After I created my quilted fabric and cut out the purse pattern, I started digging for embellishments that would work. I had decided to use burgundy with the ivory fabric, so I found some sheer burgundy ribbon that would work perfect.

One problem: it was only 1″ wide. Too narrow for the pleated satin I wanted to stitch on top of it. Solution: Stitch two pieces of ribbon together to make it wider. Perfect!

Then stitch the pleated shiny satin trim on top of the ribbon. I found this pleated trim on one of my fabric shopping trips and loved it. It turned out beautifully on the ribbon.

Then this ruffled velvet trim fit perfectly right down the center of the pleats. Stacking trim and ribbon is fun and creates a neat layered effect. I should do more of this to use up the huge stash of ribbon I now own.

I stitched the layered ribbon down the center of the cut-out pattern and then stitched the binding to the outside edge.

After I stitched the bias binding to the edge, I then encased the raw edge in it and tacked it to the inside edge by stitching in the ditch around the edge. Perfect edging!

The last step was to stitch the purse sides together and add the magnetic closure.

Add a ribbon/corded pin I found at the Houston Quilt Market one year and it’s finished! Quite stylish and unique! And every single bit of it used from my collection of stashes!

It’s at times like this that I’m so glad I have those little (or rather large!) stashes!

The solution: create it!

I sandwiched a piece of batting between two layers of poly satin. Using my software, I selected the one little flower from this OESD design. I then copied and pasted it multiple times on my screen to create an area large enough for my fabric.

Then (this is the really great part!), using my Bernina jumbo hoop for my 830, all I had to do was hoop the piece of fabric twice to stitch the entire 15″ x 20″ rectangle. Whoohoo!!! That makes it simple! I hooped the first half of the fabric and stitched it, then hooped the second half and stitched it.

Then my fabric was created!! Lovely!!

Then I could pin on my pattern and cut it out.

It’s simple to create your own fabric! Give it a try!

More on finishing this project coming next week…

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.

Get a head start on next year’s Christmas projects with all the ideas packed into Creative Expressions Issue 25!

In this issue:
Christmas Star Quilt
Scissor Caddy
Coconut Ice Snow
Galleria Pillows
Victorian Christmas Quilt

Note from Serena: This issue is full of Christmas projects and ideas! Don’t miss out on it!

Believe it or not, sewing machine needles are not intended to last forever. The little mechanism that holds the needle in place on your sewing machine has a screw that tightens and loosens. That means you are able to take out the old needle and put in a new one.

As I pulled my needle from my machine this morning, I felt the rather large burr at the tip of my needle. Oh, yes! It was time for a new one! Especially since I was planning to stitch on satin fabric which easily shows runs in the fabric from a less-than-perfect needle.

Unless a needle breaks or is bent, it’s easy to forget about changing the needle as you are sewing, but it is important to do so. Not only can a slightly bent or dull needle cause damage to your bobbin case, presser foot or stitch plate, but it also can damage your fabric. Thread breakage, shredded thread and skipped stitches can many times be eliminated with a change of the needle.

The next time you sit at your sewing machine, take a moment and look at the needle and see if you need to replace it. When was the last time you changed it? Try turning that screw sitting above your needle. It’s not glued in place; it really does work! :) And then save that old needle for hanging up picture frames!

Version 3 and 4 of my Bernina DesignerPlus software, I know like the back of my hand, but V5…that I’m still learning all the *new* things that have been added! (I know, I know….V6 is now out, but I’m still loving V5 features! And when I install V6 on my computer in a couple weeks…well, I’ll be wowed away by all the new stuff in it as well!)

But take a look at this! It used to be back in the old versions of software that I would have to manually digitize an applique shape or design. You know, digitize the placement line, cutting line, tackdown stitch and then the cover stitch. Each. One. Separately.

Then the auto applique tool was developed and oh, did that ever speed up the process! And now the partial applique and advanced applique tools have been added, but the thing that caught my eye today as I’ve been designing is this: bringing the fabric into the applique so it shows onscreen.

Yep, that’s right! Here’s my design and inside the square on point, I can see the fairy frost fabric in my head, but I can’t actually SEE it onscreen.

Until I bring in that little scanned fabric swatch. See?! How cool is that!

Fragrant Delights is an embroidered quilt in soft, pastel colors. As well as the instructions to make the Fragrant Delights quilt, this magazine show cases 10 wonderful pillows submitted by embroidery designers and distributors from around the world who also are giving away free sampler designs from their collections – 17 FREE designs that you can download!!

In Moulin Rouge, color seduces the eye and excites the senses on this richly designed quilt that features black velvet with red and black silk, embellished with rich red roses, bows and gold lattice. Plus there are many other projects included from great designers such as Kerrie Hay from Bernina with a bridal trousseau, Robyn Cawdron from Elna with summer outfit fun and Sharon Bummer’s school formals. All fantastic ideas to keep your mind overflowing with possibilities. Plus a cd is included with the magazine filled with FREE designs!

These issues are no longer in print and once they’re gone – they’re gone! So be sure to get your copy today! Machine embroidery ideas galore plus free embroidery designs; what could be better?!

New Diamond Layout – The new diamond layout is neat, although I’m not sure how much I would use it. Since I’m not a traditional quilter, but prefer to work with larger pieces and incorporate embroidery, I have used the square and on point layouts quite a bit. One item to note: A diamond and square on point look like the same shape, but nope, they aren’t! A diamond is a skewed square where a square on point is actually a square that has been turned 45 degrees, making it much simpler and easier to add pieces around it.

Block Editor – You can draw and create your own custom blocks to import into your block library. Cool feature! What can I see doing with this?? Paper piecing! I don’t do a lot of paper piecing but have done a little and created a couple paper pieced blocks for an embroidered project I taught. So I can definitely see using the block editor to create paper pieced blocks specifically designed with an open area for embroidery. Yep, I can see that.

One thing I do like to do is use the quilter program to bring in a design and place it in a border and resize the design so it will fit in the space I want it to. There are other ways to do this on the embroidery screen of the software, but if I do it on an actual border, it’s a bit easier to visualize and see what will and won’t work.

The basic key to Bernina’s Quilter program is that you can see it before you stitch it! If you are having trouble envisioning the fabrics together or knowing what embroidery designs to add in or where to put them, the Quilter program is a jewel to use because you can see it and play with it before you go to the work of cutting and stitching it.

This webinar will be available on Bernina’s website for about a week if you would like to watch it and they are always scheduling more webinars which are always informative! So be sure to sign up for them!

One of the next webinars I’m looking forward to is on the new CutWork Tool & Software. That will be neat to see!

I like the purple fabrics and threads, but really loved the flower once it was stitched!

And the teal flower was just as beautiful!

30 hours…606,045 stitches…3,312 yds of embroidery thread…24 bobbins…9 yards of stabilizer later……..all three center medallion blocks are stitched! Whoohoo!!!

Here’s a few of the pics of some of the designs I’ve stitched so far. My goal is to have three embroidered center medallion blocks stitched. And yes, that is LOTS of embroidery!

The start of the center appliqué design for the center medallion.

And I just can’t resist trying another color – purple! Love it!!!

Center appliqué design in the center medallion block.

It’s usually a good idea to completely cover the appliqué area with fabric. Works much better; trust me on this one! ;)

Ahhh….yes! Much better!

Looking wonderful!! Teal colorway for the quilt and this design is in the center of the center medallion block.