Machine Embroidery & Kwik Sew 3773 Again

Kwik Sew 3773

Fabric shopping with my boys is always an adventure. Recently, Youngest Son and I went to Joann's to find some fabric for a pullover hoody like his brother's quick fleece hoody. Being brothers, they want the same things...only different.

Middle Son likes to be invisible. He chooses dark and very non-flashy, like his grey Ethan shirt. Well, Youngest Son is a little flashier. He wanted some safety orange fleece for his pull-over. I was concerned about my eye sight sewing such a bright color, but knew it would be a quick sew and decided to go for it.

What mom wouldn't want their very active, often wandering nine year-old boy not to wear safety orange? I bought a yard and a half. I was using Kwik Sew 3773 again and it didn't give the yardage for just the top, only for top and pants. I was guessing on the yardage.

Stitched design. The shiny layer is water soluble stabilizer
that is placed on top of fabric before basting and stitching.
The rectangle of stitches are the basting stitches and will be
removed. The water soluble stablizer pulls right off.

I decided that the safety orange (don't get it confused with orange, this color is brighter than the road workers washed out-in comparison--orange) might need some toning down, so I asked Youngest Son if I could add some embroidery. Of course, he had to object to every suggested design. He wanted the face of a wolf. Luckily, I bought this in a set from Embroidery Library a few years ago and have used and others from the set many times.

The back of the embroidery. The stabilizer has been
cut away. I'm leaving the short threads because, I
will be covering with an iron-on layer.

While he was at school, I spent less than 30 minutes tracing the pattern and cutting the fabric. It took me about the same to choose the embroidery threads and hoop the fabric. I used a cut away and hooped the fleece and stablizer in my smallest hoop, 120x120mm. Unfortunately, where I thought I wanted the design didn't fit into the hoop well. So, I unhooped the fleece and placed it on top of the stablizer, which I did hoop. Because fleece can hide stitches, I placed a some water soluble stablizer on top before basting. Using the basting function on the the embroidery machine, I basted the cut away stablizer, fleece and water soluble stablizer together and started stitching the design.

One of the best parts of machine embroidery is that the machine runs by itself and it should not be left alone. I often use the time to do a little clean up. I put away the pattern. I cleaned and rethreaded the serger. I loaded the dishwasher. Then I needed to stop the machine to pick up the boys and run some errands. Time sure flies.

After cloud cover stitch has been ironed in place.
It is now soft, hides stitches and just looks better inside.

When we returned, I finished stitching the design, but wanted to wait to do the actual sewing. I was going to wait until the next day, but Youngest Son is very insistent. I waited until they had left and worked for less than an hour before he returned. I only had the sleeve hem and hood to sew on when he got home. He was so excited that he watched over my shoulder until I finished. I had no choice but to finish.

This project was the perfect time for me to use my new labels. I wasn't sure about using it, but like I said, Youngest Son is insistent. I ordered my labels from NamesLabelsandTapes.com. I recently became an affiliate for them and wanted to know their product before recommending them.

I had always wanted to use labels. Especially for jammies and tops for the boys. They have a hard time telling front from back. I have an embroidery machine and thought about making my own, but never got around to it. But when I saw NamesLabelsandTapes.com, I figured I would give it a try. After all, I am making a lot of clothes with the Ready To Wear Fast with GoodByeValentino.com

I love them. How fun to put my label in the clothes I make! I know. I'm a geek.

Some of the 100 labels from NamesLabelsandTapes.com

Well the ordering process was easy. Well, except for choosing what I wanted, how I wanted, what size, how many lines, what colors, how I wanted to attach.... I really was fun. I went basic and had it kid and Mr. Toad approved. After all, it will be in their clothing too.


What do you think? Do you use a label? Would you use a label?