Christian Kids

As I get things ready, to launch my Christian Wear web site, I think back to the hours of preparation. Decisions had to be made on what I would offer, colors and designs for embroidery. Doing the kid's stuff was indeed the most fun. An eventual goal is to have custom designs available for them that are whimsical, retaining a Chrstian value, and reminder of how valuable they are to God.

I grew up with low self esteem, and this played a major role in my adult life, not thinking I had anything of worth. My parent's did the best they could considering they had 10 kids with all different needs. I hear so many parents these days calling their kids everything but valuable. This needs to change.

It's my hope that my kid's line of apparel will help in some small way.

Here's a peak of what is to come!

A Beautiful Wedding Party

A Wedding, something of value, forever remembered for laughter and tears.

My friend's February 16, 2007 wedding was just that, laughter for what was to come, and tears that the original seamstress came up short on a promise to make 8 needed dresses for the bridal party. A request to me was made 5 weeks prior to the date and nothing had yet been started. My quick trip to the local bridal salon and digital camera in hand, would define what my next 5 weeks would become. We would make 7 knock offs of 1 dress and 1 more of another.

Whew!!!! I needed to get busy and thank goodness fabric had come on sale. As

embroidery was going to be needed, another call was made to the digitizer who would set up a specific design for the front and back, a challenge to my skill later on. Fast forward to day of wedding, all got done with only a few "tweakings" along the way. One very happy bride got her "1 of a kind" bridal party ensemble, and I came away with a bunch of experience that was a real boost in my confidence as an embroiderer/seamstress.

Thank you Wendy Jean and Mike, for all your prayers and belief in me!

What the heck is DIGITIZING????????

Digitizing, a funny word, and what the heck is it? Every embroidery design starts out as an idea, concept, or picture. A flat image that looks great on a piece of paper. A "Digitizer" is a person, somewhat graphic savey in nature, who takes a flat image and changes it into a sewable template. They will set up the direction of the stitches, places where the colors need to change, the size, thickness, and anything else that is needed to make a beautiful embroidered image. The cost to make this "template" will vary, depending on size and detail, usually starting out at about $50.00 and then upwards from there. A more experienced digitizer will charge a little more, for their expertise, usual minimum starting at $75.00.
All digitzers have a software program, specifically made, for the purpose of creating embroidered designs, and a good embroiderer can tell if a design has good or poor sewing quality.
As an embroiderer, comitted to quality, I have rejected designs or had the digitizer re-work a design, to my satisfaction. I've learned that all embroiderers can learn to digitize, but, much better to hand it off to the "expert", who devotes their day to the task of just digitizing.

Embellishments, Embellishments

Have you seen the "English Laundry" line of shirts lately? That beautiful embroidery seems to be anywhere and anywhere. Creative and stunning, it catches the eye and there seems to be no qualms about the price tag.

This is "embellishment". These days, wearable art is full of trims, buttons, lace and about anything else you can add to a garment, making it as unique as the person wearing it. Spendy, perhaps, but oh so "1 of a kind", and it just plain "feels good" when you wear it. So, take a look in the closet, see what "plain Jane" item is hanging there, and imagine what a "garment makeover" might look like. I added a picture of a plain denim jacket that I added some machine embroidered lace to and iron on dots, I found at Walmart. It went from plain to fabulous and has gotten alot of compliments.