Sunday, December 30, 2012

It's snowing!

 Well, not real snow, but I finally got my embroidery machine to cooperate and let me make some snowflakes.  I wanted to make and send some to Sandy Hook Elementary, their PTA was asking for snowflakes to decorate the new school when the children return in January, but they have been so overwhelmed, they have asked everyone to please stop sending things.  Seems like they had a blizzard of paper, crochet, knit, embroidered and every other kind of snowflake you can imagine.  They had them come from many different countries and I know the kids will feel the love that went into making them all when they get back.

To make my snowflake, first I put Aqua Magic by inspira into my hoop and picked out a snowflake design.  I used double layer of the water soluble fusable webbing.  I got it at a sewing shop that is inside of JoAnn's.  They sell Viking sewing machines and embroidery machines and it was bout $10 for a 5 yard (12inch wide) roll.

Then, I picked out a design and let the machine do its magic.  I picked out two different snowflakes, a small one that took about 15 minutes and a big one that took about 45 minutes.

 After stitching, I cut the extra webbing off.  I hope to learn how to make these without using up so much and wasting. I will save the extra pieces for smaller projects.  Or, maybe I can overlap and sew the extra pieces together like you do with batting scraps.
 Drop the snowflake in a bowl of warm water and in just a couple of seconds, the fusable is gone!
 Pull it out and if it is too sticky, rinse it again, but you want a little of the starch to stay on the snowflake to keep it stiff for hanging on the tree.
 Here's the big one going into the warm water bath.

 Ready to come out?
 Yep!
I laid mine on a towel to dry.  Then, I will hang them either with fishing line or Christmas tree hangers.  I think I might make a blizzard and hang them all over the house.  Out here in Northern California, we rarely get snow.  Like 2 times in the 20 years I've lived here.  And it doesn't stick when it hits the ground :(  But we can drive an hour and get to the snow or the beach.  I like it!

1 comment:

Needled Mom said...

They look wonderful. Another thing you can use to stiffen them up is a mixture of 1/2 white glue and 1/2 water. Bugs like starch!