Hearts & Snowflakes

Machine Embroidered Faux Tatted Hearts

Now that I am feeling much better, I have been playing catch-up with all things Blue Ribbon Designs...and one of the very few creative endeavors I can pursue while working at my desk is machine embroidery. My sewing table is only a few feet from my desk in my studio, so I am able to set-up and run my embroidery machine while I work at the computer. I have had many requests for more machine embroidered lace snowflakes, so I wanted to get a few sets put together for my Etsy shop...and with Valentine's Day right around the corner, I have been enjoying making machine embroidered motif and faux tatted hearts! I have actually been working on three different styles of machine embroidered hearts - motif hearts, faux tatted hearts, and faux tatted hearts with a pecot edge. Each heart measures just under 4" square...and is completely made of embroidery thread. I worked with several shades of red and pink - and added a ribbon hanger to each (which can be easily removed) so they can be tied to hang in a window or on an ornament tree...and these hearts would be great for scrapbooking, for embellishing a valentine card, for a gift tag, or for inserting in a valentine as a gift. I have listed quite an assortment of snowflakes and hearts in my Etsy shop....

Machine Embroidered Motif Hearts

Machine Embroidered Faux Tatted Hearts with Picots

Machine Embroidered Snowflakes

Although I have an overwhelming business to-do list right now, I do have some great sewing/quilting projects ready to go...I absolutely love fabric for Valentine's Day and just went into my fabric stash and pulled yardage of cute reds and pinks for a few fun ideas. Now I just have to make the time...

Fabric and Threads - Iowa State Fair

Before I start today's post...remember, you have until 7:00 PM CST on Sunday, August 21st to enter my milestone giveaway - see last Saturday's post for details....

We are blessed to have a wonderful fabric and threads division at the Iowa State Fair. They actually display all the entries upstairs in the huge Varied Industries Building...and best of all, it is clean, dry, and air-conditioned. Although my husband kind of rushed me through the exhibit yesterday, I still managed to get some great photos - there are aisles and aisles of entries including: knitting, counted thread, toys and dolls, sewing for the home, counted cross stitch, tatting, hooked rugs, crochet, needlepoint, weaving, quilting, embroidery, and clothing construction. It truly is awe inspiring to walk through each area and see such precise and creative work. Congratulations to all the well-deserved ribbon winners! I will start with some photos of the needlework aisles (this is just a sampling, there were hundreds of entries!)...since there are so many, I think I will wait until my next post to show you the quilting...