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!

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!

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!

In this issue:
The Cleo & Kirstin Quilt
Gulf Stream Pillows
Robyn’s Renaissance Quilt Part II
Lottie’s Poppies Pillow
Danise’s Sheer Delight Wrap
Midnight Magic Jacket
Sugar ‘n’ Spice and Everything Nice Quilt

Note from Serena: Receiving this magazine is always a highlight of my day! Now to figure out a way to create more time to stitch all the wonderful projects inside the pages!

That where one of my favorite tools, the ballpoint awl by Clover, comes in handy. Most awls that you may have in your sewing room have a sharp point that is made to puncture the fabric. This is used for creating eyelets or other decorative uses. But with the ballpoint awl, the end is not so sharp as to puncture to fabric, but will work to help you dig out the stabilizer from the back of the design.

From the back of the fabric, slide the end of the ballpoint awl between the stabilizer and fabric and gently pull the stabilizer away from the stitching. The end still could damage your fabric or stitches if you are pushing too deeply, so be sure just to catch the layer of tear away to pull it away from the design. This helps to dig out the stabilizer from those little areas instead of using your fingers or fingernails.

The next time you are struggling with getting out all those areas with tear away stabilizer, give this ballpoint awl a try! I’m sure you’ll love using it!

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!!

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!

Quality fabric is a must in your quilting and embroidery projects! It will stitch better, be easier to handle and cut and wear much longer than cheap, inexpensive, quality-lacking fabrics. But is there ever a time or project to use cheap fabric that lacks the quality you desire in your quilts?

In my opinion, yes. It’s rare that I use a lesser quality fabric, but in some cases I do think there is a place for it. In almost all of my projects I use quality fabrics, whether it’s a small wall hanging or a large quilt. If I am spending my time in cutting, stitching and finishing it, I want it to last and be the best that I can make it.

I do make two exceptions where I may use a lesser quality fabric: costumes and craft projects.

Costumes – For kid’s or even adult costumes that will be worn once or twice, if I find something in a lesser quality fabric that will work for what I need it for, many times I will use it. In my mind, it is a costume. It will be worn once or quite possibly twice, then tossed or given away. Most of the costumes that are created (unless it’s for a professional production) are ones that are put together to hold in place for that event.

Craft projects - Some craft projects that are more crafty in nature than garments, quilts or wall hangings, I may use a fabric that lacks the quality I like to use in my quilting projects. For example, with my Sunday School class kids, I cut up strips of fabric to glue onto paper to create objects and I really don’t care what that quality of fabric is (although any scraps work great for this!). The fabric is going to be cut up and glued to paper for a paper craft project. Or I may be draping fabric for a lesson or play I’m producing and that fabric is just there to see. It’s not going to be worn and washed repeatedly.

If it’s a project that will not be used repeatedly, washed over and over again, worn as a garment other than a costume or used for wall hanging or quilt, I will consider using a lesser quality fabric. I admit that I am picky and selective in my fabrics. I like the way quality fabric feels, stitches, washes and so forth. When I’m stitching something and putting time into it, I do the best that I am able to do and use quality fabrics to create it. But in certain cases, there is a place for using a lower end piece of fabric.

But keep in mind that even though a fabric lacking quality can be used, for those things that are important to you be sure to stick with quality pieces that will give you a beautiful finished result!