Clarrisa’s Corner: Go Bold with 12 WT Thread!!
Join Clarrisa Gossett, Floriani Educator, in this week’s Clarrisa’s Corner as she walks us through the magnificent effects 12 wt thread can have on our sewing, serging, and embroidery projects!
Tabletop Trivet
Tabletop Trivet
Updated: Jun 8
Hi, I’m Susan from Sewfeet.com and in today’s post, I want to share a sewing project that is useful for family get-togethers, buffet dinners, and holiday parties. A tabletop trivet is actually a narrow quilted table runner but in addition to batting, it has an insulation barrier that is heat resistant. Place this quilted strip of fabric down the center of your table to protect the surface from hot or cold dishes. This simple project is quick to sew, and you can easily make one for each holiday or season. Since Spring is just around the corner, I chose fabrics with pretty flowers and springtime colors. The finished size of my trivet is 8” x 28” but it can be any size to suit your table. Just adjust the width and length of the rectangles listed below.
Supplies
Two rectangles of quilting cotton fabric, 9” x 29” each
One rectangle of RNK Hot N Cold Barrier Fleece, 9” x 29”
One rectangle of low-loft batting, 9” x 29”
Floriani 40 wt. embroidery thread for quilting and construction
2 ¼” yards of double fold bias tape in a coordinating color
Presser Feet
Walking Foot – This foot walks across the surface of your quilt layers, keeping the layers from shifting as you stitch.
Overlock Foot – Overcasts the edges of the trivet to make attaching the binding easier.
Open Embroidery Foot – Great visibility when attaching binding – you can exactly where you are stitching.
Fabric Preparation
Make a 4-layer quilt sandwich with the fabrics right side out and the batting and barrier fleece between them. RNK Hot N Cold Barrier Fleece is made of polyester and mylar and is a heat resistant insulation barrier that protects your table from hot dishes. You can also use it for lunch bags, curling Iron cases, and casserole carriers. Note: RNK Hot N Cold Barrier Fleece is heat resistant, not heat-or fire-proof. Adding a layer of cotton batting provides a bit more protection from the heat.
Free Fuse
I used Free Fuse to hold the layers together. Free Fuse is a Quilters Select product that is a powder that you shake onto the layers of the quilt sandwich and then, use the iron to melt the powder, fusing the layers together. Use parchment paper or an appliqué pressing sheet for fusing.
Stacking the Layers
This is such as easy way to fuse. I fused one layer at a time. I stacked the fabrics, batting, and barrier fleece as shown in the photo. First the backing and then the cotton batting. Next came the barrier fleece, and lastly the outer trivet fabric.
Fusing the Layers
After I stacked the layers, I started with the backing side up. I folded half of the backing fabric back to expose the cotton batting. I sprinkled Free Fuse over the surface of the batting. Unfold the backing and smooth it in place. Lay an appliqué pressing sheet or parchment paper over the fabric and press, holding the iron in place for 4-5 seconds. Once you have fused the area that you sprinkled, do the same thing for the other end of the backing. Repeat this process until all four layers are fused together.
Sprinkle Free Fuse powder on the batting.
Press for 4-5 Seconds to fuse the two layers together.
Quilting
Quilt the layers together with your choice of quilting style. I did an easy style of quilting that I call Criss Cross quilting. You start at one edge anywhere on the fabric and sew a line of straight stitching in any direction and any angle. Stitch to the opposite edge, then pivot and repeat. Continue stitching this way until you have a series of crisscrossed lines on the trivet. You decide when you have enough stitching, and then you trim the quilted fabric to 8″x 28”. The barrier fleece gives great definition as you quilt, and it has a nice hefty feel to the finished quilted piece.
Rounding the Corners
Using a cup or bowl, mark a curve at each corner. Trim the corners to eliminate the sharp corners, leaving them rounded.
Preparation for Binding
Because of the thickness of the batting and barrier fleece. It is best to seal (with stitches) the edges of the trivet before adding the binding. It compresses the edge and makes it easier to wrap the binding around the trivet for stitching. I do this with an overlock stitch and an overlock foot that holds the edge flat as you stitch. An alternative to this is to use an all-purpose foot with a zigzag stitch.
Attaching the Binding
Attach the open embroidery foot to the machine. Starting anywhere on the trivet, place the edge of the trivet into the fold of the binding and use pins or clips to hold it in place. Position the inner edge of the binding along the inside toe of the embroidery foot. Select a running or serpentine stitch and sew on the binding, keeping the edge aligned with the foot. Use a stiletto to help keep the binding in place for stitching.
A stiletto is also useful when binding the curved corners, keeping the bias tape flat, letting you ease the tape around the curve as you stitch.
Thanks for letting me share this simple project with you. If you want to learn more about presser feet and how you can use them, visit me at Sewfeet.com.
Cork Mug Rug
Cork Mug Rug
I have been sewing a lot with cork lately and have a few leftover pieces so I’m looking for small projects that I can do to use them. Hi, I’m Susan from Sewfeet and in this post, I have a quick project for you using some of my cork leftovers. Because cork is stain- and water-resistant, it’s a good choice for coasters and mug rugs so keep reading to see how I made a mug rug in 15 minutes!
Supplies
Wool felt, 9” x 7”
Wool felt ¾” wide strips, two, 9” long and two, 5 ½” long
Thread in a color that matches the wool felt
Quilters Select Sewing Clips (to use instead of pins). Do not use pins as they leave holes in the cork.
Cork fabric, 9” x 7” – I’m using cork from RNK Distributing. They have several prints from which to choose, and this flower garden is one of my favorites. RNK Distributing sells wholesale only to their retail dealers so CLICK HERE to see who sells their products in your area.
Border Pieces
Align the 9” strips along the upper and lower edges of the cork, using clips to hold them in place. Stitch along the inside edge of each one.
Repeat with the 5 ½” strips on the sides. Place the cork piece on top of the wool felt rectangle and clip them together. Note: You can use glue stick on the back of the cork to hold it flat against the wool felt if desired. If needed, trim the edges slightly to “square up” the mug rug. Edgestitch along all four outer edges of the borders.
More Cork Fun!
CLICK HERE to see more information about sewing with cork and HERE to find instructions for making a decorative pillow using cork fabric.
Clarrisa’s Corner March 30
Clarrisa’s Corner March 30
Updated: Jun 8
Join Clarrisa Gossett as she walks you through creating continuous embroidery. You’ll learn how to set positioning in Floriani Total Control as well as how to reposition your hooping without disrupting your design motif.
Download files below:
Creating Art With Your Sewing Machine
Creating Art With Your Sewing Machine
Updated: Jun 8
Hi, I’m Susan from Sewfeet.com and if you’ve been looking for something new to sew, I have something easy and fun to show you! I love to make mini art quilts using mixed media sewing techniques. I just finished one that features a new (to me) art technique, and I loved the way it turned out. This post is about a painting technique using fabric paints and Appli-Stick Fusible Web. The finished size of this piece is 8” x8”.My mini art quilts are usually a bit larger, from 9” x 12” up to 20” x 20”. This one is smaller because it started as a practice piece, but I liked it so much I decided to share it with you! I’m calling it Springtime Sparkles so let’s get started.
Supplies
Muslin square for the base fabric, 10” x 10”
Embellish Premium Fusible Batting, 10” x 10”
Backing Fabric, 9” x9”–I used a silk dupioni fabric for this
Four binding strips, 1 ¼” x 10”–I used the same silk dupioni as the backing
Appli-Stick paper-backed fusible web, 10” x10”
Fabric or acrylic paints–4 colors of your choice–I used Dye-na-Flow Fabric Paints
Paintbrush(es)–I used foam brushes,1 for each color–a regular paintbrush also works
Floriani 40-wt Embroidery Thread– one color that coordinates with the paint colors
Microtex Needle, size 80/12 or 90/14
3-4 colors of heavy decorative threads–I used Wonder-Fil Dazzle in colors similar to the paint colors
Non-Stick Presser Foot
Braiding Foot for couching
3-5 paper or fabric flowers with a small button for the center of each one
8 ½” x 11sheet of cardstock
Optional: Design stamp of choice with black ink plus 2-4 colors
Painting the Fusible Web
Prepare your painting surface by covering it with aluminum foil or parchment paper. This will protect your table as you paint. Place the Appli-Stick with the paper side down as you will be painting on the fusible side. Pour a small amount of each of your chosen colors onto a paper plate. The paints should be fairly thin, so adda small amount of water if needed to each color and stir each one stir to mix. Start with one color and paint the web as desired. Add the other colors as desired until the web is completely painted. Set it aside to let it dry. As it dries, you will start to see a glittering sheen across the web (hence, the name, Springtime Sparkles). Important Tip: It may be tempting to use the iron to help dry the paint, but don’t forget that you are painting on fusible web, which will melt with the heat.
Stamped Designs
When the painted fusible web is dry, add a layer of stamped designs if desired. Make sure the paint is dry or the ink will smear. I know this because I added some designs before the web was completely dry. The designs lost most of their definition, but they still create some visible texture. It just doesn’t have the graphic look I was going for.
Stitching the Fusible Web
Once the painted fusible web (and the ink if you stamped) is completely dry, it’s time to add stitching and embellishments. I like to do most, if not all of my stitching before I add the backing, so the back has a clean look. Insert a Microtex needle into your sewing machine and thread the machine with the embroidery thread. Fuse the batting to the wrong side of the muslin following the manufacturers instruction. Peel the paper from the painted Appli-Stick to expose the adhesive side. Smooth the painted web onto the muslin. Stitch lines of decorative stitches as desired. Sew open stitches (no satin stitches) using a non-stick presser foot. I stitched vertical lines, spacing and curving them as desired. Below is a photo of the back of the quilt batting so you can see the stitches better.
Adding Couched Threads
Change to a braiding foot. Thread a heavy decorative metallic thread into the hole of the presser foot. These beautiful threads add even more sparkle to the mini quilt. Set the machine for a narrow zigzag stitch (Width =2.5 mm; Length = 3 mm). Stitch lines of couched thread over the surface of the painted web as desired.
Embellishments
Arrange the flowers as desired and stitch a button in the center of each one to secure them. Download the color quote below. Print the quote on white cardstock. Cut it out-I used a decorative rotary cutter. Add a little color to the cardstock by lightly swiping colored ink pads across the surface of the card and along the edges. Attach the card to the front of the quilt by straight stitching across each of the four corners. Trim the embellished quilt top to be 8” x 8”.
Finishing
Trim the backing fabric to match the quilt top. Place the backing fabric wrong sides together with the top and pin or clip the edges. On a piece this small, you can stitch along all four edges to keep the layers together. Or, if you want a quilted look on the back, stitch from the front of the quilt and sew a few lines of straight stitching across the quilt to secure the layers together. Don’t forget that you have embellishments on the front that you will need to stitch around. I used a serpentine stitch, but a simple straight stitch will work. These additional stitches will blend into the front of the quilt and become part of the overall design.
Fringed Binding
Bind each edge of the quilt individually, starting with one of the side edges. Place the strip on the back of the quilt right sides together with raw edges even. Stitch it to the edge using a ¼” seam. Wrap the strip to the front and clip or pin it in place. Note: The raw edge does not fold under as it will be fringed. Stitch about 1/8”from the edge to secure the binding. Fringe the raw edges of the binding. Repeat this with the remaining threads. Note: The fabric I used was woven with two colors of thread so when I fringed the raw edge, it showed a contrasting color.
More Mixed Media Sewing
If you like this project,I have a FREE gift for you. Use your sewing skills to make unique works of art that only you can create. This mini course answers the question, “What is Mixed Media Sewing?” showing you ways to combine your sewing skills with art and scrapbooking techniques to create unique pieces of art. CLICK HERE to enroll in this FREE class.
A Place for Everything
A Place for Everything
Updated: Jun 8
And everything in its place. Hi, I’m Susan from Sewfeet.com and today’s post is all about sewing room organization. I am in the process of designing a new sewing space, so I’ve been researching and shopping for months now. The goal is to make my space as functional, efficient, and beautiful as possible. In other words, I want it to be my dream studio.
Thread Organization
One of the first things I worked on was how to organize and store my thread. I’ve tried several ways over the years-thread boxes, drawers, and thread racks.
What I have used the most are thread racks. I like being able to see my threads and quickly select them when I need to. In my former space, I had a total of 10 racks to accommodate my threads and they were useful and functional. But I’ve never liked the way they looked. They seemed bulky and messy. Here’s a photo of my thread racks from my previous sewing space.
New Thread Organization
So, I went online and after a lot of surfing, I landed at RNK Distributing. Not only did I find a thread rack that I love but I also picked up a few more organizational pieces that I’m showing you in this post. But first, the thread racks. These wooden racks are a light color and have a very clean look. I think the frame offers a boundary, minimizing the messy look, giving a sleek look to the racks. They are easy to hang on the wall-only 2 screws, which are included. Each rack is 22” x 22” and holds 60 spools. I now have four racks that hold my 40-wt. polyester embroidery thread plus my 12-wt. polyester thread and all of my serger thread. You can go to THIS SITE to read about the RNK products (and watch videos), but RNK Distributing sells wholesale only to their retail dealers so CLICK HERE to see who sells their products in your area.
Thread Box
I have other types of specialty thread and on this same website I came across some thread boxes that are a great option for storing my specialty threads. I’ve had thread boxes before but found it inconvenient to have to go into the boxes to get thread. Here’s why I
think these will be different. First, they are compact and look good on my countertop. Others I have tried were larger and I never seemed to have a good place to store them. The drawers come as a two-drawer set, holding 15 spools in each drawer for a total of 30 spools. Another thing I like about them is that they are pull-out drawers, so the thread is easy to access. And there is a “lock” to keep them from accidentally opening. To “unlock” the drawer just squeeze the tab on the front as you open it.
Even though I have these drawers to hold thread, I appreciate that the thread spindles can easily be removed. Just one piece to lift out of the drawer so it can be used to hold other tools and notions instead of thread. The spindle piece can be placed in a cabinet or table drawer to store your thread. You can also purchase plastic separators that divide a drawer into 3 sections to keep notions and tools organized.
Ruler Rack
I have a new accessory that I keep on my cutting table, and it is incredibly useful. It’s a wooden ruler rack that matches my thread racks. I have about 6 of my smaller rulers in it and it will hold 6-8 more depending on the sizes. It is so handy to have these racks on my table where the rulers are easy to find as I’m cutting. There’s also a version that has wider grooves to hold ruler work rulers. I don’t have one of those yet, but it’s on my wish list!
Two big pluses to these racks are the trays they have–one in front where I keep my rotary cutter. The other tray is in the back, and I use it to hold extra blades and my handles for my rulers.
Stabilizer Racks
One last organization tool I gave up a long time ago looking for a way to keep my embroidery stabilizers arranged and organized in a way that make them easy to find and use. I usually stacked them on a shelf or crammed them into a too-small drawer. The thing I struggled with most was telling them apart. Most of them are white rolls of similar material and if I forgot to tuck the outer wrapper into the tube, it was often a guessing game to identify them. But this ingenious stabilizer rack not only helps me organize the rolls but there is a way of labeling them. The rack has two separate pieces made from the same wood as the thread and ruler racks (I love it when things match!). The two pieces of the rack are screwed into the wall about 7” apart. There are 5 “shelves” with curved indentations that hold the rolls, and you can store a total of 15 rolls on this rack.
Now, about those labels. You can purchase end caps separately from the rack for the stabilizer rolls and then download labels from RNK at no extra charge. You print the labels using Avery 6450 labels and add those to the end caps. Love it–no more confusion!
These new organizing tools have gone a long way to help achieve my goal for an efficient, pretty, and organized space. If you are looking to spruce up your sewing room and make it more efficient, I would start by exploring these items at RNKdistributing.com.
To learn more from and about Susan Beck, visit SewFeet.com. Happy Stitching!
Clarrisa’s Corner March 16
Clarrisa’s Corner March 16
Updated: Jun 8
This week on Clarrisa’s Corner, Floriani educator Clarrisa Gossett is walking through creation of this adorable wristlet. Find all necessary files and links below.
9 Tips for Successful Applique
9 Tips for Successful Applique
Updated: Jun 8
A decorative sewing technique that can be stitched in any style, appliqué is where fabric shapes are applied to a background fabric and then stitched in place along the edges. In fact, the word, appliqué, is from the French language and means “to apply.” Initially a hand-sewn technique, there are many ways to appliqué using a sewing machine, creating beautiful embellishments, from simple to complex. Appliqué techniques can be used on a wide variety of projects: home dec items, adult garments, quilts, children’s clothing, and more. The tips below apply to most appliqué techniques such as satin stitch, blanket stitch, and decorative stitch appliqué. Use these tips to ensure success when stitching appliqué designs.
Applique Tip #1
Preparing the background fabric is important to the success of your appliqué project. Use a stabilizer behind the background fabric to provide support as the appliqué shapes are stitched in place. Always sew a test to determine if stabilizer is needed and which type works best. There are three basic types of stabilizers that work well for appliqué: Tear-Away stabilizer that is removed by tearing off the excess (some of it will remain under the stitches and will soften with laundering).This can be used on woven fabrics as well as some stable knits. Cut-Away stabilizer is trimmed after stitching, leaving about ¼” around the appliqué shape. The rest of the stabilizer remains behind the appliqué shape. Always use a cut-away stabilizer on knits such as T-shirts and sweatshirts. Water-Soluble stabilizer is used when you want all of the stabilizer completely removed such as when working on fine fabrics or sheers. This stabilizer is removed by rinsing the project after the stitching is complete.
Applique Tip #2
At the start of each appliqué project, insert a new needle in the appropriate size for the background fabric(usually asize80/12 or 90/14). When stitching woven fabrics, use a needle with a sharp point such as Microtex Sharp, Embroidery, or Denim needle. These needles help form the most clean, precise stitches. If stitching appliqué on a knit fabric, use a Jersey or Stretch needle. These have more rounded points, called a ballpoint, that move through the loops of knit fabric without breaking down the fibers.
Applique Tip #3
Use a lightweight 80-wt bobbin thread in a neutral color that blends with your background fabric. Using a lightweight bobbin thread means less thread build-up on the back of your work. And it is especially helpful if you are using several colors of thread for your appliqué stitches because you don’t have to change the bobbin each time you change the needle thread. The Quilter’s Select brand of 80-wt. thread has along staple Egyptian cotton core wrapped in polyester. It has been thermally processed, which makes it feel, stitch, and look like mercerized cotton, but it has the strength of polyester.
Applique Tip #4
A 40-wt polyester embroidery thread is a good choice for the needle thread. I use Floriani embroidery thread and I just found out that Floriani has a thread app for Apple products! The Thread Organizer section lets you keep track of your personal inventory of Floriani thread and there’s a shopping list function, so you’ll never buy a duplicate color by mistake again! The app has a new color matcher that lets you match Floriani colors with just about any thread company. This FREE app is listed as Floriani Thread and can be downloaded from the App Store.
Applique Tip #5
Adjust the motor to a slower speed than you normally use–half speed or lower. Sewing slowly makes it easier to be more precise when placing the stitches on the edges of the appliqué shapes.
Applique Tip #6
Use a lightweight fusible web to fuse the appliqué shapes to the background fabric. Fusible web materials vary in thickness and stiffness. Look for one that doesn’t change the feel and the drape of the fabric. For the appliqué design in this post, I used Appli-Stick from Quilters Select–a paper-backed fusible web that fuses with a permanent bond on one side. The other side has a light sticky coating that is not harmful to your machine, and it makes your appliqué shapes repositionable. You can move them around as much as you like until you have them exactly where you want. Then, you fuse the shapes in place on your background fabric, ready for stitching.
Applique Tip #7
When tracing the appliqué shapes, make sure you trace them in reverse as they will be flipped from side-to-side when placing them on the background fabric.
Applique Tip #8
Use the correct presser foot when stitching appliqué designs. I like to use an open embroidery foot because the wide indentation on the bottom of the sole leaves room for the extra layer of fabric (the appliqué shapes) so the fabric feeds easily under the presser foot. I also like it because the area between the toes is open, and I can see exactly where I am stitching. The stitch should be sewn mostly on the appliqué shape. Adjust your needle to the far-right position and as you stitch, guide the edge of the appliqué shape along the inside of the right toe. This places the stitch exactly on the edge of the shape.
Applique Tip #9
Engage the needle stop down function on your sewing machine so needle will stop in the down position in the fabric when you stop sewing. This keeps you on track if you stop and then restart. With the needle down, the fabric doesn’t shift, and you won’t lose your place.
Following these tips will go a long way to making your appliqué projects successful!
To learn more from and about Susan Beck, visit SewFeet.com. Happy Stitching!
Crazy About Cork Pillow
Crazy About Cork Pillow
Updated: Jun 8
by: Susan Beck of sewfeet.com
Making a cork pillow is a great way to bring natural materials into you home décor. This pillow has an accent panel that serves as a background for several wooden buttons. Finished size: 12”x 12”.
Scroll to the bottom to watch Susan walk you through the project step by step.
Supplies
2 pieces of cork fabric, 14” x 14” each
1 strip of RNK Cork Fabric 1” x 14”
Contrasting fabric,3 ½” x 14”
Floriani Medium Tear Away Stabilizer 4” x 14”
5 decorative buttons, 1”-1 ½” in diameter
Machine Settings
A Microtex needle, size80/12 needle is a good choice for stitching on cork fabric. The point is sharp, and easily penetrates the cork as you sew. I used Floriani 40 wt. embroidery thread in a color that blends with the cork.
Stitching the Panel
Fold¼” to the wrong side of each 14” edge and press. Position the panel in the center of one 14” square of the cork fabric. Place tear away stabilizer on the wrong side of the cork, behind the panel. Stitch along each side using a blanket stitch. I lengthened the stitch length and width to 5mm.I positioned the edge of the panel against the inside of the right toe of the foot, and then adjust the needle position to the right so that it sews the stitch along the edge. Add the 1” strip of cork down the center of the panel and using a straight stitch, sew along the long edges.
Button Embellishments
I have a small-ish collection of wooden buttons and used five of them as embellishment for the front of the pillow. I placed the center button in the center of the panel and then stitched it using the sewing machine. I usually use a button sew-on foot, which is small and didn’t work with the large buttons. So I used the open embroidery foot and it worked fine.
Pillow Construction
Place the front of the pillow and the back of the pillow right sides together, using clips to hold the edges together. Stitch the edges, using a ½” seam allowance, leaving a large opening on the lower edge. Trim the corners and turn the pillow to the right side.
Finishing the Pillow
Insert the pillow form. Turn the edges of the opening to the wrong side and clip the opening. Stitch the opening close to the edge.
Clarrisa’s Corner March 2
Clarrisa’s Corner March 2
Updated: Jun 8
Watch Clarrisa’s Corner on the Floriani Embroidery Facebook page March 2nd at 4:30pm ET.
Files needed for this week’s class: