Wendy Week Day 5: Free "Ducky Daisy" Design (Plus one last giveaway!)

Welcome to Day 5 of Wendy Week here at the Sew Beautiful blog! With the release of designer Wendy Schoen’s new book Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery, we’re honoring the renowned artist and teacher with a week of special promotions and giveaways. We hope you have enjoyed joining us on the blog every day this week for exclusive book previews, an interview with Wendy, and our awesome giveaway contests - a different one each day!

Today we are giving away a Ducky Daisy Pillow Kit from Wendy Schoen Design! Details follow the instructions below.


To give you a small taste of what you can expect to find in Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery, we have excerpted Wendy's adorable "Ducky Daisy" beginning shadow work design. Color key and stitch instructions follow below; click here to download the Ducky Daisy design template in Adobe PDF format.

Using the techniques we shared with you yesterday regarding supplies and tracing off your design, prepare your fabric with the Ducky Daisy template, then stitch out design in the following order. (Check out the introductory video here if you missed it!)
1. Working from foreground to background, look for shapes within other shapes. Shadow stitch the wing as you would a teardrop shape beginning at the tip in the “V configuration.” Work the beak in the same manner. The eye and facial features are stitched, as well.

2. Work the neck tie and lower bow loop as you would a rectangle. The top loop is worked as a teardrop, beginning with backstitches down the center line then shadow stitched on the outer edges, ignoring the center line.

3. The head is worked as you would a circle, beginning at the top and worked toward the body.

4. To complete the design, work the body as you would an oval, beginning at the breast and worked toward the tail, ignoring the wing entirely, but piggy-backing the stitches that share common boundaries.

5. Enjoy your completed design!




TODAY'S GIVEAWAY
Today we are giving away a Ducky Daisy Pillow Kit from Wendy Schoen Design!

To enter the contest, simply leave a comment on this blog post below. Be sure you include an email address or contact information so that we can contact you if you're a winner. Entries will remain open through the rest of Wendy Week and the winners will be drawn at random and announced next Monday, March 14, 2011.


We hope you have enjoyed Wendy Week here on the SB blog! Don't forget you can still enter to win any of the giveaways announced this week by leaving a comment on their respective posts:

• Monday: 3 signed copies of the book, Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery
• Tuesday: 2 copies of the companion machine embroidery disc, Wendy Schoen's Machine Embroidery Collection I
  
• Wednesday: An entire year of lessons from Wendy Schoen's Embroidery Club (2004)
  
• Thursday: 2 copies of Wendy's instructional Shadow Work Embroidery DVD, each paired with a floche sampler pack
  
• Friday (this post): A Ducky Daisy Pillow Kit from Wendy Schoen Design

Winners will be announced and contacted on Monday, March 14th, 2011. Thanks for joining us this week - it has been a blast!

Shannon's Elephant Diaper Stacker

I'm excited to share that there is a new Sew Beautiful baby on the way! I am 29 weeks pregnant with our first baby - a little girl. I have been having a blast planning her nursery and decided on a gray/yellow theme, with little elephants all over. Since my husband and I plan on having more children in the future, we are trying to keep things somewhat neutral so that if we end up with a little boy, reusing our nursery won't be an issue. I have been bargain shopping for the big things and sewing what I can to piece together a room I love, so picking out fabric and making my own accent pieces has been lots of fun for me.

One of my favorite projects so far has been this diaper stacker; I just love how it turned out and I was thrilled that we had a pattern on hand here at work I could use: the "Fancy Trims Diaper Stacker" from our book, Precious Baby Daygowns, Round Yoke Collection. I picked this pattern above many others I had seen because of its simple lines; I knew it would be easy to adapt to our nursery's style. (Below is a picture of the original diaper stacker from the book.)

And now for the giveaway! Since I had so much fun with this project, I want to give away a copy of the Precious Baby Daygowns, Round Yoke Collection book so you can make your own! I will throw in a package of Floriani Heat N Sta Fusible Fleece and a can of Sulky KK2000 as well, since I found both of these products to be extremely helpful when stitching this up. To enter, just leave a comment on this post -- and don't forget to include your email address so that I can contact the winner! Entries will remain open until this Wednesday, February 11, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. CST. Sorry, but the giveaway has ended!

The biggest changes I made are as follows:

• The pattern called for 5 different fabrics, but I used only 2.
• I did not use any decorative trims.
  
• I did not piece the front top yoke piece as in the original; rather, I used one solid piece for both the front and back. I also omitted the ribbon rose and created my own elephant appliqué instead. (Let me know if any of you would be interested in having the elephant appliqué template and I will create one to share with you.)
  
• I added lining fabric to the front, side and back panels, whereas the original instructions did not call for lining. (I snuck a peek at the actual original diaper stacker, and the fabrics used were just a bit thicker and more opaque than mine. I wanted the same or more stability for my version, so I just cut lining pieces to match the front, side and back panels and adhered them together with Sulky KK2000 during construction. The result was exactly what I wanted - nice firm seams and non-transparent panels!)
• I did not use any water-soluble or invisible thread as called for in the instructions. Instead, I hand-whipped the back of every binding strip with my regular sewing thread.
  
• I used a piece of cardboard covered with fabric for inside bottom instead of plastic canvas.
• I made a mistake when cutting my front pocket pieces to size, so they are about one inch shorter than the instructions and the original call for - whoops! But the result is extremely similar and the pockets are still plenty large.
  

So with those adaptations in mind, here is an adjusted supplies list if you'd like to make a diaper stacker similar to mine:

• 1-1/2 yard Fabric A (yellow floral print; I used a Robert Kaufman print)
• 1 yard Fabric B (gray elephant print; I used a Japanese import fabric)
• 1 yard lining fabric (I used white drapery lining fabric I had in my stash)
• Fusible fleece (two 16" x 10" pieces)
• Steam a Seam 2 (about 6" x 6")
• Cardboard (13" x 9")
• Sulky KK2000
• Fabric glue
  
• One child's padded hanger
• Basic sewing supplies

And here are adjusted cutting instructions:

From Fabric A, cut the following:

• Two front panels, 7"W x 21"L
• One back panel, 14"W x 21"L
• Two side panels, 10"W x 21"L
• One bottom block, 14"W x 10"L
• One scrap piece of fabric for elephant appliqué, about 6" square
  
• One scrap piece to cover cardboard piece, at least 14"W x 11"L
  

From Fabric B, cut the following:

• Two yoke blocks, 16"W x 10"L
• Two pockets, 7"W x 9"L
• Two center front bindings, 1-3/4"W x 21"L
• Two bias strips for pockets, 1-3/4"W x 7"
• Two bias strips for hanger opening, 1-1/2"W x 5"L
  

From Fusible Fleece, cut the following:

• Two yoke blocks, 16"W x 10"L

From Lining Fabric, cut the following:

• Two front panels, 7"W x 21"L
• One back panel, 14"W x 21"L
• Two side panels, 10"W x 21"L

CONSTRUCTION NOTES:

1. Because you will be using one piece of fabric for the front yoke rather than piecing the yoke together, you will omit steps 1-3 under the very first set of construction directions for the Yoke. Instead, you will first create the elephant appliqué following Steam a Seam 2 instructions. Iron the appliqué onto the center of your front yoke piece and stitch around the raw edges with a small zigzag. (I also stitched an ear shape with the same small zigzag.) Then, fuse the front yoke piece onto a piece of fusible fleece and continue on to step 4, quilting over the top of your appliqué. NOTE: You could also appliqué piece after quilting for a different look.
2. Instead of stitching-in-the-ditch or using invisible thread, hand-whipstitch the back of all binding pieces.
3. Before sewing the major panel pieces together, adhere the front, side and back panel pieces to their matching lining pieces with Sulky KK2000 and treat each as one piece.
4. Instead of inserting plastic canvas into base as in step 20, trim cardboard base to size if needed and cover with fabric and secure on back with fabric glue (I used Fabri-Tac glue). Let dry and insert into bottom of diaper stacker.
5. Omit the "Yoke Embellishment" section. Insert padded hanger to yoke and hang for use!

Again, I am giving away a copy of the Precious Baby Daygowns, Round Yoke Collection book, where you can find this patter, as well as a package of Floriani Heat N Sta Fusible Fleece and a can of Sulky KK2000 so that you can create your own sweet diaper stacker. TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY, just leave a comment on this post -- and don't forget to include your email address so that I can contact the winner! Entries will remain open until this Wednesday, February 11, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. CST. Sorry, but the giveaway has ended!

Our Reversible Bonnet Tutorial at Sew, Mama, Sew!

Our friends at Sew, Mama, Sew! are celebrating two weeks of Baby Shower goodness, and we are thrilled that they asked us to be a part of it! Head on over for a free tutorial on this super-sweet reversible baby bonnet, courtesy of our Martha Pullen Company president Kathy MacMakin. Be sure to enter to win a print from Belle & Boo while you're there.

We have also prepared bonnet kits for you in both red and green, available in our online store for just $8.00 each. Grab one or two to make your own cute bonnets! They're the perfect go-to baby gift.

Sensational Sweater Makeovers from Issue #132: A Video Tutorial

In our September/October Issue #132, the Sew Beautiful staff shared an assortment of ideas for embellishing store-bought sweaters. Two of our favorites from editor Kathy Barnard are pictured here: a cream-colored cardigan with a textured black chiffon trim...

...and a black bolero sweater featuring an interesting pleated ribbon technique.

Kathy shares a quick how-to on each of these techniques in the following 2-part video. Check it out to learn more!





We hope you have fun getting creative with your sweaters using these cool handmade trims. Check out SB Issue #132 for even more embellishment ideas!

Whimsy Week Day 5 - Whimsy Sticks: How-to and a Giveaway!

Welcome to Day 5 of Whimsy Week, where we are celebrating the release of designer Kari Mecca's newest book, More Sewing with Whimsy! Visit the rest of our posts from this week as we have shared behind-the-scenes videos, excerpts and previews of the book, a special interview with Kari, and best of all - GREAT giveaway opportunities every day! We will announce a selection of different special "Whimsy" prizes each day this week. Reply to the posts of the giveaway(s) you would like to win and we will announce the winners next Monday, August 16, 2010.
Today's giveaway is 3 combo sets of Kari Mecca's Whimsy Sticks! Head to the end of this post for more information and to enter. Kari Mecca's latest innovative invention, these creative tools are used to make precise loops that are easily transformed into an endless variety of trims & flowers! This simple technique of wrapping ribbons and trims around these "sticks" will have you creating mounds of embellishments for your favorite projects in no time. Made of high quality acrylic, each Whimsy Stick is a different width for varying sizes of flowers and trims.

Be sure to check in with Kari on her blog this week as well, where she is celebrating Whimsy Week with even more sneak peaks and free downloads. Check out her Tips & Tricks and inspirational photo collection!

On this last day of Whimsy Week, we have a great video that we shot at the July School of Art Fashion in which Kari explains how to use a Whimsy Stick to our editor, Kathy Barnard. Tune in to learn more about these cool tools!



Today's giveaway is 3 combo sets of Kari Mecca's Whimsy Sticks! To enter, reply below with your name and email address. We will announce the winner of this and the rest of our Whimsy Week giveaway prizes next Monday, August 16th. Entries will remain open until then!

Whimsy Week Day 4 - Mitered Spaghetti Leaves Tutorial (and a Giveaway!)

Welcome to Day 4 of Whimsy Week, where we are celebrating the release of designer Kari Mecca's newest book, More Sewing with Whimsy! Join us every day this week as we share behind-the-scenes videos, excerpts and previews of the book, a special interview with Kari, and best of all - GREAT giveaway opportunities every day! We will announce a selection of different special "Whimsy" prizes each day this week. Reply to the posts of the giveaway(s) you would like to win and we will announce the winners next Monday, August 16, 2010.

Today's giveaway is 2 copies of Kari Mecca's first DVD, Sewing with Whimsy! Head to the end of this post for more information and to enter. The Sewing with Whimsy DVD brings all the benefits of Kari’s sought-after teaching style to your sewing room. You’ll be able to watch and listen as Kari shows you how to duplicate the trims and fabric techniques that consistently put her garments on the cover of Sew Beautiful magazine and make her a popular teacher at the Martha Pullen School of Art Fashion. Step-by-step instructions come alive through Kari’s voice and hands as rickrack and ribbon flowers bud and blossom before your eyes. You’ll learn Kari’s secrets for contrasting hembands, mitered and layered trims, using your sewing machine’s ruffler foot for gathering and adding the sparkle of beads. Kari’s sewing artistry abounds from beginning to end, and her fanciful designs will leave you completely enchanted!

Be sure to check in with Kari on her blog this week as well, where she is celebrating Whimsy Week with even more sneak peaks and free downloads. Check out her Tips & Tricks and inspirational photo collection!
Today on Whimsy Week, we have a fun technique to share with you from More Sewing with Whimsy as featured on one of Kari's favorite new patterns, "Flirty Girl" (pictured above) – how to make little leaves with lace out by mitering spaghetti bias! You'll find this technique plus many more in the invaluable "Trims & Techniques" section of More Sewing with Whimsy.

Mitered Spaghetti Leaves
Made from bits of spaghetti bias and lace, these cute little openwork leaves add that special touch that says it's an original.

1. Cut a piece of spaghetti three times longer than finished leaf size. With right sides together, fold spaghetti in half. Hand tack edges 1/8" from fold.
2. Press open forming point. Overlapping ends, angle to make leaf curve up. Hand tack to hold.
3. Place lace behind leaf and curve to fit. Hand sew in place and saturate entire leaf in fray stop glue. Once dry, trim lace slightly shorter than leaf edge.
4. Hand sew in place as desired.

For more great embellishment ideas, check out Kari's new book, More Sewing with Whimsy!

Today's giveaway is 2 copies of Kari Mecca's first DVD, Sewing with Whimsy! To enter, reply below with your name and email address. We will announce the winner of this and the rest of our Whimsy Week giveaway prizes next Monday, August 16th. Entries will remain open until then!

Check back every day this week for more fun Whimsy Week posts and giveaways!

Tag Binky Directions

Cut two 17" squares of fleece.

Cut 28 different pieces of trim or ribbon 4" long.

On one square, mark the center and embroider as desired. Be sure to top with a tear-away or dissolving stabilizer so threads don't sink into the pile.

Fold over each piece of 4" ribbon to form a 2" tag. On right side of fleece, pin each tag (raw edges of tag to raw edge of fleece) along edge of second square, seven tags to each side.

Using a 1/2" seam allowance, stitch around outside edge of fleece square to attach tags.

Place embroidered square and "tag" square right sides together. Sew around outside edge following previous line of stitching on "tag" side. Leave a small opening for turning binky right sides out.

Trim corners, turn binky right sides out, push out corners and hand stitch opening closed.

Tag Binky

Whenever a friend is expecting a baby, I whip up one of these tag binkies. Babies love them. They're a great way to use up small pieces of trim and ribbons; just make sure everything is washable, and avoid any trims with beads or sequins or those that could come apart, like ones with rows of motifs that are joined with just a thread or two; you know how babies like to teethe on things. Mix and match different colors and textures. Invariably the baby will latch on to one special tag, so I'm told. I usually machine embroider one side with the baby's name, if I know what it's going to be, or you can pick any fun, juvenile motif. Use solid fleece on one side and a print on the other if you like. If you don't machine embroider, just pick out a fleece print for both sides. Directions will follow in next post.