Aren’t these a “Hoot”

On Friday decided to get into the sewing room and do some machine embroidery.

Jennie Baer of Homeberries is known for hand embroidery, but as I stated late last week she is learning to do machine embroidery. Decided to check out her “OWL” design for a couple reasons; owls are popular and there are sew many applications in using an owl.

Here I have put her applique artwork on a purse, mother/child apron (with a cute saying, credit from Allie) and on colorful children’s tote bags. 

The purse that was bought, went to open it so the stitching would be hidden by the lining, but dang, the way the purse was constructed, there was no way that it could be done. Can easily put a pocket over the stitching in the same fabric as the applique.

On the children’s tote bags, small tote is about 4 x 6 for crayons and a medium tote that measures 7 x 8.5 x 3(depth). Used the fast frames for these projects. The small tote was too small for the size of the applique so editing needed to be done through Embird. Added snaps to both totes so #1 the crayons wouldn’t roll out and #2 you can snap the smaller tote to the other one when traveling, that is as long as the item in the bigger bag doesn’t extend the top. These totes would be especially great for the upcoming summer for vacation or little tikes can use it going to the library or to grandma’s, 100 uses!

I really like the design Jennie did and it was so simple. Visit her Homeberries site, on side bar,  to check pricing and her other designs that are available.

New Venture – Homeberries Jennie Baer

Jennie Baer lives in Southern Illinois. She is a very creative person and has authored a book that was published by Leisure Arts. The book is called “Modern Primitive Embroidery”. Jennie moved on and started  a website called Homeberries a few years back. As an artist, she started making designs for hand embroidery and started to sell them. Jennie loves to share and offers free designs for hand embroidery on her website.

Within the last six months, Jennie has moved on to a new horizon. She is learning and creating designs for machine embroidery. As with a lot of us, Jennie’s passion is to design and come up with new ideas. She continues to develop her own style and learn more about running a business between being a mom, wife and artist. Jennie is constantly on the move, wishing there were more hours in a day to do all the things she loves to do.

Jennie ran across my work through my flickr account. She wrote me and asked if I would be interested in being part of her creative team. I would use my creativity in promoting her machine embroidery designs. Showing off my ideas on her website for others to see. I contacted Jennie and told her I would be interested. Jennie was in the process of learning how to digitalize, update her Homeberries website and blog and indicated when I was ready to run with it to contact her.

This week I went to check out to see were Jennie was at with everything. She had her website, blog and designs for machine embroidery up and running. I contacted Jennie and informed her that I could start finding time to be creative. My thought process was going to be on over drive. Trying to think of different or even old ideas for her new machine embroidery designs. It will be a challenge, but I’m ready to take it on. 

I wanted to run to one of our local craft stores to pick up a few tote bags to do a few of her owls. Tote bags are the in thing. I am considering doing some children apparel, but not much because of the law that Congress signed recently. So I quickly ran in and went to the back of the store. I figured I’d just get a couple of beige bags. I have some at home, its just that I don’t know where they are. I’d spend less time ripping the sewing room apart if I just purchased them. 

Luck is in my favor. Now I had a horrible day at work. It took me 8 hours just to get two cell phones corrected, but within 15 minutes of my off the clock, the second cell would have its number. This was not suppose to happen. So as I talked to my friend Allie on my drive home, I told her I was stopping to pick up the totes. I headed for the canvas totes. I got to the isle and was totally in awe. I could not believe the assortment as well as the colors available. But the best part was when I moved down the isle and saw that all items were 50% off.

I was taken back and shocked. No, this can’t be happening. I quickly called Allie back and said you won’t believe this. Even Allie was shocked. Tote bags in different sizes and as I stated earlier the colors. Then I walked down further, canvas purses, aprons, etc., etc., etc., all half off. One of the workers indicated that it is not often that they have them on sale especially at that price. Without a shopping cart, I started to make my choices. I then proceeded to the check out. $75.00 dollars later, out the door and on the phone again to Allie (she is like my sister).

Allie musta thought I was crazy, but I’ve been known to call Allie consecutively in the past. I told her about my cost and everything. Allie was just shocked that I was already out the door <lol>. So now I sit here as I separated the colors and am currently washing them. Below are some of the samples of items I purchased. Depending on how productive I am this week-end will determine if I go back before next Friday and buy more. I will be putting these items up on my ETSY site in the near future. I am sew looking forward to this new venture as well as the outcome of possible success not only for me but for Jennie Baer.