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I have been talking about hosting a Machine Embroider-A-Long (MEAL) for Scissortail Stitches Merry And Bright tiling scene since October and I know a lot of you were really excited about it. I had no idea if my Aurifil thread would make from Italy in time so I wasn’t very loud about it, I figured if my thread didn’t show up then we could do a Christmas in July kinda thing? But hey! It’s here! And lord knows I would never do this before the last minute anyway.
At this juncture I’m not sure there will be too much involved in this MEAL but you can jump into the Facebook Group and let me know if you want a very structured MEAL or something less formal. Maybe we can do a less formal thing next year and have it on the books to be a more structed, yearly thing?
While I kick around ideas on how this beauty will work as a MEAL, I want you to have time your supplies together! Here are the list of supplies you need which will include thread, needles and more.
Design
First off, you can check out Merry and Bright by clicking here.
You can also see the sewing information by clicking here, if you’d like to look at the details before diving in.
Thread
There are Isacord thread kits readily available through Scissortail Stitches, if you’re more interested in having the exact right thread sent to you. The alternative is checking out your stash to see what you have, what will work and what you need.
They have two thread kits available: a full color thread kit (as pictured above) or a white & gold thread kit. Click here to check out the full color thread kit.
Click here to check out the white and gold thread kit.
I will be using Aurifil thread and have chosen the colors for myself. I did not do this via digitizing software or by choosing 1 to 1 comparisons; I chose colors I liked. I mean yeahhhh I made sure they were good substitutes and I don’t think it goes too far off the beaten-path but just a word of warning: I am not saying that I chose these colors to be perfect matches and if you want picture perfect Aurifil swaps, you should choose that on your own, don’t use my list.
If you want to see my list of Aurifil threads you can click here to open it via Google Docs.
You can order them through your local sewing store or online.
Stabilizer
There are two stabilizers we will need for this project and you are going to want to make sure you have plenty of both.
-2 rolls of Ultra Clean and Tear Stabilizer 15″ or 20″
-2 rolls of Black Fusible Woven Stabilizer 15″ or 20″
I go 20″ on these stabilizers because they are so useful and I can never have enough of it around. But you choose! You will likely have “left overs” on 20″ and 15″ you may end up using it all.
Fabric/Tools (as copied from the sewing information on the design)
-OESD Bobbin Thread. Click here to check out this thread.
-3 1/3 yards of Black Fabric
-Batting 32” x 40”
-1 yard backing
-1/3 yard fabric for binding, cut 4 strips width of fabric (WOF) x 2 ½” strips and stitch together at 45° angle to make one long strip
-505 Temporary Spray Adhesive. Click here to check out the spray baste
-Organ Embroidery Needles Sharps size 80. Click here to check out needles.
-Expert Point and Press Tool. Click here to check out this tool
-Perfect Embroidery Press Cloth. Click here to check out this tool
-Ruler, rotary cutter, mat
Click here to join the Tough Kitten Crafts Facebook group for more information on the MEAL, you can also follow along on Instagram for more info.
