This week has been a lot of fun for us here at SWAK! We’re reading and taking note of each of your comments. Thank you for participating!
So before I post contest question #3, I’ll answer a few of your questions that have come through the blog.
First, I loved post #93 from Lisa where she said this:
“Well, last week I would have simply said:” I don’t know how either, but if you ever find out how, let me know!LOL!” But now, I can simply say: “let’s go to this site , and learn together!”
We definitely want that to be the case! There is a learning curve with machine embroidery, but once you learn and receive ongoing support, you’re going to love this! Machine embroidery is fun for both personal use, or even turning it into a business of your own.
Kelli from Post #111 wondered if the site would have advice on machines. I think there is definitely a need for that as the choices out there can be overwhelming. So we’ll provide a place for that very thing, and a place for your own reviews of the machines you’ve been using.
And Nicole (post #243) hopes that SWAK will have lots of cute applique. Nicole, we think there’s a lot of that on the new site. We love that, too! In addition, there will be Primitive designs, “in the hoop” projects, embroidery for all hoop sizes including the 6×10, and the site will be home of the official “SWAK-PACK.” 😉
Keep the posts coming. We’re listening….
-Kris
And now for contest question #3!
I think the most favorite gift I have made was a little corset bag to use as the gift bag for a lingerie bridal shower. I made it out of white satin, pink ribbon and small pearls. It was really pretty and I was so happy with it. The hostess of the shower loved it!
I don’t know that the bride ‘got it’. She had just flown in for Okinawa Japan and was getting married that week… so she had some serious jet lag that day.
I have also made holiday towels for another wedding. One for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Valentines Day, 4th of July, a wedding one, the theme of their wedding was apples, so one with an apple…and I think there was one other, but my mind is blank at the moment. They were lots of fun to make as well as give, and they were very much appreciated.
Well, that’s my story….
I want to say that ALL of the gifts I make and give are my favorites! But if I have to choose just one, I love in-the-hoop projects. I especially love in-the-hoop zippered bags because they are so quick and easy. Each one is different because of the fabric choice. I make them in different sizes for tissues, sachets, diaper wipes, and just about any use you can think of for a bag… I love to personalize them with the recipient’s name. I think it makes them feel like they have a one-of-a-kind gift and that is very special!
I love to embroider I haven’t done much but I love give towels away with embroider design on them I don’t digitize I buy my designs I haven’t learn how to do it yet. Before I get my embroider amchine I made clothing I only which I had the embroider machine for all the clothing i made over the last 50 years
When a person opens the gift that I have made them, that is my favorite gift. I like to personalize the gift to the person. I’ve made purses, towels, cell phone cases and a lot of variety of things. My joy is in the giving and personalizing it.
I think the gift I love most is a set of sheets I did for a bride and groom. they were monogrammed in a tone on tone design and were so elegant.
The second most favorite was a set of padded hangers, lingerie bag and travel jewelry bag I embroidered on silk for a friend’s birthday.
I love giving handmade gifts, people seem to really appreciate the thought and time you put into it. But, the most memorable for me so far is a set of personalized Valentine Envelopes or card holders I made for my daughter’s nursery school class. The cute thing was when my 3 year old daughter saw me make them. I was holding them up, reading her classmates names when we came to hers. She read it and said “that’s me, that’s my name. You made me one?!!” She was so thrilled that it was hers (I have made her other things, not sure why this one was so special, but she smiled from ear to ear). It just made me feel so good that she was like, you are doing this for ME, how great!!!
Gotta love the energy and honesty of the wee ones!
I made white satin pillows for the bride and groom to take on their honeymoon flight. Hers was embroidered with a bride, her name, and the words “I do”, while his was embroidered with a groom, his name, and the words, “I do as she says”.
My favorite gift to have given (so far!) has been a diaper bag I made for my friend’s daughter. When her daughter emailed me to tell me she was pregnant, the second sentence in the email read,”So what are you gonna make for me and the new baby?!” lol She loves that I always make something personal for everyone as gifts. She wanted to be sure this time was no different! So after finding out she was going to have a baby boy, I made her a diaper bag, and on the front flap, I embroidered a baby boy trying on a cowboy hat. (She is a big fan of horses and rodeoing, so I am sure baby will be too!)
She was so excited to get the bag, after the baby shower was over, she packed it full of stuff!
I think my favorite gift of all time was when I gave “embroidered” soap to everyone at Christmas. They all loved it and were amazed!
My second favorite gift was when I gave a denim jacket to my young niece. She is a “princess” herself, so I embroidered princess designs (with a few hot fix crystals thrown on for good measure) in a few places.
For the jacket back I put a large applique of a princess carriage. She absolutely went bonkers for it 🙂
When I embroider on clothing (especially for my grandkids) is my favorite because you get to individualize for each one’s personality and that’s what I love doing! Then when they wear that particular item, it’s special to them also and reflects who they are. My 5 yr. old DGD wants me to embroider for her little friend (because she doesn’t want her to feel left out) but I’ve had to explain that it’s special because Grandma is making it “Just” for her. I love embroidering!
I’ve only had my embroidery machine for a month, but the favorite gift I’ve given so far was a toddler back pack for a little girl turning two. The fabric looked like waves and I embroidered a cute pink jellyfish and her name on it. Inside I put in a cheap coloring book and a crayon roll done entirely in the hoop. I was so happy with how it turned out and she really seemed to like it
I have big plans for my daughter’s summer wardrobe, I can’t wait to start embroidering cute designs on all the stuff I plan to make her.
I’m also planning on making embroidered brag books for grandmas and great grandmas for Mother’s Day. I KNOW those will get lots of oohs and aahs.
I like to make cloth napkins and hand embroider each family members first initial on the corner. I hope one day to be able to do machine embroidery.
It is so hard to say what is your favorite..each time i finish an embroidered gift im happy to give it…but i guess the one gift i like best is when i make things for my grandkids classes for every season..thats a lot of embroidery but it is so happy to hear back how much all the kids and teachers loved what i sent and thought it was such a wonderful gift…that does my heart good
My Favourite item is a Banner for our Scout District, last year was the Centenary of tThe Scouting movement and this year is the Centenary of our District, I made a banner with a photostitch picture of Lord baden powel in the centre and all the relevan Scouting Logo’s around him. I gave it to our District Commissioner and he was very pleased with it, it will be displayed at our St Georges Day Parade later this Month.
I have never Digitised anything before but did all the Logo’s as well as the Photostitch Picture.
My son, who just turned four is a train FANatic!!! You never see him witout a train in his hand. I came upon the most perfect design: A black steam engine and above it said “trains on the brain” it is just sooooo him. I was just starting out with my machine and used a handed down grey hoodie sweatshirt. The lettering is about perfect – but I wasn’t too happy with the way the train stitched out, thinking back now I think it would have beeen fine if I used a water soluble stabilizer on top. Anyway, he loves it, and everyone makes a comment about it, because, like I said, it is so him! It makes me feel good too that I make him more things now. I always sewed things for my DD and now I embroider just as much stuff for him (well………almost!!) LOL
I think the best gift I made was a gift tag that went along with a baby shower gift. I made the young girl a boppy and then for the tag I used a hanky holder from Bettie did it. It was of a little girl and her “dress” was the hanky. I used a hanky from my husbands late wife (she knew this young lady long before I did) who was very close to Becca. From what I understand there wasn’t a dry eye at the shower. Plus it made me feel good that I was able to give her a little part of Marie for the baby.
However, I think all of my gifts have been special in one way or another.
Really looking forward to the opening of your new site!
For Christmas, I’ve always made cookies with the kids to give to their teachers. Last year, I embroidered vinyl bowls with Christmas organza in the middle and we put the cookies in them. 2 of the teachers asked my kids to find out where I bought the bowls because they loved them and wanted to buy some. My kids were SO proud to announce that I had made them. I think it would be hard to top that – teachers aren’t just SAYING that they like the presents, and the kids being proud of me.
In one of the Bernina Embroidery Club meetings, we learned how to embroider on plastic screening (eek! I was sure my machine would refuse to embroider on it on principle alone ). I made my daughter a bag for shells and embroidered her name and several different shells on it. It was great – she could bring the bag in after a shell-collecting session and I could toss it in the shower to get all the sand off the shells!
But the best part was that some woman stopped my husband on the beach and told him that she had seen our daughter a few days before and had noticed the bag. She had gone to all the souvenir stores on the island and had been unable to find a bag like that, so would he mind telling her where he bought it? So now I make them for everyone who lives near the beach, goes to the beach, or even looks like they might LIKE to look at a picture of the beach 🙂
I love every gift I give, but the gifts that bring me the most pleasure are the ones I send to people that my husband works with and their families. See, he works in Angola, Africa and all of the laborers are from Angola. It is a very very poor part of Africa. He goes there every other month, so everytime he goes, I pack gifts for the workers children. I have sent everything from boutique dresses to hairbows. They all love getting these special gifts from America and have something special to take home to their children. Some people would wonder why I send handmade boutique items to the children in Africa to wash in river water, but it gives me so much pleasure to know the excitement of these children to get something so special that they would otherwise never have. Just the thought of the look on their faces gives me more than any money I could sell them for. Call me a softy, but I have started calling them my little African kids.
My favorite gift to give for weddings is an 8×10 embroidered mat for a picture frame. It includes two reverse applique doves at the top for pictures of the bride and groom, the name of the bride and groom and wedding date is in the center, and a reverse applique heart at the bottom for a picture of the happy couple.
For a baby gift I do something very similar. At the top is a heart or star for a picture, in the center is the baby’s name and birthday, and at the bottom are two reverse applique footprints, also for pictures.
Both of these are well received and everyone wants to know where I bought them. I put them in appropriate frames and have even had people at the shower or wedding take them out of the frame and try to figure out how there were made.
My favorite gift I made would be a tough on to answer. I love making in the hoop projects and I love making gifts. Anything I can do from start to finish on the machine is my fav. And people think is was so complicated. Can’t wait to see your new site up and running looks awesome already
Def. what I am making now–a quilt (a photo quilt at that!) for my inlaws 50th wedding anniversary. It will have their wedding date and names embroidered. I can’t wait to give it to them!
My favorite gift to give has been monogrammed golf towels for my husband and sons. They actually liked them and use them. It can be hard to embroider for a man. In my experience, they don’t want cute or fussy. I’ve also done items for my son’s dogs which also seem to be acceptable :~).
I just love FSL. Have made some wonderful bowls. Who would have thought such a thing was possible with thread? LOL Everyone is just amazed when they see them. If you haven’t tried FSL, try it, you’ll like it. 🙂
Claudia
living on island time in Florida
Hi !
The gift which made the most pleasure were the calendar-and diary-covers I made for all of my friends last christmas.
They were all monogrammed and had a special embroidered symbol which in my opinion matched with the individual characters of my friend, for example a cat for a catlover, horoscopes, cards for poker-friends, cookies…
I tried also to use the favourite colors of my friends, for fabrics and trims.
I had so much fun to create them, and it was so easy !
So the best gift was for me: the smile on my friends faces, when they got the covers. :)))
Winke from Germany, Petra
I have to say I am very new to this, so not that many gifts, however I am working on a gift right now for my niece who will be 5. I LOVE the way it looks! I made her monogrammed flip flops, and outfit to match! It is sooo cute, I want to make one for my daughter!
I baby onesie for a baby shower, so easy and simple, yet she LOVED it and held it up for everyone to see!
For wedding couples I embroider their last initial and then their names and date of their wedding on linen and put it in a 11X14 frame. Most of them chose to use it at their reception and then at home,they can either put it on their wall or on a table. I have even had people ask for one and they have been married for years. I do the same thing for babies except I make it into a pillow. What fun…
I had such fun working on two baby dresses for a baby shower. I did a little decorative stitching all around the bottom with little hearts and swirls and it turned out so cute. I think that was my favorite. Everyone asked how I had done it. I’m not sure if it’s in the same class as embroidery but it’s as close as I’ve come for now.
I’m going to my embroidery class for my new machine next week…yeah! Then we’ll see how many cute things I’ll be making! I can’t wait!
I’m confused on where to start with the embroidery. My unit for my machine’s been sitting in the corner for the last two months…I’ve strictly just been sewing away which is ok for now but I’d love to use the embroidery but I just don’t know where to start. I know there’s issues with stabilizers and there are sooooooo many different ones to choose from and it’s really really confusing….is there some kind of guide as to which stabilizer you need for which kind of project??
My favorite embroidered gift to give…. For a house warming gift I make embroidered hand towels with a matching embroidered roll of toilet paper. Friends expect the unexpected from me. I think my favorite gift right at this moment is the 8×8 embroidered squares I make that are then turned into lap quilts and given to hospitals and senior centers. We thought lap size works well for any age. On second thought…. I have a ball making eye masks that are sent over to the troops in Iraq. I can’t pick a favorite…. They are all favorites while I’m making them, whatever it may be.
Baby items all the way! My husband is in his second AF Squadron Command and let’s put it this way…I buy baby blankets in bulk! I do a blanket for each new baby in our squadron (personalized with name and birth date) and our squadron logo. It’s fun and rewarding to me, and I love getting a chance to welcome all the new little one’s into the Air Force!
I like to make purses for my friends. I make them personal with embroidery that relates to their lives. If a friend likes ice cream, I might put a small ice cream cone somewhere on the purse. I embroider nicknames along seams, and favorite expressions.I put a small fire engine on the inside pocket of a purse for a friend who works for the fire department, or a Marine angel for a mom with sons in the Marines. Many of these embroideries are not immediately obvious, so they are fun and appreciated when discovered.
I love to give embroidered cloth diapers for burp cloths. New mom’s love them because they are so boutique looking!
I love making monogrammed baby items. I like making a set of matching items: burp cloth, bib and onesie. I think they all look so nice together. And, best of all,….you can’t find these in stores!
Oh making things for my grandchildren is wonderful. I made skirts and shirts for Christmas with the appliqued santa and reindeer and a santa monkey for them. I also love making the pillowcases each year because evn the 20yr old ones still look forward to getting them. When I started making pillowcases the 2nd year my fireman son said I want some. He likes taking them to the firestation. Of course they are firemen type fabrics. Towels and Christmas tree ornaments are great fun too.
Best part now is having great places like this to share and learn. I’m 64 and just getting started!! LOL!! Thanks fo this new site
I love 2 things the most – baby burp cloths that have their name or initial on them and embellished with fabric & ribbon or pom-poms, or t-shirts with cute sayings for all the brave kids I know who are out there fighting cancer. (My 4th child was born with cancer) I think my most favorite one was one I just got to make for a 9 year old boy who just finished his treatments. It said, “Cancer died in here. It didn’t stand a chance against me.” I’ve also put that scripture on the back that says “In all these things we are more than conquerors…”
I always try to make a personalized gift for my kids’ birthday parties that they are invited to. And they are always a big hit! My favorite gift to make is a Personalized Pillowcase. I either make something with their birthday party theme or use a monogram font frame! They are always a huge hit and the kids love them! Another favorite that I’ve done this year is a fleece blanket. I’ve made them to match the pillowcase and they are so cute and soft and cuddly!
For babies, my favorite personalized gift is BurpCloths. Something cute with the baby name and cute coordinating ribbon across the bottom.
I told you I have too many favorites, b/c I just have to tell you about another one I’ve been making for the girls! A personalized embroidered POMPOM tote bag with a matching Towel tucked inside! With summer sneaking up on us, this is one I’ve done most recently for a birthday gift and what a huge hit it was!
I can’t wait to see what all SWAK will have! I’m already addicted to EVERYTHING I can get from YCMT – so This is going to be so much fun!
Jenny
I think towels and sweatshirts are my favorite things to embroider on for gifts. They are items that can be used every day.
My favorite gift I made was a shorts and tee shirt set with appliqued mouse ears for a friend’s son. They were visiting Disney and what child doesn’t need a special outfit to wear to see Mickey?
I also like to make flannel baby blankets to give to new parents. They are very easy to make and you can never have enough blankets for your little one!
Shortly after my husband bought me my first embroidery machine our office decided our Christmas charity would be furnishing gifts for some girls at a local orphanage. The girls gave us wish lists and we purchased the items. My daughter and I had two girls to purchase for. Both of these girls had unusual first names so my daughter suggested that as an extra gift we should purchase two nice fleece throws and use my machine to put their names on them. I was pretty new to embroidery and figuring out how to use my software but I was SO proud of how these two blankets turned out. I used fun lettering and fun colors and even my hard-to-impress teenager thought they were ‘cool’. People at the office asked me to do fleece throws for them and I ended up doing over 100 of them. Now, 7 years later and lots of projects later, those two throws for girls I’ll never meet are the most memorable so far.
Since I started machine embroidering years ago nearly all the gifts I give are embroidered. Love onesies, bibs, burps, towels and blankets for babies.
Wedding gifts are usually monogrammed towels or a wedding sampler.The sampler is bride and groom, in couples chosen colors, with name and dates underneath and framed.
Birthday gifts are appliqued shirts, koozies for guys and bags for the girls.
Gifts have all been well received. This past Christmas my neice loved the embroidered bears made for her children so much that she requested 6 for gifts.
I am always proud to give a gift I have invested myself in. It is so personal and says I care.
This hobby is such a stress reliever. Don’t know what I would do without my machine!
I too have several favorites. One of my favorites I made for my daughter in law for Christmas. My son had just returned from Iraq. I gave her a double sided pillow. One side… I’m yours tonight! the other side…Not tonight Dear! I added a daisy design as that is her favorite flower. I plan to make these for bridal showers as well. The idea came from Hope Yoder.
Another favorite is my own original idea. While my son was gone, I wanted to help my 5 yr old granddaughter deal with his second tour. I used an old uniform of his and made a blanket. I added pink ginigam to make it larger. In the center of the camoflague, I appliqued a pink gingham heart. I embroidered…I always keep my Daddy in my heart. She regognized Daddy’s uniform right away.
For newborns whose dad is in the war zone, I make camo blankets in the appropriate color flannel. I embroider Freedom isn’t free, Ask my Daddy! I then personalize it with their names and sometimes where Daddy served. I have been asked to make them for older children as well.
Embroidery is most fun when it is personal for the recipient!
My favorite gift has been to embroider jeans and a matching t-shirt set. It takes a while, and undoing/redoing the inseam isn’t great fun. But it’s worth all of the work.
My very favourite gift to give is a self designed blouse that I ribbon embroider. Everyone loves them and I design one fitted to the person. Some prefer victorian, casual, dressy styles. Ribbon embroidery is so easy and fun and the results are fabulous. I’ve run out of people to gift them to, so I started selling them. I now design, ribbon embroider and sell: childrens and ladies clothing with beautiful ribbon embroidery on them. I do the ribbon embroidery by hand!
I love making things for my friends’ babies. I’ve made tag blankets, burpies, clothing etc. I always embroider it with their name, initial or a design unique to the family. Everyone receive baby gifts so I give baby KEEPSAKES!
I made a tutu skirt and a onesie for am baby girl, I was adorable. It was little shoes and it said “tiny dancer” matched so perfectly with the YCMT tulle skirt (e-book pattern).
I also made her a bath set with tiny dancer on it, a ballerina girl for teh towel with a matching wash cloth with the shoes.
SO CUTE!
That’s a tough question, but if I had to answer with just one item that is my favorite to embroider as a gift, it would be the baby items. Normally I make someone bibs, burp cloths, and matching extra large receiving blankets. They go over really well and it’s such a happy time already having a new baby so I love hearing all the oooooh’s and ahhhhhhhh’s when my gifts are opened. I love making the extra large receiving blankets so that if the Mom is breastfeeding it’s large enough to cover her up and still have enough to cover the baby and keep him/her warm. I made three sets for my first grandchild (finally a girl in our family) and her Mom went nuts about how great the size of the blankets were. Since then all her friends were jealous and I had to make more for Christmas gifts this past holiday.
Second choice would be dish towels because it’s something everyone needs and it’s great to be able to choose from all my great designs something that will perfectly match their kitchen decor or their personality if I’m in a goofy mood wanting to make them laugh.
Vicki
Just like this site, I am brand spanking new (at embroidery that is!) I haven’t made very many things and simple beginner projects at that: some cute burp clothes, a valentine jumper for my granddaughter, but my favorite has been personalized pillowcases for my grandchildren! When they lay their head down at night on that pillow, I hope they always remember that their Nanny loves them! I am so looking forward to learning from you and am thankful to have found this site!
How to pick just one? Don’t know i can do that.
I have made blankets and quilts with names and dates on for babies. I have made full/queen size quilts with the names of the couples and dates on them also.
I made a righ bearer pillow for a girl at work who’s daughter was getting married with the initials of the couple as well as bible versus on it.
I have made the reversable jumpers for the little girls with an applique or embroidery on it. T-shirts you name it.
Sorry i can’t pick one thing as i love it all!
Made kitchen towels for every holiday for a wedding gift.
I love giving home made gifts!
All i know is i had fun doing each and every one.
So to answer your question i am sorry but i can’t pick just one thing. 😦
My favorite gift is for children’s birthdays! I love to create their special birthday shirt, I usually make a hooded bath towel with their favorite items, and a pillowcase. They just love these gifts, and how special is it to get stuff with YOUR name on it!
hugs. Lisa
Since I haven’t done any embroidery yet, I can only speculate… but I think I will really enjoy doing kids clothes, because I have 3 beautiful little girls to model for me 😀
I like embroidering on towels. It is something simple that most people won’t do for themselves.
My favorite has to be a robe. We gave one to our salvation army senior citizen for Christmas. I’m sure she was very surprised when her initial was embroidered on her new robe.
I haven’t had my machine long but my favorite thing I’ve done so far has been a skirt for my daughter for Dr. Suess’s birthday. I embroidered several designs and cut these into patches which I then appliqued onto a jean skirt. She received sooo many compliments and I had people wanting to buy it!! Unfortunately for them my niece is only 1 year younger and can’t wait for her turn to wear it!!!
I guess that, like so many of the other folks, the favorite thing is whatever I am making at the time. I made a water colored quilt for my first great-grandson. I embroidered brightly colored fish and sea creatures all over it. My grand-daughter wanted the theme of his room to be “under the sea”. Everyone loved it. I ‘m making a reversable full length bib for him now. It fits the legs like pants, with velcro at the neck and around the legs. On denim, I embroidered a boy with a fishing pole at the top of one side of the bib. I have a fish at each knee. On the reverse side I have frogs and a turtle. It changes a gift from a cute idea, to something very special.
i’m not sure. i’ve never embroidered before. but i’ve always wanted to have some beautiful sheet sets for my daughters. You know, all white with a running flowering vine along the flat sheet and pillow case edge. And have their monograms along the pillow case edge too. That has always been my dream, so maybe with a little SWAK help, I’ll get this accomplished!
It is always such a pleasure to embroider that I can’t pick out one thing, whatever I embroider is my favorite. I do love to make quick projects such as the sucker or pencil covers for the kids at school. But the thing I have given that has been a big hit with my female coworkers are the small free standing trays or boxes filled with potpourri or scented soap chips. I’ve also taken artificial flower petals and coated them in scented soap and created a colorful array in an FSL bowl for the bathroom.
My favorite gift that was done on a machine was a pillowcase with a Cabbage Patch Kids on it that my fellow collector friend made for me. She was encouraging me to get an embroidery machine, and I think I may be on that path with this site!!
My favorite gift that was hand-embroidered was a pinafore my mom made for our Disneyland trip with Alice in Wonderland on it. I made my daughter a dress and pinafore from patterns off YCMT, and then my mom embroidered the pinafore to personalize it even more. We were even selected for the “Year of a Million Dreams” promotion to line-hop! The Disney employee who picked us said it was because my daughter was dressed as Alice, and Alice was her favorite character. My husband even commented, “Good thing you made that outfit!! Not waiting in line is definitely my dream come true!!!” LOL
Desiree
I guess I would have to say my favorite (favorites) are Christmas ornaments in FSL that I have been doing the past 3 years. I also enjoy embellishing tshirts for toddlers.
Sue
One of my favorites are personalized pillowcases for my girls to give as bday gifts. They’re always a big hit :o)
I made adorable embroidered towels for all the kids in my family for Chirstmas. I was worried that since they were not toys, they would not like them, but I was wrong. My cousin says that her kids refuse to get out of the tub if they don’t have “my” towel. The mom’s all love them, because they are useful and not another toy. My little boy likes to play with his too, using it as a cape and a “ghost” costume. They are easy and everyone loves them!!! Perfect gift.
Lisa
My favorite thing to make is anything personalized. I made monogrammed pillowcases for my DD’s pre-k class at Christmas. One litttle boy came up to me and said that was the best thing he had ever gotten in his life. It really touched my heart that they were so excited about something so simple as a pillowcase with their name on it. Most of them had never had anything like that before.
Also, many of my daughters friends have unique spelled names and it is hard to for their mom’s to find anything personalized for them. I love making monogrammed shirts and pony-o streamers for their birthdays. They always seem to be a hit.
I just got my embroidery machine…. so the only gift I’ve given so far was an embroidered pencil case.
I hope to be able to use my machine to create unique and individual gifts.
I love creating children’s clothing with different material and seeing people’s reaction when they open it because you know it is nothing that they will ever find in the store.
A few years ago I had embroidered a snowman tablecloth for my mother-in-law. Each of my three daughters “helped” embroider a heart in the center. Every year when we sit down to Christmas dinner my MIL and girls are reminded of the special Christmas gift. As the girls have grown we have tried to make something homemade for grandma each Christmas, but the tablecloth is definitely the favorite.
I have recently started quilting and have made several garments, but have yet to try machine embroidery. I can’t wait to get more from SWAK in the future!
Before I knew about machine embroidery, I gave hand embroidered gifts – small embroidered blooms from my photos of native plants around home like camellia, azalea and blueberry bushes. I usually stitch from a quick sketch and use mostly longstitch, satin stitch and french knots.
Lately, the best gift for newlyweds and recent grads is monogrammed bath sheets. Everyone loves big, fat bath towels and monograms are back in style here in the Southeast!
Can’t wait to see the new site!
Suzanne G in NC
I love to give kids pillowcases…for their birthdays, good luck gifts for a special event or holidays with sugarplums, elves, trees and presents swirling their sleepy little heads. I try to take into consideration their interests or the colors of their room and make it a one of a kind, just for them. Their name embroidered along with whimsical designs make their life a little more magical…and isn’t that the way life should be??
All the teen girls just love them too!
my favorite thing to give as an embroidered gift?
I don’t know if I do have a favorite. If I know what the person likes then that is what I’ll make and/buy to embroidery on. My fail safe gifts for guys is ball caps. Ladies towels are always liked. Kids tee shirts that they can wear.
But my FAVORITE thing to do is let kids (of all ages) come over, go through my design collection and pick one out for themselves and then let them do all the work to put it on their shirt, or pj’s or overnight bag. This gets them into sewing, keeps their hands busy for a few minutes and it gives them a gift that they can take home that they made:)
I have to say that my all time favorite of things to create and embroider to give as gifts would be quilts. Quilts are a forever kind of gift that can be passed from generation to generation. I try to incorportate colors and design themes that suit a particular person or event. I have done several of these and donated them for raffles at churches and schools.
Hi all, recently i made a white satin cushion for my mums birthday, her favourite colour is red so i tried a 3d fsl butterfly(my first attempt at this), run some gorgous green embrodered vines and also added some red diamontes, her face was a picture, and for once she was speechless lol,, a nice result haha
i have just loved giving everything i have embroidered i can not pick just one thing, but i do have to say that my oldest granddaughter who is 3 has been the most excited to get a gift.
I love in-the-hoop and FSL projects. I think this is because when they are done, they are DONE! I don’t like to sew that much, but love the embroidery facet of my Pfaff 2170. (I will not be upgrading for many years)
I think everyone is my favorite to give. It is so hard to pick exactly one. I have made several towels for an elderly lady friend. She is always thrilled to get them. She will not nor anyone else use them. Then I started making FSL angels. If you could just see the look of peace on people’s faces when you give them. What a joy! I think those angels have done more good to not only me but the people who receive them.
I have eight sisters. Last year for their birthdays I made them each a personalized bag. It was so much fun to design the same bag to fit each of their very different personalities. And, it was amazing that the same pattern using varied fabric combinations and embellishments could look so different.
Love the site and am looking forward to learning lots and enjoying the creativity!
When I give a gift I have made, it becomes my favorite when I see the appreciation on the face of the receiver.
If I have to choose, I would say that the personalized christmas stockings that I made for each of my GrandKids was my favoirte, they turned out just beautiful and the Kids liked them.
I love to embroider and give most of what I do away as gifts, another favorite is when my grandkids are in a sport, or dance or whatever and I receive a picture I make a quilt block and embroider their name, year, and event using the team colors as my frame and matting for their picture and give this back to the parent.
My favorite is burp cloths. All my friends are having babies it seems, and burp cloths are ALWAYS needed!!! Everytime I visit with my friends they have the burp cloth I made for them in their diaper bag. I try to do different colors and fonts for each one so they are unique.
hi my favorite gift to give was a pretty hankie for my mom i emborder with jesus on the rock kneeling down praying and she loved it. she passed away 3 yrs ago and she always held on to that hankie kept in her bible i found it when i went down to say good bye i gave to my brother he wanted so bad so i guess you could this wonderful hankie i made for my mom was happy time and brother too .i gave lots other gifts but not like this one ill never forget .
The best thing i have embroidery is a wedding pillow for my Gandaughters wedding!
She was so delighted by it!
Bonnie B AZ
I like making personalized gifts. Moms always seem to appreciate getting a gift with their new baby’s name on it. I’ve made burp cloths, diaper bags, blankets, bibs, etc. I’ve also made personalized tote bags for my children and their friends filled with goodies such as “in the hoop” crayon holders, chalkmats, etc.
I have to say that my favorite gift so far was a bunch of burp cloths I made for a friend when she had her daughter. It was such an exciting time for her family as she had been told she could not conceive & then, completly out of the blue, found out she was expecting.
Also, I love making things for my 6 year old princess & her friends.
I would have to say that my favorite would be the bath towels I have made for my 5 DGD and 1 DGS. I , of course, personalized it with their name in the flat band area and then embroider an image which fits them…their favorite Princess, or character, dump trucks, construction equipment! Most of them have multiple towels so they can use one while the other is in the wash….LOL I have been doing machine embroidery for about 6 years now, only beginning to learn to digitize. I recently upgraded to a larger machine but my daughter inherited my smaller one and it is still running GREAT! When I first started I would just about embroider anything…LOL I would even put cute little mini designs on every sock in the house and did a few undies before I was told I was going overboard when I almost embroidered a pair of boxers……Tee Hee Hee
I just love to give bath gifts. Bath towels with matching hand towels and washcloths top my list. I have made so many that the girls at Bed Bath and Beyond simply roll a cart my way when I come in the store. I have never done any with applique, but that is my next project to learn. I give these sets for Weddings, Anniversaries, birthdays, Christmas, and as just because gifts. What can I say? Everyone can always use another towel, right?
I would have to say it is the things I donate to the school for the kids that have struggled reading. When they reach a certain point they get a t-shirt that I have made. Coming from a small farming community these kids don’t usually get things like this. To see their faces light up when they get a shirt with a cool design on it is like giving them gold. And knowing I put it there with their hard work makes it so worthwhile!
My favorite gifts were two Halloween treat bags I made for my granddaughters. The girls were thrilled with them, and it felt so good to give them something they were delighted with and could use. They’ve saved them for next year.
My favorite gift to give is a personalized baby blanket. There is just something about a new born.
One of my favorite gifts that I have given so far has been seveeral quilts that I have embroidered. I belong to an organization and someone came to me and asked me to do a quilt. I pondered what I would do, then came up with the idea of their favorite things. I embroidered each block with their favorite items or members of the group ( to make a memory quilt) and waa-laa, they had a quilt. They were all very surprised. I have done several of these and am asked to do another one this year. The look on thier faces is worth a thousand thanks.
I enjoy making fabric postcards for friends, family, soldiers, etc. They are a great way to use many of my test sew outs. They’re small projects to make when I don’t have a lot of time but really want to sew, and they allow me to try out different techniques to decide if I really want to do something on a larger scale. I enjoy taking part in special projects such as sending postcards to our troops, children in hospital, etc.
So far, the best gift I have done is 2 dog coats I made for a Halloween gift exchange for our dog group. I made the coats from a very simple free pattern from the internet-one side was black, the other black with metallic orange all over pumpkin print. I embroidered the dog’s names in hot lime thread in a ghoulish font on the pumpkin print side. The recipeint posts the pics of the dogs on our group site every Halloween!
My husband got me a Singer Quantum XL 6000 for Christmas so I am brand new to machine embroidery. I’ve done some experimenting, but haven’t really done a whole lot with it. Right now the main thing I have done have been dish towels (which I gifted to family members) and an Easter Table Cloth which I also gave to my sister who hosted Easter Dinner this year. The projects have been alot of fun and my family have loved the gifts. My next project is to make a “Nativity Stained Glass” Wall hanging as gifts for the family next Christmas, which means I’ll be making about 15 of them. I am looking forward learning and doing alot more with my machine.
My favorite items to embroider are Ring Bearer Pillows.
There is never a duplicate as I personalize each one for the Bride and Groom.
Recently, I did two idential for a bride who had two bearers. What a joy it was to see her face and also to be at the wedding.
I did a set of towels for my best friend’s birthday, she is one of those people that doesn’t expect anything, and doesn’t need anything. She like me and many others has a love of snowmen. Her B-day is in November so I did a set of towels Sunday – Saturday with a different snowman on each towel. She was so happy and excited she puts them out all winter long. She said that they are her favorite hand made gift. She made me feel as good giving them as she did receiving them.
Mell2
My favorite gift is a set of burp cloths embroidered with the baby’s first and middle name and date of birth as well as a design for boy or one for a girl.
I’d have to say that the gifts I made this past Christmas were definitely a hit judging from the kids reactions. Each child, and I made one for each of my nieces and nephews (10 total), got a special themed fabric. Every item was then made from that fabric. I called them quiet bags. There was a bag made, with a crayon roll and notebook, a quiet book made with vinyl and dry erase markers, a magna doodle and an etchasketch. These bags were perfect for roadtrips or when waiting at dr.’s offices or during church.
My favorite embroidered item to give is anything for a baby. I love to give embroidered baby outfits for gifts at baby showers or when there is a new baby in the family.
Hi, I don’t embroider as much as I would like, but my favorite gift to give was an embroidered roll of toilet paper…LOL… for my brother in law. It was a real conversation piece. He loves to fish so I embroidered a fish jumping out of the water. I wrapped some net around it to make it look like a fishing net, and then tied some fishing lures at the top. It turned out really cute so I think I will do something for my brother…who always gives unusual gifts. He’s always the life of the party so to speak, so I’m thinking of embroidering a duck with the saying “You really quack me up” and tying a little rubber ducky at the top. I think it will give him a laugh!
I really enjoy doing items for young children and babies. Lately we have had a huge number of new babies in our family. Including identical triplet GDs!! One of my favorite things to make as a shower gift is a door sign for the babies room. On one side I’ll put “Baby’s room” or use the childs name if I know it, with a design that coordinates with the decor, usually a sleeping character. On the other side I put “Shhhhhh…. Baby is sleeping” with another design that coordinates. Stitch the two sides together with a bit of batting in the middle and a nice cord for hanging. These are a huge hit at the showers. And most are prominiently hung when I go to see the babies at home.
I enjoy making all kinds of things to give, but I think my favorite items are the baby items that are personalized. I have made many flannel blankets that are a print on one side & a solid on the other, on the solid side I do a design & then the baby’s name & sometimes all the birth info. The parents love them!
I actually have two. One is hankies, I usually put something religious on them. The other is t-shirts.
I love to find the design that matches the person, especially
for my granddaughter.
By far my favorite gift to give, especcially to a new bride, is a basket which I wove, filled with bathroom accessories. Embroidered towels, soap and the thing that gets the most comments is embroideried toilet paper.
Ann
I love to embroider on anything! LOL My kids and grandkids like for me to monogram items for them. Recently, I monogrammed felt-covered notebooks for my granddaughters.
I have too many favorite gifts to give… I did a set of 12 seasonal kitchen towels for my best friend for Christmas and she was just saying how fun it has been to take out a new towel each month. I also love to do personalized pillowcases because they are super quick and easy, yet a very thoughtful gift to give. For friends of my children, I love to give a t-shirt appliqued with their first initial. That is a very popular gift!!
I love to make towels for folks when they don’t expect anything. I enjoyed making an in the hoop project for my hubby for a marriage retreat we went on.
I haven’t machine embroidered yet, I don’t get my machine for a few more months, but my favorite thing I hand embroidered was a leotard for my daughter’s gym.
Christina
I am still learning, but I have been working on FSL angels and totally love giving them away. It makes me happy to see someone’s eyes light up and fell almost instantly that everything seems better.
Renee
I love every gift I give and I give them from the heart. I love making things for the grandbabies, the bibs, burp cloths and quilts. But, if I have to pick my favorite, it would be the set that I have made for my daughters friend who is due with twin boys. I have embroidered them burp cloths & bibs matching that read “2 peas in a pod” along with a rag quilt of animal designs. She doesn’t really have family that is involved much, so I am a surrogate grandmother and excited about the births.
Robin
For me, my favorite embroidered gifts to give are the monogrammed dresses I make for newly adopted children. 2 1/2 years ago, my husband and I traveled to China to adopt our younger daughter. We were very humbled by the entire process but so blessed with our precious new child. After seeing the conditions in China, I came home and decided to make as many of her clothes as possible. I made her a simple a-line jumper, solid pink on one side and with a China girl print on the reverse. On the pink side I embroidered her new name. She was very proud and wanted me to put her name on almost all of her clothes. A year later, we were blessed to attend a travel reunion with some of the families who adopted the same time we did. I made all of the little “China sisters” matching dresses, all with the pink on one side and the China girl fabric on the reverse. On the pink side, I embroidered their name on each girls dress. The “sisters” loved matching each other and were so happy to be together again. As time has gone on, I have made a matching dress for each new “China sister” who came into our lives, whether adopted by friends or family. Just recently, I branched out and started to make embroidered clothes for children joining the families of friends through adoption whether it is international or domestic. I love the connection to these precious children and I pray for each as I am sewing for them.
Names are so important. But for an adopted child, names hold even more value. They can be a fresh start in life with a new family. Or they can be the only thing that is truly theirs when they leave their old life.
So, yes, my favorite embroidered gifts to make and give are the personalized clothing I make to give to newly adopted children.
Thanks for asking such a great question.
Sivje Parish
I love making burp cloths and diaper changing pads. But have to agree, I love every gift I embroider, it is so much fun to see the designs emerge.
Betty
I have several things I love to make.
My number one favorite is that I make custom burb cloths for new mothers to be. I cut 9 x 22 strips of coordinating quilting flannel and embroider them with either cute sayings, monograms (if name of baby is known in advance) or images tailored to the recipient. Then I place right sides together and stitch them together leaving an opening for turning, turn and topstitch. I do round the cornders to speed things up. Every mother I have ever gifted these to has raved about the cloths, and now they are ordering them to give to their friends at baby showers. These fold up small, are easy to carry and absorbant. I keep in mind the colors the parents wear as well as the whole baby theme. Sometime you want a lovely burp cloth to coordinate with an outfit while on your baby date out and about.
I love to make custom things that recipients actually use. I have monogrammed beautiful ironing board covers & matching Iron covers for my friends who quilt and sew. For instance, for a new to quilting friend, I embroidered
‘Pat’s Pressing Matters’ on the end of her ironing board. It was her favorite gift! I did give it to her on a beautiful vintage wooden ironing board (she had mentioned at a quilt retreat she always wanted one). That was 7 years ago and she still tells everyone about that ironing board!
Teacher gifts: I have given embroidered pillowcases, I investigate names and spellings and will put their first names on the pillow cases or sometimes simply the last initial. I usually do tone on tone. All the teachers rave about the pillowcases and/or towels.
I also love to make custom purses, totes and carry-alls and monogram them, either on the outside or on the inside with a cute saying, poem or something that is personal to the recipient.
Most of my gifts, form needs to meet function. It is nice to have pretty things that you can use. Be it a gym bag & matching workout towel or a beautifully monogrammed table runner and coordinating basket liners.
I don’t want to give a gift that people say, “Oh, how nice,” And then never use it. Most of the gifts I have given I personally see the recipients use (the rest live out of town).
I love the phone calls asking if I can make more or could you make one like you gave so-and-so?
Paula
I know the best gift I ever gave; it was two years ago when I needed a gift to give to a relative of mine I visted in Kirchheim Germany. She is a cousin of my deceased father and we had corresponded for many years. As she is in her 80’s now we had wanted to meet for some time. Not knowing what she owned already, I thought of a tote bag for her shopping expeditions. I made the outside from a Bavarian green color in suede and the inside I lined with a
remnant of silk in black and white with bees on it, a remnant from the Home Deco dept. On the outside I embroidered fleur de lis patterns and bumblebees, with her name “Wilhelmine”. When I gave it to her, she didn’t speak
for a few seconds and she finally said with tears on her face, “I have never owned anything with my name on it.”
We had a most wonderful visit, and she proudly showed it off to everyone. She is now in poor health, but still goes shopping weekly with her son and carries her bag with her when she goes….K.
The gift I enjoy making the most is made for people I don’t even know. I make Blessing Gowns for premature babies. I try to make each individual, looking for tiny designs that suit the size of the outfit and bonnet. I look for coordinating designs, like a tiny train for the gown and a tiny engin for the bonnet. And sometimes I make larger gowns with a white cross on the white fabric , with the tinyest cross on the bonnet so that they resemble very small Christening outfits. Each set with hat, gown, booties, and wrap is then donated to a hopital with a neonatal birth center. All are made with loving thoughts for the parents to have a few moments with the child looking as peaceful and beautiful as I can make them.
While I never know the recepients, I know that these gifts which often take hours (small may take kess fabric, but sewing tiny seams often takes lots of time.) to create; bring closure and a blessing to the grieving parents.
My favorite gift to give is throw blankets w/ a design in the corner that is special to the person getting the blanket. I also add the persons name in a font/alpha that matches the design. So far everyone who has recieved the blankets loves them. Often another family member tries to “take” the blanket, but because of the name can’t. 😀 The blankets take time, but are eaiser on the pocketbook than other items. Since I have 3 kids we usually have at least one birthday parrty to attend per month.
My favorite embroidery gift that I have given was a set of burps. I have been embroiderying for about 3 months and have had some failures (learning experiences?) with some of my projects. A dear friend from high school is expecting a baby girl and I wanted to try to make burps for her baby shower. It was with apprehension that I stared and I bought her another gift just in case my burps where not good enough. But everything went right with this project, the hooping, the colors, the fabric I used to decorate. I had a great time making them and especially giving them. Everone was amazed at how elegant they turned out. My friend was floored. I gave her the gift that I bought too, but you could tell that she really appreciated the gift that was personalized for her baby best.
The thing I like most to give as gifts are anything freestanding lace. I especially like to give Christmas ornaments – never know which ones I’ll give, just pick at random – like the element of surprise.
I love baby things, bibs, burp cloths, onesies, anything personilized for a new baby, because it is like starting them off right. The mom will love the unique gift for them and always want things to make their little one special. Lisa
I made a blanket to commemorate a friend’s son’s christening and she loved it. She asked me to make another for her daughter, born two years later. I can truthfully say that no one has ever been more appreciative of an embroidered gift than this particular friend.
I love making sweatshirts for my sister…I designed one with Roadrunner and Wiley Coyote which she just loved. But probably my favorite gifts were Christmas stockings that I made for the troops in Iran. I embroidered the tops of them to hopefully give them a smile. I hope they made it a little easier to be so far away on that special day.
I love making one of a kind items. Something that people can`t find anywhere else. Machine embroidery does this and more. No matter how much my hands hurt I can do this in less time and less pain than hand embroidery. I always put a label on items I do. It has gotten to the point that if I should forget one, my nieces, nephews other family and friends, ask where it is. It seems to give bragging rights that it was made just for them and the label is proof of it. I may make more than one of a certain item, but always in a different color or pattern. Gifts, repairs, alterations there is always room for something extra.
It’s hard to pick my favorite! Probably the key fob and scarf with my friend’s name and Disney characters. She is a total Disney fan and I really enjoyed surprising her with this gift! I used the Disney font, too! She was thrilled with it!
The heirloom dress I made for my baby granddaughter has to top my list. I made it out of a fancy, but washable, fabric. I put miles of lace, pin tucks, tiny pearl buttons and tiny ribbons on it. I embroidered the bottom of the dress with beautiful “heirloom” designs. I also made a matching bonnet. My 6 month old granddaughter wore it to her aunt’s wedding. I guess she was a real hit with the entire wedding party and guests because the bride took her sister aside and fussed at her for having Kathleen dressed so beautifully. She said Kathleen took the spotlight away from her, and SHE was the bride!
My favorite thing to make with embroidery is jeans rag quilts for all the grand children. I cut old jeans into squares, embroider designs of the recipients interests on random squares, sew squares together with flannel squares. They wash wonderfully, so the children can drag them around and love them.
My favorite gift that I have given would have to be my daughter’s lunch tote I made her. Everyone was so impressed with the applique and designs they asked where they could get one!
My daughter is so proud and tells them my mom makes them and she can make you one too if you pay her!!! She started collecting orders, I let her keep the profit of the first sale!! 🙂
I think that my favorite item to give as gifts is embroidered fabric bowels. They are so versatile. Pretty much any fabric and design can be used to personalize. Everyone who receives one just loves it. They have been used in kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, family rooms, the list goes on and on. It is just so much fun to play with fabrics and designs,
In answer to question #3, my favorite thing to give as gifts is a blanket buddy made out of fleece. I usually make a dog face which I partly do on the sewing machine. On one side of the body I machine embroidery the baby’s name and the other side I machine embroidery the birthdate. I have grandchildren who adore these as do new mothers who receive them as baby gifts. Thank You, Patti Greene
Throw blankets for children, personalize with names and favorite things. Also I have made FSL cross bookmarks for the first communion classes at church. However, every project is a favorite for me. Thank you.
I think the gift I had the most fun with was quilts for each of my younger grandkids. I used attic window in the hoop for my grandson. and orange peel in the hoop for my granddaughter. I embroidered designs in the “window” of part of the blocks. They really enjoyed them.
My favorite gift I gave was an embroidered wall hanging to my grandparents about 35 years ago. They both passed away a couple years ago and the wall hanging was in the same spot they had originally hung it. In the entryway as you walked into their home for everyone to see.
My Favorite gifts to give is any in the hoop projects. I especially like doing themes – I will make fabric bowls, doilys, wine coasters, tissue holders with maybe grape designs and put them in a basket with other items to make a gift basket. My last gift had people laughing on the floor, I embroidered TP with a leprechaun showing his bare butt that said Kiss My Irish ___
I love in the hoop projects of all kinds. I make alot of purses for gifts and sale and I usually make an inthehoop pouch to match. I love making bookmarks to have on hand to send in birthday cards. I keep religious ones to put in church members birthday cards.
I think the most fun gifts that I have made are the Halloween costumes that I have made for my grandchildren. I made cowboy chaps and vests which I embroidered with cowboy designs for my 2 yr old grandsons, a poodle skirt and top which I embroidered with a poodle and other 50’s designs for one granddaughter, and Indian outfits, one for my other granddaughter and one for my other grandson, which I embroidered with a number of different Indian designs. I used a faux suade like fabric for the cowboy and Indian outfits, and pink glitter felt for the poodle skirt.
Gail
My favorite is doing boutique burpies, bibs, and diaper bags as a gift set for baby showers. The possibilities are endless, and I think being able to personalize the gift is something Mommies just love. But I believe baby gifts are my favorite because as a Mommy, I know we tend to have nicer things for our kiddos and Moms love to receive boutiques style/quality items for their babies!
After making 5 Tote Bags using embroidered and/or applique quilt-in-the-hoop blocks and sashing, I’ve received alot of satisfaction from making and giving the totes. Each one was made especially with the recipient in mind using their favorite colors and style.
The fastest “immediate gratification” embroidered gifts have been towels for kitchen, bath, etc. There is no end to the variety of designs and placement that can make each gift unique!
It really depends, weddings I love doing towels, I personalize each one with the colors of the wedding and include the date, even a scripture. More times than not i have people come back with how much they love them. When i needed to do gifts for our caregroup and extended family and friends this past year i made over 50 keychains, that was a blast, fitting pesonalities and initials for every one. the only limit i have is my imagination.
I love to make and gift heirloom Christening dresses, bonnets, slips and blankets. Bringing a child into the world of Christ in a dress that is and can be passed down through the generations seems to form a family bond from the very beginning. I have made Christening dresses from the Mommy’s wedding dresses and from purchased fabric.. both are equally rewarding. All 4 of my granddaughters have a piece of my wedding veil in their dresses. The slips are embroidered with each baby’s information on birth, family, Christening info. These slips can have another child’s information added without a problem and thus become a family heirloom. There are wonderful designs out there that lend themselves very nicely to the front and even all around the dress to make each one speical unto itself.
I think my favorite gift I have ever made, was an embroidered king size quilt, I made it for a charity event, and it was auctioned off for $2390.
Proceeds went to our troops.
That was BIG for me.
My favorite gift to make is to embroidery designs on placemats made of burlap.
I loved to make sew gifts and use designs. My favorite things to make are things for the alter in our church. Welcome gifts for visitors. I also love making specialized gifts for my grandchildren.
Jean
My favorite gift to make and give is either tote bags or t-towels. I have adapted several bag patterns…and they are so easy to personalize and have fun with. I’ve had more comments on my bags!!!!!
I have given mostly dishtowels, but gave a lace bowl and lace bookmarks that the recipients really liked. I also have given a few photostitch pictures that probably are the most commented on gifts I have given. The lace and the photostitch are my favorite things to make even though they take a lot of time – the results are great!
I think my favorite things are the chapstick holders in the hoop projects from Reen at Embroidery Garden. I can’t count the number of the bikini ones I’ve made & given away. I made pumpkin ones for fall & snowmen for winter, too. But the bikini is by far the most popular one with my friends. I love in the hoop projects!
I love doing personalized towel sets…they are a hit with everyone.
I don’t really have a favorite. But the Kitchen items and purses and totes are some that are asked for. Every year I try to make something different.
I just love making things.
My favorite is a set of flour sack towels I did for my mom-in-law for this coming Mother’s Day . . . I’ve also customized my hubby’s work aprons, which he is so pleased to wear; also have a set of bar towels that I’m doing for my daughter with a handy mandy design that shows a multi-tasking “bug” – it’s so much fun to do and see how happy everyone is to get something unique, not from a store.
I love to give embroidered raggedy denim quilts as gifts!! I try to find as many designs as I can that fit the recipient’s tastes and personality, and also personalize it with their name and the occasion it is being given for, and my name and date. I even make them for pets; for some reason, dogs and cats love lying on denim and flannel!! These quilts can be made any size, can be color-coordinated to match your decor, and are a hit with the younger set, too!!! Matching pillows are a great addition to make a set for a teen’s bedroom, as well.
My favorite gift to give is a tissue box cover, you can’t have enough of these.
The thing I like best about making and embroidering things is when I see some having a bad day and I go in and bring out a bag or shirt or anything I’ve made, and hand it to them the look, the smile i know I have improved their day!
I embroidered a blanket with “happy faces” (animals, sunshine, etc.) all over it for my 4 month old grandson. It kept him quiet for long periods just looking at them. He is now 6 months old and still loves that blanket. Now he can sit up and see more of the faces at once.
I love embroidery and use it on everything that I can. It makes a gift “one of a kind”. And most people love getting it as a gift.
I love to make baby things amd embroidery just makes them so special.
My most favorite embroidered item to give as a gift is the free standing lace emroidered Christmas ball covers.
My favorite gift was one I just finished–it was a quilt for my father-in-law’s 85th birthday. There were 24 squares with machine embroidery on them, mostly with things of significance in his life (the Air Force emblem, states where he lived, sports he played, squares for being a dad & grandpa, a bear for his childhood nickname “Cub”, etc.) I filled in with red- and blue-work squares with older planes (he was a pilot) and cars (he’s a guy). When he looked at it, he said, “Marlyn remembered things I’d forgotten.” (His son/my husband helped with that.) I think it’s my favorite because it helped him know how special he is to us.
Towels! Without a doubt, my answer is towels. Amongst my friends and family, towels are the best to give and to receive. They never seem to get tired of getting towels. Sometimes, traditional bath towels with monograms. Other times, kitchen and tea towels with whimsical designs. And when the holiday season comes, everybody begs me for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas towels.
I like to make kitchen or hand towels out of houck towling and embroidery something that suits the recipient in a personal way. They can also be used as table runners.
I love to make all kinds of things. Mostly I make gifts for baby and bridal showers and kids birthdays. I think my faviorite thing about embroidered gifts is that I can personalize it even for the person with a not so common name (like both of my girls). Everyone seems to love the hooded towels I make which I always embroider something the child likes along with their name, I also love to make “hankie blankie” style blankets (animal head with small blanket attached) which again I put the child’s name on. My new fun gift for children is “free standing” applique (just put peltex between two pieces of fabric) of each letter of their name and then add ribbon and bows or just an eyelet to hand the letters on the wall.
My favorite gifts are baby gifts. The mothers absolutely loooove that their baby’s name is on something…and sometimes it is hard to find unusal names on premade gifts.
Like many others have said before me…any gift that you put your time and love into will be an instant favorite.
My Favorite thing to embroider as a gift would be baby items! The new mommy to be is always so excited to see the name of her newborn on anything!!! It always a great feeling to know that you created a SMILE for someone!
I embroider on just about everything. My favorite gift was to my cousin when he and his wife had a baby shower for their new arrival Sophia. I made an a line jumper dress with pants and machine appliqued her name in coordinating fabric. It is was so beautiful…I almost did not want to give it away. Everyone at the shower was oooooing and aaaaaing over that jumper. His wife wrote the most beautiful thank you letter….I believe it is their most prized outfit.
My favorite gifts to give are personalized baby items. Especially baby blankets. I have done so many that they go together in a jiffy and I love to shop for the sweet baby flannels.
My favorite gifts are those which identify the owner. Example: my grandson has had several outerwear coats and vests stolen while at school. I created a set of custom labels, sewed one in an obvious site, pocket, back of the waistband, or inside the hood. The other was sewn inside a part of the garment with a carefully resewn seam. The kids knew where I hid the second. After the usual, “Well Missus, they all look alike.” the proof of the second label, stopped the problems.
My Husbands brother and wife celebrated there 25 wedding anniversary- I made them a twin size quilt with pictures and embroidery. Then we hung it up the day of the surprise party and had fabric pens available-everyone who came, personalized the quilt with signatures and blessings. It was so cool to see everyone go up to the quilt and just consume themselves over it.
My favorite gifts to make are the clothing, blankets and burp cloths that I make my foster children before they go to their adoptive family. I always embroider something meaningful such as ” for this child I prayed” or ” I was worth the wait” along with a cute image. It’s always a big hit and it makes the adoptive parents first photos with the children special!
Michelle
My favorite embroidered gift so far has been the purse I made for my sister. I made it in crazy quilt fashion, and included lots of things that she loves–a sun, a dinosaur, a flamingo, and a palm tree among other things–and a patch that said “#1 Sister”. It was completely personal and something no one else could ever make for her.
Like so many others, my favorites embroidered gifts to give are probably the baby items. I remember when I first started doing machine embroidery (11 years ago), my SIL asked me to make burp cloths for “party favors” at a baby shower she was giving. They were a HUGE hit with all the guests and especially the mommy-to-be, and have been a favorite ever since.
I’ve made several baby “birth announcement” type samplers, but my favorite ones are the two that my mother had begun for my brother & I. We found them while going through some old things, and then I completed them for my own son & daughter.
For Christmas I made all my neices and nephews “toy bags” personalized with their names on them. The bags replaced wrapping paper and the kids can use them over and over. It is also nice when we all get together as a family with all the little kids running around they know which bag is theirs and can keep all their personal items in them. I have also made a few of these bags for freinds children’s birthdays. I have got a lot of compliments on them and others asking me to make some for their kids. It really makes you feel good when you know someone really appritiates the gift you have made!!
The best embroidered gift that I have given has been a recent gift for a baby shower. It was a baby’s book, called “Read Me, Touch Me, Love Me” Book. Each page was a separate animal, appliqued on, with each animal using different textured fabrics. I can’t wait to make more of them.
I haven’t really done enough embroidery to be giving it away for gifts, but from the embroideries I have started to accumulate, I would say that my favorite will be gifts for babies and children!
I just got my embroidery machine. I’ve made 4 pencil cases…. hope to be able to make more gifts soon.
As for a question, how do you know you have the right stabilizer?
My favorite gifts that I’ve embroidered on are the baby blankets that I’ve made for my granddaughters. I, also like to embroider gifts for my mom.
I love the fact that with machine embroidery I can make gifts that truely fit the receiptant. I can make something in the colors they like, with designs that represents their interests or something that is very unique to who they are as a person.
I think the item I enjoyed planning and making the most was a simple clock for my parents. I stitched out the numbers and the phrase “We love you all the time” around the center circle. Then, at the 12, 3, 6 and 9 positions, I glued small photos of the grandkids. They just love it!!!
My favorite gift to give is my knowledge of sewing to my granddaughters ages 12 & 10. My oldest granddaughter made her 1st quilt at the age of 6. Our latest embroidery project are pillowcases Katie designed with a monkey and cute saying on them. I love teaching and sharing my time with my granddaughters.
I have recently started making “paper” dolls and they are so cute and so fun. My daughter now stands beside the machine waiting for the new clothes to come off so she can dress up her kids!
My favorite gift to give is embroidered or appliqued burp cloths and bibs. New moms always love them!
I love making items as baby gifts… quilts and burp cloths.
I would love to learn more about which threads and stablilzers to use…
and would love to see a help section… like what to do when your designs come out and the area around it is all wrinkled looking.
My favorite item to give would be baby blankets that I knit then add patches. They are so cute and cuddly. I am saving up to get an embroidery machine – not sure what one to get.
Hi All-
I’m a quilter first, and I love incorporating the embroidery into my projects! But my favorite gifts to give are kitchen towels – there are so many great kitchen designs out there!
My favorite gift was a quilt I made for my first granddaughter. It was Sunbonnet Sue, pieced, hand embroidered and appliqued. I was so surprised I could accomplish something so pretty and something that Chloe will have forever and ever. I have then gone on to make quilts for other grandchildren. However, in order to recycle, I have gone to the local Goodwill store and purchased good condition flannel shirts and blue jean dresses and shirts. I then cut these items up to make quilts which are user friendly and durable. The kids love them. Anytime I make items for the grandchildren they are my favorite gifts.
My favorite gifts that I have made have been Princess outfits for my children. They loved how “real” the princess’s looked and loved that each could wear their favorite princess!
Oh I forgot to add that I attended a baby shower over the weekend and I loved seeing the look on the New Mommy to Be’s face when she opened up her baby gift from me and saw a shirt with the babies name and a Pillow with her favorite Poem on it! She was so excited and the moment she opened it I knew she loved it!
One of my favorite things to embroider for a gift is kitchen towels. Martha Stewart makes lovely ones that are sold at K-mart – usually packaged several colors together- good price and very nice quality. She also makes a “Day of the week” set of towels. Depending on who it is for, I do a fancy last initial, “Susie’s Kitchen,” a saying or a holiday theme. Everyone has really enjoyed these! I tell people to USE them, not to save them, as I can always make another!
I always embroider both ends of a dishcloth or hand towel. This allows you to flip the towel to the other end when the first side gets used and wrinkled. Lets you use it all up before washing and helps save the environment!
My DSIL gave ME a cute dish towel at Easter that had ric rac at the bottom – cute but definitely need a monogram! : ) I actually added my monogram right away and have really enjoyed using it in my own kitchen.
With every gift I give, I include a card that has laundering information (such as the thread is color safe for bleaching) and ironing instructions (if needed, iron from the back – cover the design with a press cloth or paper towel before ironing as the thread will melt if you touch it with the iron.) This is especially important for items that will be washed a lot, like dishcloths or kid’s clothing.
Melissa
My favorite gifts to give are those for babies!! I love to pick a print, usually flannel and just go from there. It is so much fun to be able to find a design to go with the print and go crazy from there.
You can make a blanket, a couple of burp cloths, a onesie and even add in a lovie blanket or small toy. Tie it all together with a ribbon and a creative wrap and you have a great and unique gift!
My favorite is always doing something for my granddaughter. She thinks I can’t do any wrong. She loves everything I make for her. It is such a joy and so rewarding!
I definately love embroidering on children’s clothing. You can have the most fun and use your imagination. You don’t have to stay in the box. I know my children get excited whenever they know I’m making them an outfit or shirt with their name or favorite picture. And the absolute best is when you hear a comment back from someone that the little girl will not take off the outfit you made b/c she loves it so much.
When I started doing embroidery about 3 years ago I enjoyed and liked everything I did. Then in 2006 my mother made a quilt for my aunt who was going through a hard time with her breast cancer and she asked me if I would just embroider some names on the quilt for her. My grandmother fell in love with the quilt and looked kind of sad because she didn’t have one. So for Christmas of that year I made her a quilt of her own. Mind you I have never made a quuilt, but she didn’t mind the boo-boos when she opened her gift. It was a throw blanket with hearts. Each of the hearts had names beginning with hers and my grandpas and one for each of her children and the two kids who had passed had crosses with their names. On the back I made a little tag that said “With all our Love” in spanish and it had my name and my kids names on it. She cried and cried and said that when she had seen her daughters she really wanted one of her own. Now she carries it around everywhere she goes–she gets the chills alot. That has been the most fulfilling and time worthy project I have done.
I love to applique T-shirts for my nephews so that they’ll match my children when they all go out together. They look so cute and we get so many compliments on it. I really creates a sense of unity!
I also like to give hand embroidered gifts such as pillows.
I have enjoyed reading everyone’s favorite embroidered gift. Since I am new to machine embroidery, I was wondering what FSL is. I hope that I will learn to embroider on plastic screening as Joanne posted in #18 as that sounds like so much fun! I am also interested in the embroidered soap. What wonderful gifts!
As far as my favorite gift, it would have to be a messanger bag that I made for my daughter for school. Her name is unique so she never has personalized items. I monogramed her initials on the front. I would have put her name but since that is a safety issue, I went with initials and she was thrilled. I hope to make her many more items and can’t wait to make her something with her name on it.
My favorite embroidered gift I ever gave was to my parents. For this past Christmas I gave them a quilt made up of 36 8×8 squares. Every other square was the name of a member of our family—but presented in a snowflake design. So initially my parents thought the quilt was pretty, abstract designs. It was a JOY to watch them realize that their names, their childrens names, and their grandchildrens names were all immortalized upon the quilt. I even included the name of our future daughter that we are waiting to adopt! They show the quilt to everyone who comes over. I had never made a quilt before, and don’t know if I ever will again…but the looks on their faces made it all worthwhile!!!
Jodie
My favorite things to embroider are burp cloths, koozies, towels and blankets. You can really personalize these items and they’re fast to make and each one is different so even when I’m making 10 at one time I’m excited about each one!
My favorite embroidered item to give is Personalized Koozies. They are so fun and I take mine everywhere! 😀
I have given so much it is hard to pick a favorite. Each time I create something new it turns into a favorite. I have embroidered towels for graduation gifts in the colors of the college they will be attending and I have made quillows and embroidered them. I think these are my favorites.
Hi girls!
Just stopped by to say hello and take a look at all the comments
Oops! That was my 15 month old IMP who just pushed the enter key. Let me try this again!
Just wanted to drop in–I’m so thrilled at all of the activity on the SWAK blog! I guess you are all as excited as I am about this new embroidery site. I’ve been lucky enough to work with Kim and Kris in various capacities for several years, and their creativity and originality is simply unmatched, so I can’t wait to see the results this time. Everyone on the SWAK team has worked tirelessly on getting it “just right”–a hallmark of the “You Can” team. This means outstanding quality and unmatched excellence–definitely worth the wait!
Back to work with me–writing the next fabulous issue of You Can SEW This!
Cheers,
Lorie
You Can Make This
You Can SEW This Newsletter
I love to embroider gifts of any kind, but I think baby blankets with a matching keepsake pillow is my favorite. I usually use minky and satin binding, then use the left over fabric to make a pillow with the name, birhtdate, weight and height on it. It is a lot of fun to watch mom open it up! Tiffany
I would have to say that my favorite gift to make would be t-shirts. I try to personalize each one to the idividual. I add on stuff for whatever sports, hobbies or sayings that they may have. Everyone seems to enjoy their shirts 🙂
My favorite has been the gifts I have made for my sons 3rd grade teacher (He is now in fourth). I chose to be her secret pal this year! She is the best teacher ever! She just got Teacher of the Year for our county and now she is having a baby girl so there is something else I can add to my to do list! Love the new site. Thank you for taking the time for us!
I love to make baby items for gifts. I cover a travel wipes case with material and then personalize it with the baby’s name on it and then I make a matching burp cloth and bib. I also love to make things for my daughter, especially dresses.
Ok, I have a new favorit gift I’ve given. I made a tote bag out of recycled jeans for a five year old birthday party we went to on friday. I removed the back pocket and embroidered on it then added it to the bag (made out of the leg of the jeans) and then did a matching embroidery on the front with her name. It was so cute i want to make another one for me :).
I have a couple of projects completed and am looking at
framing them. I would love to hear how others frame.
I have checked at the “Frame It” shop and find them
rather expensive, but just not sure how to frame
the projects – these are cross stitch pieces.
Thanks
I love to make FSL and give it away. Everyone asks how did you make that. I love to watch it stitch out. I plan to make some curtain valances for my new condo soon.
My favortie embroidered gift to give so far has been purses. It’s amazing how popular simple purses are with little girls when their name is on it.
I’m a little lost here so forgive this message being off-topic. I am unable to download the free designs you have offered. I have done as you have instructed. Can you help me? I get an error message.
ON TOPIC: My favorite embroidered gift so far is a prim patriotic pillow I embriodered and constructed. It had a nice message for military families. I also constructed and embroidered a patriotic postcard to go with it. The recipient is a gal who is waiting for deployment to the Middle East.
Suzanne
Hi Suzanne! Welcome!! We will make sure you get those designs right away. Thanks for letting us know and have a wonderful day!
-Kris
http://www.SWAKembroidery.com
You know, I have never embroidered but recently I purchased a new sewing/embroidery machine and I am waiting for it to arrive in the next few days! I got the Brother SE350 which will be a perfect beginner machine but one that will also “grow” as I learn more. I’m so excited and have so many projects lined up. Just to simply be able to add a monogram to a purse/wallet/top, etc. for that extra special finishing touch will be amazing!
I love love love giving hand made one of a kind creations away as gifts and this will make it that much more personal and fulfilling!
Woo Hoo!
Camie
I do lots of machine embroidery because it gives me the complete freedom to design anything I want. You can be as creative as you want to be and there are no rules as to color, shape or size. I find the most enjoyable part is designing what I want to put on a garment. This is a hobby that anyone can do at any age. Friends and family just love to have something personalized for them.
By far my favorite embroidery gift was a cushion that I made for my parents’ 40th wedding anniversary. They have a cockatiel who at 24 years old is now “past his sell by date”, so I wanted them to have something to remember him by when he finally does fall off his perch for good. Not only was it the largest design that I have stitched to date, it was also my first attempt at making my own piping. I also made the cushion dual sided, taking inspiration from Kim’s “she loves me, she loves me knot” purse and placed a big pretty knot on the back of the cushion in a coordinating fabric.
My parents loved the cushion and have placed it prominently in their living room.
I can’t wait to see all of the designs that you come up with. I am sure that they will be fantastic!
Like others have said I love embroidering burp cloths, lap bibs and blankets for gifts. I just learned to do koosies and love this also. But my favorite thing to do is clothing for my grandchildren. I try to do something for them that they will say “Wow!” when they see it.
I too am having some trouble downloading the free designs and get the error message on the page. Thanks for all of these! Love them!
I love Monogramming cloth diapers for the new mother to use as burp cloths or as diapers, mom’s choice. The mother’s can’t believe that I did that at home. Another is designing lightweight quilt’s for each one of my children using the applique and embrodering stitches on my machine. They use them to lounge around the house. No more bickering on who has who’s.
Sewing and monogramming scrubs for family of nurses and other medical fields. They go crazy over them. Lets them stand out from all the other nurses.
My favorite gift to embroider is fleece baby blankets. I hand crochet an edge around the fleece and embroider the baby’s name, birth date, weight, time, etc. in one corner with a cute embroidered baby design. The Mom’s love them and they make a nice keepsake.
My next favorite thing is towels, although when doing them for the dgd’s softball teams, 15-18 of all the same gets boring. LOL
I’ve had a lot of fun embroidering towels for gifts. Kitchen towels, Bath towels, hand towels, if it’s a towel I’ll put something on it.
My hand embroidery is generally smocking and I love every single thing about those projects.
My largest regular embroidery project was a set of stamped quilt blocks my MIL gave me and then made into a quilt for me after I finished. It has been loved to death over 20 years and 4 children.
I just have to say that I am super excited because I will be buying my embroidery machine next month!!!!!!! I am getting my first installment of my structured settlement (next month I’ll get 15 thousand) and I am treating myself to an embroidery machine…..YEAH!!!!!!!!!
I also wanted to add that I was unable to download the designs from the newest email from SWAK. I kept getting a page not found error…any help with this??????
I guess my favorite gift so far was the tiny tote bags I made for my son’s classmates for their valentines. Everyone thought they were great. But a very close second is anything I embroider for my kids because they are always so excited when I make something for them!
My favorite embroidered gift was a machine embroidered cross stitch bear, wearing a German costume. I framed it, and gave it to my Mom for her birthday. It turns out. the costume was very similar to what she had worn as a little girl.
That would be one of my diaper bags embroidered with the babies name!
Hmm! that’s a hard question to answer as I’ve loved everything I’d embroidered as a gift.
But if I had to choose, I would pick, every time, those items for which I will never ever know what the recepient’s response was but that each item was done with so much love.
I love to give things that I have made “in the hoop”. Zippered bags and tote bags are among my favorites!
But I also love to give heirloom embroidered things.
My favorite item to embroider so far has to be the satin pillowcase I made for my mother’s birthday last month. My mother is in her 70’s now and I wanted this gift to be extra special. I spent alot of time searching for just the right design of delicate flowers and leaves along with the prettiest font for her initial. I worried over the construction because I had never done a pillowcase before. I did not use a pattern and since the embroidery had to be done before the construction, I needed to find all my centers beforehand. I purchased a beautiful champagne colored satin along with delicate off-white lace (which I sewed just under the edge of the pintuck. The rose buds were a varigated pale pink, and the leaves were done in a light sage green. For the swirls and flourishes around the flowers and initial I used a slightly darker tone of champagne colored thread.
My mother loved the gift. She feels it is too beautiful to actually use. I guess now I will have to make one a little less elegant.
I am always making my granddaughter dolls clothes which she loves, so a couple of Christmases ago I made her a quilt set for her dolls bed, she loved it as I had embroidered Winnie the Pooh all over it for her. Then my eldest daughter needed something for her little god daughter who was just 3 at the time, so I made her a little doll and bed, then did a quilt set for the pram that my daughter had bought for her, I embroidered little angels on that set and they were so pleased with it. I also bought little fleece blankets for my 3 grandchildren and embroidered their names on it along with their favourite heroes, spiderman, barbie and star wars, they wouldn’t let anyone touch them and when asked where they got them from they said nanny made it for us. They still won’t let go of them.
ITH projects are my favorite, and if it is for one of my precious grandkids, that’s all the better. I especially like making things that encourage babies to use their senses. The Easter Lovies that SWAK has for sale in the In The Hoop section are a great example. I’m honored to see that the sets I made for my twin granddaughters is shown as an example. They turned 1 at Easter this year, and enjoy playing with the Easter Lovies. It does not show in the picture, but I stuffed them with different things – crackling cellophane, stuffing, rice, and jingle bells. They are just the right size for little hands to hold. They aren’t just for Easter – they’ll play with them year ’round.
My most favorite gift that I have embroidered would be everything! I love giving a gift with a special touch of a personal embroidered design. The recipient will always remember how much time and love went into the gift.
I don’t have a machine, but I give away plenty of baby gifts (handmade of course) and birthday outfits for my daughters friends. It would be sew cool to personalize them of even add a design to them.
Because I’ve never tried machine embroidery, I don’t have a favorite gift to give with that type of detailed design. However, I have created handmade baby gifts that others have enjoyed. Perhaps, machine embroidery would be a way to make the gifts more personalized and more fun to give and receive.
Embroidered initial t-shirts – not really embroidered, just on my sewing machine but they were super cute
Hi, I think the gift I got the most pleasure from was the Bridal Purse that I made for my granddaughter’s wedding on April 12, 08. I also made matching purses for the bridesmaids to match their shoes and the two mother’s got one matching their shoes. They were all done on the embroidery machine except sewing the pieces together. It was supposed to be a clutch but I added a small chain as a handle, just long enough to hang over the wrist. I made labels for inside the purse with the bride & grooms name and the date. Everyone was so thrilled with them. It was the best gift I’ve ever given to anyone Shirley in SW FL
Goodness, everyone has such great ideas! I don’t own an embroidery machine, but I would love to! I have done some free hand embroidery, which never comes out as perfect as I picture it in my head. But my favorite thing that I embroidered was a quilt for my daughter. The embroidery actually came out pretty good. There were a few imperfections here and there, but I guess it adds to the homemade charm of it. 🙂
I love making clothes for my kids, but quilts are always so special to me. They really come out looking like a piece of artwork. It gives me so much satisfaction to watch her snuggle with it while watching TV or to watch her little face peek out from underneath while she’s sleeping.
~k
Unfortunately I don’t have an embroidery machine, so I haven’t had the priveledge of giving such a gift, “yet”. Maybe I’ll win the one in the contest so I can find out. LOL
My favorite project is personalized baby burp cloths. The parents are always so happy to have them and I really enjoy making them. I also made a stunning “Got Boots” Cow Girl outfit for my niece! That was lots of fun and my husband and I did the designing together!
I have not done any yet….but I am sure that since I love making baby blankets, they would continue to be my favorite…I could preserve relevant baby info forever on a keepsake item.
My favorite embroidered gift to give is hand embroidered pictures. Some of them I even draw up myself. I love to embroider a cute little picture and put it in a frame. If I learn machine embroidery I think my favorite gift would be cute, unique clothing gifts.
My favorite embroidered gift was the handkerchiefs that I made with Jesus hanging on the cross for some drug additicts that had given their life to Chirst. I put a saying on them that read. He Loved You This Much
alissa
Well, I don’t have an embroidery machine, and I don’t know how to hand embroider either. So the best thing I made that even comes close to embroidery is, when my niece was born. I crossed stitched my sister-in-law a sweet door hanger for the baby’s room on one side it said;
“Shhh Baby is sleeping” it had the sweetest boarder of different pastel colored flowers shaped like an arch way. On the top it had a nest with three baby blue birds, and in between tied to each side was a hammock with a baby laying in it a sleep, on the other side it said;
“Come In, Baby is awake”. On the top it had a mother blue bird chirping in tree the branches were covered in flowers with a rainbow next to it, and some little clouds. On the bottom it had a baby sitting up in a field of pastel colored flowers with its hands up trying to catch some of the fallen flowers from the tree.
I know I’ve said this several times, but it was the sweetest thing! When I was looking for something I could make as a gift, and I saw the pattern…I said to my self. “That is it, that is it” =o)
That is the best gift I given because it came from the heart, and I made it with my own hands. =0)
My favorite gift is embroider is accessories for my service dog. I don’t know for sure, but he seems to appreciate and enjoy them, and I sure like seeing him wear them. My biggest problem is my 20 year old machine that is losing it’s ability to do the few fancy stitches it has.
My favorite item I have embroidered is the sweatshirt jacket I made for my 84 yr old mom. She lives in a retirement home and some times it’s a bit cool for her. She loves it. Tells me all the time that she is always asked where she got it… even at 84 she loves to brag on her family. I know it is being used and appreiciated. I enjoyed making it personal for her. I think this Christmas she is going to get a quilt with kitties on it….she loves her kitty…
My favorite embroidered gifts are “keepsake” diaper covers with the babies stats on it. It makes for a really fun & adorable picture.
I have two favorite things I have embroidered. The first was a Minnie Mouse Diaper Bag that my daughter and I made to put on our website. We promoted it for a great bag to take on a Disney vacation. It is red with black and white polka dot and the Minnie was appliqued onto the bag along with a monogram. We offered it as a contest winner item and the response was overwhelming. It was adorable. My other favorite thing was monogramming names on cute sippy cups for my Grandson’s daycare birthday party. All the kids were so excited to get them and kids just love anything with their names on them.
I also have two favorite items that I love to embroider and give as gifts. Every year at Christmas time I love to embroider FSL ornaments and send them to everyone on my Christmas card list. I also have made sets and given them as gifts. Especially the manger scenes. My friends and family are getting so they expect to receive them every year. LOL! The second item is the lolly pop covers. I embroidered them for my nieces first grade class. The children just loved them. My neice was so excited about it she could hardly tell me how the children enjoyed them.
The best gift I ever gave was my daughter’s first Irish Dance solo costume just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. I do not have an embroidery machine yet, so the whole design was satin-stitched on my Janome P6500 regular machine. 100 hours and a whole lot of love, and one very appreciative young lady.
My FAVORITE gift of all time has to be a baby shower gift! A little tee shirt with a vintage looking duck on it! When my friend opened it up and I saw her face, she was just so excited! She LOVED it and she should have for the 5 shirts I went through to make it! lol, It was my first ever embrod. project so I had a lot to learn but she was just over joyed which made all of it worth wild! HEr baby is in the NICU now wearing the little baby Duck tee!
Candice
I love embroidering and giving it away just to see peoples faces of happiness,to know I’ve cheered their day. god gave me a gift and I surely use it. I need a job just to buy supplies to use to give away gifts!! I think the best was a shower curtain for my daughters family. I did towels and such for the bath in sesame street then the shower curtain had all different color blocks with sayings and stick people saying family, love my dad,etc. very personalized. they cried,they loved it so much. lap quilts also know as quillows are another favorite and everyone gets personalized as to what each person believes in..I love making the grungy scented quillows and when the friends open it they smell cinnamon and vanilla and it looks so primitive..those are a real big hit with everyone .I still have to learn to digitize but for now I just collect designs and have my brother ult2003 and my second sewing machine running all the time!!
I gave my aunt monogrammed pillowcases for her birthday. She said she had never received a gift that was personalized just for her. I couldn’t get to my embroidery machine fast enough. She was so happy with her new pillowcases and I was happy that I could make my aunt feel special on her birthday.
I will be giving my first gift in 2 weeks. chickens on tea towels. I’m just learning, and don’t know yet how to get the cute designs off this site.
I love all the gifts that I’ve made and gave away, from the embroidered tee shirts for my grandchildren, to the decorative towels for wedding gifts and the embroidered quilts for my daughters. I’ve only been machine embroidering now for about 1 1/2 years, but I love it, and it puts such a personalized touch to everything you make.
My favorite I gave was to my oldest grandson who graduated high school this past June. We have a special saying “I love you more Boo” and so I embroidered on a towel a design with a phone saying I Love You More Boo and put a lttle card in with the towel letting him know I will always be there for him, Lord willing.
He said it was his favorite gift and will keep it always.
P.S. We also got him a brand new set of tires.
Sharon
My favorite embroidered gift to give was totes! I made one for each female of our church planning to attend a Women’s Retreat and put all of their supplies needed for the meeting inside the tote. I embroidered each person’s name on the outside in different colors. The totes were a hit!