How Mish Is Getting Her Embroidery Groove On!

Goodness! Working with these tiny designs and coaxing down the sizing to the proper height and width for the covered buttons on the computer and then trying to center the fabric around the button gets me kind of carsick! But, it's worth it! I'm getting much better at all this. Look at the "Initial-M Covered Button." Isn't it marvelous and clear? I love this font, too, especially because it is a filled stitch inside the letter with an outlined border where I can choose to use a coordinating or contrasting color.

These "M's" were a bit too full for the 1-1/8-inch button, which is my favorite size, but this 1-1/2" button does look great. What can this size button be used for? You can slip through a pony holder or put on a pin backing. It would be a great embellishment for a totebag. Sew it in front of the magnetic snap. It's just decorative there but covers the area. I'll be putting some "initial" covered buttons in my calicodaisy shop soon.

Here is a mosaic of a number of mini designs I have that will look great on the buttons:

Again, this is a chance for me to back up your good ideas. See here:

From embroidery design to panel to button.

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You order your favorite design to be sewn out on a fabric panel with space enough to cut out the proper sized circle to cover your button. At home, you cut out the designs and then snap onto your button blank, and you have a gorgeous little piece of art. Use them for your own projects or sell at your craft fairs with as a ponytail holder or a barrette with the button centered on a nice grosgrain bow.

Now to the applique section of my dialogue:



Check out this hip chick! I'm going to center this blue panel on the mod flower fabric for a fun pillow. Do you know someone with a VW Bug? You might order a fabric panel with this applique in your favorite colors and add a name or wording underneath. Then, fussy cut around the image and add to your own pillow or quilt or t-shirt. There is a set of vehicle appliques on my flickr page. Just e-mail me or contact me here, and we can design something together.

Speaking of vehicles - and in the spirit of Nanette at Freda's Hive's Fabulous Fabric Fridays, look at these fabrics I picked up from pink chalk fabrics.



I've been needing some boy fabrics, and these are just adorable. What to do with them? I'm not sure, but, I'm loving looking at them.

And, finally, though you might not believe it - especially if you actually come over and visit me regularly, The Chamber of Fabrics (read that with a scary voice and scroll through that post and see my workroom) is getting more and more organized. I can nearly see the floor! I've done a ton of ironing and folding of fabrics while the embroidery machine has been chugging along. Here is some of my stash wall:



Well, that's enough of me for now. I'm wordy on this Friday. I'm off to do some banking and errands, and tomorrow I'm going to visit the girl who is appliqueing my embroideries onto her children's boutique clothing. I'm so excited to meet her in person and work out some ideas with her. It will be fun to get into someone else's fabric stash.

Have a Happy Weekend!

LATE ADDITION: There is a Halloween Giveaway over at Pumpkin Patch Primitives Quilt Shoppe. She wants those who enter to blog about the giveaway, so be sure to lend her a spot on your blog, too. -- Michele