1.  Your stitch count is much lower than it would be if you had to do 5″ lettering.  That means less thread is being used and less time spent sewing out the design.

2.  The design is so much more pliable – not as hard as a board as some filled designs can be.

3.  You can use up all those leftover scraps of fabric you have accumulated and hope to be using someday – that is if you are anything like me!

4.  It is easy to create matches to other fabrics used in a piece of clothing, curtains, etc.

Have I convinced you yet to give these lettes a try?  Well, if not, let me show you some photos of how it’s done:

1.  Hoop your stabilizer (I use medium weight tear away most of the time) and attach your fabric that you want to put the applique on to the stabilizer.  I usually use Gunold’s KK100 (no CFC) ahesive spray.  I spray the back of the fabric and place it on top of the stabilizer, securing it with 3-4 straight pins along the edge of the inside of the hoop.

2.  Stitch your stippling stitch (if you wish to use it).  I used a stippling stitch from Elsa’s Designs that she kindly has made available here:  http://www.elsa.20megsfree.com/freebies.html

(I downloaded the Giant stipple design which is a split design for the left side and then the right side of a design – those left and right sides are both for the 5×7 hoops.)

Elsa is a South African digitizer who does superb flower designs.  Please visit her for sale site when you get a chance.  Her designs are a dream to stitch out. (I have no affiliation with Elsa other than being an occasional customer of hers.)

http://www.elsasdesigns.com/page2.html

Okay, back to the tutorial.

After you stitch out your stippling (if used), it should look like this:

3.  Now it’s time to get your letter -  get it into your machine and onto your screen and start stitching color number 1. ( There is a triple sequence to appliqueing lettering.  You first laydown the outline of where you need to place your fabric, you then tack down that fabric, trim the fabric after stitchout, and then apply the applique edge stitch.)

4.  Now get your piece of fabric that will cover this outline and make sure it’s big enough.  I like to starch and iron it, then apply adhesive spray to the back of the fabric and place it over the outline.  Sometimes,  I secure the applique fabric with a couple of straight pins, just to make sure it’s not moving when the machine starts stitching.  Now stitch the tack down color = number 2.

4.  When the machine stops after the tack down, remove the hoop from the machine, but do NOT unhoop anything.  Take small, curved scissors and trim away the fabric close to stitching line.

5.  After trimming, place the hoop back onto the machine.  And allow the machine to stitch the next color which is the applique stitch and follow the text instructions for any add on designs.

Now, wasn’t that easy?

A word of caution:  When you stitch out my applique Country Garden lettering, be sure you follow the text carefully.  Sometimes, in order to hide a flower stem or the edge of a birdhouse underneath the applique edge, the stitching sequence of those three applique steps may have been slightly altered.  If you follow my typed instructions, you should have no problems with it whatsoever.

Here is the free “A”.    I hope you will find this helpful.Free Alternate Eliana A (1184)

Emily Bag Tutorial part 1 (1857)

Emily Bag Tutorial part 2 (1467)

http://www.farbenmix.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=476&Itemid=546

The instructions are in German but I think the pictures speak for themselves. You basically attach a temporary long ribbon that you use as a pull string.

You probably all knew about this trick. Just in case you hadn’t I thought I’d let you in on this little trick. It certainly made that part of the dress a lot easier than I used to do it.

I am 61 yrs old and still learning new tricks. Love learning new things about sewing!

Now, I need to tell you that I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this Feliz dress. “Feliz” means happy – and that is so true for this dress. I am sure Saarah, who will be getting this dress for her birthday, will be just that. It’s so much fun to make, too. Give it a try. The pattern has just come out in English and remember you can get discounted patterns at the yahoo group posted below. Also, if you have any questions regarding these patterns, the yahoo group is always willing to answer them and I would be happy to help you enjoy these patterns as well. Feel free to post your questions here. This is the direct link to the yahoo group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FarbStudioTantrumGroup/

As promised, here is the tutorial on Flannel Burppads. It’s been a lot of fun making these. I think I prefer these to the diaper ones. It’s certainly easier to embroider on them and I think the final product is more refined looking. Just my personal opinion.

If you would like to be notified when I make a change or add another tutorial to this site, please sign up for it. You can do so right on my home page.

Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your day and sewing adventure.

Download Here: Baby Burp Pad Tutorial (3923)

It seems to be “baby season” and I have been very busy making baby items for gifts. Very popular have been my burp pads and I am planning to post two tutorials showing how to make them right here at Oma’s Place. This is the first “installment” – making burp pads from cloth diapers. The second tutorial will show how to make burp pads “from scratch” using flannel fabric. Sometime in the not too distant future I also hope to be publishing a tutorial on how to make a simple tote bag.

Let me know what you think. Positive feedback might lead to more tutorials, you never know!:)