These days, we’re all finding new ways to machine embroider.  From quilting to in-the-hoop, to applique, I’m amazed at the new life coming into this part of the sewing scene.

This past week I spent some time stitching out a beautiful pattern from Embroidery Online.  Here’s a link to the collection, called Modern Expressions Tiling Scene.

I started with a great palette and moved on from there.  I don’t think I ever would have dreamed of putting some of these colors together without the designer’s keen eye.  The pdf printout shows a nice layout of the design, and while my personal colors were slightly different, they were very true to the original colors.  I also stayed very true to the thread colors of the original design.

The stitch-out was actually pretty light and easy, as nothing about the design is terribly dense.  Even at less-than-top-speed, each block took only about 20 minutes.

The pattern instructions called for two layers of tear-away stabilizer, which worked very well.  I had my doubts about how nicely it would press out in the end, but it lays really flat.

The end result is a very modern looking design, great for a wall-hanging or a table runner.  This was waaaaay easier than I thought it would be.  Read the instructions thoroughly, and you’ll have no problems.  At the end, you trim each block 1/4 inch from the final thread color, and it really keeps your block sizes uniform.  When stitching together, just hold a decent quarter inch and you’ll be fine….it’s a forgiving pattern. Press your seams open.

While I still have to quilt and bind it, I think I’ll just quilt in the ditch.  Still, a great weekend project, and I really fell in love with the finished look of this.  Have fun!