Creating Placement Marks for Embroiderying Appliques

Besides the patch working that went into this stocking, (see Elcie's Stocking- Patch Work Tip) some machine embroidery went into this stocking.  

Here is a non-digital way to convert an embroidery file into an applique file.

I used some free embroidery designs from The Sew Forum.

The tree I wanted to use wasn't an applique, 
which means it didn't draw a placement line for my green fabric.

On my Babylock, (and Brother's are like this too) I have this tool that lets me 
move (skip) forward and backward in the stitching of the embroidery.

 So I advanced through the "tree" part of the embroidery, 
and marked outer parts of the pattern,
 under the needle with my air soluble pin.

I now have a placement guide for my fabric for the Christmas tree.

 Even though the "gift" embroidery was not meant to be an applique, 
it did have beginning lines I was able to use to add the fabric.

I really enJOYed doing this project,

 because I felt like a kid at Christmas with a new box of crayons 

as I got to go through my thread stash (catch a glimpse here) 

and pick from my colorful threads.

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Wordless Wednesday #75~ Succulent of Cambria

@ Cambria, CA of Coastal HWY 1

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Elcie's Christmas Stocking- Patchworking Tip

Elcie's Mommy sent in a request for a special stocking. The top of the stocking was patch worked.  Instead of cutting out each individual rectangle and sewing each together, I used a shortcut. Here is my tip for making the process a bit faster.

Sew strips of fabric (mine are 2.5 inches wide) together. 

Sew the first and last strip together to make a tube.

Fold the tube in half, lay flat matching the seams.

Notice I have an odd number and one strip is folded.

Cut and rotate the strips.

 If you've done accurate cutting, you will be able to iron seams to lay oppisite so they will "lock" into place.

I was able to "finger pin" as I sewed the seams.

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Wordless Wednesday #74~Never Noticed on the Gateway Arch

The things you can discover with a strong zoom lens.

Thank-you Mr. G for the pics and having such an eye for detail.

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And Yet More Scarecrows @ Cambria, CA!

Can you spot some more and identify the business by looking at the character.

We were told California is in their 3rd year of drought.  We panic in KY when we go a summer without rain.

One of my favorite that I've shown in an earlier post.

I believe it was a farm/gardening store.

Yes, it was an awesome stop, and we did go slow.

Thanks Cambria folks for putting this show on.

The next post will show a few of the scarecrows just up the highway in a little coastal town.

Hope you are enJOYing the Scarecrows as much as we did?

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More of The Scarecrow Festival of Cambria, CA

 Characters usually represented the establishment.

Guess which were in front of a Catholic church and a school district office.

 Movie stars.  Guess who has the big lips.

Us?

And, we still have the other side of the street to see, plus the seaside town down the road.

~

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The Scarecrow Festival of Cambria, CA

 We didn't find one business without a scarecrow.

Probably over a hundred business establishments.

 Sometimes it took a second glance to realize it wasn't a person.

 Mr. G has a great sense of knowing just how fast to drive so I can get these "drive by" shots.

We were worried about holding up traffic only to find out most behind us were taking pictures as well.

Lots more scarecrow shots to come later.

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