Mystery Day Is Nearly Here

Mystery Quilt day (and 2010) is nearly here! We'll get started at 9am and sew until we call it quits! The store is not open that day so we have the whole place to ourselves. For lunch we will walk down to Magoo Pizza - which is about 5 minutes away. And leave the dirty dishes there when we come back to our sewing.
Does anyone want me to bring a coffee maker? Let me know.

Alex Anderson is offering 12 floral redwork designs within a scalloped edged heart to be digitized or done by hand. The instructions at her site say to come back daily to download the design for that date - BUT someone goofed because I just downloaded all 12 of the designs! So click here to download these for yourself now! Perfect for a really darling Valentine's Day project.

Mr Magoooo Pizza That Is

I stopped by yesterday and they have a lunch special for $6.99 - salad bar, pizza and drinks. They open at 11am for lunch on Friday - even though it is New Year's Day! Plus they said they would bake a pizza for us if there was one we liked that was not out. We can walk down there to take a break and a little exercise (!) and then walk back. I don't think the price is bad at all.
I'm ready too - just finished up the remaining details last night. I'll have bottled water for everyone also.
I'm also ready for a new year!!
9am on Friday - see you then

Mystery Quilt Time Is Nearly Here!!

It's just around the corner! We still need to decide what to do for lunch that day. Today I wondered about pizza and salad from the pizza place around the corner from the grocery outlet. Then no one has to bring anything for a potluck. Anyone suggest something different?

Merry Embroidered Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

More Ideas

This is for a friend at my day-job for her first Granddaughter. I played with the monogram function in the Bernina embroidery software to create her monogram. The little curlques around her monogram and birthdate are also from the monogram function. The center square is flat minkee and I used a piece of the aqua film topping to keep the pile of the minkee in place for the embroidery. Once the embroidery is done the film is very easy to remove. The remainder of the blocks are flannel prints that I found when we were at the coast in November. I found a cute stitch on the 830 and I used that to stitch around the finished edge. I forgot the number but thought the curlee stitch matched the circles and dots in all the fabrics! There's so many new stitches on the 830 that I've told myself to look for a new stitch to use instead of the old faithful straight stitch, when possible. I'll take this to Penny tomorrow and know she'll love it!

Now, don't you love the beautiful embroidered ribbon on the towel below? Not! It's really a strip of this beautiful striped Christmas fabric that we have at the store. If you don't have a yard or so of this I would definitely recommend adding it to your list. There are various striped patterns and it's so easy to make yourself a strip of faux ribbon! Pick the stripe you want to use and then line up the 1/4" with the line to be the finished edge of your ribbon and using your rotary cutter you'll have the perfectly straight edge. Continue the length needed and then repeat for the other side. Then using your iron you need to press that new 1/4" seam to the back side taking care to keep the pressed edge straight! This fabric actually has a gold metallic line I used for my finished edge so I used gold metallic thread to sew it to my towel! The stitches just blended in with the fabric. Of course using a thread color from the colors in the design would be wonderful as well!

I just thought it was very beautiful fabric and has so many ways it can be used to show it off!

More Easy Gifts

This design is from Urban Threads - think it $2.50. I enlarged it enough to nearly fill the large oval hoop. Took one fat quarter and centered the design near the top going the width which is the widest direction of the fabric. Then took another fat quarter which is the print in the photo below. Sewed this to the piece with the embroidery so it encased the raw edge of the solid color piece. Then just do a double fold hem around the 3 sides. The 4th side is the fold of the print. The finished size of this compared to one of the nice towels we sell is about 1 1/2" shorter than the towel. Makes a cute towel or even an apron if you round out the top left and right corners of the solid color then add bias cut ties - like the one Annette showed us in Bernina Club.
I think I would sew the print piece on the top if I wanted to hang the towel because then the designs would be in the right direction - down.
Here's a closer shot of the embroidery. You can see it's a scribble type design which means it just stitches lines without stitching back over the line just stitched . Zundt embroideries (yes, another wonderful Swiss) produces some of the most beautiful Swiss embroideries as you'd ever imagine. This is their free design for 2009. Click here to find the page where you can obtain the design - just scroll down to the bottom right. Enjoy the scroll because there are some beautiful designs! Also notice the price of the designs - which makes you really appreciate their generous offering of this beautifully created design.

Quick Gifts

There's always another gift that you want to make something yourself for that special someone. Here's a couple of sites I've recently found that I wanted to share.

This first is really an idea and that is for all of you - not just those with the embroidery software (although I have to tell that would be the easiest method for this). If you know how to setup your embroidery machine to do words then you can make these. Just find your favorite recipe and stitch it on a towel. You could also go a step further and frame the towel for hanging in your kitchen. If you want to see how much you're saving by being able to create your own click here.



Now how many times have you wanted to find really cute designs for a boy? Check out this site. The designs are darling and the prices appear reasonable. She also offers some free designs so you can check out her digitizing skills. I thought this small bag is darling! It's made out of oil cloth. Now, if you're like me that's not something you have on hand these days so consider just using some trigger,or duck cloth or even denim - something with some substance so the bag can will last sometime. After you've made something this cute you'll want it to be around a good while. So check this one out here.

What a charmer

Check this out! A perfect accessory for your sewing room. I think it will be perfect to take along on trips and I can't wait to check it out in person. I think there might be one with my name on it! It's just sooo cute!

Christmas Buttons

Here's an idea about adding embroidery to a covered button and make darling ties for ponytails and such! How cute to place these on buttons on your very own holiday shirt! You can also cut the loop piece off with wire cutters and just glue your covered button to the top of a button cover and slip these over existing buttons on a shirt already in your wardrobe! Totally change the look of that shirt and you have an original that you won't see on anyone else!! Click here to view the site.

I just finished the embroidery on my version of the 2010 mystery quilt. I have to say again how much I appreciate being able to use Isacord thread and organ needles. I seem to use the titanium needles for embroidery exclusively now. And they do last for many more sewing hours than did the Schmitz embroidery needles. I wasn't able to find my spool of white Isacord thread so used an older spool I had of Sulky thread. I think the thread must have been past it's prime because every little bit I got to test the needle threader on my 830! Not what I wanted to be doing. I finally located my Isacord thread and guess where that spool of Sulky thread went? Yup, right into the trash can. I had already used another spool of Sulky thread with no problems but the second while one was a pain in the Oops! Not going to go there!

Enjoy your Tuesday today! One more before Christmas. Yikes!!

Rainbow Roses?

Yes, these are real roses and were found on the sidewalk in Tokoyo. This is a strange custom but if you're lucky enough to be there you enjoy your choice of beautiful flowers! I agree with the blog writer that fresh flowers can cover up a multitude of odors! Here is the link so you can read the details.

Oh Santa, Please Add This To My Wish List

What every gal needs is Trash Ties for the hair! Leave it to Heather Bailey to come up with something different. We absolutely love her new collection "Nicey Jane" and I guess this could thought of as an accessory for that garment someone might make from her fabric - for those in the younger age group. I just thought you might get a chuckle out of this one. Check out this link for instructions on how to use these. Might be that extra "special" item you were looking for as a stocking stuffer.

Holiday Dove Tea Towel Design

Bird Brain Designs has a new free pattern to download of a Christmas Dove redwork design, perfect for a special holiday gift. It's a pdf so easy to use for digitizing in the Bernina software or transfer to fabric if you need a small handwork project. In the software it would probably take from 5-8 minutes to sew out. Oh! - here is the link.

Enjoy!

Patty's Bunny Hill Blocks

Patty Young is having a ball digitizing the free monthly blocks from Bunny Hill. She's working on the borders now as you can see in the image below. She's being very creative in how she is pulling parts of the blocks in for the border. Wonderful job Patty!!

The following shots are 2 of the monthly blocks I thought you might like to see. Patty is really getting into digitizing and creating her own designs. Totally different look than by hand applique - all the decorative stitches you can use from the software, not to mention the outline and fill stitches. Sometimes makes it hard to choose which one to use!!

Great job Patty!!

Webinar Reminder for Monday, Dec 7th

Reminder to sign up for the Bernina webinar we are hosting this coming Monday at 10am. Join us at Strawberry Patches for the latest webinar on the subject of Corel Draw Essentials in the Bernina embroidery V6 software. Webinar will last 1 hour then time for discussions afterwards.

Here's a Cute Free Shrug Pattern

Here's another cute pattern to make a snuggly shrug (say that three times quickly won't you) out of the yummy minky fabrics! The pattern is here and comes in sizes 8-28 so there's a size for everyone! Oh and it's FREE!!

If garment sewing would be a new experience for you this is a perfect beginner project- no darts, just three pieces plus the band around the edges and that's it. Probably have it made in about an hour - no fooling.

It's Here!!

Yes, I did the happy dance when I got home last night. You see my large hoop for the 830 had been delivered. Yes! I have been anxious to receive this so I could start experimenting with stitching a whole quilt block in a single hooping. The embroidery area size in this hoop is 10" wide by 15.5" tall. Wow! I love my mega hoop also but this big Daddy is going to be awesome for sure.

I've got some ideas for classes next year for those of us that have this large hoop - so let the testing begin!

Speaking of classes - if you weren't at Bernina Club last month you may not be aware that we're going to be offering a Bernina program for increasing your comfort level with the BERNINA embroidery software in 2010. Right now the dates look like the 3rd Saturday each month, beginning in February. So watch for more news on this in the Strawberry Patches newsletter. We're also going to be doing a block of the month program that will allow you learn new techniques and try new feet with each block - sure to help you become even more familiar with your favorite Bernina sewing machine! So some new, good classes coming in 2010.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Christmas Towels

Aren't these the cutest towels? No, I didn't make them but sure could have! Isn't that how it goes. Anyway, these can be found here for purchase if you are so inclined. I think they are darling and love the festive colors. Oh, would you look at that - a lime green towel. I love it!!
Anyway, with your software you could create a design like this using your backstitch outline stitch and the little pompoms we have at the store in several color choices. These would stitch up pretty quickly. The little postcard cutie designs I did from Bunny Hill take from 5-8 minutes to complete and that's using DMC and Maderia cotton threads with my machine slowed down a bit - and these remind me of the designs on the towels above. I've got two more blocks to stitch and the top will be completed.
Have a terrific Tuesday!!