Tag: Baby Lock

Simplicity 8376 Serger Knit Top

~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ Leave a comment
Hello sewers and sergers!
Here is an easy, quick, nice-fitting pattern for your summer tops.
Simplicity 8376 gives many options for pattern hacking.
This one is View 1, the Base Pattern.
It is the perfect pattern for not only new-to-knit sewers,
but also for experienced sewers who might be new to using an overlocker.
You do not have to sew this on a serger/overlocker,
but the pattern and the overlocker make a perfect pair.
If you are in the local area, I’m teaching this as a Baby Lock Serger event
at Wimmers in Layton on Saturday, April 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
My Silhouette Cameo teaching friend, Dana,
will be joining me to show you how to add a monogram to your top.
Price of admission includes
your fabric (the fabric has a beautiful drape – it is viscose and spandex),
vinyl monogram, lunch, and lots of fun.
We will discuss knit fabric choices,
I will give you tips for matching stripes,

we will attach a self-fabric neck band,

and we will stitch the entire top using Baby Lock sergers.
Okay, let’s go sew some new summer tops.
Thanks for visiting.



The Valentine Dress That Is, and the Blog Post That Almost Was

~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ Leave a comment
Happy February, sewing friends!
This is McCall’s 7186.
My intent was to blog a review of this one in late January.
My photographer has been traveling out of town extensively, so no pics.
*sigh*
Perhaps a photography session will take place near the end of the month
when we are both in town.
Until then, this is my only picture of this close-fitting knit beauty.
Sorry for the teaser, but there will be a full post toward the end of February.
For those of you who are machine embroiderers,
here is some cute inspiration:
This little ornithological creation is an in-the-hoop design from Pickle Pie Designs.
I used inexpensive felt from Hobby Lobby.
Clear vinyl was used for the cute little peek-a-boo-belly heart window.
I put the jelly beans in their own little clear bags and heat sealed them closed
before they became part of the owls’ abdominal contents.

On the back there is a lapped closure in which to insert sweet treats.
It doesn’t show up so great in these photos, but I used glitter felt for the eyes.
I appreciate the time you spend reading my blog.
Thank you so much for stopping by.
Have a l❤vely Valentine’s Day.

Free Machine Embroidery Download – Valentine Coasters

~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ Leave a comment
If you are looking for a sweet, quick, and FREE Valentine accent for your home,
or for a gift, head on over to Creative Machine Embroidery Magazine
Do hurry, though.
The free download expires February 28, 2018.
The instructions are in the January/February 2018 issue.
The design will fit in a 5 x 7 hoop,
but I wanted to stitch out two coasters at a time,
so I chose to use the 8 x 8 hoop on my Baby Lock Alliance.
I used embroidery software to copy and paste a second coaster.
As you can see in the above photo, I did have to turn each design
slightly to fit both of them inside the hoop.
Because I pretty much “squished” two coasters into this hoop,
I cut the batting and main fabric piece at 5 x 7 inches,
which is smaller than indicated in the instructions;
but they still covered the placement line.
Once the front of the heart is stitched out,
two 4 x 7 inch fabric pieces are placed face down on top of
the stitched out heart (I used low tack tape to hold them in place).
The outline of the heart will then stitch them in place,
you will remove the entire design from the hoop,
trim around the heart, and turn it right side out.
The instructions suggest using pinking shears
to trim around the heart, and I highly recommend doing just that.
They add the perfect ‘clip’ marks so your heart turns easily with nice, smooth edges.
There is one misprint in the instructions:
The third bullet point under PREPARE on page 21 of the magazine
instructs you to fold the short edge of one 4 x 7 rectangle toward the wrong side –
in actuality, you should fold the long (7″) edge of the 4 x 7 rectangle
toward the wrong side and press.
I recommend using a press cloth over the embroidery.
Some embroidery threads could melt or discolor under direct contact with the iron.

A beautiful stemmed glass (purchased for $4.50 at a local vintage shop)
and a lovely Valentine coaster make my morning cranberry juice that much sweeter!
With much l💙ve, thank you for reading my blog.