Unique wedding gift idea

Byline: Pam Mahshie

Attend any wedding and it's practically guaranteed that you'll see embroidery somewhere. Whether it's the bride's gown, her veil, gloves, shoes or purse. You might also find it on her grandmother's handkerchief, tucked in her sleeve, or her bridesmaids' dresses. Or perhaps the happy couple has chosen embroidered gifts for their maid of honor and best man. And you can't forget the ring bearer and his all important pillow. The point is that the embroidery opportunities in the wedding world are endless. Get creative. Here are a few projects to inspire you.

The Veil

The veil is a good place to start when discussing wedding accessories. There's not much to it, but there is a lot of room for creativity. It can be as elaborate or as simple as you like. One idea is to purchase a headband, embroider on a piece of tulle, and embellish it with crystal beads.

Select a design, hoop a piece of water-soluble stabilizer and tulle in the hoop. Repeat the design so that it runs the length of the hoop. Remove the embroidered tulle from the hoop and place it around the headband, centering the design. Attach the veil to the headband and glue crystal beads on the embroidery. The result is a custom veil that any bride would be proud to wear.

The Gloves

Gloves are an essential part of any bride's wedding ensembles because they add a certain elegance and can be used to show off the colors she has selected. Using thread that changes colors in sunlight is an easy way to add a unique touch to a traditional accessory.

For this project we selected two designs and edited them to suit our needs. If you are using ready-made gloves, open the side seam before doing the embroidery. Hoop water-soluble stabilizer, spray with adhesive and center the glove for embroidery. Select a thread that matches the wedding colors. Finish the gloves by embellishing them with crystals to match the headband.

The Pillow

The ring bearer's pillow is a perfect place for embroidery. To make one, simply choose a design and hoop a piece of satin in a larger hoop (mine was 101/4 inches by 61/4 inches), along with a piece of cutaway stabilizer. After the embroidery is complete, remove the fabric from the hoop and cut it into two circles - one from the embroidered piece for the top and another for the bottom. Stitch pre-gathered lace to the back, place the right sides of the fabric together and stitch around the edge, leaving an opening. Turn it right side out, stuff with fiberfill, and stitch the opening closed. The final touch is stitching a ribbon to the top for the rings.

The Framed Embroidery

The framed embroidery is a perfect gift for the bride and groom to commemorate their special day.

Supplies:

*Designs of your choice

*1/2 yard silk dupioni

*Assortment of rayon thread

*11-inch-by-14-inch frame with an 8-inch-by-10-inch mat

*One piece of 9-inch-by-12-inch felt

*Cutaway stabilizer

*Brown paper to cover back of frame

Directions:

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Import your designs.

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Duplicate your design four times. Move each of them into the four corners, rotating them so they fit nicely. Align the borders on each side so they are even, using an on-screen grid will ensure that they are even. I had the grid set at 4mm.

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Use your lettering program to type the bride and groom's first names on the top line, the last name on the second line, and the wedding date on the third. Once the typing is done you can select each line and size it, dragging the handles from the corners to properly fill the frame.

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Now import the design you've chosen to go above the couple's names. Move this design to the upper part of the frame above the lettering.

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Once you've edited your entire design, don't forget to save it.

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It's a good idea to reorder the colors in your design so that you keep your color changes to a minimum.

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Hoop your silk dupioni with a cutaway stabilizer, embroider the design, unhoop the fabric and mount it to the cardboard backing piece of the frame. Insert it into the frame and back with brown paper to complete the project as a custom framer would.

There are embroidery opportunities left and right in weddings. Just use your imagination and get creative. There are plenty of brides (and grooms) out there who will appreciate it.

Pam Mahshie is a special projects coordinator for Baby Lock USA, Fenton, Mo. Her experience spans embroidery education and sales at the retail and corporate levels.