Embroidery 101

As many as you know, I have a couple of panels available thru Marcus Fabrics. They are fun to work with and embellish. So I thought I would talk about embroidery over the next few days. Growing up, one of the first needlework projects mom started me on was embroidery. I remember mom had a small 'how to' book she let me use that listed a bunch of embroidery stitches. I remember working on a kit that had flowers that was done all in crewel work. Many different stitches using a lightweight wool yarn to stitch with and a big needle. 

I like to use pearl cotton from Valdani. I typically use #12 or #8 thread. You can also embroider using 3 strands of DMC floss. I like to use a small needle to embroider with. I feel like needles are a personal preference. I also recommend a needle threader and an Ott Lite (or other good lighting) I'm of an age that I'm blind as a bat as soon as the sun goes down so I love my Ott Lite. You will also need an embroidery hoop. I have hoops in various sizes. Again, using a hoop or not using a hoop is a personal preference. I have also been known to not use a hoop while stitching. When I work with my panels, I line the panel with an iron on interfacing on the back side. I then stitch along the edges using my sewing machine to hold the interfacing in place. My three favorite stitches are the French Knot, Backstitch and Lazy Daisy. These were also the first stitches I learned when I was a little girl.

You can see in this up close picture of some of my stitching how I used a backstitch and French knots to stitch on my Woodland Getaway panel. 

On this section of my Blue Ribbon panel you can see how I used the backstitch to outline the rooster design. I used a French knot for the rooster's eye and also for the flower centers.

Here you can see how I traced a sweet snowman design using a water soluble marker. I am stitching the design using a back stitch and a few french knots. 

Can you see how I used the lazy daisy stitch to make the purple flowers on my Blue Ribbon Panel? It's a quick and easy stitch to do to make flower petals.

As you can see, you don't need to learn a ton of stitches to be able to embroider one of my fabric panels. I love to embroider in front of the TV watching the Hallmark Channel. It's a relaxing way to spend an afternoon when you need a break. I'll be posting more stitch ideas over the next few days. I also have the Blue Ribbon Panel and Woodland Getaway panel available on my Website and in my Etsy Store. I also have Valdani Pearl Cotton and thread kits available.

Happy quilting!

Cindy and Belvedere

Plaids in Quilting

Plaids.... I love plaids, always have. So when I designed the Snowman Snow Globe quilt I was giddy to work with plaids. Marcus Fabrics Primo Plaids are so yummy to work with. They are soft and such rich beautiful colors, a joy to work with. 

While working on the Snowman Snow Globe design, I did not bother to match plaids. If you learned how to sew garments before learning to quilt, you paid very close attention to matching plaids and stripes when sewing. I remember lining up plaids while cutting out shirts or skirt patterns when I would sew clothes. I still do when I sew blouses for myself. But when working on a quilt, I throw that rule right out the window! I know that this goes against anything you may have learned but on a quilt, especially when piecing small blocks, it's insane to match those lines. Add a piece that's cut on a diagonal and spin it around in a block and you might as well check yourself into the, nice place with the padded walls. 

I find that the unmatched lines add interest and charm to a quilt. Remember when quilting was a necessity and not a hobby, there was little attention paid to matching a plaid. Or having all your 'blue', 'red' or whatever your main color fabric was come from the same bolt of fabric. 

 I love how the unmatched plaids add charm to the Snowman Snow Globe quilt. Remember, when you stand back and look at the quilt, it's consistent in appearance. So don't fret about plaids in your quilt blocks. Have fun and create!

Now, let me throw a curveball.... I do match the plaids when I cut strips for a border or try to cut a continuous piece for a border. Especially if the fabric has a pronounced stripe or plaid to it.

I hope this helps you not shy away from working with plaids in a quilt, any quilt. Treat the fabric as a solid 'color' not as a plaid or stripe. When cutting, rotary cut your fabric as you would normally do for a quilt.

Happy quilting!

Cindy and Belvedere

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