Add Quilting to a Machine Embroidered Block

 Someone was asking about how to add quilting to a quilt project that is machine embroidered applique on a Janome 15000 group and I wanted to share what I had done in one of our Kimberbell Clubs at Sew Simple of Lynchburg, home of AmyQuilts.com so I'm posting it here.

This would be ideal for a project that goes together in quilt-as-you-go style, so that the quilting can be added as you embroider each block. While it's not perfect, it requires no digitizing skills and you can do this with the Janome 15000 and Janome Skyline S9.

This takes 2 of the fabulous Janome apps for iPad. Sadly, not available on android. First you can use AcuSketch to take a photo of the embroidered block in the hoop. Make sure to select a canvas size that is equal to the hoop you are using. Doodle a nice meander, loop de loop, stipple, whatever you can manage. Keeping it real alert: I doodled many times to make it nice and smooth. You can use stencils, rulers, etc. to help you draw.

Send the design to your machine over the wifi and then open the AcuSetter app to pull the design from the machine and use the app to position the quilting stitches. Note: use the Tool section to slightly resize as needed.

Sorry, I don't recall why my block is upside down. I love the accuracy that the AcuSetter app gives!

Then stitch your quilting design over the rest of your embroidered block. It should be noted that the block shown was embroidered in two separate hoopings (Snowman and then the quotes) and then assembled with the pinwheel block as instructed. THEN I hooped the entire block for the quilting.

Love these machines!

PS While the AmyQuilts Embroidery Clubhouse is taking a little break, this is the kind of thing I cover in more detail there. The AmyQuilts Sewing Clubhouse is open to owners of these higher end Janomes to master the use of your machine with greater confidence and creativity.

Motivational Stitchery

One of the fun things about working at a Janome dealer is access to a range of machines; sewing, embroidery, sergers and even the Artistic sit-down long arm. So when I saw one of my favorite motivational quotes had been made into a free embroidery download, I jumped on it!

Thanks to the folks at Urban Threads and Sew Simple, I stitched this sample. (It's free until Sept. 7th!) I'm going to make it into a binder cover to hold our class information and supply lists at the shop. A fitting use, don't you think?

I am learning more and more that we are hampered more in life by our beliefs about ourselves than we are by our circumstances. I have a very loud and vicious inner-critic, so I battle her in part with encouraging words. Many of those words come from your comments! I even have a Pinterest board for encouraging words.

I am amazed at how my free motion quilting adventures have taken me new places- physically and creatively. I hope you've enjoyed some of my journey too.

Repeat after me, "I can! I can! I will. I will. I did!"