Project Work

I hadn't done any embroidery work since last November when I was making Christmas ornaments and gifts for my family.

I'd run into some issues with the bobbin thread holder

and had had to stop before I'd finished everything I wanted to make. (This towel, one I was able to finish, was a gift for Hawkeye Sarah.)

On a whim, I pulled my embroidery machine out and set it up, thinking that I'd see if I could fix the problem myself.

To my surprise, the problem had disappeared! The machine stitched as it should! (I had oiled it just before I'd put it away in November; perhaps that was the issue?)

Embroidery work is an expensive proposition. There is backing to buy, fabric (or in this case, a towel), fabric clips, and thread. The thread needs to be a good quality; I learned early on that cheap embroidery thread breaks and snarls, ruining a project and necessitating that I start over. Of course, that meant buying more backing, more fabric or another towel, etc. It's cheaper in the long run to buy a good quality thread.

The digital patterns the machine uses has the thread numbered rather than by color. After struggling the first few months I began embroidering, a friend told me about color guide booklets that sort it all out for you and make it easier to discern which color the pattern is calling for.

Which makes sense since there are a lot of colors.

Lots and lots and LOTS of them. Each of those colors represent one spool of embroidery thread, and each spool costs me about $3.50 - $4.50. This way I get the exact color the pattern needs.

There are four different colors of thread in this towel I just made ($14), the towel ( $6, also good quality, another lesson I learned early on), and the backing ($10) for a total expense to make of about $30. I plan to either use it as a show donation or to sell it for $15, so I will not make those expenses back.

Having said that, there is a huge factor of enjoyment in embroidery work. It is relaxing and it is fun to create 

Sixteen colors are in this donation to the Indy Blooms show

and in the same pattern with a name change for the one for Midwest Mini Mayhem.

I have another project whose completion date is May 1, so I've packed up the embroidery machine and its accoutrements and set up my sewing machine again.

Carefully supervised by the girls to be sure everything was back where it belonged. (Molly has a knack for lying JUST where I need to put something!)

And I even got some more haversacks cut out and ready to work on. (Having one or two prepped and ready to go means I actually get more stitched up than I would if I waited until I had a block of time to work on them.)

The tea towels are all finished and ready to go to Indy Blooms and Midwest Mini Mayhem.

A sales towel (and one I like so much, I may keep it!)

Another that will be up for sale at the swap meet.

A donation to Indy Blooms.

And another one that I personalized for them.

A donation to Midwest Model Mayhem

and another, only in brown. (I ran out of the white flour sack towels and had to pull from my stash of colored towels.)

One project done and one more to work on. May 1 is 11 days away so I am in good shape, but still, I am having dreams about not finishing it. (And goats. I am dreaming about goats. Go figure.)

Tick! Tick! Tick! Tick! 

Stay 'tooned!