Sew News Magazine April/May 2014 Serger/Overlock/Coverlock

Let your Serger creativity bloom with this wonderful knit dress. Find out all of the hints to make it in the Spring Issue of Sew News

Skills Canada

Skills Canada - Ontario is a not-for-profit organization working toward an economically vibrant future, while helping Ontario's youth find, and develop, their passion.
We do this through a number of initiatives: The Ontario Technological Skills Competition, young women's initiatives, cardboard boat races, our "Skills Work!® What's Out There?" In-school presentation, and more.

              

www.skillscanada.com

Creative Machine Embroidery Magazine

Nov/Dec Issue will be arriving on Newstands next week. Create wonderful embellished zippers with machine embroidered buttonholes and decorative stitches. All in time for the holidays.

Written by Cheryl Stranges

Decoratively Stitched Ribbon with Organza

In the first stage, your decorative stitches are done on sheer fabric. Use Inspira Dissolve-away on the wrong side. This will add stability while stitching. Stabilizer needs to be rinsed away on ribbons above.

Imagine how exciting it is to create your own ribbon, to match your projects. And one of the greatest ways to achieve a beautiful rolled edge using your Serger set for a 2 thread serge.
Some ribbons were decoratively stitched using  40wt rayon thread, and this thread was also used for the two thread serging.

Metallic thread has also been used for decorative work, as well as cotton threads.
Polyester thread is wonderful for decorative stitching on organza as well as two thread serging, matched to your fabric.

Now take these ribbons, rinse away stabilizer, hang dry. You have beautiful flat ribbons to work with.

Making Gathered Ribbon

• Decide on the width of your fabric strips and cut. Allow a little extra to trim away edges later
• Cut strips of  Inspira Dissolve-away Plus or Inspira Dissolve away Max and place on wrong side of strip. It is basically underneath your fabric as you are decoratively stitching the right side of your fabric
• When complete rinse away your stabilizer, and let your ribbons dry after stitching
• Using a 2 thread Rolled Hem on your serger, finish one edge of your new ribbon
• On the other edge of your ribbon, use a 4 thread serged edge, and adjust your differential feed to 2.0
• Adjust your stitch length to a longer length if you prefer. This will add more gather to your ribbon. Insert ribbon strips between seams or topstitch your ribbon onto your project
• Remember, there are wonderful Serger feet like the gathering foot, and the corded wavy edge foot for beautiful rolled edges. Decoratively stitched ribbon with wavy edges sounds very appealing for all projects. 

If you are doing many strips of the same fabric colour, it is preferable to just draw lines on your large organdy piece and use those lines to decoratively stitch on. A larger piece of stabilizer is used for this.
Then cut your fabric strips to desired ribbon widths. Rinse away stabilizer and proceed to your serger with all of the same steps as outlined above.

Clips that are used for holding bindings in place are also great for using on your fabric when serging  edges. They hold stabilizers and fabric together, as well as seams eliminating the need for any pins.

Machine Embroidered Ribbon
Many of these stitches in this photo can be brought from sewing mode into embroidery mode  and embroidered in very nice straight lines with  your endless embroidery hoop, using the same stabilizer. Simply cut them into strips when embroidery is complete. You have Quilting, Heirloom, kids stitches and so many more.  Program or design your very own stitches, or sequence of stitches. This really has endless possibilities. If you have the opportunity to shape them in  straight lines or curves. Create your own stitches in Embroidery Software. It is an endless list.

Fabric Scribbling with Free Motion



Scribbling on cotton fabric. Use  Free motion
 to make your own fabric.
As you can see, I need lots of practice :)
Make metres of your own fabric quickly.



Photos shows it in dark tones. Practice scribbling, and have fun with it.
There is no right or wrong.
Try rayon, cotton, polyester, Cotton blendable, or metallic threads.

Unfinished and still needs a button sewn on. But combining
silk front and back with Cotton sleeves is unique.

Autumnal Accents

This Jacket in Creative Machine Embroidery Magazine is currently on newsstands and features painted embroidery. Completed on the Pfaff Creative Sensation.

http://www.cmemag.com/index.html

Sweater Knits and your Serger

http://www.sewnews.com/issues/index.html?current_issue

Just coming from summer, this sweater is sure to get you in the mood for fall using the Husqvarna Viking S25 Serger. Soon to be at news stands. Sew News October/November Issue 2013

Making Gathered Ribbon on Husqvarna Viking

I managed to carry these photos around with me for quite some time. I am very excited to share with you a stitch that works very well gathering ribbon for embellishment. Sorry for the delay. 

This childrens stitch works wonderful for gathering organdy ribbon with the gathering foot. The important component is the very long stitch length of 16mm. This was done on the Designer Diamond Deluxe. Look to see if you have this stitch on your Sewing machine or something similar.

Using all of the same steps as the article below, use your gathering foot to achieve this gathering effect.

Use 40wt Rayon thread, metallic thread or glowy thread and remember you need stabilizer.

Light colour ribbon on zipper for handbag. It is actually sitting on top of a quilt I am working on using the Hex N More Ruler.

Ribbons and Decorative threads

Learning to create your very own Designer Ribbons

July is learning how to make your own designer ribbons and trims using the latest and greatest in technology right here on this blog.

15mm Wide Organdy Ribbon Zippers and Gathering

15mm Organdy or Organza ribbon is available in a multitude of colours as well as prints. It will be very exciting to be stitching these with prints to include Polka dots, small dot, big dot, multi-dot, firworks, snowflakes, flowers, sayings. 

Tips: 

• New Microtex needle
• Tear Away  Stabilizer or cut away or dissolve-away stabilizer
• Floral stitch as seen below in recent postings
• Gathering foot as seen below
• Plain or fancy zipper 
• 40wt Rayon Embroidery thread
• 60weight bobbin thread

Where to add them: 

Sweater sleeves and fronts, bridal wear (imagine white on white), any apparel, denim jeans or jackets, aprons, dress jackets and skirts, heirloom items.
 

Gather your ribbon onto your Zipper and then add beading using beading foot

 

There are different sizes in beading feet for different beading size

Organdy 15mm ribbon is available in a variety of lengths

Blanket stitch is used to stitch beading to zipper

Great for Bridal, dresses, sweaters, costumes, home decorating.

Wrap the zippers and make Jewelry or sweater cuffs  to wear

Cut wider ribbons in half

Just having fun with wide ribbon Cut in half

Ribbon that was cut in half and stitched onto zipper with Stabilizer underneath

Sheerness of Ribbon provides soft effect on zipper