We can always depend on our Janome Makers to come up with fantastic projects to make for ourselves and for others! Jessee created the most adorable little monster! You can make one or an entire rainbow of cuddly friends to brighten your day! You will learn how to sew with minky, how to create their sweet quirky faces using in the hoop embroidery, and best of all, bring joy to all the people you will be making them for in your life! 

Hello! Jessee here from Art School Dropout with another super cute embroidery project! 

This time around though we’re making something that is perfect for these trying times and a great gift to send to a loved one. Hint: It fits perfectly in a Priority Mail envelope!

I'm calling them the Awkward Hug Monsters. They are fluffy monsters with the most awkward smile you ever saw and short floppy arms that are just waiting to hug you. 

The best part about this project however is that most of it is done IN THE HOOP! (Just pretend I'm saying that in an announcer’s voice). I'm serious though, the only part not done in the hoop is making the arms floppy, stuffing it, and sewing the hole shut. I love projects like this.

We have a bit to cover though, so let's get started...

Recommended Supplies:

• An embroidery machine with at least a 230x300mm hoop (I used the Janome MC15000)

• 1/3rd yard of plush fabric for the body. (I used Shannon Fabrics Cuddle 3 for all of my examples, but other minky and fleece would work well too)

• 1/8th yard of plush fabric for the belly

• Small piece of white fleece or felt for the teeth (or any color you want)

• Polyfil Stuffing

• Embroidery thread in Black for the eyes

• Embroidery thread in a coordinating color for the stomach, lips, toes, etc.

• Thread that matches body fabric for stitching the arms and body shut

• Scissors

• Tear-away stabilizer

• Temporary spray adhesive (I used Odif 505)

• Water-soluble stabilizer

• Embroidery File 

• Optional Supplies:

• Duckbill applique scissors

• Rotary cutter

• Cutting mat

Now that we've rounded up all of our supplies, let's get started. 

First things first, we need to get comfortable with the materials we are using. Plush fabric isn't like wovens or knits. It has a nap, and if sewn in the wrong direction it just doesn't look right. So what I do is I figure out how I want the plush to lay by brushing it back and forth until it looks like this...

This shows me which direction the nap goes. I want it so the plush basically goes down like a waterfall. I keep this in mind when cutting and when adding it to my hoop.

Once we have a handle on the nap, you will need two pieces of the main body color cut at 10x12.5 and one belly piece cut at 2.5”x4”. As shown below.

You'll notice a bunch of tiny plush dust on the edges, which is totally fine! Just shake the piece out a bunch and vacuum it all up later. It won't hurt you.

Now it's time to prep the hoop! Normally I'd use a sticking-backed stabilizer, but since I'm using a larger hoop, and I wanted to keep the cost down, I opted for some medium-weight tear-away stabilizer instead. Just cut it about an inch larger than your hoop and place it inside, without any fabric, the way you normally would.

Then spray the backside of one piece of plush, while still keeping an eye on which way the nap goes, and place it centered in the hoop. For the MC15000 and the GR Hoop, I had my nap pointed towards the right to go along with the embroidery file. 

From here you will load up your machine with the Awkward Hugs Monster embroidery file, thread it up with the first color and hook up your hoop!

Special Note: Please make sure that your Stitch Stop is on for this project! We need all that extra trim time to make this as professional-looking as possible.

So the first set of stitches will be the outline of the belly. This file is set up to just place a piece of fabric on top of this stitch outline, let it do another outline, and then trim before it does an applique stitch all around. 

As you can see from the above photos, I haven't added any Water Soluble Stabilizer on top yet. I know this is a big NO-NO for plush fabric, but I promise you I have my reasons!

So after the belly is stitched on, you'll want to add the teeth. This is a multi-step process that will go back and forth, so don't worry that you have colored zig-zag stitches all over your pretty new fleece teeth.

Side Note: I do not recommend using plush fabric for the teeth. I tried this in the first prototype and my daughter said it made it look like it had multiple rows of teeth and really “creeped her out”. Oops.

Once your teeth have been tacked down, now is the time to add the sheet of Water Soluble Stabilizer on top. I waited until now because of all the applique going on! If you had added it from the start, we would have several layers of the stuff by now. See where I'm going with this? Also, if you are new to plush fabric, you may be wondering why we use this stuff. Well. It's mostly to keep the nap of the plush down so it doesn't get caught up in the embroidery designs and looks weird. It gives everything a nice clean look in the end! Well worth the extra step and cost.

From here just follow the thread colors in the embroidery file and everything should look like it does above. Yes, you will be switching back to that first color after the black thread, but it was really the only way to get that beautiful monster smile to shine.

When you get to this point, you can go ahead and tear off the Water Soluble Stabilizer. I know it's meant to be soaked off, but the embroidered parts are so dense, it just tears off. Way easier. However, keep the design in the hoop still since there is one more IN THE HOOP step.

While still keeping an eye on which way the nap is going, place the second piece of plush fabric we cut earlier down on top of your newly embroidered monster parts. Make sure it’s plush side down too. 

You could tape it in place, but I noticed it hardly shifts at all and I just keep an eye on it while the machine does the last outline stitches.

Once it has finished its laps around the body, you are ready to take the hoop off the machine and remove your inside-out monster! We are so close to being done!!!

Next, you will need to cut them out, leaving at least a 1/4” seam allowance, though I'd much rather it be 3/8”. Your choice if you want to live on the wild side. While trimming, you'll need to cut slits anywhere there is an indent in the design. I included photos with loads of arrows to show the best spots.

Now your monster is ready to be turned right side out! I found that turning the horns and arms first made it easier all around.

Look at that beautiful smile!

Remember, this monster is called the Awkward HUGS Monster, so we need to make sure these arms are ready for hugging!

To do so, just stuff each of the arms as much as you can. The using thread that matches the body, do a straight stitch through the arm, from the armpit to the shoulder, and then back down again. Locking the thread at the end. This allows for the arm to keep all its stuffing, and it adds a hinge! Repeat this for the other arm too.

Side note: I absolutely love “The Purple Thang” tool for stuffing plush figures. The square piece on the back grabs the Polyfil stuffing perfectly and moves it exactly where it needs to go!

After you perform the arm hinge surgery, you will want to stuff the entire thing as much as possible. You will be using way more Polyfil than you ever thought you would. It's crazy, but I promise it will help you get the best-looking monster in the end. 

Once your monster is nice and plump, you will want to stitch the open hole closed using a ladder stitch. If you don't know what that is, I highly recommend looking up videos. It is the best stitch ever for closing up plush toys and for adding darts when needed.

Technically at this point, you are finished...

BUT, I suggest one more thing! Place your monster flat on a hard surface with your palm on its stomach. Now move your hand around clockwise like you're kneading bread, and then do it again counterclockwise. This helps distribute the Polyfil a bit more and gets you a less clumpy monster. No one wants a clumpy monster!!!!

Ok, NOW you're done!! Woohoo!! Congrats! 

If you are anything like me though, you may keep adding to your monster family! Each time trying out different threads and color combos. This is completely normal and encouraged. So please try out that weird holographic thread you bought 6 years ago but never tried, or that variegated pink and purple thread that just collects dust! You never know what the outcome will be and this is the perfect project to test it out.

P.S.: If you do make your own Awkward Hugs Monster, please share it with us or hashtag it #janomeawkwardhugsmonster !! We would absolutely love to see them.

After you finish making your sweet monster, please be sure to snap a photo and share! 

We don’t want to miss out so be sure to tag:

@janomeamerica

@jessee_artschooldropout

And hashtag:

#janome

#janomemakes

Are you ready for Summer?  With the warmer weather approaching, it is a great time to add some fun details to your wardrobe with Janome Maker Janelle Marie! 

In this walk-through, Janelle will show you how she drafted her strawberry blouse from her Sloper (also known as a pattern Block). It’s a relatively quick project that doesn't require much fabric. This covers how to expand the paper pattern to create a new shape, adding new seams, creating folded ruffles, how to add shirring, ruffles, and extra fabric for buttons.

This whole pattern begins with a custom, well-fitting Sloper. A base on which it is infinitely more easy to draft a pattern than to start from scratch. You will need to have one of these already but if you do not, no worries! There are many great guides on how to do so. I drafted mine following Kim Dave’s YouTube tutorial. In the below photo you can see my sloper as well as some of the things you will need:

-Sloper/Bodice Block

-2 yds main fabric (I used 1 ½ cotton but if you want to pattern match you’ll need more)

-2 yds Single fold Bias tape (I made mine from the red and white checkered fabric shown but premade is fine)

-Approx. 6x14” Mid-weight Fusible interfacing (I happened to have black but any color is fine as it’ll be completely hidden)

-4-5 buttons

-Fray check

-Sewing machine and appropriate needles for your fabric

-A serger is helpful but not essential

-Iron and ironing board

-Fabric chalk/marker

-Pins or clips

-Good quality thread (Gutermann or better)

-Shirring (elastic) thread

-An empty bobbin

-Muslin or large scrap fabric for your mockup

-Ruler and Curve/Fashion ruler

-Scissors or rotary cutter

-Tape

-Pen, pencil, tracing wheel

1. Trace your front sloper onto a new sheet of paper with bust darts closed.  You want the excess fabric that comes with leaving the waist dart open. Once traced, bring in the shoulders about 1.5” (.75” on each side)  and drop the neckline 3”. This is where a curved ruler comes in handy to get nice, smooth lines. 

2. Next, you want the top of the underarm seams to be a 90-degree angle so drop it about ½” and extend the side out about ½” until you get a 90-degree point. Measure from your waist to where you want the bottom of the shirt to end on you and add that measurement plus 1” to the bottom of the front. 

3. You are going to repeat this process for the back without closing any darts. Bring in the shoulder to match the front and drop the back neckline approx. 2”. Extend the underarm out about ½” and lengthen the side seam to match the front.

4. Once you make those changes, cut out both the front and back pieces. Align and tape the shoulders to check that the lengths match and that the neckline and arms make smooth transitions into each other. Adjust accordingly and separate.

5. Align and tape together the side seams. Check that the lengths match and that the arm opening curve is smooth. If you want the front or back to be longer than the sides, leave it as is. If you want the bottom hem to be parallel, make those adjustments now. Separate.

6. Now it’s time to make a mock-up (or toile) and check the fit! Trace the pattern onto your muslin, making sure to mark where the waist is. Use a basting stitch and contrasting thread color to assemble. Don’t worry about finishing the arm/neck holes and hem nicely. Cut those areas at the line, leaving no seam allowance. Also, don’t worry about adding extra fabric for the button closures. Just sew up the back as if there is no opening. You should still be able to slide it over your head. After the sides and shoulders are sewn, try it on without turning it! It should sit comfortably but not tightly.

7. I ended up dropping the neckline another inch and widening it out slightly. Use a pen or marker to make your adjustments directly onto the fabric if desired. Then mark the vertical line you would like your ruffles to emerge from on the front and back. Going a little wider at the top and bringing them in closer together towards the waist helps create the illusion of a smaller waist, which is how I placed mine. Once this is marked, take a ruler and measure how wide you want your ruffles to be at the shoulders, shoulder blades, and at bust. Mark measurements and placement onto the fabric. Mine was 2” at the shoulder, 1” at the bust, and shoulder blades. Mark your waist if it does not match the one previously marked and decide how wide you want your shirring to be. Mine was 1.5” wide

8. Once all of these markings and measurements have been made, remove the mock-up and undo the front, back, and shoulder stitches. Lay flat. Use your curve ruler to make the newly marked lines smooth and elegant. Mark the to-be-shirred section at the waist clearly. Tape your paper pattern together at the sides, lay your mock-up on top and transfer the changes using a pencil and/or tracing wheel. Cut along the ruffle lines to create 3 pattern sections. Front center, side, and back center.

9. Now, if you are happy with your mock-up, it's time to cut out your real fabrics! We will start with the ruffles. On your pattern, measure the length from your front waist to your shoulder and then from your shoulder to the back waist. These together are the length of your ruffles. But, in order to make them, you know, ruffle, multiply that number by 1.75 or 175%. That is the length of fabric you will need to make each of your ruffles. To figure out the width, take your widest ruffle measurement (mine was 2”), add ½” for seam allowance and multiply it by 2. Mine totals 5”

         Length                                                  Width

(Desired length X 1.75)   by   (Desired width + seam allowance) X 2

10. With a clear plan as to how all of your pieces are going to fit onto your fabric (I like to draw a little map as shown below), cut out your ruffle strips and fold in half, right sides facing out. Mark where the shoulder seam, bust, and shoulder blade points will meet (initial measurement x 1.75) and mark their widths. Draw a smoothly transitioning line between the points, with both ends tapering to 1”. Cut off excess on raw edges, leaving the fold intact. 

11. Iron flat and use the gather stitch to sew two even, parallel lines of stitches ¼” and ⅖” away from the raw edges, leaving several inches of thread at each end. I like to use two different colors of thread for my bobbin and top threads to help differentiate the ends. While holding the bobbin threads, push the fabric together to create the ruffle. Match its length to the measured length of the bodice slits and tie off threads to hold in place. Put aside.

12. Layout your bodice pieces onto your folded fabric. Front center on the fold. Back next to it with several inches of space next to the center back (where we will add fabric for the buttons). Place the side piece below these both. Trace all pieces and onto fabric using chalk or erasable marker/pen. Make sure to mark the waist section to be shirred and any other connection points.

13. With the back piece on the fabric and traced, extend the center back 2.5”. End the extension at the top of the shirred portion as that will be a straight seam. This will become the button panel. Add seam allowances to all except the center edge of the extension and cut out. It should look like the far right image below:

14. Next, we are going to add some interfacing to the button panel. Measure the length of the newly added button panel including seam allowances and the width from the original center backline to the raw edge. Cut out two pieces of interfacing with these measurements. Lay your back pieces on your ironing board with the interfacing in place and press. Flip and press again. Fold over ¼” of the vertical center back raw edge and press. Repeat for the other side. 

15. Gather your shirring thread, an empty bobbin and a whole lot of patience. To wind your bobbin, put the end of the shirring thread through the hole of your bobbin and wind it with only enough tension to make it lay smooth. It shouldn’t be stretching at all. Try and wind in evenly back and forth so there are no center or side bumps. Fill in as much as you think your shirt will need. I wound mine just over half full. Pop it into your machine or bobbin case and thread it as normal. On mine, I had to hold the bobbin in place and pull with some tension to get it to go through the final curve of the bobbin holder. Thread the upper thread as normal, using a color that matches your fabric. Use this to pull up your bobbin thread and leave several inches of tails. Your machine should be set to a straight stitch. Depending on how much you want it to gather, that will determine your stitch length. The longer the stitch, the more it will gather. Mine was set at a length of 4.

16. Practice a few times on a scrap of fabric to make sure your settings are right. It will not look like it is gathering much at all until your 3rd or 4th row so do several rows. Do NOT use your automatic thread cutter or the elastic thread will spring back inside your machine. Always leave 3-4” of tails. Once you are happy with the settings, begin on your actual pieces on the markings you made. Backstitch at every beginning and end of a row to hold your shirring thread in place. I would recommend not cutting the threads after each row but instead turning and continuing while still backstitching at each beginning and end. Sew rows approx. ¼ - ½” from each other depending on the look you want to achieve. I sewed 7 rows ¼” apart. If they are not gathering as much as you would like, use your iron to steam the shirring a little until it contracts. Do NOT touch the iron to the fabric or thread or your thread could melt. Finish all 5 sections.

All of your pieces should look like this:

17. After you are happy with all of your shirring, it’s time to assemble! Start by connecting the shoulder pieces of the front center and back centers. Sew, serge (if desired), and press backward. Next connect the shoulder portions of the side pieces to themselves, forming the complete armhole. Sew, serge (if desired), and press backward.

You should now have three separate pieces and two ruffles, like this:

18. Begin adding the ruffles by first sewing the front center and front of the side panels together to just above the shirred waist. Sandwich one ruffle strip between the front and side piece, aligning the bust, shoulder, and shoulder blade mark you previously made. Pin together until you reach the bottom of the back of the shirt. The ruffle should end just above the shirred waist at the back. Repeat for the other side. Sew these pieces together with a basting stitch and check to see if you are happy with the placement. If everything is ever, sew with a straight stitch, serge, and press (avoiding the shirred waist).

19. We are nearing the finish line! Now it’s time to finish the neck and arm openings with some bias tape. I made mine with checkered cotton to give it a pop of color but using premade is absolutely fine! Measure and cut the needed lengths to go all around the neckline to the very edges of the stabilized button panel and the armholes with an overlap of at least an inch. Pin the bias tape to the neckline, making sure the crease closest to the edge lands exactly where you want your neckline edge to be. Straight stitch along that crease.

20. For the armholes or any closed circle openings, I like to begin pinning the bias tape under the arm with the tip folded over towards you. That way, when the end of the bias tape is pinned in place, it holds the fold in place and when you turn it, there are no raw edges showing. Again, pin the bias tape where the crease closest to the raw edge is exactly where you want the opening to be. Straight stitch along that crease. Trim off any extra fabric that extends past the bias tape.

21. Fold over, iron and pin the bias in place. With the bias tape pinned in place, topstitch it in place. You can use a straight stitch ¼” from the edge or a decorative one like I have.

22. Sew and serge the back center from the top of the shirred waist to the bottom raw edge. Serge entire bottom edge and fold up and under ½-1”. Iron and pin in place. Use the stretch zig zag stitch to finish.

22. Now for the final step! The buttons! Fold in the vertical raw edges of the button panel ¼” and press. Fold up the bottom edge of each panel ¼”. Fold them in again until that same vertical folded edge touches the edge of interfacing and slightly overlaps it, hiding it. Sew a straight line ¼” from that double folded edge. Pin both panels in place, one on top of each other, and mark your desired buttonhole placements. I did 5 total. Unpin and use your machine to sew buttonholes to match your button size.

23. Fray check each sewn buttonhole and iron to dry quickly. Cut open your buttonholes, pin panels in place again, and use your removable pen or mark to mark where each button needs to be placed. I like to run the pen up and down the buttonhole and then determine the halfway point of the mark. Measure between each button placement to check if they are even. Use your machine to sew your buttons on by hand. With your button panels buttoned-up, pin the bottom edge of your outermost button panel and sew it in place! Viola! You're done! Step back, ignore the tiny mistakes we all make, and breathe in your accomplishment! Pop it on and give yourself a hug!

After you finish making your amazing top, please be sure to snap a photo and share! 

We don’t want to miss out so be sure to tag:

@janomemaerica

@seams.come.true

And hashtag:

#janome

#janomemakes

Celebrate Mom by designing and embroidering customized ribbons with your Janome embroidery machine, to compliment your gift wrapping. Let her know just how much she means to you by including a special message of your choice. 

Janome Artisan Maday from Sustainable Textile Design has the perfect solution to add that special touch to all of your gifts for Mother’s Day and throughout the year! 

Supplies:

Iris Polyester ultra brite embroidery thread – assorted colors

Bobbin thread – white 

RE20 embroidery hoop

Sulky Sticky Fabri-Solvy stabilizer (water-soluble)

Tear-away stabilizer (to float under the length of the hoop)

Cotton ribbon 1.5” wide (your choice of color and desired length)

Organ needle size 12 or 14

Water-soluble marking pen (optional)

Janome curved embroidery scissors

Machine Used

Janome Skyline 9

Wrapping Paper

Assorted Florals 

Don’t forget mom’s presents! 

Celebrating moms and all mother figures around the world this month is always inspiring to me. 

I look forward to the love and unique experiences this holiday brings to my family. There are always opportunities to spoil the mother figures in our lives and we never take for granted the chance to show them just how much we care about them.

While I pondered what project to create for this submission, I knew that I wanted it to be customizable for any occasion, quick, and most importantly, meaningful! 

The ribbon that I used for this project was repurposed from another package I received in the mail. It was too good not to reuse it.

Let’s get started!

• Hoop the sticky Sulky wash away stabilizer

• Position multiple lengths of ribbon using the entire hoop leaving small gaps in between each row. I made sure to twist the ribbon so that the text would appear right side when the ribbon was folded during gift wrapping. 

HINT: Practice wrapping the gift so that you have an idea of how the text will lay once embroidered. You can use water-soluble pens to mark where you want the monogramming to appear exactly when you hoop it. 

• You are ready to customize your ribbon message (s). Going to the home icon on the upper right-hand side, select ABC.

• Choose the text box that appears vertically (AB highlighted below) so that it runs the length of the ribbon. For letter-size, I chose Small and Medium and most of the time, lower case letters. If something does not look correct, you can use the “trash can” icon under “OK” to delete and start over. 

• As you type your desire phrases you can rotate, curve or space out each individual line of text within the edit screen to further customize your message. 

• Use arrows on the edit screen to move the text up/down or side to side to help you center the messages. 

 Once you are satisfied with the placement, you are ready to embroider!

HINT: Keep in mind that the ribbon will wrap around the objects, so moving the text to appear differently on the ribbon (i.e-top, middle, lower part), helps to see it more clearly. The same applies to the size of the font and thread color used (please see photo below).

• Carefully remove the ribbon from the sticky stabilizer and trim it back. You can dampen the ribbon if you like to remove the stabilizer but without testing it first for color run, I prefer to trim it instead. 

Helpful Hints: 

Use your hoop grid template to assist you in aligning the text of your choice within the width of the ribbon.

Untread your machine needle and hit the “start” button (when you are ready to start) to ensure that the text will appear in the desired spot before you start embroidering, that way you don’t have to remove stitches if it does not align correctly and ribbon or thread won’t be wasted. 

Always “float” a piece of tear-away under the fabri-solvy stabilizer when embroidering on ribbon or delicate fabrics to prevent puckering. Start with a new needle. 

Measure the boxes you will use to ensure that you have enough ribbon and that your text will appear where it will be readable.

Now comes the fun part! Gift wrapping Mom’s gifts!

I hope this quick project inspires you to use and experiment with embroidering on ribbons to create customizable gift-wrapping accessories that are sure to delight makers and recipients alike. Testing on a small piece of ribbon will inform how best to stabilize the ribbon before making yards of it.  Have fun and happy gift-giving for all occasions!

Maday.

 www.sustainabletextiledesign.com

Spring is the season that makes us all so very happy with more daylight hours, butterflies, and warmer temperatures but also has its fair share of sneezing! We were thrilled when Janome Maker Rachel from Oak Blue Designs submitted a project that is the perfect way to beautifully contain your sneezes by making your own handkerchiefs!

You can make these environmentally friendly handkerchiefs with lighter-weight fabrics or this could also be a wonderful upcycle using high-quality dress shirts or linen that is no longer being worn! Easy on the nose and the wallet! 

Handkerchiefs… I have a special nostalgia for handkerchiefs.  I have collected them from family members of past generations.  I’ve enjoyed looking for them when I go into an antique store. There’s something so special about a small square of cloth that people have kept close to them. I’ve appreciated the traditions behind hand-stitched handkerchiefs. That said, I thought it would be really fun to do a modern take on the traditional handkerchief. 

Today’s project is to make a handkerchief with a printed, lightweight garment fabric.  I loved the approach of making a handkerchief with a printed fabric.  Traditionally I’ve seen commercial and handmade handkerchiefs as non-printed fabrics. Whether you have scraps of linen, cotton voile, or cotton lawn lying around (or if this is your first time working with garment-weight fabrics), everyone can join in with this fun project. 

You will learn how to stitch a rolled hem and add personalized, machine-stitched initials.  If you have not yet practiced stitching a rolled hem, this project is a great project to jump in and learn the technique! With all of the steps for this project being on the sewing machine, you will save time and could also make more versions to share as gifts.  This is not a fast process but it is a very satisfying one. A rolled hem takes some time but the end result is so worth it!

The sewing machine used for this project is the Janome Skyline S9.  The sewing machine feet used are:

• Rolled hem foot D

• Open-toe satin stitch foot F2

Rolled hems make a perfect edge finishing detail for lightweight fabrics like chiffon and georgette. This is a great project to practice this technique.  Sewing with lightweight cotton or linen will be easier than sewing on sheer fabrics for a rolled hem (but this project is a great stepping stone to bridge the two fabric weights).  

Supplies:

• Rotary cutter & cutting mat

• 2.5” square ruler

• 12.5” square ruler

• Iron & ironing board/pad

• Tweezers

• 11” Art Gallery Fabrics Cotton voile, Blossom Swale Depth print, V-16803 

• Sewing machine thread 

• 75/11 sewing machine needle

• Tapered awl

• Fine embroidery scissors

• 2”x2” Iron-on tear-away stabilizer (Sulky Totally Stable™)

Rolled hem edge

The rolled hem foot should be attached to your machine for this section.  You may also reference page 86 in your Skyline S9 instruction book as well.

1. Cut fabric into a 10 ½ “ x 10 ½ “ square. Iron fabric.

2. Cut off all four corners, measuring ⅜” across the corner.  This step reduces bulk for the rolled hems. 

3. Lay the fabric with the wrong side facing up on an ironing board or ironing pad.  Slightly fold the edges of the fabric in and press flat, repeating around all four edges.

4. Fold the four edges of the fabric a second time.  Do not worry about measuring as in the previous step.  Pre-folding the edges in a double fold helps align the fabric for the rolled hem foot.

5. Set the machine for the rolled hem edge:

1. In the Home Screen, select the Garment icon.

2. Select the Rolled Hem icon.

3. The machine is ready to sew a rolled hem.

6. To help neaten the edge, you will need to pull up and lengthen the bobbin thread.  Hold the end of the topstitching (upper) thread with your hand.

7. While holding the top stitch thread, select the needle Up/Down button once and then a second time.

8. Pull the topstitching thread to bring the bobbin thread above the needle plate.  You may need to remove the presser foot at this step to more easily access the bobbin thread. With tweezers, pull the bobbin thread out so you have a longer length of the bobbin thread to hold away from the needle plate.

9. With the edge of the fabric folded under twice, set the fabric under the presser foot.  The fabric will not be inside the rolled spiral feature in the presser foot yet, the fabric will be flat, double folded under the presser foot.  

You can use the awl at this step to ensure the end of the fabric is flat and turned under.

10. Holding both the top stitch and bobbin threads with your hand, away from the fabric, start the first couple of stitches at a seam allowance in between ¼” and ⅛” to get the initial seam started.

11. With the needle in the down position, raise the presser foot.

12. Tuck the rolled hem into the swirl feature at the front of the rolled hem foot.

13. Lower the presser foot.

14. While holding the top thread/bobbin threads in your left hand, continue stitching the seam, keeping the double rolled edge inside the front swirl feature of the foot.  Once the seam has gotten past 2”, you don’t need to hold the top/bobbin threads.  If you need to re-adjust the placement of the fabric in the front swirl of the rolled hem foot, stop sewing with the needle in the down position and adjust fabric as needed.

15. Stitch all the way to the end of the seam, using an awl as needed to keep the end of the fabric double folded (the previous pre-ironing step the fabric in a double fold makes this step much easier).

16. As you get to the end of the seam, press the auto-lock button for three stitches to finish the end of the seam.  Do not forward/backstitch the beginning/ends of the seam as the material is thin and the threads will not finish well with a forward/backstitch.

17. Press the thread cut button to end the first seam.

18. Trim the ends of the threads at this step for a clean finish.

19. Using an iron, double fold and press the perpendicular edge of the fabric in the next seam that you are getting ready to sew.  Pressing will make starting the next double folded seam very easy.

20. You will repeat steps 6 - 19 for the next 3 edges of the fabric.  If you’re having a hard time getting the first stitches of the seam started with the feed dogs, use the thread tails to gently move the seam forward.  You can also raise the feed dog with the needle in the down position and readjust the fabric with the awl to move the fabric forward for the seam.

21. After stitching all four edges of the fabric with the rolled hems, iron the fabric, flattening all four neatly finished rolled edges.

Embroidered Initials

Cut a 2” square of the tear-away stabilizer for this step.  You will need to remove the Rolled Hem Foot from the sewing machine and install the Open toe satin stitch foot F2 for this section.

1. Pick the corner on your handkerchief to embroider the initials.

2. Find the shiny side of your stabilizer.  Turn the handkerchief so the wrong side of the fabric is facing up.  Lay the stabilizer so the shiny (adhesive) side is facing down in the corner that you plan to embroider the initials.

3. Set your iron to the appropriate settings (steam off, wool setting) and quickly baste the stabilizer square in place, pressing the corner of the handkerchief along the right side of the stabilizer/wrong side of the fabric.

4. Turn the handkerchief over so the right side is facing up and press the stabilizer again in place.

5. Let the fabric cool and then turn over the handkerchief to test the adhesion of the stabilizer.  If the stabilizer has not adhered to the fabric, repeat steps 3-4 for the stabilizer to fuse to the fabric.

6. Select the Monogram icon (A) to get to the Monogram screen.

7. Select the Script icon.

8. With the “large” icon selected and “upper case letter key” selected (as shown in the photo below), select the two or three letters to stitch your own initials. 

For this example, the RB letters were selected.  You can do your own variations for your project as well (add a period in between the letters, add different spacing in between the letters, etc.).  If you decide to stitch a name instead of initials, you will need to cut a larger piece of stabilizer than previously recommended.

9. As you place your fabric under the presser foot, keep in mind that the stitching will be vertically stitched.

10. Start stitching the initial stitches of your first letter in the monogram.  

11. After stitching the first couple of stitches, trim the long topstitch thread (for a cleaner finish).

12. When your stitches are finished, use the cut thread key to trim the end thread.

13. Using embroidery scissors, trim the stop stitched and bottom threads to neaten the finish.

14. With the wrong side of the fabric facing, gently peel back the stabilizer away from the fabric.

15. Pinch the embroidered stitches and gently tear away the extra stabilizer, away from the stitches.  If you need to use tweezers at this step, they are a helpful tool as well (just be gentle as you do this step).

16. Enjoy your finished, embroidered handkerchief!

Janome Makers are amazing! They constantly try out new ways to use all of the features on their Janome machines and come up with fresh ideas to share. Maker Danielle Amato has many videos on the Janome YouTube channel featuring different projects that are geared towards garment sewing. In this tutorial, Danielle uses the Janome Artistic Digitizer software to upcycle a crewneck with fun applique and fabric scraps! 

I have been absolutely loving my Skyline S9. This week I finally decided to get into the appliqué side of what this machine can do. Thanks to the help of Janome's Artistic Digitizer, this was such an easy and fun way to update an old crewneck.

Creating the Applique File

The first thing I did, was type out the word I wanted on my sweatshirt, into the Artistic Digitizer software. Because who doesn't love coffee enough to put it on your sweatshirt?

After I typed out the word, I picked the font that I liked and I curved it to look more like collegiate lettering.

Since my hoop is only 5.5" wide, I have to resize my image to be the width that I want on the chest of the sweatshirt. Once I sized the full image to how big I want it on the sweatshirt, I split the design in half and put it on two separate hoop files. When I go to appliqué the sweatshirt, I will do the first half of the word, and then re-hoop the sweatshirt and do the second half of the word (more on this later)

Once I do that, I go over to the sidebar under "Fill" and select "Applique". I also select "Fix Satin" to give that satin-edged look around the letters. You will now see that the letters changed from a complete satin fill to the look of fabric with sating stitching around the letters. I can now send the files over to my machine.

Hooping the Sweatshirt

First, I marked 3" down from the neckband, made a cross mark. Folding the sweatshirt in half, matching shoulders, I found the center front line and marked. These marks will be the guidelines for when I hoop the sweatshirt.

The first step in the appliqué file will outline the placement of the appliqué. Once this is stitched out, you can then place the fabric you would like on top of it. Make sure that the fabric piece is larger than the outline.

Once your fabric is placed, the next step is to tack down the fabric.

Once the fabric is tacked down, carefully cut the excess fabric as close to the stitching line as you can.

After this, the next step for the machine is to create the satin edge.

This process will repeat for each letter.

After I finished the first half of the word, I re-hooped the sweatshirt and repeated this process for the second half. The final result is a great top that you will wear often! You can use this technique to add your personal touch to garments, bags, quilts, and home decor! 

We are excited to announce that for the month of May you can get a month free to try out Janome Artistic Digitizer! You can register for this trial through May 15th! The trial ends on May 31, 2021. This offer is only good for Janome America and Janome Canada.