Elephant & Pig ~ Fronts & Rears

I've created 2 new applique machine embroidery designs for babies.
Elephant & Pig

















These designs look reallly cute on onesies or baby tees & diaper covers with the rear views on the backsides :)










































I've also come up with a new gift packaging idea.
Baby Ice Cream Cone
Inside are diapers, washcloths & onesie!

Baby Animal Faces - New Design

I've just finished a new machine embroidery applique set, Baby Animal Faces. The designs match my popular Baby Wrist Rattles Set.



I created cute little 'peek-a-boo' boxes to hold folded side snap shirts (newborn 0-3) embroidered with my designs.
I cut these on my Cricut Expression. You can download the .scut files & a PDF with instructions here.



Another idea is to fold the shirts and put them inside of little baby bottles!



I got the bottles ('the first years Soothie') @ WalMart.
Fold the shirts so the faces show nicely & pop them inside. Tie a cute ribbon around the tops and they're so cute!







I added a cute ruffle to the bottom of one of the shirts to match the 'Baby Girl' applique design.




















Here's how I did the ruffle for a side snap shirt:
Measure around the shirt and add at least 1/2 of the length to the measurement. Cut a 4" wide strip to this length. You will have to piece it.
Fold the strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press.
Fold the ends to the inside and press.
Run a basting stitch along the long raw edge. Gather up edge to the approximate length of the bottom measurement of the shirt.















Cut another strip that is 1 1/2" wide the length of the measurement around the bottom of the shirt + 1". Fold the strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press.
Fold each end in 1/2" and press.
Sew the strip to the ruffle. Have the right side of the strip against the back of the ruffle:













The fold on the strip is even with the edge of the ruffle.
Next fold the strip to the front side of the ruffle. The pressed center fold mark is at the top:











Fold the raw edge under & press & pin












Pin the ruffle to the bottom edge of the shirt. I placed it along the stitching line on the shirt.












Sew close to both edges and you're done!

Garden Gate Sign

I made this sign for our fence gate.



















I used my Cricut Expression and outdoor grade vinyl. The Welcome with the swirl under it and the bird & branch were free svg files from the internet. I added the 'to my Garden' lettering. I put it all together in SCAL.
The metal frame is from Lowe's. I didn't like the graphic that was in it, so I took it apart and spray painted over it. I applied the vinyl and put the frame back together.

I love it :) I plan to do some work in my flower garden this weekend. I think Spring has finally sprung here.

IEC - Indiana Embroidery Conference

I will be a vendor at the
Indiana Embroidery Conference in Columbus, IN
October 21 - 25.

You can find all the information regarding the conference - classes, events, hotel, etc. - here

Hope to see you there!

Name Frame

I just finished this for a friend of mine for her niece's room. She wanted pinks, purples & blues. I found the floral print @ JoAnns and thought it was so pretty. I bought extra 'cuz I know I will want to make something using it :)
The frame is 12" x 36".
I purchased the embroidery designs from Embroidery Boutique.
I hope she likes it.

Wrist Pincushions - New Design

My new Wrist Pincushion machine embroidery design set is finished.
They turned out so cute and were so much fun to make.

These will make great gifts for your sewing friends and be a good craft fair seller.
Included are heart, flower & round shaped pincushions.




Create an updated modern tomato or a sweet old fashioned wrist pincushion



There are 2 sizes of straps included to fit wrists up to approx 8" around.



As an added bonus, I created a box sized for gift giving. The free instructions can be found on my website





If you have a Cricut Expressions machine and SCAL you can download the .scut files & instructions to create the box here

Grandma's Buttons

My husband's grandmother died recently. She was almost 94 years old.
Grandma and I had some of the same interests.

She sewed. Grandma was one of those people who could just look at something and cut it out and make it. No pattern, just cut and sew and it would turn out great. She was always making something for her grandkids and great-grandkids.

Everyone got a little something of Grandma's to remember her by. I got her button box and scissors. I love them.
I want to do some projects using the buttons, maybe a table runner with flowers and use some of the buttons for the centers.


















I've been getting a wonderful response to my new Wrist Wallet and Baby Wrist Rattles.
As a spin-off, I'm going to do a Wrist Pincushion Set. Look for it soon on my site





Yep, that's one of Grandma's buttons on the top :)

I LOVE Pincushions

Pincushions are one of my favorites things. Just about anything can be made into a pincushion. I have them all over my sewing room.
I like to crochet, but I can only do simple things. I wish I had the time to learn to crochet better.
There's not enough time in the day to do all the things I want to.

I did make these 2 Cacti pincushions. They were easy. The pattern was in an issue of Crochet Today from last fall.

We have a large cactus collection - real cacti.
I'll post photos of some of them this summer.

Baby Wrist Rattles - New Design

I'm happy to announce my newest machine embroidery design set - Baby Wrist Rattles.
I had the idea to do this set while working on my new Wrist Wallet design.

I've inserted music buttons into some of the rattles. The Sun design plays "You Are My Sunshine" and the Baby Girl rattle plays "Rock-A-Bye Baby".

The strap has soft fleece on the underside so it is next to baby's skin. Fun prints are on the top side of the strap. The "rattles" are made of fleece with cute animals or lettering.

Each part, the strap & rattle, are made in the hoop. There is some hand sewing with this set.
I think they all turned out adorable :)

















I created a couple of baby shower gift ideas while working on this set.



Baby Cakes" & "Baby Shakes"




Each one contains a combination of a few diapers, washcloths, onesie, socks and of course they are topped off with one of my BABY WRIST RATTLES :)









There's a layer a layer of 'cake', 'frosting', 'roses' and my Monkey Wrist Rattle.

The shake has 'whipped cream' topped off with an adorable Baby Girl Wrist Rattle.

Wrist Wallet - New Design

One of my newest original made 'in the hoop' machine embroidery designs is a Wrist Wallet. It snaps around your wrist and can hold a few things ~ money, change, key, etc. ~ while you jog, walk, go to the gym or just run out for quick errands.

Teens & Pre-Teens can use the Wrist Wallet to safely store a house key and $$ for school.

College students can use the wallet as a fashion statement as well as an alternative to wristlets for nights they are out at clubs, parties, etc.


With the optional key ring, the wallet becomes a Key Ring Wallet. It makes a handy key ring that can hold your drivers license, a few credit/debit cards, $$, etc.

We Made Terrariums!

My son David was visiting this past weekend and we made terrariums.
Since we both love plants, I thought it was the perfect project for us to try.
I bought a couple of glass containers at Michael's and after a trip to the local nursery, we had everything we needed:

*Small pebbles
*Activated charcoal
*Spaghnum moss
*Soil
*Sheet moss
*Plants

We had a lot of fun putting the terrariums together. My son is quite creative and made a really nice looking landscape in his. Hopefully, I can get my husband to take pictures of them soon.

Here is the one I made.

I also really like orchids and finally have found the perfect window to grow them in.

Welcome to my blog

Hi,

My name is Reen and I hope you enjoy my new blog.
I'm married and have 2 sons. David is married to Jen and they live in central IL. Alex is a junior at Purdue Universty - West Lafayette.

I create machine embroidery designs and have a web site where I sell them online, Embroidery Garden I've been doing this for almost 10 years now and love every minute of it.

I enjoy most all crafts, including sewing (especially home dec projects) and crochet. I recently got a Cricut Expression machine and will share projects I've made using it too in posts to come.

Gardening and plants are also an interest of mine. I'll share photos of my flower garden this summer. We've had a long, hard winter in IN this year.

My husband and I have a little chocolate & tan doxie. "Willie" is a sweetheart and spoiled rotten :)

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Reen