Tag: machine embroidery

I’ve got a pair of Mark Twains, can you beat that?

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I feel like I am playing that old card game Authors.

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It’s still February, right?  So this is my second Mark Twain this year.  So far.

I didn’t exactly set a goal for sewing that included multiple American humorists.  Funny how things work out.  But I’ve always had a soft spot for Mark Twain since we share a hometown, Hannibal, MO.  (Say hi to my mom if you’re in Hannibal.)  I posted a picture of my Twainy quilt in January.

Mark Twain's head hovering in space

The quilt is heading off next month to the amazing Deonn for her quilty touch.

Just before my Destiny headed to the spa, I had an idea.  I started an embroidery project that I hope to make into a fun and very personal quilt.  I don’t want to share the project until I feel that it is properly cooked.  Suffice it to say that Mark Twain will be in the quilt.

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And maybe some stars.

So we have a mystery brewing here.  Mark Twain, stars, a gopher…

Guess who’s back, back again. Destiny’s back, tell a friend!

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First, apologies to Eminem for hijacking your lyrics.  But I’m so excited, and I just can’t hide it.  I got my machine back from the spa yesterday.  We had some bonding time.  Thank you for respecting our privacy.

Bigger, better, faster, stronger. And monogrammed with a giant C.

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When last we spoke, I was contemplating the shortcoming of my gorgeous Dawn to Dusk backpack.  Just one shortcoming.  It wasn’t big enough for my laptop.

I spent the weekend drafting a larger version.  Lots of pieces to this baby, and most of them needed to be resized.  I added to all three dimensions; length, width, and height.

One of the hardest things about making a new version is the fabric choice.  I have to admit, I am in love with that Philip Jacobs Japanese Chrysanthemum fabric I used for the first one.  The good news is that I scored a gorgeous Amy Butler fabric at one of my local enablers.

I seem to spend lots of my time lately disproving my own operational tactics.  I really don’t like to make the same thing twice.  But here I go again.

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I decided it needed something.  Like a gigantic monogram.  Lucky me, my first and last names start with the same letter.  Then I went to the Urban Threads website.  They have the coolest, most unusual embroidery designs I have found.  And they are having a sale right now on alphabets!  So I bought a massive letter.

I did not want the monogram to be glaringly obvious, which is kinda counterintuitive when you are adding a humongous letter to your project.  I picked brighter versions of the colors that are in the fabric, so that it could be seen but would not overwhelm the gorgeous textile.

BTW, I also had to watch the Superbowl this weekend.  Well, at least the ads and the halftime show.  Katy Perry was awesome, especially riding in on the giant metal tiger.  With guys in black bodysuits moving the legs.  Of the tiger, not Katy Perry.  And the little lost Budweiser dog…let’s just say, tears were shed.

Now go make something pretty!

See if you can guess which of the Seven Dwarfs I am thinking about.

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Nothing screams out “what a classy joint!” like a covered tissue box.

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I think this is hilarious.  Valentine themed kleenex cover.  You know this is right up my alley.  I swear I am going to make a different theme for every season and holiday.

This random, and admittedly odd, obsession started in December when I went to an Anita Goodesign embroidery workshop.  One of the projects on the disk we got was a snowman.  A snowman tissue cover.  I knew it must be mine.

Then I longed for options.  I can’t possibly keep my tissues covered with a snowman year ’round!  As if the cosmos were answering, Anita Goodesign came out with a disk of seasonal kleenex covers.  Not kidding.  Err mer gawsh.  I hope you’re wearing your patient pants, because you don’t get to see the next one until after Valentine’s Day.

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While this little gem was merrily stitching away on my Destiny, I was multi-tasking.  I started cutting out and glue-basting the last round for my first rosette in the New Hexagon Millefiore Quilt-Along.  Katja, you little minx, are you excited to see what came out of my collection?

So remember, my crafty friends, if you are looking for a well dressed kleenex…I am your go-to gal.

Should you wear an embroidered shirt if you’re under 80?

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I knew there had to be a way.

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Not your grandmother’s shirt, is it?  I found this awesome design on http://www.urbanthreads.com  Urban Threads has the coolest embroidery designs I’ve found on the web.  I am obsessed, and I’m even going to shove my wares onto my daughter and my niece.  Heh heh heh, they’re not expecting this, so don’t tell them.

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Obviously I need some practice on my selfie-taking.  And I should probably clean that mirror.  But my mom will be proud, because at least I put on lipstick before I took the picture.

BIG shout out to my new machine, a Babylock Destiny.  I’m in love, and I don’t care who knows it.  Some day I might get bored watching it do it’s magic.  But I’m guessing that will be in the distant future.

Stay crafty, my friends.

Say my name. And a sneaky preview.

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Boats get names.  Fighter planes get names.  Children, pets, body parts get names.  In some places, houses get names.

It’s a lot of responsibility naming things.  And I love it.  My dad got a fishing boat years ago, and I wanted to name it Chicken of the Sea.  When we moved to Hawaii, I was tickled because they name their houses here.  In Hawaiian.  I consider that a challenge.

We were inspired by our 20 pound baby panther.  And an ornery feral cat that adopted us (we named her Monique, after a flamboyantly sassy former friend of Miss O.)  With the help of an adorable twelve-year-old girl, a student at a Hawaiian speaking school, we came up with a name for our house:  ka hale o na popoki makani.  The house of the windy cats.  This is why I like naming things.

Now we get to bring this into the crafty world.  Fire up the Destiny, time to personalize some golf shirts for the Mr.

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Do you think any of the fancy golfing guys will know that he his wearing a shirt with a shout out to farting cats?

While we’re on the topic of names, one of my friends unintentionally came up with a good one.  He commented on Facebook about a picture of my travel bag, “looks like repressed fantasies.”  OMG, may I present the Repressed Fantasies Travel Bag.

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I know you’ve already seen it, I just wanted to put it out there with it’s new name.

I’ve started a new project, inspired by the great reactions I got to the Repressed Fantasies Travel Bag.  Here’s a little sneaky peeky.

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Charley Harper and cardinals.

Stay crafty, my friends.