Trying something new

I’ve decided to step outside of my quilting comfort zone by trying something new: Embroidery. I’m scared! I’ve never done it before. Are there any embroidery fans out there? Any tips you want to share with an anxious quilter?

I’m so use to making everything with my super fast 1,600-stitches-per-minute Pfaff Grand Quilter. Taking on a meticulously detailed embroidery project may bring my fast paced crafting to a halt! If it wasn’t for this adorable sample pack of fabric called Little Apples (that happened to have embroidery as the main pattern), I wouldn’t have taken the plunge into this new world of crafting…It’s always the fabric that inspires me 😉
Despite my normally speedy crafting, I’m off to a slow start. :-} I’ve traced the embroidery design but for the past few days I’ve been hesitant on starting. Well, a little intimidated maybe. However, I plan to jump right into it tonight! Or maybe tomorrow tonight. We’ll see. But once I start, I hope to get into the crafting zone.

On a completely different note, you might have noticed my fondness for skulls as shown in my fabric choice below. 🙂 I don’t know what it is…i just really like skulls. Anyway, I’ve started making a quilted tote bag out of this fabric and plan to eventually post the tutorial. It was hard to capture some of the photos for this bag and still make what I was doing understandable, so I’ll probably end up making a little video to explain it better.
Anyways, wish me luck on my embroidery!

16 Responses to Trying something new

  1. Jennifer June 9, 2011 at 4:43 am #

    I don't have any help for you, because I'm just starting to learn to embroider too! So far it's fun but slow going. Good luck 🙂

  2. Madame Samm June 9, 2011 at 4:50 am #

    Hey sweetie..great project…have you not tried Presencia threads , with something like this……mmmm it would be fantastic..their colors are amazing…

  3. ~Laurie~ June 9, 2011 at 4:54 am #

    It's not as difficult as it looks, honest. Google embroidery stitches and pick a few sites to bookmark. If you really get stuck, look up embroidery stitches on YouTube for a visual example. You will feel so confident in only a few weeks. Have fun wih it – you can always take out the stitches and start again. Good luck!

  4. Jane's Fabrics and Quilts June 9, 2011 at 5:09 am #

    Oh first I want to say I just found your blog and I love it. Second, I have just started to embroider again. Here is a link to a great page that has a wonderful link to some great embroidery tips and techniques.

    http://stashmanicure.blogspot.com/p/ohhh-look-all-of-our-tutorials-can-be.html

    I also use Presencia Finca, love it!
    Have fun you will do just fine!

  5. Behind Margery's Daw! June 9, 2011 at 6:44 am #

    Oh, give it a go today. I need to try my hand at it as well, but if my memory serves me correctly, I wasn't very good the last time I tried!!!

    Can I ask you about your sewing machine? How do you get on with it? Is it the best you've had? I'm looking at getting a new one for quilting and there are so many to chose from!!! Thanks

  6. Jules June 9, 2011 at 7:09 am #

    I love putting embroidery on quilts, it adds another dimension, you'll be fine once you get going and you'll be surprised how quickly you can zip through it 🙂 can't wait to see the finished product

  7. Mom of 3 June 9, 2011 at 11:43 am #

    I have started my first embroidery for a quilt this year. It's a monthly block, so it's going to take a while. What I do is keep it by my bed at night, so when hubby wants to watch a movie or show together, I sew while watching, since I wouldn't be out at the table sewing. Or I bring it with me when I know I have to be somewhere else with down time, but obviously can't bring my sewing machine. I'm prepping to take a lot with me on my vacation.
    I just take it slow. It's nice cause you can pick it up and put it down. But in the mean time, I've finished 3 other quilts.
    (BTW, since I've started this monthly block thing, I'm making 3 of them because I love it so much.)

  8. Gabriella June 9, 2011 at 1:54 pm #

    Good luck ^__^

    It's really fun …. you'll start and finish very soon …. and I think embrodery is therapeutic!!!!

  9. Mary Grace McNamara June 9, 2011 at 6:20 pm #

    Embroidery is one of those things that seems to be a lost art. Good for you for taking it up! I have embroidered since I was about 8 years old…so a long time! It's something you have to take your time with and not expect instant results. I can highly recommend Mary Corbet's Needle 'n Thread website for video tutorials on just about every stitch you can imagine along with tips and product reviews and lots of inspiration. http://www.needlenthread.com is her site and I think you'll want to bookmark it so you can refer to it often!

    Looking forward to seeing your embroidery and reading about how you like it!

    MGM

  10. Manda June 9, 2011 at 9:43 pm #

    Good Luck!

  11. sewsewgirly June 9, 2011 at 11:09 pm #

    Oh Jera! I don't want to sound mean, but that makes me laugh!! You seem SO competent at EVERYTHING, I never thought that something like embroidery would be foreign to you.

    Considering this, it's really not as hard as it sounds (this coming from one who gets frightened at basting and quilting LOL) most of it is backstitch with a few french knots and the odd lazy daisy thrown in. God bless Google and Youtube!

    I finished this one (top only – still waiting to be basted and quilted LOL) in about 3.5months:
    http://www.petalsandpatches.com.au/onfreedomswings.htm in the black and white variant. Very impressed with the timing, just wish I could get over my fear of basting now. I always seem to end up with a wrinkled backing.

    Can't wait to see your efforts though!
    Cheers Tania.

  12. Quiltingintherain June 10, 2011 at 3:36 am #

    You all are amazing. I've never felt more encouraged! Thanks for all the tips and recommendations on the embroidery sites!

    @sewsewgirly – my eyeballs bulged when i saw that quilt you made. holy cow, that would have taken me 3.5 YEARS rather than months! it's gorgeous!

  13. Behind Margery's Daw! June 10, 2011 at 6:15 am #

    @sewsewgirly – I can't believe that quit!!! I have bookmarked it and my order it to have a go at. It is such a gorgeous quilt. You are one clever lady x

  14. sewsewgirly June 10, 2011 at 9:56 am #

    Thank you both, I rather liked it myself too, there's just something about it that really caught my eye. So yes, I must 'pull my finger out' and have a go at finishing, I'm so close! I'd really like to do it myself rather than send it out to be quilted, but that can always be my fall back.

    Thanks again

    Tania.

  15. Mel June 11, 2011 at 1:31 am #

    The best part about embroidery is that you can easily watch a movie or your favorite TV show with someone you love while you stitch.

  16. sunshine June 15, 2011 at 12:45 pm #

    Where did you get that awesome skull fabric?

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