Quilting with Digitized Embroidery

Detail from the megahoop design in my "Quilting Whimsy" collection

If you own a home sewing machine that has the capability to do hoop embroidery you also have the capability to do hoop quilting!  There are digitized quilting designs available from various quilt artists, and I've seen many quilts using these designs now, beautifully quilted. 

All three layers are positioned in the hoop for the quilting, although I do know one quilter who quilted the designs through the top and a thin batt first, then layered the backing and did simple outlines around the design and any background quilting through ALL the layers.  It was easier to do the digitized quilting in the hoop in her home machine with a thin batt and only the top.

It's easier to do small projects, and larger quilts are better suited if the machine is mounted on a frame system.  Smaller quilts are very do-able in your normal set-up, and can give you beautiful ornate quilting that might be hard for you to do with regular free motion quilting.  The stitches are even, the traveling is undetectable, designs can be sized, rotated, combined to create your own look.  Backgrounds, like the grid below, are done free motion or with a walking foot by you.

Designs from "Quilting Fancy" combined to create this medallion

When I've seen quilts done with my designs that have been digitized I always have to catch my breath, they are lovely.  These designs really can add to your quilt's beauty, even if you use only one as a focal point.

I have two collections of designs available at www.embroideryonline.com under the licensed artists' collections.  "Quilting Whimsy" is on sale now, and they have brought back my original collection "Quilting Fancy."

Combined designs from "Quilting Fancy"

 

These designs were meant for quilting, but look amazing done as "redwork" line design embroidery as well in colored, heavier thread.

Hope you had a terrific Thanksgiving, and can sneak in some time for yourself and your quilting....or play with digitized quilting..... during this busy time of year.

Keep quilting!  Your work gets better every day,

Diane

The Frozen Sewing Machine

It is not frozen here in Wisconsin, not yet anyway though winter is finally approaching us tomorrow.  Today it is still spring-like and lovely.  But, my poor old wonderful friend, my Bernina 1030, was frozen in place, no parts moving.

It was living in the spare room, and I only set it up to do serious quilt piecing, as I love it for that, the best I've ever used.  I bought this machine in 1989 and it was my everything machine for at least 10 years, then designated for piecing/sewing only as I loved quilting on my new electronic Bernina with a better free motion foot.

It worked perfectly.  I oiled where I could oil and used it a lot. It was serviced twice a year at my dealer.

Then after my last big quilt several years ago it sat in quiet isolation with a dust cover. I wasn't piecing much, and the little sewing I did I used my newer 730.   

A few months ago I set it up and found I couldn't even lift the presser foot!  It was frozen in place, everything was.  I was shocked, worried, would it ever work again??

Yesterday I drove to my dealer, Bigsby's Sewing Center here in SE Wisconsin, and picked it up after it had a stay there in intensive care in the service department.  I found out that even if you do not use a machine, it needs to be run occasionally, and serviced at least once a year to keep the inner parts working right, oiled, lubed, etc.  Oil dries up inside the machine where you cannot reach it. 

I set it up on the dining room table and Oliver was fascinated by it.  The smells!  The old style cords, no USB cable that he loves to chew through.  He had never even SEEN this machine before! 

Then I pulled the cord out of its little spot inside the machine (it's retractable, amazing) which was too much fun, and then plugged it in and turned it on.  It sews!  It sews beautifully.  He thinks it is a big new toy, especially for him.

I left him still sniffing it, the wonderful aroma of foreign places (well, 20 miles away) and oil, and maybe even a whiff of their adorable new puppy, Bailey. 

Now I am set to piece a new quilt, after I finish quilting this one.  Soon I hope.  And there's another one almost finished I should do first.  THEN I will play with my dear old 1030.  I still love the periwinkle blue they used on this machine, and it still sounds and works like a dream.

Meanwhile, I shall oil the fleet and run the other machines a little bit to keep things moving.

Hope 2012 keeps you moving and doing all the things you want to do. 

Keep quilting, your work gets better every day!

Diane

My New Bag

With no ulterior motive whatsoever, really, I so admired this shoulder bag that Roberta, our sewing machine guru at Empty Spools last week was wearing as she toured our classroom in the Open House. 

I could see my designs on it from 30 feet away!  They are the digitzed quilting/embroidery designs that are built in to the Bernina 830, but similar ones and more are available on my OESD CD "Quilting Whimsy," available for all embroidery machine formats. 

She used them as outline embroidery to embellish this soft and drapey bag, made with some changes to wholecloth rather than piecing from the La Borsa Bag pattern. 

She used Metrosene red/white/blue variegated thread, #40, and the double stitching and overlaps of the thread made it shimmer and blur so that it has an entirely different look.  I probably would never have done one of my designs like this so it was a delight to see how beautifully it turned out, how muted and elegant it looked on her shoulder.

The design square on the bottom is  my "Bouncing Bananas" motif, and looks amazing as well in this thread.  What Roberta did so well was use her creativity with the digitized designs to create something new and fresh. 

After gushing over this beautiful bag to my class the next morning, who should stroll in but Roberta, with bag, and she totally surprised me by giving it to me.  I was open mouthed with amazement, and a hug and thanks were all I had in exchange.  Thanks so much Roberta, I shall use it often and love it each time.

The designs on the Bernina 830 and my "Quilting Whimsy" CD can be sized and combined, rotated, whatever, to get the effect you want.  There are two designs for a large hoop.  The creativity is up to you. 

Using them as quilting in the quilt sandwich and placing it in your embroidery hoop, then doing some simple free motion work or walking foot lines around them to finish up a very fancy quilt makes these designs a great way to quilt your tops, or try out on table runners or placemats to get the hang of it. 

Or make a bag like this!

Hope you liked seeing this project, and keep quilting!  Your work gets better every day......

Diane