Lotus Blossom Hoop Wall Art

Here's another stampin' and stitchin' project for you, my friends.

The lotus blossoms are stamped with the Lotus Blossom stamp set from #StampinUp.

Sorry, but you can't buy this stamp set - it is free!

Yes, that's right, it can be yours for free when you place a $50 order.

But it's only available until March 31.

It's part of the annual #Sale-A-Bration:

 

To step up my stamping, I added some sewing.

A few free-motion stitches on top of those lotus blossoms

adds a nice touch of depth and dimension to an otherwise 'flat' surface.

 With just a few stitches, you can go from one-dimensional:

without stitching

To three-dimensional lotus blossoms:

I like to use the quilting foot (Bernina foot #29)

because it is clear and it has a nice amount of surface space

with an enclosed needle area

so my threads don't get caught on the presser foot toe.

Just drop the feed dogs, and use some stabilizer on the back

(I like OESD's Ultra Clean n' Tear)

with stitching

My thread color is Isacord #1730 (persimmon)

Then I took it a stitching step further and added

some Asian-inspired machine embroidery.

 This is a built-in design in my Bernina Designer Plus v7 embroidery software.

The thread is Isacord (#3953 & #3853)

To line up the embroidery design with the center of the stamped images,

fold the stamped image in half and finger press.

That gives the vertical center line-up point.

For horizontal line-up, I matched the bottom of the embroidery design

with the bottom of the stamped image.
Most embroidery software programs allow you to print
a copy of your design (use that to line up the design).

A water-soluble marker works great for marking the center point.

Be certain the stabilizer from your free-motion stitching
is still on the back of your project

and use your see through grid to line up the center point,

then hoop it and let your machine stitch away.

 For my fabric, I used an inexpensive tea towel from Wal Mart.

When your design is complete, tear away the stabilizer,

use a water bottle to lightly mist the water soluble ink, and let it dry.

I then added iron on non-show mesh to cover the back,

but feel free to use a light-weight fabric of your choice.

Just be aware that a dark color or print might show through to the front.

Then line it up in the hoop

in which you plan to display your new wall art

and trim away the excess fabric and backing.

Back of design covered with no-show mesh

Ta da!

That's how easy it is to add stitching to your stamping.

Enjoy your weekend, my friends!

The Big, the Bold, and the Beautiful

There are a few designers whose fabric I really love,

but sometimes I have a hard time figuring out how to incorporate

their fabric designs into a quilt or garment.

A couple of those designing women are Anna Maria Horner and Amy Butler.

Their prints are so very different from most of the quilting cottons that are

readily available in my area.

They are big, bold, beautiful prints but they don't always lend themselves

easily to standard quilt piecing.  

 

Sweet Life quilt pattern by Camille Roskelley, however,

is the perfect pairing with those big, gorgeous prints.

The finished block size is a whopping 18" x 18".

The center square itself is 12" x 12".

The 92" x 92" quilt requires 16 of these large blocks.

The fabric I'm using for this quilt is Pretty Potent by Anna Maria Horner.

Do you like to use big prints when you sew garments or quilts?

Stampin' and Stitchin': Because You Care

Hey stitchin' friends!  I have a new addition to the blog that I'm excited to share with you all.

Like so many of you, I have more than one creative outlet.

Sewing is my first and foremost favorite past time.

But some of my other favorite things include crochet, needlework, and stamping.

So for the stampin' and stitchin' posts, I'm combining two of my favorites:  sewing and stamping.

I'll share with you a project that uses Stampin' Up products,

then I'll take it up a notch and add some sewing.

The first project is a simple make and take designed by the creative folks at Stampin' Up.

It features the hostess stamp set "Because You Care."

Here's the make and take as designed by Stampin" Up

 Here's the card, stitched up a notch

  A few of the basic supplies include Hello Honey Quilted Cotton Ribbon (item #137864);
three colors of ink (hello honey, strawberry slush, and tangerine tango)
whisper white cardstock and envelopes;
2013-2105 in color sequin assortment (love those);
lullaby designer series paper (so pretty);
and of course, the Because You Care stamp set

 For the stitched up version, just use your bulky overlock foot (#12 for Bernina)
It has a groove in the bottom of the foot that allows the trim to sit nicely in place while you stitch
I used a zig zag stitch to sew the whisper white sweater trim (item #129937) to the top of my hello honey ribbon

Give yourself enough ribbon and trim to experiment with stitch width
Notice, I had the stitch at the top of the trim too wide, it "ate" my hello honey ribbon
As you follow down in the photo, you will notice it all flattened out as I narrowed the stitch width
Once you're happy with a section that is wide enough for your project (in this case, 5 1/2")
simply attach it with Tombo or glue dots

 Now to have some real fun!
If you've made it this far in the post,
you deserve a reward!
Leave a comment and I will be pleased to send you your very own make & take kit*
as pictured below, while supplies last
All "ingredients" for the basic card will be included, except the adhesive
and best of all, this is a
FREE MAKE & TAKE
you don't even have to pay postage**, it is my gift to you
for reading my blog and taking the time to leave a comment
(be certain I can link to your profile so I can email you for your address,
please do not include your address in the comment section)

 Of course, if you are interested in purchasing any Stampin' Up products,

just request a catalog and I will send it along with your free make & take

If you decide to step up your card with some stitchin', please share photos.

Have a great week, my friends.

*kit includes pre-stamped images, not the stamp set and ink

 **at this time, I can only ship to U.S. addresses