Adventures in Embroidery, continued

Here's a shot of my first attempt at embroidering a quilt label.  I get a ridiculous thrill from watching the machine sew all by itself.

Just a bit later --  here's how it turned out:

My first embroidered label!

I'm Dreaming ...

Seeing as how I worked up the nerve to set up the embroidery part of my new sewing machine (and then felt silly at having to work up nerve in the first place, it was all so easy) ... I couldn't resist making a few embroidered Christmas presents.  I fell in love with this design, from Embroidery Library, and it seemed perfect for my sister and my friend Beth since we're all die-hard lovers of the movie White Christmas.  So, I went off to my local shop for some cozy red fleece, and away I went.  The pillows were a big hit, and it was fun to make something fast and perfect for the situation.  Of course, I had to make one for me, too.

Oh, and on the back:

I vow that I am not going to become one of those people embroidering duckies and violets on vests and bathroom hand towels.  But suddenly I understand how that could happen.

Ticket to Ride, um, I mean, Embroider

I have a whole list of things I was supposed to be doing this morning.  But Roger, who was totally supportive of my getting the Bernina 830, happened to mention that he'd love a Beatles baseball cap, and I decided that was more important.  So I detoured for a while to investigate Beatles-related embroidery designs, and then figured out how to use the hat-hoop for the machine, and voila.... A Beatles baseball cap! I was going to save it and tuck it into Roger's Christmas stocking, but then I got so excited watching it stitch that I had to bring him in to show him -- and this way, he can wear it to show it off to his brother when we see him for dinner tomorrow night.  We both sat there grinning while it stitched out.  We are easily entertained, I guess.

He doesn't know that I have another Beatles image already in my files, and I'm waiting for the arrival of a blank black cap ... so maybe I'll be able to produce another surprise Beatles cap by Christmas.

Meanwhile, he hasn't taken if off since it came off of the machine!

Conquering My Fear of Embroidery

Although I got my Bernina 830 at the end of this past summer, I have been extremely intimidated by the embroidery part of it.  I've never used an embroidery machine before, and it all seemed so complicated.  It requires a special needle, special thread, and special stabilizers, after all.

But I've been reading the manual and perusing all sorts of internet sites for tips and lessons, and today I decided to try my first design.  And look! It worked!

This was just a test, trying basic settings on white cotton.  Now I can embroider this everywhere!  Note the irony: California girl embroidering Let it Snow" while my friends in far flung places are bemoaning the piles of snow in their yards.

But hey, I'm happy.  And it was easy, once I got all the supplies.  I just sat there watching it embroider away -- my husband and daughter came into the office to watch a bit, too.  Gosh, what shall I embroider now?