Designs Plus Volume 17: Free Project
Celebrating the Midnight Hour
Nothing says New Year's Eve as much as a black tie affair. Your tablescape for this sophisticated event combines machine embroidery in black, white, and silver threads with glittering fabrics and trims for lots of party pizzazz. Making your own decorations will guarantee this party will be a night to remember. Cheers!
The embroidery designs for this project are from two sources. The "Stars" and "Cheers Wine Glass" embroidery designs are from my latest book, Machine Embroidery for Special Occasions published by Krause Publications, 2007. The Clock designs, in two sizes, are free downloads available from the Designs in Machine Embroidery website: www.dzgns.com. Click on Free Downloads.
Placemat
Materials (for one placemat)
• ½ yd. cotton print fabric
• 15″ x 3″ strip of contrasting cotton print fabric
• 14″x 19″ rectangle of medium weight fusible interfacing
• 1 yd. purchased silver piping
• White and black 40 wt. embroidery thread
• Silver metallic embroidery thread
• Tear-away stabilizer
• Temporary spray adhesive
• Invisible sewing thread
Embroidery Products
Stars embroidery design
Step 1. At the Machine
Place stabilizer into the hoop. Make a mark on the wrong side of the fabric strip 6″ from one end. This will be the center of the embroidery design. Spray the back of the strip with the adhesive and place lengthwise over the stabilizer so the mark on the fabric is in the center of the hoop. Baste around the design for accurate placement.
Stitch the design. Tear away the stabilizer and press.
Step 2. Sewing
Sew the piping to both long sides of the strip using a ¼″ seam allowance. Press the seam allowances to the wrong side.
Cut two pieces of fabric 20″ wide and 15″ long. Place the strip on one of the pieces 3″ away from one of the side edges. Stitch in the ditch along the piping/fabric strip seam lines.
Fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the remaining piece of fabric, centering the interfacing on the fabric. Press all edges of both pieces ½″ to the wrong side. Place them wrong sides together and topstitch with invisible thread 3/8″ from the edges.
Napkin and Napkin Ring
Materials
• Scrap of nylon organza fabric
• Tear-away stabilizer
• Black 40 wt. embroidery thread
• Silver metallic embroidery thread
• Hot knife or hot textile tool
• 19″ square of print fabric
• ¼ yd. contrasting print fabric
• 6 ½″ of sequin trim, 1 ½″ wide
• Fabric glue, such as Fabri-tac®
Embroidery Products
Small Clock embroidery design
Step 1. Embroidery
Place the nylon organza and stabilizer in the hoop. Stitch the clock design and remove from hoop. Cut approximately ¼″ around the design edge. Use a hot knife to melt the remaining organza from the edge of the design.
Step 2. Sewing
Overlap the ends of the sequin trim and stitch. Glue the clock embroidery motif over the seam line.
For the napkin, cut two strips 3″x 19″ of contrasting fabric. Cut two more strips 3" x 20 ½″. Press one long edge of all the strips ½″ to the wrong side.
With right sides together, sew the 19" strips along the unpressed edge to the top and bottom edges of the napkin with a ½″ seam allowance. Press seam allowances toward the strip. Fold the pressed edge of the strip over the seam allowance and topstitch.
Repeat with the remaining strips along the other edges, tucking in the short ends before topstitching.
Cocktail Napkin
Materials
• Purchased cocktail napkin
• Black and gray 40 wt. embroidery thread
• Silver metallic embroidery thread
• Tear-away stabilizer
• Temporary spray adhesive
Embroidery Products
Cheers Wine Glass embroidery design
Step 1. Embroidery
Place the stabilizer in the hoop. Spray the back of the napkin with the adhesive and place over the stabilizer so the design will be stitched in the center. Stitch the design and remove from the hoop. Tear away the stabilizer and press.
Step 2. Sewing
Sew the piping to both long sides of the strip using a ¼″ seam allowance. Press the seam allowances to the wrong side.
Cut two pieces of fabric 20″ wide and 15″ long. Place the strip on one of the pieces 3″ away from one of the side edges. Stitch in the ditch along the piping/fabric strip seam lines.
Fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the remaining piece of fabric, centering the interfacing on the fabric. Press all edges of both pieces ½″ to the wrong side. Place them wrong sides together and topstitch with invisible thread 3/8″ from the edges.
Menu Frame
Materials
• Scraps of nylon organza fabric (large enough to fit in the hoop)
• Tear-away stabilizer
• Black 40 wt. embroidery thread
• Metallic embroidery thread in silver and black
• Hot knife or hot textile tool
• Purchased frame of your choice with a 5″ x 7″ opening
• Fabric glue, such as Fabri-tac®
Embroidery Products
Small Clock and Stars embroidery designs
Step 1. Embroidery
Stitch the Small Clock design following the instructions for the Napkin Ring.
Hoop two layers of organza in the hoop. Move the Stars design to the top of the hoop before stitching. Stitch with black and silver metallic thread, omitting the last step (the connecting ribbon) of the design.
Move the design to the bottom of the hoop and stitch another row of stars as above. Remove from the hoop. Cut approximately ¼″ around the design edge. Use a hot knife to melt the remaining organza from the edges of the designs and separate the stars.
Glue the clock design to the lower right corner. Glue four stars to the top left corner and two stars to each of the remaining corners.
Candle Centerpiece
Materials
• Candles in assorted sizes and shapes
• Black and gray 40 wt. embroidery thread
• Black and silver metallic embroidery thread
• Tear-away stabilizer
• Nylon organza fabric
• ¼ yd. satin fabric
• 20″ of purchased silver piping
• 2 pieces of Velcro®, each 3″ long
• 12 Austrian crystals, size 5mm
• 1/3 yd. beaded fringe trim
• 2/3 yd. black sequins-by the-yard trim
• Fusible lightweight interfacing
• Hot knife or hot textile tool
• Assorted decorative trims, as desired
Embroidery Products
Large Clock, Small Clock, Stars embroidery designs
Candle Wraps
For 3″ diameter candle Cut the satin fabric large enough to fit inside the hoop and at least 11" wide. Hoop the fabric with the stabilizer and stitch the Large Clock design with the black thread and the silver metallic thread. Remove from the hoop and press.
Cut the embroidered fabric 4 ½″ x 10 ¾″ wide with the embroidery in the center. Cut another piece of fabric the same dimensions for the back.
Cut a piece of interfacing 4″ x 10 ¼″. Place the interfacing on the wrong side of the back and fuse according to the manufacturer's instructions. Sew the piping to both long edges of the embroidered front with a ¼″ seam allowance.
Stitch the back to the front with right sides together and a ¼″ seam allowance along both long edges. Turn to the right side and press. Fold the side edges ¼″ to the wrong side and stitch together.
Try the candle wrap on your candle to determine Velcro placement. The ends should meet at the back. Stitch Velcro to each end.
Fix crystals to the clock face over the stitched round dot above each number.
For 3″ Square Candle
Reduce the Large Clock design by 20%. (This was necessary to fit my square candle.) Cut the satin fabric large enough to fit inside the hoop and at least 13″ wide. Hoop the fabric with the stabilizer and stitch the adjusted Large Clock design with the black thread and the silver metallic thread. Remove from the hoop and press.
Cut the embroidered fabric 4″ x 12 ¾″ wide with the embroidery in the center. Cut another piece of fabric the same dimensions for the back.
Cut a piece of interfacing 3 ½″ x 12 ¼″. Place the interfacing on the wrong side of the back and fuse according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Stitch the back to the front with right sides together and a ¼″ seam allowance along both long edges. Turn to the right side and press. Fold the side edges ¼″ to the wrong side and stitch together.
Place the beaded fringe under the bottom edge of the candle wrap and stitch so that the heading is hidden. Stitch a row of sequin trim to the top and bottom edges of the candle wrap.
Try the candle wrap on your candle to determine Velcro placement. The ends should meet at the back. Stitch Velcro to each end.
For Candles with Stars Hoop two layers of organza in the hoop and stitch one row of the Stars design eliminating the last step (the connecting ribbon) with black and silver metallic thread.
Remove from the hoop. Cut approximately ¼″ around the design edge. Use a hot knife to melt the remaining organza from the edges of the designs and separate the stars into groups of three.
Glue each group to the front of two candles.
For Candles with Small Clocks Stitch as many Small Clocks as desired onto organza as in step #1 of the Napkin Ring.
Glue the embroidered clock to one end of a decorative trim. Wrap around the candle and cut the trim under the embroidered clock. Glue in place on the candle.
Additional Resources
Black/white cocktail napkins furnished by All About Blanks www.allaboutblanks.com
Black print fabric is ″Razzle Dazzle″ by Maywood Studios
White print fabric is "Zoomin" by Clothworks
Assorted trims: Tinsel Trading Company, 47 W. 38th St., New York, NY 10018 www.tinseltrading.com
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Designs Plus Volume 17: Free Designs
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