Moravian Pillows

 Following along with the Moravian theme, I have also made pillows for the Salemtowne Gift Shop.  Last year, one of the owners of Sewingly Yours, Teresa Conrad, did a Lovefeast drawing.  It was sent out to Spoonflower and made into fabric.  We made kits with these and sold them last year as a wall hanging.   We had a few of the panels left over and I made pillows. They were sew much fun!!  

Until next time, Happy Sewing!  

Moravian Mug Rugs and being Moravian

 I was not born Moravian but my family joined Unity Moravian in Lewisville when my daughter was 3.  (about 37 years ago.)  We embraced the Moravian traditions particularly the Lovefeasts.  My husband and I were Head Dieners for over 25 years.  (Dieners are the ones that serve the Lovefeasts.)

I also worked at Salemtowne for over 20 years.  We followed the Moravian traditions and it felt like home to me.  When I first started, I still remember my first Christmas there.  I started working on December 26th so the facility was still decorated for Christmas and, wow, did they decorate for Christmas. 

Since I had worked at Blumenthal Jewish Home for over 10 years, I was used to having NO red and green colors at Christmas nor any Christmas music, Christmas clothing, Christmas trees - anything Christmas.  It was like being in heaven! (We had a lot of blue and silver which was for Hanukkah.)

I remember sitting in my office during my first week and suddenly hearing Christmas carols being played on a piano.  I followed the sound and found one of the residents playing the piano in the living room.  What a wonderful inspiring sound after having 10 years of non-Christmas!  

I am now working on some Moravian items to sell in the gift shop at Salemtowne.  Here are a few pictures.  These are made mainly in the hoop.  I used a Kimberbell mug rug pattern and then added the Star or the Lovefeast embroidery.  I use the projector on my Solaris for exact placement.  I love the way that they turned out. I will take custom orders if anyone is interested.  

Until next time, Happy Sewing!

Gorgeous colors for a quilt!

 One of the perks of working at Sewingly Yours is the evening sunset looking out of the front door.  One night last week, I took these pictures.  Wouldn't these colors make a beautiful quilt???

Mind your P's and Q's!!

 I have sewing machines and a Coronet.  The bobbins have to be inserted in different ways on each machine.  I have tried to remember many different ways but the easiest is to mind my P's and Q's. 

If I am loading the bobbin into the sewing machine, the thread comes off the LEFT side of the bobbin looking like a P.  

If I am loading the Coronet bobbin into the bobbin case, the thread comes off the RIGHT side of the bobbin looking like a lower case q.   

The sewing machine bobbin is on the left below and the Coronet bobbin is on the right.  

Until next time, Happy Sewing!

Solaris 2 update

 A new update for the Solaris 2 came out on Nov. 25th.  There is a little problem with downloading over wireless. It does not download at all.  It WILL work if you save it to a USB and load it that way.  

It fixes some scanning issues in IQ Designer and some other assorted things.  Download the instructions and all of the fixes will be listed.  

Until next time, Happy Sewing!  

Another finished project!

On my big TO DO list is to try to complete my stack of unfinished projects.  These are things that I have started over the years and have put in a box waiting for the right time to get back to them. 

I just finished a large tote bag that morphed from placemats to a tote.  They were started at a guild class over 6 or more years ago where the class was taught the Betty Cotton way to quilt.  She was one of the first people that I knew that did quilting at the same time on both sides. She also used a 1 inch border to join each section. 

Her technique was where I learned to use the "wobble" stitch. Also called the stem stitch.  It is used instead of a straight stitch when joining two sections.   Her theory was that if you did not stitch exactly in the ditch, then the "wobble" was not as obvious.  I still use this stitch when stitching in the ditch. 

On my Solaris, it is stitch # 1-06.  Here is a picture of it.  Top left . 

Here are a few links if you are curious about the Betty Cotton Theory. 

Sewing with Nancy Video #1                   Sewing with Nancy Video #2

Betty Cotton Book

My project for the class started out as placemats. I decided that I would never use them as placemats so I made a tote bag.  It is large and will hold almost anything.  

 Another finished project!!  

Until next time, Happy Sewing! 

Baby Lock Embroidery Machines and Sizing Embroidery Files

 I work at Sewingly Yours part-time and we get lots of questions about sewing, machines, etc during the day.  I want to start posting some of the questions that we get on my blog.  Hopefully, they will be helpful to others. 

This video is about resizing an embroidery file on a Baby Lock embroidery machine.  

When you go into Edit then Size, you will see 2 icons.  

The one on the left will increase up to 200% and decrease down to 60% WITHOUT stitch recalculation. The density will change based on the size. Less density when increasing and more density when decreasing.   

The one on the right will increase and decrease by a larger amount based on the design and hoop sizes but WITH stitch recalculation.  It will keep the density of the original design.  

I have recorded a short video explaining the difference between the icons.  

Feel free to send any questions or comments to my email at jpsowers17@gmail.com.  

Until next time, Happy Sewing!!

Duck Bill Scissors and applique

 If you do applique with embroidery and do not have a pair of duckbill scissors, you need to purchase some.   These can be found at Sewingly Yours.

It makes it so much easier to trim the fabric closer to the stitching without cutting the stitches or the fabric in the wrong place.  They work either direction but I like to put the duckbill on the underside of the fabric.  The smaller section is on top nearest the stitches.  See the picture below. 

I also make beaded jewelry that can be used on scissors or as a zipper pull.  I have some that I put a guardian angel on to keep you safe.  They are sparkly and just make me smile when I use them.  Would make a great gift.  Selling for $1 each. Send an email to jpsowers17@gmail.com and we will work out payment and pickup.  

Until next time, Happy Sewing!  

Latest Kimberbell Christmas Designs

 Here are some of the latest Kimberbell designs that I have been working on for Sewingly Yours.  

Christmas stockings come in 4 sizes.  This is the largest size and the smallest size.  

Here are the newest felt animals.    I did the fox and the bear but there are a total of 6 and include an owl, a bird a rabbit and a walrus.  There are 2 sizes.  One for the 4x4 hoop and one for the 5x7 hoop.  

Contact Sewingly Yours for purchase!  

Until next time, Happy Sewing!

Here is my Deb Canham bag all finished!  I am working on another one and will post it when finished.  

First Facebook Live class that I have taken.  Enjoyed it and was able to work on other projects during the down time.  Also had enough time to catch up if something went wrong and I had to redo something.  With this current Covid situation, we are going to have to get used to doing this.  

Until next time, Happy Sewing!!