Sew What? with Karen Charles: Free Design!
Posted by Karen Charles
I had an exciting week at the Quilt Connection in South Dakota and J & R Vacuum and Sewing in North Dakota last week. It is so inspiring to visit HUSQVARNA VIKING® and PFAFF® stores across the country. While I was there I heard about the great promotion for the month of August. Did you know the DESIGNER EPIC™ Savings Event includes $2500 of HUSQVARNA VIKING® embroidery design collections? These designs are my favorite because they are exceptionally well made. You wouldn’t believe how gorgeous some of them are!
I thought it would be exciting to share one of the many free designs with you and a project I created for it.
Faux Leather Embossed Journal Cover
This beautiful, embossed faux leather writing or doodling journal cover can be created on any HUSQVARNA VIKING® embroidery machine that uses the 8” x 14¼” (360 x 200 hoop), from the DESIGNER EPIC™ to the DESIGNER TOPAZ™ line.
If you have the DESIGNER EPIC™, the design can be enlarged to fit the Imperial Hoop 10” x 14 ¼“ (360 x 260 hoop) for a larger book. Just one of the amazing things we can do with our new 10” wide Imperial Hoop. So many reasons to love the DESIGNER EPIC™!
MATERIALS
Inspira In-R-Form batting, 1 package
Inspira Tear-A-Way stabilizer 12” x 16”
Main fabric - Marine Vinyl 10” x 15”
Lining and pockets - Coordinating color quilters cotton, 1 Fat quarter
Purchased Journal 4 ½” x 6 ½”
TOOLS
HUSQVARNA VIKING® Sewing Machine with Embroidery
505 Spray Adhesives (optional)
DecoArt Dazzling Metallics paint
Disposable gloves
Plastic or newspaper
Lint free rag or scrap of fabric
BASIC SUPPLIES
Robison Anton rayon thread
Iron and pressing surface
Rotary cutter, mat and rule
DIRECTIONS
STEP 1
Download the embroidery design. Load the embroidery design into your machine.
STEP 2
Thread your machine with a 40 weight rayon thread a shade or two lighter or darker than the Marine vinyl you are using. Wind a bobbin with 60 weight bobbin thread. Use a size 80 or 90 INSPIRA embroidery needle.
Tip Rayon or Cotton threads are made from natural fibers and will absorb the paint color that is used after embroidery. Polyester embroidery thread should not be used for this project.
STEP 3
Hoop the tear away stabilizer. Lay the In-R-Form in the hoop on top of the tear away stabilizer, and then place the marine vinyl, right side up on top of the In-R-Form.
STEP 4
In embroidery, baste the vinyl and In-R-Form to the stabilizer by touching the Fix button or activating Baste on the screen. When the design is finished stitching, take the marine vinyl out of the hoop, remove the basting stitch. Turn the project over and trim away the In-R-Form and tear away stabilizer close to the stitching line.
TIP Trim any jump stitches as you as you go so they don’t get stitched into the design.
STEP 5
Protect your table with plastic or newspaper. Put on the disposable gloves. Squirt paint on the marine vinyl; spreading it evenly with your gloved hand. You can apply with a scrap of fabric for a lighter coat. The paint will absorb into both the background and thread. Rub off excess with a lint free piece of fabric to expose the design. As the paint collects on the cloth, change to a clean area. The goal is to leave the paint in the background and take the paint away from the raised floral design. If the paint dries too fast, dampening your wipe cloth will make it easier to lift the paint.
TIP Deciding on which color paint to use is a creative choice. Whether you chose a darker color, lighter color or color completely different from the marine vinyl, each choice will give you a different look. Metallic paints give a beautiful polished finish to the project. Experiment on a scrap of vinyl to help you decide which color you like best with the marine vinyl color you have chosen.
STEP 6
When dry, cut the marine vinyl to 7 ¾” x 11 ½”. Cut the lining fabric the same size, 7 ¾” x 11 ½” and from the same fabric cut 2 pockets 7 ¾” x 8”.
TIP To make a cover for a different size book, measure the dimensions with the book opened flat and add ½” on all sides to calculate cutting size. Cut the lining the same size as your main piece.
STEP 7
Lay the marine vinyl right side up on the table. Fold the fabric for the pockets in half so they measure 7 ¾” x 4 and place a pocket on either end of the marine vinyl, matching raw edges along the outside edges. Stitch in place with a ¼” seam allowance.
Pin the lining to the marine vinyl, right sides together. Start sewing on the end where the pocket is, 5” down from the top. Stop at the corner, pivot and continue to stitch until you are back to the same end you started. Stop 3” from where you started to leave an opening.
STEP 8
Trim corners. Flip right side out through the opening. Lay the project on the pressing surface with the marine vinyl side down. The pockets will be on the front, flip them to the other side. The opening is now hidden by the pocket.
Lay the marine vinyl side down on the pressing surface. Put the pressing sheet on top to protect any vinyl that may be exposed on the outside edge. Press the edges to make it easier to top stitch along the edge.
Place the blind hem foot on your machine. Move the needle to the left needle position -3.0, so it is on the fabric. Top stitch around the edges of the journal cover to finish if desired.
Step 9
Insert your journal or doodling book. Congratulations, you are finished! I hope you enjoyed this fun craft project!
Next week I am off to McDonald’s Sewing & Vacuum in Arkansas City, Kansas to host a DESIGNER EPIC™ event on Tuesday, August 30. After that I spend two days at A-1 Singer Sewing Center in Wichita, Kansas. They just started carrying HUSQVARNA VIKING® machines. I will be doing special demonstrations Thursday, September 1 & Friday, September 2! If you live in the area, come by to meet me.
Have a great sewing week! If you create a project from the instructions post a picture for everyone to see. I would love to see it too!
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE DESIGN!