Monday, July 2, 2012

Wedding Presents



Friends of my son married, finally, in their own words.  So, when couples have been together almost 9 years you want something they didn't already have or would get at the wedding shower.  So, I fired up the sewing machine and made personalized aprons.  I usually like to do colors related to the kitchen but in this case, the bride is a big OSU, Oklahoma State University, fan and the groom has the bluest eyes so I chose orange and blue for their aprons.  So here is what I do...


I start out printing their names out on the computer.  I enlarge the font as much as possible and then use the copier to enlarge it to the size I need.  This is where tracing paper is your best friend.  Trace the names and trim. 











Next you turn the names over and use a transfer
pencil on the backwards names.  This will allow
you to use this as an iron on transfer. 

Transfer pencils can be found at local fabric stores.  Sometimes they are permanent so you should use a piece of test fabric first.

I have marked the center of both the apron and the transfer and placed the transfer where I wanted it to be and ironed it on.

Sometimes, as in this case, it is hard to see the transfer so the alternative is to secure the tracing paper and place your embroidery hoop where you catch the paper.  In machine embroidery, unlike hand embroidery, you hoop the fabric on the underside of the hoop so that it lays flat on the sewing machine bed.  I do this freehand.  Sounds hard but you lower the feed dogs on the machine and set the zigzag to the width you want.  Then you sew!  You follow the transfer and sew fast as you move the hoop slower so you get a solid line.  The zigzag is the ink and the fabric in the hoop is the paper. 


Here is the finished product!  Contrasting thread is usually what you want to use and in this case I just used opposite colors.


And the Happy Bride at the shower.

I think the project was a success!


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