Stupendous Stitching

Another online class from Craftsy.  I am really enjoying these classes.  You purchase the class and then you have them in your inventory to use whenever you want, there is no expiration on the time the video is available to you.

The class was taught by Carol Ann Waugh.  Visit her website for some inspiration.

This was a fun class and I plan to do more projects using what I learned.  Before even starting this project, you need to make a "Stitch Bible", a fabric book with samples of all of the decorative stitches on your machine.  Samples are done in default or normal mode, and then varying width and length.  Sometimes there's a difference in the way a stitch is depicted in the chart of stitches that came with your machine and how they stitch out.  Making this book gives you a good reference to select the right stitches for the look you want.

Start with a piece of fabric, preferably the size of a fat quarter.  Choose yarns, cords, and other items to "couch" over (zig zag stitch), then mirror those couching lines with different decorative stitches from your sewing machine and finish up with some hand embroidery to fill in empty spots.

Piece with couching lines and machine decorative stitches.

Piece with hand embroidery added.

You will love Carol Ann's one rule - There are no rules!  There are no Mistakes!