The Latte Quilt Lessons on DVD are up and coming! Pre-order now for a special discounted price of $129.99! Sets will start shipping November 1st!

The Latte Quilt is an embroidered quilt pattern that is a timeless heirloom with its elegant embroidery and decorative stitches. Although Kerrie Hay provides instructions in her book, the Latte Quilt, for completing the project, it’s always helpful to stitch the quilt as someone is leading you through it step-by-step. This DVD is an additional tool to her book to give you the confidence to complete this quilt. Every area of creating the quilt will be covered, from picking out fabrics to the quilting, binding and label!

Fabric cutting and preparation.
Print embroidery templates.
Easy hooping techniques.
Embroidery design stitching tips and placement.
Helpful hints for decorative stitches.

This series of 12 lessons consists of written handouts with clear illustrations in addition to step-by-step instructions on DVD to assist you in completing this quilt project! Plus revised embroidery designs with added placement stitches making it simple to stitch each block!

Anyone from a novice to advanced machine embroider will find it easy to stitch this quilt with these lessons! If you’ve found this quilt intimidating before, fear no longer! With Serena’s onscreen directions showing you how to complete each step, you’ll be stitching block after block in no time!

As an added bonus, discover Serena’s favorite products for machine embroidery and her own tips and techniques she has learned. You will gain loads of information that you can use with many other projects.

After teaching two online Latte Quilt classes and many requests from you, I’m making available to you the exact same lessons on DVD!! You will have access to everything on this series of 8 DVDs just as though you were taking the class! Plus you’ll also receive a bonus cd with ALL my written instructions that you can print for yourself AND my revised embroidery designs for the quilt with added placement stitches! In addition to all that, this set also includes Kerrie Hay’s Latte Quilt Book and embroidery cd! You’ll have all the tools you need to complete the quilt!

Pre-order now for a special discounted price of $129.99! Sets will start shipping November 1st! Order your copy before the November 1st deadline to save $50! Sets will ship in the order received.

Set includes:
8 DVD discs with onscreen videos
Bonus cd with written instructions & revised embroidery designs
Latte Quilt book & original embroidery cd

Get your Latte Quilt DVD set today and start stitching!

Free-Standing Lace Church (Collection #61038) –have you seen this?! Free standing lace in all shapes and sizes have been around for a couple of years, but a church? And just in time for Christmas?! (Yes, believe it or not, Christmas is just around the corner! :))

Endearing Rose Heirlooms (pack#12309) –love the dainty, elegant designs! Just love them!

Holiday Cheer (pack#12307) –this is another Christmas pack, but those swirly designs could be used for sooooo much more than just around holiday time!

A NEW Crafter’s Collection from OESD – The World of Timba & Lula!

This fun and whimsical little bear and bunny would be adorable for an children’s project or idea. These designs are just itching to be stitched!

Package contains: USB Design stick, Thread Color Chart, Thread Shopping List
Multi-format USB stick includes the following formats: art, pes, pcs, dst, hus, jef, xxx, sew, exp

Don’t miss out on these designs!

One of the unique stitch details about this design is that the vines running between the florals is a running stitch repeated over and over until the appropriate thickness is achieved. Most designs are digitized with a satin stitch in this area rather than a straight running stitch which gives it a heavier and unique look.

And to answer the question that many of you have been asking…..yes, these are the designs that I will be using in the next online quilt I will be teaching! :)

There are instructions included on the cd for a quilt, but I am making some changes and revisions for the quilt I will be teaching. I will be using some of the block layout designs, but adding a center medallion, adding some decorative stitches and increasing the amount of embroidery in the border of the quilt from what is pictured in the quilt on the cd. More details will be coming in the next few weeks.

EDIT as of September 2010: I do not have a starting date as to when I will be starting this new quilt as right now I am still working on stitching out the blocks and designing the quilt top. I have taken the next few months off from teaching as I am getting married in May 2011 and will be moving at that time as well. My goal is to start this new quilt in the fall of 2011! So stay tuned over the winter months to updates on the blocks and pieces as I’m able to design and stitch each one!

A NEW Crafter’s Collection from OESD – Head Over Heels!

These fun and whimsical heeled shoes are perfect for any frilly project or idea. Add glitz, jewels and 3D elements to make each shoe unique.

Package contains: USB Design stick, Thread Color Chart, Thread Shopping List
Multi-format USB stick includes the following formats: art, pes, pcs, dst, hus, jef, xxx, sew, exp

Fall and Autumn colors are just beautiful! Shades of brown, gold, green, rust and yellow in leaves, flowers, scrolls and redwork will greet your eyes as you take a peek at each design in this collection. These designs are just itching to be stitched on some of your Fall and Thanksgiving projects!

Package contains: USB Design stick, Thread Color Chart, Thread Shopping List
Multi-format USB stick includes the following formats: art, pes, pcs, dst, hus, jef, xxx, sew, exp

This new collection from OESD is a must-have!!

Christmas is just around the corner and here is a new collection of designs to get you in the Christmas spirit! Applique Christmas trees, decorative tree ornaments, festive holly, bells, snowflakes and more give you plenty of designs to choose from for all your Christmas projects!

Package contains: USB Design stick, Thread Color Chart, Thread Shopping List
Multi-format USB stick includes the following formats: art, pes, pcs, dst, hus, jef, xxx, sew, exp

Don’t miss out on these fun Christmas designs!

Create your own cuddly critters with this cute and fun collection of baby zoo animals! Gorillas, giraffes, pandas, tigers, zebras and many more leap off your fabric with their realistic stitched designs.

The Zoo Babies embroidery collection is available on a multi-format CD. The designs of this collection are suitable for most brands of home embroidery machines. Supported formats: .art, .jef, .vip, .hus & .pes. The designs are in two sizes; the small size for .hus and .pes formats will fit the 4″ x 4″ hoops.

Plus!!!! Compliments of Sue Box, download the FREE design “Zoo Pals” here.

Don’t miss out on purchasing this cute collection of designs!! Click here!!

Ah, yes – Minkee!!! It’s that luxurious fabric that you just love to rub your hand over and over again! It feels so good that you can’t resist purchasing it! But reality sets in when you start to cut the fabric and stitching with it! Suddenly your great love affair with this fabric is diminishing very quickly! Not only does it create a blizzard of lint and fuzz everywhere when you start chopping it into pieces, but it moves and slides around all over the place the moment it is in your sewing machine.

What do you do with the wonderful-feeling fabric that you are beginning to hate? Here are some tips that might help you keep your sanity and renew your love of the fabric and the reason why you bought it in the first place!!

Pay attention to the nap! Minkee is a napped fabric, so the fibers will lay down in one direction and it will feel and look different. So as you are cutting, be sure your pieces are going the direction that you want them to. Just run your hand across the fabric to feel the direction of the nap.

Add more for seam allowances! If you are using a pattern that is not specifically made for minkee, then you may want to add to the seam allowance. Stitching a 1/4″ seam in minkee fabric is nearly impossible, so add extra for a 1/2″ or 3/4″ seam.

Cut out all the pieces at once! Cut out everything you need to and then wipe down your cutting mat, rotary cutter, scissors and anything else you used with the minkee with a wet paper towel to catch the extra lint. Oh, btw…this is NOT a time to have a ceiling fan on. Trust me on this – previous experience (not a good one!).

Use pins, pins and more pins! That’s right – what would we do without good ol’ straight pins?! This is where you need to use them! Pin your fabrics together so your pins are 1-2 inches apart. Yes, it does take a little more work, but it is worth it when you are stitching that seam.

Sew next to the feed dogs! If you are mixing minkee fabric with cotton fabrics, sew your seam with the minkee fabric next to the feed dogs. This will help the minkee to feed through along with the cotton.

Wash the cotton fabric! If you are using cottons and minkee, be sure to pre-wash your cotton fabrics. Minkee does not shrink, but cotton will, so if you wash the entire project after it’s complete, your cotton pieces could end up smaller than the minkee ones.

Lengthen your stitch length! Since this is a napped fabric with some bulk to it, it’s a good idea to lengthen your stitch. I usually sew with a stitch length of 3-4 mm. If I’m top stitching on Hankie Blankie Pets, I use a stitch length of 4. Make a test stitch to see what works on the minkee fabric you are using.

Use a walking foot! Put on that walking foot and put it to good use! This will be your greatest help in sewing minkee fabric. The walking foot will help to feed the top layer while the feed dogs feed the bottom layer through the machine, creating an easy-to-stitch seam.

Serge the edges! If the minkee lint is seemingly out of control, serge the edges or stitch a zigzag stitch on your machine. This will help to control the lint and fuzz that flies around as you are working with the fabric.

Stabilizer topping is a must! If you are embroidering on minkee fabric (Yes, you can do that!), you need to use a clear water soluble or heat soluble topping to keep the stitches from sinking into the pile fabric. Lightly pin a piece of clear topping to the right side of the fabric after it is in the hoop.

Do not hoop minkee fabric! You will create a hoop mark or burn if you try hooping minkee fabric to embroider on it. Hoop the stabilizer (tearaway if the design is not too dense or cutaway for dense designs), spray it with 505 Spray Adhesive and the stick the minkee fabric to the stabilizer.

Make your binding wider! If you are using a binding with minkee fabric, make it wider to account for the lush fabric pile. Instead of 2″ or 2 1/2″ wide, try a 3″ wide binding.

Only use steam! You do not want to press or iron minkee fabric to compact the lush pile it holds. Either use steam or gently press with a press cloth over the minkee.

What can you do with minkee fabric? The options are limitless, but I love to create Hankie Blankie Pets with this luxurious fabric! They are so sweet and perfect to give as gifts and little ones love the feel of these little animals. I usually personalize it with a name on the front corner. Here’s just a few I’ve stitched:

Just look at those floppy puppy ears!

Cute little pink kitty whiskers!

These are so soft and cuddly!

On the three pets above, I used the original pet pattern here, but also take a peek at the New Friends pattern and At the Zoo pattern for other cute pet variations!

Can’t find minkee fabric in your local area? Try here!

These are cool cats on the go go go! No bored sightseers on some 2-day packaged tour here; our spirited feline friends are seasoned world travelers wending their elegant ways through the Grand Tour with style and insouciance.

Whether visiting the cafes of Paris or shopping fashionable Carnaby Street, on an exuberant scooter ride, a sassy, energetic grape-stomping spree, or the grand romance of a gondola ride, these gallant and fearless travelers know how to have a grand time everywhere they go. When it comes to finding projects for these chic & cheeky charmers, all the world’s a stage!

They’d be great on a fresh, fun bedroom set, from pillows to cushions, message boards to lampshades. Stitch them on travel bags, blankets, and towels for the complete travel set. Use them to create cute vignettes on sweatshirts or t-shirts, and what could be more natural than travelers on a photo book, journey notebook, or scrapbook cover? It’s time to start traveling again! Begin your vacation adventures right here, with the Grand Tour – just grab your bags and don’t forget the camera!

Package contains: USB Design stick, Thread Color Chart, Thread Shopping List
Multi-format USB stick includes the following formats: art, pes, pcs, dst, hus, jef, xxx, sew, exp

See the Benartex 10″ fabric squares that coordinate with this collection of embroidery designs here!