The girls are back in town!

One of my goals for the new year is do some more Charity sewing each month. I already do some but I wanted to spend this year doing even more. You see I lost my father Summer before last after a very long and courageous battle with 3 different cancers. He was a most spectacular man and each day without him at times seems impossible. One of his deep loves was St. Jude Children's Hospital and even as he lived out his last days he still felt it unfair that children should know such pain and he made me promise to maintain his giving to St. Jude and it's to him, my wonderful father, Richard Szot that I dedicate this collection.

I have turned to my Lovies as a way to honor and give back. $5 from each  Sweet Charity Lovie collection sold will be donated to St. Jude for the entire life of the collection. This five doll Lovie collection has been created expressly for making dolls for direct charity giving or for use as fundraising merchandise. These dolls differ from normal Lovies in that they are large size babies ( about 7 inches tall) and they are redesigned for even faster production in that they do not have the pocket and their faces are simple but sweet and fast sewing. 

The collection includes 5 dolls:

" Fight like a girl" Lovie for Breast cancer awareness

Awareness ribbon Lovie with an embroidered ribbon that you can stitch in any color you need for a variety of fundraising efforts

" Choose hope" Lovie in support of St. Jude - this one is close to my heart.

Simple heart Lovie, with a small heart on her chest,you can send your love where ever she goes ( not pictured)

Basic Lovie, Her sweet smile says it all. Use all sorts of wonderful but heavier fabrics to make this a special doll suited for sending to children who are in hard circumstances ( not pictured)

For More information about the Sweet Charity Lovie collection and how to purchase it  please click HERE

 

Hang Tag Hiccup

Thank you to everyone who has already ordered Valentine's Lovie. Over 50 orders went out last night when to my horror I noticed that I did not pack the hangtag file in the zipfile so I am sending the files out as quick as I can but if you have not gotten yours or if you just need a cute Valentine's Hangtag then please feel free to click HERE  to get a pdf full sheet copy of the tags.

And as long as I am here I thought I would answer a question I received the other day about how I get my tags to look so nice with just a regular home printer. I guess I do have a couple of tricks and am happy to share them :

1) A corner clipper. Perfect rounded corners in the blink of an eye

2) Printing on quality card stock

3) Using the photo setting on my printer

4) Finishing the tie hole with an eyelet

That's about it... anyone can get create wonderful cards with just these few tips.

She's here!

Pardon the pun but I ~love~ Valentine's Day and how fun is it to share my love of it with you!? I am already pulling out my vintage valentines, the gittler and the red and pink bunting getting ready to fuss and fluff the house for those dark winter days when we all could use something cheerful to look at. And what could be more cheerful than Lovie all dressed for the season?

 

Valentine's Lovie is ready to melt your heart and the hearts of those you make her for!

What a perfectly wonderful gift to hide in a back pack of your favorite gradeschooler!

 Create her as a door hanger and add a gift card to become a super valentine giver!

Or make a set of sisters and while you are at it stuff one with lavender and send it to your very own sister to tell her how much you love her!

Or maybe you need a quick gift for a Valentine's Secret Pal?.. Lovie is up to the job!

Lovie is just under 7 inches of easy in-the-hoop magic. She comes in PES and DST formats and includes her twin babies, full instructions and of course printable hangtags and to-from cards for easy gift giving.

Like all the other holiday Lovies she is a limited edition so get her before she is moved to the complete holiday collection which will not be out till late 2010.

Click here to go to the store

Tip of the week.. or so I hope!

One of my goals of the new year is to try to post up a tip of the week... of course this means at some point I might run out of tips since my little pea-brain can only hold so much tippy-goodness but I am going to give it a try!

This week's tip has to do with storing embroidery thread on basic thread racks.  Like many I have a ton of the typical June Tailor thread racks that are ment to hold regular spools of thread. These racks are great space savers when hung on a wall and not too expensive, especially if you can catch them on sale. What they are not, is made for the taller spools of embroidery thread. So while on the rack the spools are prone to tipping off and taking 20 other spools with them, causing me to saying unprintable things  sigh deeply and pick them up once again. 

This was a pretty constant source of frustration to me and I was close to drilling out all the little dowels and replacing them with longer ones when it occured to me that I could work a little smarter  and just add an extension to each  peg for some more stability. I will spare you all the items I tried that ended up either falling off, being hard to deal with or were hard to find and cut to the chase and tell you that run of the mill drinking straws were the perfect answer.  Some straws are a bit bigger and you can pu them all the way down the shaft and then trim to the length you need. Some are smaller ( usually the cheaper brands) and they fit on quite well but are tight and you can't really work them down the whole way. Both choices are great and hold the embroidery thread on the racks like a dream.   If you would like to store color specific bobbins with your thread, cut your straws even longer so you can place the bobbin on top of the thread!

New Year Dishes

For me the week after Christmas is all about taking some time to get my life back on track. To clean up the messy details from the previous year. Fluff the house, clean the deep cubbies of my desk and make plans for the coming year. One of my goals for this year is to really look at my stuff and decide what I really like and what is really clutter. I want to live and work with the things that make me happy, that make my heart sing. So room by room I am going through the house and getting rid of things that don't meet the mark. I am also finally going to get my studio finished and hope to take you along on that adventure in the coming year ( it's going to be a big project!)

But for today I am starting small. I am sorting dishes that I love and packing up those that no longer reflect who I am. These happen to be two of my favorites and I was struck by how pretty they looked resting there in the draining basket and how well they go together even though they were never meant to. It made me understand the "rightness" of living with what you love...and it's my mantra for the new year.

Looking Towards the Future

My sewing is done, the groceries have been bought ( including T.P.!) so ready or not the holiday will swing into full gear around here starting tomorrow night with the beginnings of the people we want to see and gifts we want to give to those in our extended family. That will ease us into Christmas it's self and then the warm afterglow that will be the weekend after.

But of course being of the A.D.D. sort my mind is already spinning into next year and all the plans I have and things I need to get accomplished.. of course I will need a list for that so keep your eyes peeled for another fun printable to show up very soon! And since I am forever the tease.. I leave you with this photo.. giving you a sneak peek into the new year of designs here at Fresh Thread!

Keep Warm - Be Safe - Sew Happy!

Blessed are the List Makers

Blessed are the list makers

 for they shall know that

there is T.P. in the house on

Christmas Day!

I am a list maker, and not just any list maker, I might be the freak queen of list makers and I am very particular about how I make my lists ( must write on every other line leaving space for related items that occur to me later... yeh, see told you!) .  After that the one holiday where we paid a kings ransom for one single roll of T.P. at the corner gas staion due to my poor planning for the holiday.. well let's just say that is NOT going to happen again! 

Like most I have woken this moring to make my list of things that must get done in these precious few days before Christmas.  And just for fun I have created this list sheet to share with you. It prints 2 to a sheets and I highly suggest printing it on card stock so it can take the wear and tear of the days ahead with ease.  Print 3 sheets and that will get you right up to the big day it's self.

You can download the file here   CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Just remember.. DON'T PANIC, with good planning you can get it all done.  And if while you are making out your list you come up short of gifts pop on by the FRESH THREAD store and take advantage of our DON'T PANIC SALE where you will find just about everything 1/2 price between now and Christmas. All Fresh Thread projects can be accomplished in under 30 minutes ( start to finsh..not just stitching time!) with most only taking 1/2 that time. So remember.. make that list, and DON'T PANIC!

Missing... Miss Bailey

Dear all... thank you so much to all of your who have written me  off list to expresse your concern and offer your ideas for lost pet location.  We still have not found her and as soon as the heavy rains clear we will be back out today to put up more posters.  I was told by the kennel staff that since she is a pure breed I have less of a chance of getting her back since people often keep pure breed that they find... even with collars on!. This makes me so sad.  But she is chipped and if they take her to the vet and they chip is found we will know.

Our very own Miss Bailey has gone missing and we are just heartbroken. She got out sometime yesterday afternoon and  has gone on walk-about.  Please keep us in your thoughts as we continue our search. ~much like those computer aged photos of missing children you see on milk cartons, you will need to add 10 pounds and 4 years to the photo to know our true girl.. but her spirit is true and we miss her so much.

She did have on her collar and she has been micro chipped, we are putting up posters and have called all the local socities and vets.  We will keep looking and keep praying.. we want her back home. We got Baily on Christmas day 10 years ago next week... not sure how to work without her lying on my feet while I am at my desk. ;-(

Sweet Memories

As a child I never had any of these sweeties.. but I have fond memories of friends having them on nursey lamps and as part of their childhood room decor.  I always found them strangley appealing so now when ever I run across them ( and it's not to often) I have to add them to my collection.

These little darlings are kept on a shelf in my studio year round.  I had a buy a whole pre-bagged assortment of really freaky  holiday ornaments just to get them ( don't worry..the whole bag was only $1).  I think I totally wigged out the  cashier lady when after the bag-o-ornaments was paid for I opened it up.. plucked out the three jewels and then asked her if  they "took donation".. she said yes and so I handed her back the rest of the bag and went on my way

Contemplative Mopping and Trend Watching

Have you ever noticed that the minute you say you need to mop the kitchen or clean the bathroom that everyone in your house disappears? I have decided to make that to my advantage in order to get some peace and quite around here. So tonight while I was mopping I was reflecting on my short trip to the mall this week. Now you have to know.. I say "this week" and what I should really say is ~this year~ since I have not been to the mall since this very time last year. I don't like the mall, the place gives me the hives but once a year I go there to get my favorite perfumes when they goes on sale in the holiday gift boxes..usually packaged with extras. Now don't get me wrong it's not that I don't like to shop, since I do.. antiques, fabrics, thrift stores, yep, mall, nope. Lots people, lots of artificial light and way to much noise for my taste.

So when I do go on my yearly pilgrimage I try to make it worth my time by watching the trends I see working their way across the retail landscape. For some these might not be as easy to spot if you are there all the time ( sort of like not being able to see how big a puppy has gotten if you see them all the time) but for me they are very evident and I do think that it's important to pay attention to such things especially for those in the business of embroidery. While not necessary to follow all the trends at least knowing about them lets you keep up to date with what you embroider for yourself or offer to your customers.


One trend that I noticed was the notes of subtle embroidery. And while subtle it's also quite playful in it's placement. A small motif on the cuff of a sweat pant, the waist of some yoga pants or on the inner wrist area of a long sleeve knit t-shirt. Even on the inside waist band of some jeans! This is embroidery meant to charm the wearer, not announce it's location to the world. I was quite intrigued by this idea and my mind wandered to a few knit shirts that I have that might be good candidates for such a subtle bit of whimsy. ( I told you mopping the kitchen floor is a very solitary job around here.. no one had yet even said a peep to me.. quite nice really)

So after mopping was done I headed off to the back of the house where my studio is located..but to be safe, on my way I loudly announced that I was going to go clean out the cat boxes, assuring that I might not see anybody till dinner time! So safely back in my studio I pondered on embroidering the cuff of my shirt. Such small places are often difficult and fiddley. I assume that in ready to wear the embroidery is done before construction but I did not have that option and really did not want to open up the sleeve since I wanted this to be a fast and easy job.
 
As I stood there and pondered my eyes fell to my work table piled high with socks that I embroidered a few days ago that needed to be readied for Christmas. In that pile was my trusty Sock Easy.. ohhhhhhh now there was an idea! So I went to work seeing if it would work.. in theory it should but I have had my share of crack-pot theories so it really was best to run a test. So I loaded up my Sock Easy just like Cookie taught me all those years ago ( shirt turned inside out just like doing a cuffed sock)..

 

 
I could instantly see that this idea had great promise. Problem being was that my cuff was much wider than a sock, but once stuck down in the hoop and with a small pin used to keep everything in place I was ready to go with the Sock Easy keeping the fabric clear of the stitching area. Cookie says to use a pin to remember which way is up.. I used a water soluble marker but I think both ideas are valid, but I am a goober about remembering to remove the pin so I went with the marker! So then to the machine..
 

 

and less than three minutes later I had a wonderful little motif that does indeed make me smile each time I see if there on the inside of my wrist!

 

I then went on to do the ankle hem of my winter leggings... I see a minor obsession coming on!

Sleep tight....

Update : The free files have now been removed, I hope that everyone who got them enjoys them very much!

Happy Holiday's everyone!   I know that lots of you are looking for easy projects to fill out your holiday lists and I think I might have just what some of you need. My new Sleep-Diva, In-the-hoop eye masks are ready to go. These have been created to sew out on the faux suede shearling that is so popular right now ( this fabric is also refered to as suede sherpa at some stores). If you have not worked with this fabric do give it a try. It's butter soft and this file stitches on it like a dream. But of course if you can't find any many other thick soft fabrics will do quite well.  Fluffy the poodle is modeling the Sleep Diva mask and holding the two other versions of the file.

Here is an upclose look at the mask. I can't begin to tell you how soft it is! And how fun would this be as a party favor for a bunch of little girls at a sleep over! The mask is sized just right for kids 8+ up to older teen girls and young women

But of course not all Diva's are human... this is my own Big-Diva being so kind as to model a mask while taking a snooze on the loveseat ( where he is not suppose to be!)

The complete 3 piece collection with full in color directions, and printable hangtags is available for sale at Maddie's Fresh Thread store for only $5

This introductory price good for this week only.

Just saying.......

Hi all, just popping in to say that the storewide "techno-idiot"  sale will be over as of tonight as I am over feeling guilty... told you I was mercurial :)

Second... remember that Christmas Eve Lovie goes away as of the 24th .. not to be seen again until the full holiday collection is released some time next year... like I said.. just saying :)

Happy Holiday sewing!

For Hattie... Tiny Tutorial on how to make a hanger dust cover

Making the dust cover is very easy and even easier if you use a pre-hemmed sheet or pillowcase! In my case I used a pillow case ( hahaha.. I made a pun!)   Lay the pillowcase ( or doubled fabric)  on your work surface and fold in half for center. positioning the hem edge for the finished edge of the project.  Trace around the upper profile of your hanger adding in a seam allowance and a tab of fabric at the top to tuck in around the neck of the hanger ( see that in the last photo)

Cut out your fabric and now is the time to add trim or a monogram. Here I used some vintage rick rack.. perfect match!  Got to love that!

Notice the tab at the top of the fabric.. when you sew up for dust cover leave that area unsewn... you will tuck it into the cover after you turn your cover right side out.. this will give a nice finish to the opening for the hanger neck.   That's about all there is to it.  I haunt thrift stores for cool old sheets and pillow cases for this project. With a twin sheet you can do two hanger cover and still have more than enough fabric to do a matching laundry bag. Not bad from a sheet that coast $1 from the Thrift! :)

Sweet Organization...

Due to the downturn in the economy my evening wear has not gotten much use over the past year.. to the point that some of it was getting actually dusty in my closet! So a quick dash into the vintage fabric stash netted me this great old vintage pillowcase to make into a dust cover for my less worn clothing. 1 pillowcase makes 2 covers. To this one I added some rick-rack and sewed it along what used to be the hem edge of the pillow case. On the other version I added a center monogram. If you are interested in a little tutorial for how I did this let me know and I will paste it up! :)

Houston we may have a problem....

Dear all... I am soooooooo sorry about the rash of bad links that have plagued my blog over the past few days.  Mostly just my links to my store due to the domian pointer that is in the process of  pointing someplace new very soon ( that was a big hint.. but more on that soon!).. in the mean time if you needed anything in the store you can get there by clicking  HERE and it will take you like all sorts of techie magic right to my Big Cartel Store front.   Now.. should you just happen to do that you will find that I am having a store wide " I am sorry that I am a techo-idiot sale" since..well it seems I am a techno-idiot and and just might be the person who caused the whole domain pointing mess ~ insert sheepish grin~
 

So there you go.. I mess up.. you save money.  If only all things in life were this easy to fix!

Much love and lots of thread,
Maddie

p.s. the sale will only last till my guilt is gone... act quick.. I can be mercurial ;-)

Doing it "old school"

Some babies are just too hip and cool for duckies or bunnies.. for such uber cool tots you need something that sings to who they are..  or at the very least who their parents are.   With the influx of indie-rock fashion being the main stay of many hip new parents there is no reason that baby cannot be just as cool with this Sketchy  "old school" design that is just right for little t-shirts and rompers. 

 This design is part of the Sketchy Collection part I   which is full of lots of fun and relaxed designs that we will showing off this week.  This entire collection has been designed to run on t-shirt fabric including todays " tissue-weight" t's that can be difficult to stitch due to their thin nature.  Make sure to use a layer of see -thru wash away on top and a light weight no-show stabilizer on the back for a perfect outcome each time.

We have a Winner!

It's Thursday morning and I promised a winner.  Using the Random number generator  we now know that our winner is #4  So Linda Palmer you are the winner of the Cath Kidston Kitchen notes! This kitchen note set could not be cuter.. it makes such a cheery way to stay organized... and who does not need help with that this time of year!  Thanks to everyone who took the time to play and keep your eyes peeled... next time we have a packed of funky sewing notions that needs a new home! :) 

Linda, please drop me a note at maddie6@bellsouth.net so I can get your address and get your package in the mail to you!

From the other side of the studio...

People often write and ask me about my studio and my machines so I thought I would give you just a tiny peek in my creative haven. While embroidery is close to my heart so are other art forms and part of my studio is dedicated to my jewelry making... and very soon in the future you will see where these two passions are going to intersect! ( hint hint!) This is a late night shot of my not so tidy space where I am working on a new soldered piece for a dear lady I know.. it's a celebration of her physical recovery from some rather daunting medical challenges..

It still needs more work.. including, some silver gleam, and major sanding, shaping and buffing but I think it's going to come out quite well. The piece of china is beautiful fragment I had and always thought that is was just right for her  and I think it's sort of off center wonky look is just right for the piece.

Do remember that tonight in the end of the Cath Kidston drawing for the kitchen organizer.. so  do make sure to go back to that post and add your name to the drawing by just clicking on the word COMMENTS at the bottom of the post.

Giveaway time! and a note!

Small other note, people seem to be having a hard time finding where to comment.. if you go to the bottom of this post you will see a line that says. ~ Posted by Maddie X comments~. If you click on the word COMMENTS you to can leave a comment! I am trying to figure out how to make that bolder.. but fear messing up the whole blog.. but if you click there for now you can also play along!
Please note, due to the massively good point made by some who have written to me personally that it is the rush-rush holiday season I am showing mercy... just leave your name and addy in the comments and your name will be put in the hat for the drawing for the Cath Kidston kitchen organizer...mind you if you also include a story I might just throw in a little more ~blog~ love for you if you win!

Woo hoo!.. I could not be more thrilled to bring you this fun and easy to stitch collection and better yet to celebrate the new collection with a Cath Kidston Giveaway! So here is the full news, Chef Weights- "the cookbook weight that gives you back your hands in the kitchen" are now on sale in my Big Cartel store. So give a little love to your favorite chef in the form of the easy to stitch out Chef Weights. Chef Weights hold open even the most stubborn cookbook with ease and style. With three different phrases to choose from ( Kiss the cook, Good cooks never lack friends , Bon Appetit!) there is sure to be something just right for every cook on your holiday list.

The Chef Weights stitch out in a 5x7 or large frame and come in PES 6 format that everyone should be able to convert. The weighted filling is polly-pellets that are easy to find and make the

Don't forget like always we have included custom hang-tags made just for the Chef Weights. Print them on mid-weight kraft card stock for an especially charming presentation.

Ok.... now to the giveaway!.. since that is really why you are here anyway huh? So here is the deal... In the top photo you can see that I have a very snazzy Cath Kidston magnetized kitchen notes organizer to give away. I happen to have one of these right on the front of my fridge and it's a fun a colorful addition to my kitchen and I hope that you will love it as much as I do! So.. here is what you have to do to win it! Bwhahahahah..


Starting today I will be taking submissions in the form of comments left on my blog... And you must answer this question... ~What was your most memorable meal?~ and please.. if you leave an anonymous post please leave contact information so if you win I can get in touch with you! This is going to be fast.. I will pick a name on Wednesday night and announce on Thursday Morning! Please also note.. if you win the contest and you live out of the country I will send you a Chef Weights collection via-email instead of the Cath Kidston Kitchen notes since the cost of international postage would not make it worth while to send. Good luck to everyone!    We now have a winner...  Read the post from Thursday to see who is is!

Letting your fabric do the talking!

Sometimes you just run into a fabric that can do all the talking on it's own.. no need for embroidery ( yes I know.. horrors!).. but of late I have found some of the best pet fabrics to make into Good Dog! Leash Caddy's for some of the favorite pets in my life. Such a quick gift and so appreciated by those who need to walk their dogs in public! And ~how~ cute is this fabric!.... it's by Timeless Treasures but does not seem to be a current offering. But good news they have many other adorable dog fabrics that would be perfect for your own Good Dog!

I have a whole other group of these bags getting ready to go over to the local pet boutique.. they are selling well for pet-lover stocking stuffers!

Lovies being born every day!

I never fail to be amazed at how fabric effects the way the Lovies look. From sassy to totally sweet the fabric is the key. These Lovie sisters and their babies come in firmly in the sweet category. These were a custom order* and I could not have had a better time making them. They are unstuffed and waiting to go to their new home where they will be sewn up with love and grace and given to a couple of darling girls.

Each mama doll takes just a bit more than 10x10 piece of fabric or 1 layer of a quilting layer cake and the babies can be turned out by the handful from lots of scraps of different fabrics. You can find all the Lovies here ... and if you need one just for the holidays remember that the Christmas Eve Lovie and her babies are on sale now through the end of the month.

* If you are interested in a custom order please feel free to contact me. The above order was made from a favorite dress that had been outgrown by the little girls. Custom orders begin at $50 for a mother /baby pair.

And if you have read down this far... thank you! and for being so sweet you will be first with the scoop!.. Next week we will be having a Holiday/new collection celebration giveaway here at Fresh thread and I want you to not miss out. SO check back over the weekend as I get things set up.. anybody in love with Cath Kidston design will want to be here! :-)

Handmade Holiday Goodness

Like many I am doing my best to take back the winter holidays from that of the crass and commercial and make it something more simple and lovely. Perhaps A bit less showy and hopefully a bit less stressful. So in that spirit I have once again taken the Handmade Holiday Pledge. I pledge to make our buy all handmade gifts for the holidays and request that others do the same for me. I know that many others have made the same pledge and for all of us I have created two sheets of printable gift tags that proclaim to the world that you have indeed taken the the Handmade Holiday Pledge and that your gift is part of the movement.

The tag is available in the featured retro blue/green color combination and in a fetching lavender and green. They are yours for the taking. Do remember for these to look their best print them on light weight card stock and use your the photo printing feature on your printer for the best results. The tags print 6 to a sheet and then all you have to do it cut them out and punch a whole for a bit of twine to use as a tie-on.

Please also notice that the general theme of the tags is Winter so they can be used for many different holidays since I did not want to leave anyone out!

So much more than a towel

Anyone with an embroidery machine knows that towels are a simple go to gift... but honestly... after a time there is only so far you can go with putting an embroidery on a towel and saying that it's the best you can do. So why not kick it up a notch with this tutorial from Make it Do

All it takes is some deco-fabric and some jumbo rick-rack and you have something very special indeed!

Little Elf take 2!

Just back from a quick trip to the North Pole... Little elf comes back in PES version 6 for those who need it! :)

Sew Much Cuteness

Sew how do you like this?? I like it SEW very much I can't even begin to put words to it. The pattern is now mine and it can be yours too if you just pop over to to visit SEWLOLA

The pattern is a very reasonable $8 and the instructions are crisp and clear. I am thinking of using some patent leather vinyl in black for the shoe part.. how cute will that be???? For a very cool twist how about some Ed Hardy goth-ish fabric for the leg part??? Or... skin toned fabric and an embroidered ankle tatoo!! Oh the possibilities!!! Of course you could do it exactly like this and be happy forever.. don't you think?

A Little Something Extra

Ever need a little gift... a trifle.. just a little something to show your thanks or to round out some other gift giving? Well this Little Elf Tie-On Charm might just be the answer. Created for my daughter who keeps losing her USB stick in the bottom of her back pack, this handy little fellow is fun to have around and makes a sweet little something to give as a gift. In fact...he is my gift to you this holiday season!

Use it as a USB charm, or tie it on the zipper of a hoodie. Tie it onto a holiday package or just hang it on the the tree, this little guy is ready to do it all! If you want to sell these or use them as gifts I have included a printable PDF card file as pictured above. And of course instructions are available.. click here~

Have fun with this design and thank you for stopping by!

p.s. is it just me.... or does the camera angle in the bottom shot make the elf look a bit like Jay Leno???

Christmas Eve Lovie

Can you imagine the look in the eyes of your favorite little girl as she opens up this special Christmas Eve package? Lovie and her babies are all decked out and ready for the holidays. With a sprig of holly in her hair Lovie is ready to attend any holiday function the little girls in your life might be attending.

Perfect as a quiet toy to keep little ones amused during a long holiday church services or as a special Christmas Eve gift to help that long night pass a little quicker. Think about doing Lovie and her babies in fabrics to match that special Christmas dress or make her totally sparkle with some of this years great fabrics that are shot through with gold and silver threads! I am doing Lovie and her babies in the same fabric that I am making Christmas Pj's out of for some special little girls in my life! and I suspect she would be just charming done in velvet or very hip in deep purple suede for the teen in your life. ( hint- if you do Lovie for a teen .. pop an I-Tunes card into the baby pocket!.. it will be sure to be just what they wanted!)

Christmas Eve Lovie is at her first week introductory price for the next seven days.. after that she goes up to full price. You can find her here at my Big Cartel store.

Fresh Thoughts Thursday

Looking for a new way to merchandise embroidered socks? Try making Sushi with them! Yes.. Sushi.. Catch the wave of all things Japanese and roll your socks up into little bundles that look just like Sushi. Right now Japanese motifs and cultural icons are very hot with the teen set.. so roll up some socks and wrap them topped off with some inexpensive wooden chopsticks! This elevates what could just be " a pair of socks" into a really cute and worthy gift!

Here I have used some wool felt to wrap up these wonderful cashmere socks that I monogramed. A yummy gift indeed!

Totally simple

Need something very simple and yet also very classy? Use the Cocktails at 7 coaster template ( included with each collection) and insert a monogram of your choice. For this one I used a loose weave linen and a deep eggplant colored thread for a very sophisticated look... great for men to don't like anything to "girly".

Sew hectic!

I feel the frantic stampede of the holidays right behind me but did carve out a bit of time to do a little sewing for myself! I am really trying to get to know my new sewing machine and the only real way to do that is to get in their and mess around! So first project was a cover for my new baby. Nothing fancy but I do admit I toyed with the idea of a fully fitted cover.. but since I am trying to get projects done and not get lost in obsessive details I decided on a elastic drawstring end for the embroidery unit and a fitted end for the thread cage end. All and all it all went well and fits my baby just right and meets the need of keeping my kitties out from under the cover where they oh-so love to hide!


For the next project please forgive the wreck that is my studio.. we have just torn out the flooring ( new flooring soon as I can pick it) and are putting in new french doors and curtains... the place looks like it has just been ransacked by sewing pixies! and the photo.. well lets just say that after 5 photography is not in my talents!... but here it is... my second project on my new machine was a 3/4 length wool cape with velvet lined hood. The wool called my name one day while at the fabric store... it's coco colored with deep chocolate roses.. perfect for going out at night! I monogramed the inside of the hood and am now working on a purse to go with it!

In other "Fresh' news... oh boy people!.. I never knew that there was such a need for in-the-hoop coasters.. but I guess with the current Mad-Men style trend something retro like Cocktails at 7 is the perfect gift for a bunch of people on everybody's list!.. I am filling orders as fast as I can and I think everyone will be happy to know that my new website with instant download will be ready pretty soon!.. I know I sure will! So.. all that to say.. please be patient.. I am sending as fast as I can :)

Please Join Me for .. Cocktails at 7

Can you believe it, the holiday season is already here! I just received my first holiday party invitation of the year and that means it's time to get sewing on hostess gifts! But this year I am ready! Cocktails at 7 is the first installment in the Charmed I'm Sure, In the Hoop Coaster Collection and it's my go-to gift for the adults on my holiday lists!

With two great sizes these coasters are do-able by anybody with an embroidery machine. The Grande-size is a bit under 5x5 and makes a full sized impression with 4 iconic cocktail images quilted into the front of the coaster. The Demi-size is included for you folks who often get left behind! Sized for the 4x4 hoop these demi-coasters will be sure to steal your heart while leaving your wallet firmly in place! Using the same iconic cocktail designs as their full sized version quilting is scaled just right for these petite coasters.

Both sets are easy to run and do not require any color changes making them fast! Requiring only 2 - 5x5 fabric charms ( or bolt fabric cut to the same dimension) and 1 5x5 square of thin needle punched batting these are very economical to make at less than 50 cents a coaster! The large size stitches start to finish in about four minutes and the demi size stitches in three!

Finishing them does not take but a blink of an eye. For those who enjoy hand sewing a simple whip stitch does the job. Those "allergic" to handwork will be thrilled to know that a small dab of fabric glue will also do the job.

As always with all Fresh Thread designs we include printable gift tag files for your creations. Created in a To./ From. format these are tags that will work for both personal gift giving and for use as a product hang tag for those who will want to make the coasters for craft fair sales. Of course full instructions are included!

Sew out all four designs for a wonderful hostess gift, or do all you need in one quilted motif for your next wine club dinner or for this holiday's newest trend.. the Martini Party! All 4 designs are included in both sizes as well as a blank coaster template that will take you as far as your imagination can carry you! Hint: How about a monogram letter for a new married couple! The options are endless! You can find this collection at my Big Cartel shop... just click here!

The collection begins shipping via- email on Saturday N0vember 7th. First week introductory pricing is just $10.00!

Showing off my drawers

Did you ever guess that I am the sort that would flash her "drawers" in public?.. well I guess I am ;-) In a fit of organization I am making my way through my studio organizing it bit by bit. All the drawers are getting cleaned out and before I restock them they are each getting a nifty new drawer liner as inspiration to keep things a bit more tidy! I am using my rather mammoth collection of scrap booking paper for the job. While just a little thing.. I can't tell you how much it tickles me to open the drawers and still be surprised by the sweet or sassy print inside each one. They are all done in a different paper so it's quite fun!

What are YOU doing to make your sewing or crafting space more organized or fun to use?

Holiday Hoop-La

Well.. it's started... it's the week after Halloween and that is when I kick it up into full gear for the coming holidays. So much to do.. but also a desperate desire to make it an enjoyable time with family and friends. To that end, simple gifts are high on my embroidery list.

A quick stop in the Target Hot-Spot netted some great gifting potential! For $1 each, fingerless gloves in sizes for the young.. the fingerless style makes these super easy to embroider and to make it even easier get yourself one of Cookie's Sock Easy Embroidery Helpers I can't say enough about this item, it's not just for socks!.. and with the fingerless style of these gloves.. you can embroider in areas that were not even possible before!

In the bottom of that pile is a pot holder and mitt set.. also from the Target Hot-Spot. Ready for a monogram and perfect for a quick hostess gift!

Check back in very soon for a custom made pillow box design just perfect for little gloves and mittens of all sorts!

A bit of Halloween Help

Well you can tell it's the 48 hours count down to Halloween here at the Fresh Thread Manor!.. Treats are being made and the finishing touches are being put on costumes for not one but two parties this year! For both parties we are taking pumpkin spice cupcakes with cream cheese icing.. and although totally delish they needed a bit more seasonal sparkle.. so I created this graphic from a vintage card in my collection and a new file to make a whole batch of cupcake charms and I am sharing them with you!

What!.. you don't know what a Cupcake Charm is?... ~ falls over in a dead faint~ My dears.. it's one of the cutest vintage ways to make your cupcakes the hit of the party. Just print off the PDF File I have created for you!.. and then cut out the image ( keeping both circles together and the bridge..like a big figure 8).. then fold it in half and secure a toothpick inside( between the layers). using a bit of glue or double stick tape. Now poke it into the top of a yummy cupcake or on the appetizer platter of your adult Halloween party! Easy huh? P.s. use card stock and your best print setting!


So now you are ready with you food.. but are you heading off to the party without a hostess gift? ~ for shame~.. Do something quick and easy.. Make a small batch of Halloween Chapflaps.. all you need to have on hand is a bit of felt of spooky fabric.. it's very easy and the pattern will be retired come the strike of midnight on the 31st so get yours now!

The Boo-Lovie bandit will also be gone as of the 31st, so if you want her you had better get her now! :)