Kim Hanson

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A Quilt for Mike

August 25, 2020 | 7 Comments

Good day everyone. Thanks ever so much for joining us. I appreciate all the new subscribers that have come on board recently.

Five years ago, my thirty-something son asked me to make him a quilt. I was a little taken aback. . . he had never seemed very interested in my quilting. I put Mike off for awhile; but he asked me again.

So I began to go through my fabric stash in an attempt to figure out what fabrics I could use for his project. Mainly, kid-themed fabrics dominate my stash, along with florals and bright feminine-styled fabrics. Finding something that I thought Mike would like was a bit challenging.

I came up with some brown and cream fabrics I had ordered awhile back – they were vintage type fabrics, American civil-war inspired. Here are some fabric examples on my Pinterest page.

Civil War Reproduction Fabrics.

Beginning to pull fabrics together,  I really wanted to finish it before he asked me again. Unfortunately, I really rushed it; I wasn’t feeling particularly inspired or creative at the time…I just wanted to “get ‘er done!” So, I did. Including some machine embroidery here is Mike’s finished quilt.

I was not at all happy with the finished product. Not really liking the salmon-y coloured fabrics, I was disappointed I had used them. But, Mike seemed to like his quilt and he appreciated it.

Maybe a month later, our son’s best buddy who was also named Mike, asked me to make him a quilt. I was so shocked! Do guys in their 30’s really want a quilt? He, of course, offered to pay me for it, but I declined, knowing full well he couldn’t afford it.

Pulling more fabrics from my over-subscribed stash, I made Mike #2 his quilt. He smiled a lot when I gave it to him, so I think he liked it.

As many of you already know, our Mike passed away in March of 2018. One of the things I kept from his apartment was his quilt. He always had it laying very neatly across the back of his sofa. Mercifully, it still smells like him. 

As hindsight set in, I regret not taking more time to design Mike a really special quilt – something just for him. I regret not sitting down with my pencil and paper and drawing a quilt pattern that would have suited just him.  I regret not knowing that I would never have the opportunity to make him another quilt.

Recently, I discovered a hidden gem in Calgary – a section of the Rotary/Mattamy Greenway. It’s a pathway located in Royal Oak, adjacent to the car dealership where my vehicle is serviced. There are ponds and huge trees and beautiful City views along the way. 

Beautiful Bullrushes

Bike Rider on the Path

Not really sure why, I wanted to get a few photos of Mike’s quilt in these exquisite, natural surroundings. Somehow, the backdrop makes the quilt look better.

My heart still aches at the loss of our son. It’s strangely comforting having his quilt here at my house. In the end, I’m glad I made it.

Thanks everyone.

Kim

P.S. One of the most outstanding birthday gifts I ever received was from Mike. He went to the local quilt shop and bought me this book called Color Magic for Quilters. He was a very thoughtful person.

r. It’s an amazing resource. Thank you son.

 

Filed Under: Beautiful Calgary urban parks, Personal, Photography, Quilt Photography, Quilt Stories and Essays, Quilted and Embroidered originalYoga mat bags, Quilters, Quilts, Quilts and Machine Embroidery |

Mehndi Hearts – Quilted and Embroidered Pillow Tutorial

June 12, 2017 | 1 Comment

Good day everyone. Thank you so much for joining me here on my blog.

I have another tutorial for you all.

Triple Mehndi Hearts

Quilted and Embroidered Pillow

Ever since Julie at Designs by JuJu released her super sweet Mehndi heart design collection, I’ve been longing to use them for a project. Now, finally, I have! Here is a quick and easy pillow project you can easily make over a weekend. There are ten different Mehndi Heart designs available; your challenge is to choose just three. Begin by gathering together a few fabrics, some colourful rickrack and your favourite embroidery threads and let’s get started. Hope you LOVE your new TRIPLE MEHNDI HEART pillow.

Please be sure and read through all the instructions prior to commencing.

Finished Size:  17″x19″ – pillow cover

Shopping List:

Designs by JuJu Mehndi Hearts designs DBJJ799 – choose three, one large and two small

Fabrics (Shown on pillow cover – Lila Tueller’s Fantine Collection, Riley Blake)

 

White for embroidery – piece 8″x10″ and two pieces 8″x9″

Blue for pillow top front and backing – two fat quarters

Pink for backing to Mehndi hearts and for pillow corners- fat quarter cut 7″x7½” and two pieces 6″x6½” and four pieces 6″x8″

Green for pillow back – two pieces 12″x21″ and two pieces 13″x21″

Quilt batt –  19″ x 21″, 12″x21″ and 13″x21″

Lightweight fusible web – three sheets 8″x11″

Tearaway stabilizer – 1 yard 20″ wide

Pillow form – 18″x18″

Small Pink rickrack – 44″

Small Orange rickrack – 44″

Large Green rickrack – 44″

Embroidery thread, embroidery needles, scissors, pinking shears

Regular and white pencil, omnigrid ruler, rotary cutter

Temporary Spray Fabric Adhesive

*I use Brother Embroidery thread for all my projects

 MACHINE EMBROIDERY

  • Download three Mehndi Hearts designs, one large and two small. Beginning with the large heart, load the first design into machine.
  • Large hoop 8″x10″ white fabric with corresponding piece of stabilizer and place the hoop onto the machine.
  • Stitch out the first heart design, being mindful to clip jump threads as you go. Repeat for two small heart designs – medium hoop 8″x9″ white fabric and corresponding stabilizer.

CONSTRUCTION:

  • With a pencil, draw a line around the perimeter of the large embroidered heart, ½” from the edge of the finished design.
  • Using pinking shears, cut around the pencil line. Repeat for two small heart designs. Press all three hearts.

  • Using fusible web manufacturer’s instructions center and fuse the large heart to the 7″x7½” piece of pink fabric. Repeat using the 6″x6½” pieces of pink fabric for the two small hearts.
  • Using the white pencil, draw a line around the perimeter of the embroidered heart, ½” from the edge of the finished design.
  • Using pinking shears, cut around the pencil line. Repeat for two small heart designs.
  • Fold one blue fat quarter in half lengthwise and press and widthwise and press again to find the natural center. Center all three hearts as shown in the photo, being mindful to line up bottom point on each heart and fuse in place. (Fuse the small hearts first, then the large one).
  • Machine applique stitch around the embroidered heart and the pink fabric heart.

  • Measure 1¾” from bottom of heart tips and with the white pencil, draw a straight line widthwise across the pillow top. Center 20″ strip of pink rickrack on pencil line, pin and stitch. Pin and stitch 20″ strip of green rickrack in place directly under the pink rickrack. Pin and stitch 20″ strip of orange rickrack in place directly until the green rickrack. Repeat these steps for top of pillow. Trim to even.

  • For pillow corners, see diagram #1.

  • After stitching, fold over pink fabric and press. Trim pink fabric to mimic corner of the pillow. Repeat for three other corners of the pillow top.

QUILTING:

  • Make a quilt sandwich; place right side of pillow top back (second blue fat quarter) on a flat surface. Spray lightly with fabric adhesive and carefully layer the quilt batt on top and smooth. Spray the quilt batt lightly and layer on pillow top. Pin if needed. Quilt as desired. (I used an echo – outline stitch around the triple hearts and a basic, straight line grid to quilt the pillow top.) Trim pillow top to measure 17½”x19½”.

PILLOW BACK:

 

  • Sandwich a layer of batt between the two green pillow back pieces sized 12″ x21″. Turn under one edge, widthwise ½” and press. Turn under another ½” and stitch. Repeat for two green pillow back pieces sized 13″ x21″.
  • Right sides together, lay one back piece over pillow top, lining up bottom edge. Right sides together, lay the other back piece over pillow top, lining up top edge.
  • Stitch pillow top and pillow back together ½” from outer edge. Trim and turn pillow cover right side out. Insert pillow form.

 

If you have any comments or questions, please email me directly at km.hanson@shaw.ca.  Thanks!

Kim

.

Filed Under: Decorating with Quilts, Quilt Patterns, Quilt Photography, Quilt tutorial, Quilted and Embroidered originalYoga mat bags, Quilted pillows featuring machine embroidered, Quilters, Quilts, Quilts and Machine Embroidery |

How to get started in Machine Embroidery – Try your hand at something new

March 2, 2017 | 4 Comments

A quilter from way back, I made quilts for my three children and then nothing. Life was busy and quilting was put on the backburner. Once my first grandchild, Jacob, was born I wanted to make him a crib quilt, perhaps a rag quilt with soft and warm flannels, but more? A friend had given me a demo one day on machine embroidery –  she did logos and such on t-shirts and jerseys and baseball caps. So I thought, “why not make a rag quilt, combining quilting and machine embroidery”?

I was overdue for a new sewing machine, so off I went in search of a good one that could also do machine embroidery; a machine that would fit my wee budgt. Choosing a Brother 8200 because it was sorta easy to operate, stitched beautifully and had machine embroidery capabilities, I headed home excited to get started. After reading about my machine, practising on my machine and tons of trial and error, I made Jacob a flannel rag quilt embellished with embroidery designs from a Brother embroidery card – more on this later.

embroideredragquilt

It’s a little ironic that my very first quilt pattern was published in 2009 in Creative Machine Embroidery magazine. Very odd platform for a quilter!

firesideflannels

So… how can you get started in machine embroidery? 

I’ve known sewists who have purchased (or been gifted) fabulous sewing machines, with embroidery capabilities that they choose to ignore. Huh? That’s like buying your dream house and only living in one room! Let’s just dive in and see what we can learn…..

1.     Do your due diligence. Ask questions of those who are already doing machine embroidery; what brand of machine did they purchase, how easy is it to operate, how is the level of support for their brand, what have they embroidered, etc. etc. Some very popular brands include Brother, Bernina, Janome and Husqvarna. If you like Facebook, join this group of like-minded individuals who can help with your questions now and in the future. Jennifer Higby, group administrator, is a whiz and she will help you with any questions you may have.

2.     Visit your local retailer/dealer. Come ready to ask questions and have a brand or two in mind when you stop in. Have a qualified employee give you a demonstration on a few machines. Take notes and more importantly, watch, look and listen!

3.     Make a decision on which brand of machine to purchase and then decide if you will purchase new or used. Don’t be afraid to purchase used! There are tons and tons of great machines out there – either at the sewing shop or on ebay or on Kijiji. The more important part is to choose a brand, have a basic knowledge of it and stick to that choice when purchasing used.

4.      If you purchase a new machine, the cost of taking lessons on it must be included in your purchase price. Take advantage of the lessons. It is a steep learning curve for all of us.

Have the educator/retailer do three very specific things for you:

  • Choose one of your machines’ built-in embroidery designs and watch it being stitched out in full. Understand that some machines (like Janome MC12000) have 300+ built-in embroidery designs and you will definitely want to access those designs and know how to stitch them out.
  • Ask for a design to be stitched out from an embroidery card. (I used a Brother embroidery card to stitch out designs for my grandson’s quilt, above).
  • Have the retailer download an embroidery design from an online website (Designs by JuJu) either to their computer and then to your machine for stitch out or directly to your machine. It’s critical that you completely understand how to get the design from the computer to your machine.

Completing lessons at the retailer’s will not only help you understand the very basics of your machine, but it will also provide you with  a resource/contact person when problems arise….and trust me, problems will definitely arise!

5.     If you have purchased a used machine, the same principle applies. Call the dealer and request that they give you a demo and/or a series of lessons on your machine. Even if you end up having to pay extra, it will definitely be worth it. (If you live in a rural setting or can’t access a dealership in person, rely on youtube.com. Search your particular brand of machine and view an online project tutorial.)

6.      Before you leave the retailers’ to embark on your new adventure, make sure you have the following supplies on hand:  muslin, fabric stabilizers, embroidery threads, embroidery bobbin thread, embroidery needles and the usual sewing supplies (scissors, etc.). Purchase only the bare essentials to begin with…that way, you won’t become overwhelmed.

(**Fabric stabilizers are very important to turning out quality embroidery images. They support the fabric onto which the embroidery design is stitched. Stabilizer allows the design to be flat and inflexible. It is available in four different types – tear-away, water soluble, heat-away and cut-away. A general rule of thumb to choose the correct stabilizer is to match the weight of the fabric being embroidered with the weight of the stabilizer).

7.       You’re at home now, ALONE. Don’t despair. Set up your embroidery machine and your supplies and we will get stitching. Your machine will come with two or three hoop sizes.

threehoops

Use your medium hoop. Choose one built-in design from your machine that is one colour only. Layer an 8″x9″ piece of white muslin over a slightly larger piece of lightweight stabilizer. Fold the fabric and stabilizer in half lengthwise and press and widthwise and press to find the natural centre of the square and mark with a pencil. Hoop the fabric and stabilizer using marks on hoop to centre. Pull the fabric tight so it resembles a drum. Tighten the screw on the hoop.

hoop

Stitch out your design and watch as your machine works. Give yourself at least a few days to stitch out and play with more built-in embroidery designs. Here is a photo of a built-in embroidery design of a butterfly that required no thread colour changes.

butterfly

Remove your design from the hoop, tear away stabilizer and press.

8.     Next choose a built-in design that has colour changes and go through the same process – hoop and center your fabric and begin to stitch. Be sure to trim all loose threads as you go. Definitely trim “jump” threads – those created on colour changes – close to the surface so your threads won’t tangle.

9.     To fully explore the amazing world of machine embroidery, you must be able to operate and understand your computer. Embroidery machines work in conjunction with computer software – newer machines utilize a USB port and a flash drive/jump drive, while older machines use a card writer box and a memory card.

usb

cardwriter

Accessing online designs will require a computer and software. Your retailer can help you find and purchase software that works with both your computer and your embroidery machine. For older model machines, you can purchase software online via ebay.  Check your machine’s manual first and purchase exactly what you need.

For example I access online embroidery designs in this manner:

a.     I use older model Brother machines for machine embroidery; the compatible software for Brother is PE Design;

b.     PE Design was installed on my computer’s hard drive via CD;

c.     the embroidery file format I work with is .pes;

d.     I download a chosen embroidery design, in the .pes format from Designs by JuJu. to a specific folder in my computer;

e.      the embroidery design is transferred from my computer to my embroidery machine, via card writer box and memory card;

f.      the memory card is inserted into the slot on my embroidery machine.

g.      the image is ready to be stitched out.

Here is a list of some well-used embroidery file formats:

  • .jef     File format for MemoryCraft
  • .pes   File format for Brother and Babylock
  • .hus   File format used by Husqvarna/Viking
  • .pcs    File format used by Pfaff embroidery
  • .xxx    File format used by Singer

10.     If I haven’t yet lost you, let’s stitch out a design from an online source now. Head to Designs by JuJu. Download the free penguin design, in the file format compatible with your embroidery machine and software, to a predetermined folder on your computer. If you aren’t successful the first time, carefully re-read the website’s download instructions and try again. Often, the file will be misplaced on your computer’s hard drive and it will take several tries to find it. Once you get the design saved into the folder on your computer, open it up and have a look. Download it to your embroidery machine, via card writer box and memory card or USB port or thumb drive/jump stick. Prepare your medium sized hoop with fabric and stabilizer and gather the appropriate thread colours. Stitch it out. What do you think?  Does it stitch out as it appears on your computer monitor? Are the embroidery stitches nice and tight or are some of them loose and not so well done? Are there any unexplained gaps in the stitching? Does your penguin look like this guy?

freepenguin

Congratulations! You are now equipped with the basics.

There are so many other facets to this wonderful craft – like machine embroidery applique designs and cutwork and embroidering on special fabrics. I will do a follow-up post in the very near future on more advanced machine embroidery techniques.

Please send me a note or leave me a comment if you experience difficulties or have any questions.  I’ll be happy to give you a hand and together we can figure it out.

Thanks so much.

Kim

 

Filed Under: Embroidered Rag Quilts, Magazine quilts, Quilted and Embroidered originalYoga mat bags, Quilts and Machine Embroidery, Uncategorized |

Harlow’s Quilted and Embroidered Purse Using Designs by JuJu Janda Stylish Monogram

October 27, 2016 | Leave a Comment

Good day everyone. So lovely that you are here with me on my blog today.

I’m featuring a tutorial for a quilted and embroidered girls’ purse. I’m using an embroidery design from Designs by JuJu. The purse makes a great gift  for that favourite little girl in your life. Hope you like it! Get in touch if you have any questions.

harlow

 

For this project, I used the Janda Stylish Monogram design. Quilting fabrics are Carina by Amanda Murphy (except stripe fabric by Riley Blake)

Shopping List:

Janda Stylish Monogram design DBJJ671 in the letter(s) of your choice

Quilting cottons:

fabricchartpurse

Fabric 1 White                                                                         10″x10″

Fabric 2 Stripe                                                                         .3 yard

Fabric 3 Heart to Heart Pink                                                 fat quarter

Fabric 4 Romance White multi                                              scrap 4″x8″

Fabric 5 Entwined Red                                                            scrap 3½”x22″

Fabric 6 Entwined Teal                                                            fat quarter

Medium weight tearaway stabilizer                                       10″x10″

Medium weight sew in stabilizer                                            11″x21″

Quilt batt                                                                                      11″x21″

Thin teal cording                                                                         30″

Embroidery thread, bobbin thread, all-purpose thread

Embroidery needle, quilting needle, sewing needle

Fabric adhesive spray, optional

Free motion quilting foot, optional

Magnetic closure

Thimble, optional

Three Riley Blake crocheted flowers, optional

Wooden button, optional

*I used Brother Embroidery thread pink, 086.

 Use a ¼” seam allowance throughout.

Embroidery:

 Download the 3½” size monogram letter of your choice from the DBJJ671 collection, to your embroidery machine. Using your machine’s medium sized hoop, center and hoop the 10″x10″ piece of white fabric together with tearaway stabilizer. Stitch out the embroidery design.

dbj1

Being mindful to center the embroidery design, trim the white fabric to measure 4½” widex6″ long. Remove stabilizer. Press.

Cut:

From Fabric 2 – Fold fabric so stripes run up and down. Cut three strips 2½”x12″. Sub cut two pieces 2½”x4½”, one piece 2¼”x6″ and two squares 2½”x2½”. Re-fold fabric to change orientation of stripes. Cut one strip 2½x12″.

From Fabric 3 – Cut two strips 2″x22″. Sub cut two strips 2″x12″. Cut backing piece of 11″x21″.

From Fabric 4 – Trim scrap to measure 3″x6″.

From Fabric 5 – Cut one strip from scrap of 2½”x20″. Sub cut to one piece 2½”x12″ and two pieces 2½”x2½”

From Fabric 6 – Cut two strips 2½”x22″. Sub cut one strip 2½”x12, two squares 2½”x2½” and one piece 2¼”x6. For binding, cut four strips 2½”x22″.

Construction:  

dbj-diagram1

Row 1 – Stitch 3″x6″ piece of Fabric 4 to left side of monogram block and 2¼”x6″ piece of Fabric 6 to the right side. Stitch a 2″x6″ Fabric 2 piece to the teal piece. Press away from center.

dbj2

Row 2 – Stitch together two Fabric 6, 2 and 5 patchwork units using the 2½” squares. Set one aside for Row 5.

dbj3

Row 3, 4 – Stitch one 2″x12″ strip of Fabric 3 to both top and bottom of purse unit

dbj4

Row 5 – Repeat Row 2 except stitch Fabric 2 piece 2½x4½” to Fabric 6. Press

Row 6 – Stitch Fabric 2 piece 2″x12″ to bottom of purse unit.

Row 7 – Stitch Fabric 5 piece 2½”x12″ to bottom of purse unit.

Row 8 – Stitch Fabric 2 piece 2½”x12″ to bottom of purse unit.

Row 9 – Stitch Fabric 6 piece 2½”x12″ to bottom of purse unit.

dbj5

Press all seams towards the bottom of purse unit.

Quilting:

Make a quilt sandwich. On a flat surface, lay down right side of backing fabric. (If using fabric adhesive spray, spray between each layer) Layer quilt batt on top of backing fabric and smooth. Layer stabilizer on top of quilt batt and smooth. Layer on purse top and smooth. Pin to secure. Quilt as desired. (The pattern shows a free motion quilting pattern all over).

dbj6

Trim to ¼” around the perimeter of the purse top. Round both bottom corners of the purse top.

dbj7

Binding:

 Make binding by stitching together four 2½”  strips of Fabric 6 together on the diagonal – mark a stitching line as shown. Stitch and trim ¼” from stitching line. Press seam open.

dbj8

dbj9

Fold the binding strip in half, lengthwise, wrong sides together and press. At the beginning of the binding strip, fold back ½” and press.

Pin binding strip to the raw edge of the purse top.

Stitch ¼” from raw edge of purse top. Stop stitching 3/8″ from corner of purse top. Fold binding strip up at a 45° angle.

dbj10

Lay the binding strip back down on the adjacent side of the purse top and begin stitching binding to raw edge.

dbj11

Finish off binding by tucking in the raw edge of the binding strip to the beginning point and stitch to secure.

Fold binding over and pin to the back of the purse top. Stitch in place by hand.

Hand stitch button, crocheted flowers (if using) in place. Wrong sides together, fold purse ½” from the bottom of the embroidered monogram to measure for magnetic closure placement. Center and affix the magnetic closure so the purse flap closes flat.

dbj12

Keeping the fold in place reverse purse with right sides together. Place teal cording into the seam on both sides of the purse. (The cording length on the finished purse measures 22″. You may wish to shorten or lengthen) Stitch. Trim cording close to binding. Turn purse right side out. If you choose, you can embellish and cover the magnetic closure. I’ve tied a small piece of teal cord into a bow, frayed the edges and sewn in place.

dbj13

dbj14

You are all done! Congratulations.

Talk to you all again very soon.

Kim

Filed Under: Quilt Patterns, Quilt tutorial, Quilted and Embroidered originalYoga mat bags, Quilts, Quilts and Machine Embroidery |

Wednesday Whimsy – Erin’s Bag

May 20, 2015 | Leave a Comment

Beautiful blue sky morning all! The sun is shining brilliantly, the trees are looking like life has hit them and the birds are singing. It’s a lovely day.

My sweet friend, Valerie, recently asked me to make her daughter-in-law, Erin, a yoga mat bag for a birthday gift. Of course I was thrilled to do that and Val and I started discussing colours and style for Erin’s bag. Valerie stopped short…..thinking perhaps her favourite colours and Erin’s favourite colours were dissimilar. So we decided to make Erin a completely custom bag, suited entirely to her.

I must say my usual colour palette revolves around blue and green and purple. Something like this:

Photo13.jpg

Turns out, Erin enjoys a vastly different colour palette than what I am used to working with. She requested blacks, grays and white. What? Really? Wow!

Okay, so I checked into Fabric.com and began to gather together some black and gray batiks. Much to my surprise, there were some beautiful choices. Erin made the fabric selection, I ordered them and we were off.

Erin'sbag

I’m now thinking Erin may not be partial to my usual preference for embroidery designs. Such as:

lotus

sunshine

So, I direct her to my favourite yoga-inspired embroidery design site, Windstar.
Erin comes up with a design called Old Dead Tree.
Yes, interestingly, that is what she comes up with.

It looks like this:

Deadtree

Beautiful, right? Who would have thought?

Fabrics in hand, designs chosen, I’m ready to sew. I found I loved working with a different colour palette and new embroidery designs. It was such fun!

Erin’s completed bag:

Bag4

Erin with her completed bag:

Erinsbag

Erin is delightful – a talented and clever woman …. and her photo shows how creative and artistic she is.
She has opened my eyes to new possibilities.

Till later….

Kim

Filed Under: Quilt Photography, Quilted and Embroidered originalYoga mat bags, Quilts and Machine Embroidery, Yoga |

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