Hand-stitching names and images or doing fabric crafts have always been one of my favorite pastimes. But as the popularity of the home embroidery machine opened new possibilities, and I could save time and effort while still allowing artistic flair in choices of pattern, size, position and color, my sites were set on owning one of the newest of the embroidery machines on the market. Looking at the home budget or my profits earned from the sales of the baby quilts that was not in cards.
Kay, a friend and fellow crafter, who loved to sew and design on fabric found a new interest in embroidery. When her husband bought a new saw for his hobby of wood working, Kay purchased her embroidery machine. Unfortunately, God didn’t give Kay time to learn to become proficient with her new embroidery machine, because not long afterward, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. Despite the attempts to stop the spread of this awful disease, the cancer spread to her brain. Kay spent time with family leaving her beloved embroidery machine, and crafts to collect dust in her sewing room.
Once her husband was ready to clean up and clear out Kay’s craft room, all of her materials found a new home in my sewing room and I was able to purchase the embroidery machine, at a great price. Thanks to Kay, I sat and made my first project, a baby bib for my soon-to-be grandson, using the embroidery machine and its ABC feature to put his name on the bib. Now I am look forward to personalizing my handmade baby quilts at Unique Baby Quilt Boutique.
Kay also left some wonderful notes about the embroidery machine and its use, behind in a note book. Here are some of her wise words of wisdom:
Always use a stabilizer. Some rare embroidery machine projects can bypass the use of stabilizer, but they are very few.
Hoop or not to hoop on your embroidery machine will always be a difficult decision. For “problem” fabrics that tend to stretch, move or test the capacity of the hoop in the embroidery machine on a test piece of material first.
When selecting a needle for your embroidery machine, remember that the needles come in various sizes and styles, just as traditional sewing machine needles. The needle tips (blunt, sharp, ball) are chosen by the type of fabrics that are selected.
In memory of Kay- I think of you often. Thank for guiding me in the use of the embroidery machine from your special place in heaven.
