-G-E!  I haven't made cookies in years..

Why?
#1 - the big guy and I do not need them! (just ask our doctor!)
#2 - who eats them but us? ( no kids at home OR grandkids!)
#3 - I would rather be sewing than baking!

So to help celebrate this festive occasion, I am sharing this week how I made this 'no bake' gingerbread man.  Here is the finished guy on this very cute apron with fabric from my stash!

The pattern is the Lady Godiva apron from Abbey Lane and it was very easy to make!

                                           

Here is the gingerbread file that I used. 

After 'working through the wizard', select Create new and Cotton 2 for your fabric.

Here is the gingerbread man design. Download the file and save it to a folder on your desktop labeled "Gingerbread Man".

From file, Locate the gingerbread gif file and select your largest hoop.  This guy is pretty big at 6" x 8" approximately!

Select Trace and only 2 colors (black and white).

Change your paint palette to the Eddings markers.

Here is the DRAW file for the Gingerbread man.  If you want to skip the above steps, then just load this design into the program as a "New Graphic" and continue with the directions below.

Now start "coloring" your design!  Select the color chip and add a fill and an outline to each section of the design. You will notice some white colors 'sitting on top' which is why the design won't fill in.  Just drag off the white and delete it. Then continuing coloring your design.   I selected gray for the "rick-rack' color.

Here he is- all colored in!  If you would like the PAINT file, you can find it here.

 This would be a quick and easy project for a gift bag or a kitchen towel.  I found a cute idea with the arm cut off and the saying added! (How I did this, is another entire lesson!)

Come back tomorrow for the "how-to" in turning this guy into a cutwork file!