4 Wrap it up Fp - Creative Machine Embroidery

Embroidered doilies can turn any package
or greeting into a bit of holiday magic.
WrapIt
Up
By Rebecca Kemp Brent
52
Creative Machine Embroidery
HOLIDAY 2002
A
Petite wrappings Supplies
The easiest to stitch doily is a small one
made entirely in your embroidery hoop.
Showcase several small doilies on a package
for extra flair.
Supplies
6 Muslin, linen or tulle fabric
6 Embroidery and bobbin threads
6 Lightweight tear-away stabilizer
6 Seam sealant
6 Double-sided tape
6 Metallic wrapping paper, bows
and ribbons
6 Designs of your choice
Instructions
j Hoop the fabric with the stabilizer and
embroider the doily. Remove the fabric from
the hoop and remove the excess stabilizer.
Working from the fabric wrong side, squeeze
out a line of seam sealant along the outer
edge of the embroidered doily. Allow the
sealant to dry and then trim away the excess
fabric close to the stitching.
j Wrap a package with metallic paper. Place
the small doily on top of the package and
secure it with double-stick tape placed
between the doily and the wrapping paper.
Tie a ribbon around the package and
position a bow on top of the doily.
j To use multiple small doilies on a larger
package, wrap the gift in your choice of
paper. Place two small doilies side by side
with edges just touching (A). Use a machine
bartack or a few hand stitches to attach the
doilies to each other. Using the joined doilies
as a single unit, embellishing the package as
desired.
Idea: Loosely pleat the doily center and tie a
bow on the package.
Holey doily
Use cutwork designs to create fabric doilies.
The openings in the designs will allow the
underlying wrapping paper to peek through
and show off the embroidered design.
6 Broadcloth
6 Embroidery and bobbin threads
6 Heat-removable stabilizer or lightweight
tear-away stabilizer
6 Cutwork designs of your choice, no larger
than 4” square
Instructions
Begin with a
single small
doily.
Join four small doilies to
make a square doily.
j Hoop the fabric with the stabilizer and
stitch the outline of the designs.
j Without removing the fabric from the
hoop, cut away the fabric in the designated
areas. Be careful not to cut through the
stabilizer layer.
j Complete the embroidery, unhoop and
remove the stabilizer. Add a scalloped border
around the cutwork design to form the doily.
Seal and trim the doily as described above.
Use seven small doilies to
make a large circle.
j To decorate a holiday package, thread
ribbon through the openings in the
embroidered design and tie into a bow.
Lace it up
Lace doilies can be made with embellished
fabric circles and machine-embroidered lace
edges.
Supplies
6 8”square of linen for doily
6 Embroidery and bobbin threads
6 Heavyweight water-soluble stabilizer
6 Temporary marking pen
6 Lace design of your choice
Instructions
j Embroider 20” of lace edging on heavyweight water-soluble stabilizer. (The lace can
be embroidered in separate pieces that will
be joined later.)
j Trim away as much of the stabilizer as
possible and then soak the lace to remove
the remaining stabilizer. Allow the
embroidered piece to dry and then press
the motif with a dry iron.
Whether you embroider the
designs on tulle or watersoluble stabilizer will depend on
your design requirements.
Heavyweight water-soluble
stabilizer is used for designs
that are digitized with an
understructure of stitches that
will support the lace when the
stabilizer is removed. A tulle
base is necessary for nonsupporting designs to support
the embroidery. The tulle is
almost invisible between the
lace openings.
j Draw a 6” circle on the linen square with
a temporary-marking pen. Arrange the
embroidered motifs around the perimeter of
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53
WRAP IT UP
Embroidered package-toppers
make a personal and pretty
presentation for the receiver.
the circle. The lace should just touch, but
not overlap. Move the designs toward or
away from the center of the fabric circle
until they fit. Use a temporary spray adhesive, pins or glue to hold the lace in place.
j Thread your machine with the same
thread used to embroider the lace. Set
the machine for an open zigzag stitch
(2.0mm-2.5mm width, 1.4mm length).
Zigzag the motifs in place on the doily
fabric by stitching over the lace inner
edge, adjusting the width of the stitch if
necessary.
j Turn the doily over and carefully cut
away the fabric behind the lace, leaving a
1
⁄8” margin of fabric. Press this hem
allowance to the wrong side (toward the
center of the doily). Working from the
right side, zigzag again over the first
stitching and tack the hem into place.
Tulle lalulle
Supplies
6 Tulle fabric or pre-cut circles of tulle
(available in the bridal department of
sewing or craft stores)
6 Polyester embroidery and bobbin
threads
6 Medium weight water-soluble stabilizer
6 Designs of your choice.
Note: When using a pre-cut circle, the
design can be no larger than the inside
perimeter.
54
Creative Machine Embroidery
HOLIDAY 2002
Instructions
j Sandwich a layer of tulle between two
layers of water-soluble stabilizer and hoop.
j Embroider enough motifs to go around
the circle.
j Remove the tulle and stabilizer from the
hoop and trim the motifs as close to the
embroidery as possible. Position the
embroideries around the outer edge of a
tulle circle. Adjust their placement so they
just touch to form a complete border. Pin
or use a bit of glue stick to hold the motifs
in place.
j Set your machine for an open zigzag
stitch, (2.0mm-2.5mm width, 1.4mm
length). Choose needle and bobbin thread
to match the embroidered motifs. Stitch
the motifs to the tulle circle along the
inner edge of the embroidered designs.
j Trim away any excess tulle under the
embroidered motifs. Soak in water to
remove the water-soluble stabilizer. Lay the
doily flat on a towel and reshape it as
it dries.
Use an embroidered doily
for a gift tag, note card or
an envelope to match your
holiday packages.
Gift tag
or note card
Supplies
6 Tulle or heavyweight water-soluble
stabilizer
6 Embroidery and bobbin threads
6 Colored card stock or decorative paper
(available at office supply and copy
shops, or check the scrapbooking
department of craft and discount stores)
6 Lacy designs of your choice in size no
larger than your hoop
Instructions
k Embroider a lacy motif on tulle or
water-soluble stabilizer. Cut away any
excess fabric, and remove the stabilizer by
rinsing it in clean water.
k Fold the colored card stock to create a
card of the desired size. Using thread to
match the embroidery and an open zigzag
(2.0mm-2.5mm width, 1.4mm length) or
straight stitch, sew the design to the front
of the card. Accent the card with a border
of decorative stitching. Or, simply glue the
lacy motif to the front of the card.
Lace envelopes
Supplies
6 Fine cotton, polyester, or rayon embroidery thread for needle and bobbin
6 Heavyweight water-soluble stabilizer
6 Colored card stock or paper
6 Lacy designs of your choice in size no
larger than your hoop.
Note: Our samples use square designs
for the envelope base.
Instructions
Method 1
k Hoop the heavyweight watersoluble stabilizer.
k Embroider two designs in a
square shape and one design
with a curved edge. Partially
remove the stabilizer by rinsing
the motifs in water just until the
stabilizer visibly disappears. The
stabilizer will leave a residue
that will add stiffness to the lace
motif when dry.
k Arrange the motifs as shown (B on
page 56). Use a few hand stitches or an
open zigzag to stitch the motifs together at
the edges. Fold where indicated to form
the envelope, and stitch the sides by hand
or machine.
k Cut a piece of colored card stock the
desired size. Write a message and insert it
into the lace envelope.
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WRAP IT UP
Method 2
k Hoop the heavyweight water-soluble
stabilizer.
k Embroider four, square motifs. Partially
remove the stabilizer as described above.
k Fold three of the squares in half diagonally
and stitch together, forming the envelope.
k Fold the fourth square to create the
envelope flap.
k To make a card for this envelope, cut your
colored card stock in the desired size. Fold
in half, write your message, and place in the
lace envelope.
Note: If your machine’s hoop is large
enough, you can embroider all the motifs
for an envelope side by side. While it may be
possible to overlap the motifs slightly,
eliminating the need to stitch them together
Creative Machine Embroidery
B
Stitch motifs together at sides,
then fold on dashed lines to
form envelope.
Rebecca Kemp Brent is a teacher of machine
embroidery and needlearts.
k Arrange the motifs as shown (C) and
stitch together at the sides by hand or
machine.
56
afterward, the envelope will fold more easily
if the motifs’ heavy outline stitching does not
overlap. Instead, position the motifs next to
each other and zigzag together before
removing the water-soluble stabilizer.
Large package doily designs:
Brother ULT2002D, built-in design.
Single doilies designs: Brother ULT 2002D,
built-in designs; Card #23
Blue package design: Brother, Card #23
Cutwork doily: Brother, ULT 2002D built-in
design; Baby Lock, Card #5
Gold box design: Sue Box Creations, Just
Lace, Krystal Border Narrow
Green box design: Brother, Card #29
Notecard design: Criswell Embroidery &
Design, K-Lace for Christmas
All envelope designs: Criswell Embroidery &
Design, Antique Reflections
HOLIDAY 2002
C Stitch four motifs together,
then fold on the dashed lines
to form envelope.