It’s always enlightening to participate in a Blog Tour. Seeing the results of other sewists and embroiderers gives me great inspiration, but also the opportunity to learn more from doing. The best way to learn is simply to do!
You may have seen the above towels on Sewing With Nancy when Eileen Roche and I presented a two-part series. (You can watch the 2-part TV series online: here are the links to episode one and episode two. After taping Machine Embroidery in 6 Easy Lessons, Eileen took the monogrammed towels—that fit the Zieman household—with her to Texas. Imagine that! When I received the invitation to be part of this tour, I knew it was the perfect time to embroider more towels for my own.
Lesson One–Begin with the Basics
You’ll learn what tools and supplies to use. I gathered towels, fusible mesh stabilizer, wash-away stabilizer, sticky-back stabilizer, the Perfect Placement Kit with placement stickers, and a Madeira Rayon Thread.
Side note: After presenting the TV series, the greatest topic of concern posted by embroiderers was, How do I choose stabilizers? The simplest recommendation is to own one stabilizer from each of the main categories: a tear-away, cut-away, wash-away, film-type water-soluble, and a water-soluble. I have a medium weight stabilizer on hand from each category—that collection of five stabilizers serves me well! (See page 12 & 13 of Eileen’s book for more details.)
Lesson Two—Choose Embroidery Designs
Look for monograms that have an underlay, a foundation of stitches that are stitched down prior to the satin stitches. Here’s what underlay stitches look like, big zigzag stitches! (Image is a scan from Eileen’s book.)
Blog Tour Bonus Tip!
If your monograms do not have underlay stitches incorporated in the digitizing, no fear! Eileen shared her tip with me on creating a faux underlay using tulle or netting. See below for the Blog Tour Bonus Tip.
Lesson Three—Place the Design
One of the keys to embroidering with terry cloth is to fuse the fusible mesh stabilizer to the wrong side of the towel in the area that will be embroidered.
Then, choose a method of positioning the design. I used one of the templates from the Perfect Placement Kit and added a placement sticker in the opening.
Lesson Four—Hoop the Fabric (or in this case, a stabilizer)
Using Eileen’s Hooping Stabilizer technique, page 40 in her book, I hooped an adhesive stabilizer, scored the paper cover, and removed the paper within the hooped area.
Place the towel over the adhesive stabilizer, aligning the arrows of the target sticker as squarely as possible in the hoop.
Lesson Five–Stitch!
- Place a top stabilizer, wash-away, when monogramming towels. More is better when it comes to stabilizers and embroidering.
- Hit “start” and watch the magic begin.
- Just like that!
Lesson Six—Finish the process
- Remove the top and underneath stabilizers.
Blog Tour Bonus Tip
I chose an embroidery design that didn’t have underlay stitches to show you how to make any monogram stitches workable on napped fabrics.
- Place a layer of tulle or netting on top of the towel.
- Add the wash-away top stabilizer on top of the netting.
- Embroidery is complete, but the finishing touch is next.
- Tear away the wash-away stabilizer and the tulle or netting! The stitching perforates both layers.
- Ta da!
Blog Tour Stops
January 31 Eileen Roche dzgns.com/blog/
February 1 Hoop Sisters hoopsisters.blogspot.com/
February 4 Think Crafts thinkcrafts.com/
February 5 Indygo Junction indygojunction.com/blog/
February 6 Hope Yoder hopeyoder.blogspot.com/
February 7 Embroitique blog.embroitique.com/
February 8 Riley Blake rileyblakedesigns.com/blog/
February 11 Machine Embroidery & Digitizing machineembroideryanddigitizing.com/
February 12 Nancy Zieman the Blog nancyzieman.com/blog/
February 13 Sealed with a Stitch susanovery.blogspot.com/
February 14 Eileen Roche dzgns.com/blog/
For a chance to win an autographed copy of Eileen’s Machine Embroidery in 6 Easy Lessons book and DVD tell me about the last project you embroidered or embellished!
Bye for now,
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My latest project is a world cup on my hat.
Having read this I believed it was really informative.
I appreciate you finding the time and effort to put this information together.
I once again find myself spending a lot of time
bth reading and commenting. But so what, it was still worth it!
I’m so glad I found your blog – amazing. I’ll be lurking around for a while
I have an embroidery machine that I’ve used a couple of times and was searching for how to make my own embroidered tags to put on my handmade products. …. that’s how i found you.
I am currently working on a Mariner’s Compass quilt from your CD. I love doing machine embroidery, but find I need more information to get better at it.
The last thing I embroidered was Chemo Survival Kit.
I took a new pink duffle bag, placed a soft pink blanket which was embroidered with a large pink rose wrapped in a pink ribbon. Pink socks. Water bottle. Pink baseball hat. And a bag of goodies. Crackers, cookies, starburst candies, tissues, hand sanitizers, tea bags. All tied up in pink ribbon. I will embroider the woman’s initials on the bag in a pretty font. I donate a portion of the proceeds to the Susan G Moment Walk For The Cure.
Since I am a grandmama of 2 beautiful little girls, my main projects these days are embroidering/sewing for the two of them. Due to health issues, I do not have near the time I would like to have to spend making things for them. But the times that I spend doing things for them are the times that bring me the most pleasure. I am still in my learning stages so I appreciate all the tips I pick up from you.
The last project that I embroidered were onsies for a friends new baby. I love to make things for my grand-daughter and plan to add embroidery to the things I make for her.
How very timely this blog was! I came home from an afternoon with three embroidery group friends where we spent six hours working on towels. We had decided to use thin poly-cotton blend towels to learn on. I wanted to work on terrycloth so I would have something pretty and useful at the end of the day. Our leader had done towels using tear-away on the back and wash-away on the front. My terry towel was not working well and was told that the nap was too thick, even though I had selected a low nap towel. I’ll bet that using the fusibel mesh stabilizer and tulle (or netting) would have made a big difference. Oh, to have read this article just one day sooner! I have made a note to share this information with my embroidery group at our next meeting. Thanks for all of the great suggestions you relay on to us embroiderers through your web site.
Hi Nancy,
I follow you on youtube and Facebook. Now I saw your Embroidery lessons in this blog. Great!!
In a few months I become for the first time, a grandmother. Am so grateful! Am sewing for the new baby and embroider sheets and other “stuff” for it.
Thanks for all your tips and lessons!
(Is this book and cd also available in Holland??)
The last project I embroidered was a blocks for a baby quilt for my niece who is having her first baby! I am excited for her as my own children are 21 and 24 now….. so a baby in the family will be LOTS OF FUN!!!!
I machine embroidered baby bids for a friend’s daughter who had her first baby.
I think the last thing I embroidered was some lace Xmas ornaments. My life seems to be calming down so I am excited about doing more in the near future. This book would be such a great help
I did a satin jacket, somehow the machine messed up and it got out of line , to this day, I haven’t tried to fix it, this book would be of good help. Love all of your books , TV programs, and catologs and flyers , keep them coming.
I just finished 2 pillows for my nephews that I appliqued their names and embroidered their favorite sport as an extra embellishment. On backside, I embroidered a message from me and the date. They loved it. Great gift for boys. Not too many things you can sew for boys.
my last project was a towel. I need to embroider a name on a Christmas stocking and this book would be such a help on the placement.
I embroidered a chef’s apron for a family friend; it looked great on front, turned it over and OH NO! the neck tie was embroidered into the design! and this after I had carefully checked and double checked! ha! so I carefully clipped the tie from the design, then opened the tie seams, stitched it together diagonally, closed the seams, and presto! No one could tell it wasn’t supposed to be like that! And the recipient loved the apron.
The last project I completed was embroidering on towels. I need to embroider a name on a Christmas stocking and this would be a great help for the placement of the name.
I have embroidered pillow cases for daughter and grands, no prob. but my towels are just not so good and that was the last thing i tried. will follow this and see if i do better. i got pokies and somestuff could not be read. : ( thanks
Last few projects were quilting in the hoop & I digitized the satin outlines for the GO! train & then did the applique in the hoop for a wallhanging for my grandsons.
I am piecing a 15″ X 10″ ‘coffee cup’ mat using coffee bean and coffee cup fabric Then, I am embroidering a coffee cup and phrases on top of the pieced mat. It is going to be a cute gift for my coffee drinking friends.
Hi Nancy, I am a brand new sewer. I always wanted to learn and so for Christmas i got a singer Quartet machine. It has the embrodery also. I have been doing a few skirts a quilt and now am gonna try to brave the embroidery machine. I have been watching you on tv and checking out the web sites. To give me the knowledge and confidence to do my first project.
My latest project was a Machine Embroidery Applique shirt for my son’s first birthday.
My last project was a blanket that I embroidered using a bulldog and appliqued paws.
My most recent embroidery project has been Valentines. I used several different type of designs suitable for either paper, fabric or postcards. I love them. I also started a tradition….everyone expects them now and can’t wait to see what’s new with Grandma!
The tulle tip is pure genius! Thank you for sharing it!
Most recent machine embroidery project was a dog scarf for a friend!
I am new to Machine Embroidery. My most recent project was to embroidery our last name initial on a towel. I got some tips on how to do this from a book by Nancy called Machine Embroidery with Confidence. But after watching the dvd of this new series and reading the above tips, I want to do more than just one letter.
I have finished a set of place mats and coasters for my son’s house. Being a man, I had to keep it as masculine as possible. I settled on a coffee theme and patchworked them (using curtain fabric). Quilted these pieces and finished with a central embroidery of different coffees. He was rapt and I was really pleased with how they turned out. Thanks so much for the tip on towel embroidering. Never would have thought of using tulle! Really appreciate these tips and would absolutely love the book.
OK, it’s time for honesty… The last thing I embroidered was a total disaster. I purchased a pre-sized design and hooped the 3T t-shirt (that alone was humorous) and stabilizer. I chose the size of the design for the hoop that fit the little shirt and had all of my thread lined up and ready to go. Everything was going great until the machine (my brand new autographed BabyLock EG) stopped — Arrggghhhh!!
Ok, the truth is that it jammed up jelly tight. I literally had to cut the threads and the t-shirt to get it out of the machine. What a mess! I’m thankful that the toddler t-shirt was only $3.00.
I emailed this story (humorous version) to some of the ladies that I had met at the NZ retreat (Shreveport) and found out more about stabilizers. Needless to say, my learning curve had taken a turn for the worse.
So, off to the fabric store I went to purchase some more stabilizer. Did you know that in a city this size, they don’t have what I need? What did I need?
I’m bound and determined to master stabilizers and embroidery. I want my projects to look better than magazine pictures.
I know, I know… baby steps. I started with a 3T. Isn’t that a baby step?
Please keep blogging! It’s so helpful.
Thanks bunches!
Valerie
Hmmm, never tried the fusible mesh on the towels…nor the tulle. Great ideas! And, I just happen to have a stack sitting here waiting to be embroidered…lol! Thanks so much for sharing these tips with us…
I embroidered Christmas ornaments for my family and
friends. Made with gold or siver thread and different color
satin on the design on water soluble stablizer.
I used a floral heart design to embroider a hanger safe with a hidden zipper. I even made a ruffle border…had never used my ruffle attachment and it worked great!
I’m making a tablecloth for easter with hen and roosters as I have embroiderey. Todays post on my blog is my hen for the prodjekt
Love to play with my embroiderymachine 
))))
Just made a retro apron for a friend and instead of hand embroidering, I did machine embroidery on the pockets and around the hem.
I monogrammed Toilet Paper for my daughter who is at college as a joke. She is always saying that she wants everything monogrammed so when we went to visit her we took her a special surprise. Her and all of her friends thought it was really cute.
I am working now to come up with a pleasing design for a Fall Retreat for my guild that I am in charge of. I choose the title “Happy Fall Y’all” as the theme and I am testing different designs and wording to do for projects for the retreat.
I just watched in amazement! Shoot, I even thought for moment even I could embroider! Just push the button and it’s on! Serious though I loved the color combination of the towels! Nancy must have a beautiful place for them. Imagine that……
Hi, I have a note for everyone to consider. When you are embroidering for children, please consider using only initials and not the full names of children who are old enough to know their names. It makes it so much easier for a child to be lured away by a stranger who knows the child’s name. I know it’s a dreadful thought, but we can’t be too careful with our little ones. Babies are not a problem and older children who understand “stranger danger” are fine too, it’s just the short time when the child might respond to someone who calls him/her by name but doesn’t see the danger. Just something to think about.
Hi Nancy, My last project was a T-shirt for my 1 year-old grandson for Valentines Day. I wanted the Message “I love you to the moon and back” on the shirt and also a design. I’m sorry I can’t tell you the owners of the designs I used, but I took a design of a moon and stars with a teddy bear and added a couple of hearts scattered around and then added the text. I find it easier to merge all the elements into one design so I can make sure it fits in my hoop. I embroidered it on a plain white t-shirt using cutaway backing and it worked fine. I did ask my daughter to let me know how it looks after it was laundered because I’m not at all sure I used the right backing. I have a picture of the t-shirt if anyone would like to see it. Nancy, your embroidery series gave me the guts to try again. It’s my first project in about 3 years, and I’m so happy I started again. Between this and the doll clothes shows, I’m leaning a lot.
I’m making a cape for my granson and will embroider the “Super Finn” emblem on in about 5 minutes!
well, I must admit I have not done any machine embroidery and I have had my machine since Christmas 2011….have taken classes twice but by the time I want to use it…dah! Maybe this book and cd will help my poor and scared mind to finally use my embroidery machine and thus have a very happy husband who bought me a new serger and the embroidery machine….side note: have had problem remembering how to thread the serger…am I getting too old for all the new more elaberate technoligy. Had to give my kindle I got this year for Christmas…missed the regular keypad….SO pick me please….
I don´t have a embroiderd machine, is that the only way to be able to do the embroides???
Hi Grace, Yes, you’ll need a machine that embroiders. It’s a really fun process–visit your local Baby Lock Dealer for a demo.
The last item I added embroidery to was a quilt I made for Quilts for Kids, Inc. , a charity I support with at least 3 quilts a month. That same week I added a tiny moon and star design to 21 infant nightgowns sewn for another charity.
The last project I embroidered (and it was only my 2nd, ever) was a pair of overalls for my 2 year-old son. I could really benefit from the 6 lessons book. Thanks for the giveaway!
Lately I’ve been personalizing baby items; burp cloths, bibs & receiving blankets.
I am a self taught sewer who has made everything from blue jeans to bridal gowns and prom dresses. I mastered my serger and finally bought a 5 thread professional serger. I have always been smitten with embroidery beginning with hand embroidery. I finally broke down and purchased an inexpensive Brother only to find out, I needed much help. The Machine Embroidery in 6 Easy Steps gave me the confidence to make another go at it in hopes to be able to begin using this machine.
I made a baby burp pad for the first time and had the best time personalizing it!
I am working on an apron for daughter who helps out at the VFW bingo hall. I am using the back of a pair of jeans (upcycling) for the apron part, adding a long pocket across the width and embroidering the word Bingo and some bingo balls on it. The letters and numbers will be embroidered onto white felt on placed on top of the denim and satin stitching around the letters/numbers in a circle to look like the balls. If I can find some bingo themed fabric, then the ties will be made from that, otherwise, they will be denim.
I embroidered a quilt lable for a Queen size Tee-Shirt quilt for a friend of my daughters. I also embroidered “The Life and Times of Jim and Cimba” on the front of the quilt. Really made the quilt special. With a few left-over tees, I made their basset hound a little tee-shirt quilt of his own with HIS name, Shorty, embroidered on it! I’ve been busy, busy embroidering lately! Makes things so special. In fact, I just remembered, put my sister, Betsy’s name on an apron too!
I made some FSL bookmarks and became hooked! They look like filet crochet I did many, many years ago.
I just finished an embroidered Old World Santa on a quilt square. I am getting ready to start a Valentine bib for my brand new grandbaby! The book looks like an amazing reference tool!
I watched the Machine Embroidery shows and was fascinated on informational they were. I’m new to machine embroidery and your shows gave me some very helpful tips and things to think about .
I embroidered some Valentine’s Day towels. One of them looks great, the other not so good – need more practice LOL!
My last embroidery project was the quilt label I embroidered for my oldest daughter. Thanks for the chance to win a copy of this book.it looks like a great reference book.
The last embroidery I did was to help my DGD embroider the pockets of an apron she was making for herself. They turned out great and she is very happy.
I personalized a terry cloth baby bib for a friends baby.
Just finished an apron with embroidered utensils coming out of the pockets
I have just completed 50 sucker covers for my two younger grandchildren’s Valentine Day parties at school. They are done on felt in pink, hot pink, red, and white, then a sucker is slipped inside. I’m sure the project has given me more pleasure than it will give them. Love to do things for those we love.
I made lace bookmarkers..for Valentine’s Day. Very pleased with how the turned out.
The last embroidery project I worked on were some snowflakes for the Sandy Hook elementary school project. I did them over the Christmas holidays and mailed them in January. It is my understanding that they were being hung all over the new school that the elementary school children were going to be attending. I added some hot chrystals to just give them a little extra bling!
Digitized some bunnies from a logo for a bunny rescue group
I have just embroidered business logos for my nail tech on her work aprons and the hair stylist she rents space from on his capes/jackets. Juan was thinking outside the box and asked me to reverse his logo…so his clients can read his logo while looking in the mirror during their sessions!
Hi Nancy
I am beginning the quilting stage of a large quilt, when this is completed I will be embellishing with thread, buttons and beads. To be the winner of this book would be awesome, when it comes to monogramming I am in the infant area. Take care & thanks for your wonderful information & the opportunity to win.
I just made a luggage tag for my Singer Featherweight machine.
I embroidered 12 aprons with seasonal designs for gifts this past Christmas.
I’m new to embroidery and lovingng it. I just finished 21 towels for my daughters swim team to take to their championships this weekend. They came out great but I’m sure there are lots of things I could learn that would make them even better next time!
I made a lap quilt called Glimpses of Autumn Splendor for our home in which each block had different scenes and colors of fall. I also made embroidered towels for all 3 bathrooms of my daughter’s new home.
The last thing I embroidered on was polar fleece teddy bears. I embroidered on towels years ago and were not happy with the results. I would like to try it again maybe this time I will have beautiful embroidered towels.
I’m in LOVE with my Elegante’2….been sewing since the 5th grade and am now a great-grandmother! However, when I started machine embroidery…I am hooked with that as well as sewing.
My last embroidery was yesterday making a pillow case for each great-grandchild. It is basketball fabric because that’s their love and then embroidered each with their name. They will love them.
Love your emails to me.
Jane Waldrop
I made a birthday card for our oldest daughter. She was so amazed.
Since I’ve been getting ready for our guild’s annual quilt show I just embroidered labes for 2 quilts.
thanks for all the tips!
My current project is making seven clutch purses using the fabric from a wedding dress. I am embroidering each of the daughters’ initial on the purse and the mother. My son’s fiance wanted to wear her mother’s dressfor the wedding, but it was stained. This way each of the girls will have a wonderful keepsake of their mother’s wedding dress!
Just finished embroidery of baby bibs for a special member of the family.
The last project I embroidered was a t-shirt with an intricate design. It turned out beautifully… until I unhooped it and realized I had put it on the shirt sideways! It was perfectly centered though, and I’m going to turn that shirt into a pillow. Luckily I had a second “blank” tee so I could make a shirt I could wear.
Darn! Wish I had known about the tulle! I really struggled with putting sunflowers on a towel set for my mother, and ended up buying several more blank towels. Will try this technique next time. Thanks!
I embroidered a Christmas stocking for my grandson – just his name. I have so much to learn!
The last product I embroidered on was towels. My daughter was going off to college and having a room mate for the first time. I embroidered her initials on all of her towels, face cloths and hand towels. That way she couldn’t get hers mixed up with anyone else’s. She rolled her eyes at first, but later in the semester she was very thankful. She never lost a towel and could easily tell which ones were hers.