Day 2 of the BERNINA Ambassador Reunion found me in BERNINA educator Debbi Lashbrook’s class. Debbi’s talent extends far beyond the teaching podium. Her eye for design is unique and yet not so far out of the box; her style appeals to everyone. She stretches the imagination and backs it up with solid stitching techniques while making everything look simple. And under her guidance, it is. In her class, we decorated three fabric strips with decorative stitches and played with those fabulous BERNINA feet on the B 580! We used the leather roller foot (#55), pintuck and decorative stitch foot with clear sole (#46C), edgestitch foot (#10C), 3-groove cording foot (#30) and more.
By this time, our group was quite comfortable with each other and laughter was heard throughout the morning. Debbi gave us the freedom to embellish as we desired. She had great samples for inspiration and we really enjoyed playing with the feet and decorative stitches.
As an embroiderer, I obviously love to add thread to fabric but I usually let the machine do all the work. Guiding the fabric as the machine stitched meandering lines of thread is something I haven’t done in a long time and I thoroughly enjoyed the process and the result. I love the organic look of the long vertical panel.
Next, we played with the circular sewing attachment. I forgot how cool it is to sew in a circle! A variety of stitches brought texture and dimension to the circles. Stitching off the edge of the fabric added an asymmetrical touch to the large panel.
Since I’m gadget girl, I really enjoyed making the corded pintucks. The pintuck and decorative stitch foot with clear sole (#46C) creates flawless corded pintucks.
Really, there is no thinking involved, just stitch! The cord slips under the thread and fills the fabric channel. Then move the fabric keeping the freshly-corded pintuck in one of the foot’s grooves to stitch another parallel line.
Some members of the group are known for over -the-top embellishing so the jokes began to fly around the room. It was an atmosphere I don’t normally sew in so I quite enjoyed the banter. Here’s part our group: Angie Steveson, me, Kaye England and Vicki Tracy.
We all started with the same materials and wound up with different pillows. I wish I had the foresight to take photos of everyone’s pillows but in the scramble to get the job done, I forgot to snap more photos. Lesson learned – you can never have enough photos!
Once the embellishing was complete, we pieced the strips and finished the pillow. After heart-warming goodbyes we went our separate ways for our journey home. I’m sure I speak for many when I say it ended too soon!
Give yourself the gift of time this week and sneak off to your sewing room. A few hours to yourself at your machine may just be the best gift of all.
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94 COMMENTS
Dawn Hasty
10 years agoI was fortunate enough to have my appendix removed before it ruptured. Lucky me, I got to hang around and relax for several days. The holidays were very stress free once you put everything into perspective.
KimeranStevens
10 years agoI de-stress by reading, listening to Christmas carols, and simply resting.
Sue r
10 years agoMy relaxing time was spent going through my want-to-do lists and patterns and books. Get it all organized in order and head to my studio. First time having 5 days off in a row for a long time. Super excited!
DONA SANBORN
10 years agoDestress???? Don’t know how!
Monica
10 years agoI put on Praise & Worship music and it allow it to echos through the home 🙂
Lori Erickson
10 years agoI distressed by sewing. Had to send my 4 month old Pfaff to the sewing machine hospital for repairs, so I got out my 30 year old New Home and just continued stitching away. Having a back-up machine definitely took away any possible stress.
betsy
10 years agoI am working on clearing out my sewing room to make way for new Koala cabinets. My plan is everything finding a place in 2014 to make sewing more relaxing. Sounds like work, but the overall plan will make for years of relaxation in my studio. Love your BERNINA pillow!
Kathy Stoessner
10 years agoI distressed by planning embroidery projects for the coming month. I am going to focus on cutwork, a favorite that I rarely do.
Leanda Mayer
10 years agoI destressed by spending time with grown up children returned home and talked wedding plans (and the dresses to be made) with my daughter.
Desiree Kumpf
10 years agoWhen I get stressed, I knit. And I did that many days lately!
Dortha Britton
10 years agoI had to get all the shopping and mailing for my family in Uganda. After that was mailed I was able to finish every thing else with not much stress. I think leaving enough time to finish helps relax me.
LeAnne L
10 years agoI destressed by curling up under a quilt and reading a new book.
Jennifer Berry
10 years agoI traveled with my husband to Florida. He worked, I shopped and then spent my evenings with him in Disney World. It was a magical time!
Bev Weis
10 years agoI held my sleeping granddaughter in church, a real pleasure. Also had some personal maintenance done at the waxing salon . . . that felt great! After all the family had gone home by Christmas evening, I went to my Bernina embroidery machine & monogrammed a scarf for myself. Relaxing & rewarding, too.
ANNE DALE
10 years agoI am de-stressing by taking a week off from the store/work and I am going to sew from sunup to sundown :)I even got up 2 hours earlier than normal not to miss a moment of my days off LOL
Linda W
10 years agoI finished my sewing/shopping early in the season. Relaxed watching Craftsy classes and planning sewing/embroidery projects for 2014.
Kathy Saunders
10 years agoI destressed by spending time in my sewing room working on a Quilt of Valor for a friend’s nephew who is currently in Afghanistan! I love sewing everything by machine EXCEPT, turning the hand binding to the back…sewing that down by hand while watching a favorite show or movie on TV is my destresser!
Enis
10 years agoMy destressing began with a cozy quilt, my favorite arm chair, a fun Christmas movie and my hubby!
Paula Roney
10 years agoAfter a wild week of last minute sewing projects and cooking, I distressed yesterday by being lazy all day. I sat in the recliner, sipped tea, ate Christmas cookies, surfed the net, read my Kindle, and watched old sitcom Christmas episodes all day. I didn’t accomplish one thing, but I sure enjoyed the day.
Sherry Key
10 years agoTo unwind I like to disappear in my sewing room for a while and then go for a walk around the farm.
Jo Ann
10 years agoI spent the day a very special friend, and made my Granddaughter 2 aprons for her 18 in dolls and I also made
My Granddaughter due in April 2014 an apron for her future doll
Brenda Hennig
10 years agoI relaxed Christmas day just being quiet and still and remember the good time for the night before Christmas with my children and nine grandchildren. God is Good!
Christ is the reason for the season!
Cindy Amend
10 years agoI sat with my family and enjoyed a glass of wine and great conversation. Back to sewing today.
Connie W
10 years agoI was more stressed this year because I had a hysterectomy one week ago, so I had to have all the Christmas stuff done before Dec.18th. I used the “gift” sewing projects to take my mind off the surgery. And believe it or not, watching NFL Football games is one of my favorite ways to unwind.
Cathy Plomos
10 years agoI distressed with a chilled,frosty glass of Miller Lite. One was enough to destress and enjoy watching “It’s a Wonderful Life”. One of my favorite Christmas movies.
Melanie Leigh
10 years agoI watched tv with granddaughter. and played.
Lydia
10 years agoI find that hand stitching helps me to really relax. I love cross stitch and appliqué. I am currently working on needle-turn appliqué on a Hawaiian piece that is a Poinsettia. I am finished with the first appliqué leaf layer and am nearly finished with the red flower upper appliqué portion. When the nights are long, I pull out my needlework and watch TV.
Beth R
10 years agoI de-stressed by laying on the couch with my dog stretched out while watching TV and drinking some hot chocolate!
Karin
10 years agoI de-stressed by getting all my customers’ orders done and OUT in plenty of time for their Christmas deliveries, whew! Once that was all done, we walked around looking at lights and delivering homemade cookies…seeing the smiles on all those faces made for a really fun walk! Then there was plenty of time left for hot jasmine tea & playing with our puppy!
Love all the sparkles & doo-dads you put on the pillow…I have all those fancy stitches on my Babylock, but darned if I ever remember to use any of ’em!
Amyb
10 years agoI relax by having a glass of wine before I go to bed. I also like to think about all the happy faces out there when they open a gift I made. I get great joy from just thinking about that and it keeps me going.
Bernie Webre
10 years agoMy daughter arranged a spa day for me. Was wonderful to be pampered. It was very relaxing. Thanks, Shannon.
Susan J
10 years agoi destress by reading. Losing myself in my latest book relaxes me. I also have regular massages which I find helps me to be a more relaxed me, even during stressful periods. I am looking forward to my next one in a week.
Frances Powell
10 years agoI destressed by watching Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel. Most of my stress came from filling Christmas orders. Just going to the living room for a few minutes and watching a part of a Christmas was enough time to help me relax and then I was able to get back to work.
Barb
10 years agoI desstressed by doing simple things. Christmas movies and music are my favorites. I spent one evening doing mending, nothing urgent so it wasn’t stressful and great to see my mending basket less full.
Kelly Jackson
10 years agoI d-stressed by watching the little white flakes drop from the sky…oh how I love snow 🙂
Kelly
Barbara
10 years agoToday I was finally able to put a period on my day job, and I plan to de-stress with yoga and some in-the-hoop projects. THEN I plan to RE-stress and learn more about my digitizing software!
Pam
10 years agoSitting on the back porch in the country.
Shirl R
10 years agoI de-stressed by watching by stopping to watch Christmas movies on Hallmark and the Life channels as a breather between getting my Christmas embroidering and sewing completed. I’ve not done this before and it was so nice.
Denice Weys
10 years agoI destressed by finishing the must does putting everything else aside and reminding myself Christmas is coming ready or not. Had a calm dinner, whent to midnight mass and then to bed.
becky3580
10 years agoI did absolutely nothing. I sat on the sofa with a heating pad to keep warm and slept. It was wonderful! Simple!
Barbara McKenzie
10 years agoMy husband and I used a gift certificate from a friend and went to a movie (a rare occurrence for us) and then to dinner. It was a wonderful, relaxing afternoon away from holiday preparations!
Wanda Keller
10 years agoI distressed by sorting and refolding all my Christmas fabric so I could buy more after Christmas when it is marked down.
Leann McClain
10 years agoAll sewing done I sat in our family room on Christmas Eve with my husband of 37 years (hardly ever happens)……result? Distressed!
Joyce Dobbyn
10 years agoI just sat back & let my hubby do pretty much everything this year. He works from home & gets off before I do so he took care of 90% of the shopping. We had the grandkids over to decorate the tree & I made hot cocoa. Everybody had to work Christmas Eve & get up this morning to go to work so we just had snack foods & sandwiches for Christmas dinner. I think this was the most relaxed & stress free Christmas I’ve ever had. Definitely not doing it next year though because my hubby + Christmas shopping + credit cards + lots of free time is not a good thing :):).
Mitzi
10 years agowe did an extended time with family around Thanksgiving instead of Christmas. I had some surgery scheduled for late December, and we kept things simple in our two-person household by only doing what we really wanted to do; cook together, bake a few cookies, drink a little wine, sip a little cocoa and watch the snow and thermometer fall.
CINDY
10 years agoI was able to distress while holding my youngest granddaughter as she slept. Nothing like having children around for Christmas.
Shirley Clark
10 years agoThere wasn’t much time to destress, but when I did, it was watching Christmas movies with my hubby. I love good Christmas movies.
Jan L
10 years agoThis year seemed to more stressed for me than any other Christmas I can remember. What kept me sane was to watch all those Christmas movies that I love. The ones that make me laugh, feel warm and fuzzy and yes even shed a tear.
Paule-Marie
10 years agoI go to my local quilt store’s open sew. It’s usually on Fridays though some weeks it is more often. But I always go on Friday. During the winter, there are only two or three of us so we get to have several tables for all our stuff. That’s always nice. In the summer, the ‘summer ladies’ are here. Then we each get half a table, but it surely is fun.
Janet Monahan
10 years agoAfter days OF hard work, I had the luxury of a hot bat and an hour to myself before 21 friends and family members came for Christmas dinner. That bath was the highlight of my Christmas day!
Valerie Brown
10 years agoDe-stressing… For the first time ever, Christmas dinner was prepared in a crock pot. Just fabulous! Then I hand stitched the binding on a quilt while sitting in front of whatever my sweet hubby wanted to watch on TV.
Now for a word about your blog… Thank you for sharing your experiences with us throughout the year. I save pics for inspiration and ideas. I just love your pillow, and now I’ve got an idea for my circle attachment. I look forward to another year of following your blog. Happy New Year.
eileenroche
10 years ago AUTHORThank you for your kind words, Valerie. I’m truly blessed to do what I do.
karen
10 years agoI went into my sewing room after everyone left yesterday and made some doll clothes and played with a new embroidery design disc I received. It was so relaxing to sit and do one of the things I enjoy most.
Jessica
10 years agoI chose to laugh and not burden myself with the stress of having to do it all! Resting, focusing on the Christmas birth/miracle,teaching my young kids biblical truth & spending time with family and friends made it very special!
JoAnn Shipp
10 years agoI played with my 15 month granddaughter. She is such a delight to me. I love having her around, and to see how full of energy she is, and so inquisitive!
Shelley W.
10 years agoI was able to spend the entire day visiting with my grown children and my husband. We are all so busy we never get enough time together. It was very relaxing.
Deborah Snyder
10 years agoMy best way to calm down is to embroider something.
yvonne
10 years agoMy studio is always my refuge in times of stress. Sometimes
I just grab a stack of my Dime magazines and pour over all the inspiration.
They contain. Thanks Dime for years of treasured reading!
Vonee
eileenroche
10 years ago AUTHORYou’re welcome! It’s wonderful to know readers find DiME as a source of inspiration.
Donna G.
10 years agoSpent time with family and watched old Christmas movies!
Betsy
10 years agoI “worked” in my recently remodeled sewing room deciding how to organize all my stuff in the new cabinets and drawers…so much fun!
Patty Sack
10 years agoI still sew a great deal but I’ve also started crocheting and knitting again. I also got a loom for Christmas so now I will add weaving to the mix!
Cheryl Burton
10 years agoWhen in need of destress I run to my sewing room. So Santa brought me
Lots of fabric and a product called texture magic can’t wait to try it out.
Debby Fleming
10 years agoI started a new quilt from stash and some new fabric, better than Calgon!
Cathy
10 years agoSpent Christmas Eve with hubby by the warm fire. A nice break for us both. Looking forward to new sewing projects for 2014.
Susie
10 years agoBecause my oldest brother died suddenly from a heart attack one month before Christmas I was experiencing additional stress this year. I found that when I spent more time speaking with family and friends and focusing on them instead of being self absorbed I was more calm. And the more time I spent thinking of the first Christmas and what it has meant to the World the stress continued to disappear, and I was more thankful this Christmas than any I can remember.
eileenroche
10 years ago AUTHORMy condolences on the loss of your brother. I hope you find peace in your memories and continue to be grateful for the true meaning of Christmas.
Odette
10 years agoEvery year we buy a Christmas themed puzzle and we enjoy assembling it in front of the fireside.
Colleen Gnehm
10 years agoOf course I was up late, late, late the 2 nights before Christmas trying to make sure my holiday gifts were done. Just made it. I spent part of the day enjoying family and grandchildren and the rest of the day I spent resting to regroup for the next crisis.
Karen Poole
10 years agoMy relaxing time was spent taking walks with my youngest grandson and my dog when the weather permitted! The grandson just turned 4 and is such a joy to spend time with!!! I am also teaching him how to sew and he actually sewed a portion of fleece and trim onto a holiday towel for his Mommy and Daddy, which was so fun! It was awesome to see his excitement when he did it!!!
Pamela Beeth
10 years agoMy de-stressing is starting now. At least it should start when I get my new laptop to work with my embroidery software. They have to learn to speak each other’s languages.
Ann Santistevan
10 years agoI destress by baby sitting twins! you can only think of one thing when you do this. Nothing else matters. Keeping the right frame of mind, I laugh from the minute they arrive untill I cry when they leave. I will admit, I couln’t do it everyday.
Jackie
10 years agoI de-stress by sewing either watching old Xmas movies or listening to Xmas music singing along sometimes at the top of my voice, of course I make sure no one is home so I can really let it out. Lol
Karen T
10 years agoDe-stress…..stayed in my pajamas and escaped to my sewing room. Put up my sign “Do Not Disturb”. For one day they left me alone!
Tamra Botkin
10 years agoI had an awesome Christmas with my newest grandson “Finn”. He is belly laughing and has decided his fingers taste delicious. While the baby slept we all watched as many Christmas movies as we could. There was food and snacks being eaten constantly. What a joy this Christmas was for our family.
Julie Barkley
10 years agoI destressed from the hustle and bustle by making sugar cookies and “Reindeer Food” with my 2 girls ages 9 and 14 for Santa and the Reindeer. After that my hubby and I tinkered with our antique sewing machines together! Your trip sounded like alot of fun!
CMK
10 years agoActually I distress by doing just what I have finished doing just now….reading your blog and the responses to your questions! How cool to hear from all those other sewers around the world!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE!
Debe
10 years agoI went in the hot tub & when I was lamenting of all I had to do the next day he reminded me of what DIDN’T have to be done! What a gem he is. I also sewed.
Debe
10 years agowhoops, forgot to mention “he” was my husband. lol
Kristal
10 years agoI de-stressed by starting my preparations early.
I was able to enjoy the extra time with my husband
and children.
Nancy
10 years agoI used up some vacation days to have some extra time off after Christmas which allowed me time to reconnect with a friend I hadn’t seen face-to-face in several years. Email is great but nothing like an in-person visit. And playing with some new attachments for my Bernina (yeah!!!).
Jean Guenther
10 years agoI am watching my Craftsy classes and cleaned my sewing room to start out fresh in 2014. When my sewing room is organized I feel like I can accomplish anything.
Jennifer Pumphrey
10 years agoMy go to: gratitude list. When you start writing all the things you have to be greatful for, it’s hard to stay stressed
Bonnie Gray
10 years agoI de-stress by going thru my sewing magazines and taking out pages I want to keep and file them in plastic sleeves in a notebook.
sharon brockhouse
10 years agoI de-stressed by spending time with my grandchildren. I see them so seldom so I love every relaxing moment with them.
Judy G
10 years agoI de-stressed while sitting by the Christmas tree watching a movie while holding a sleeping grandchild on my lap. The only sewing I had time for with 3 young grandchildren visiting for a few days was to repair the ear on a grandson’s favorite “bunny” that was coming apart at the seam after many years of service.
Berenice
10 years agoHad the kiddos make breakfast, hubby cleaned up. Did a little organizing after gift exchange. Kiddos started dinner, hubby cleaned up, I took a nap. All in all a very nice day… Now have to finish year-end reports…
Bernice Keller
10 years agoI destress by spending time with my grandchildren. Seeing the world through a child’s eyes is the best medicine there is!!
Gwen
10 years agoHere’s how I ‘de-stressed’ during the hustle and bustle of this holiday season. I tried my hand out at fantasy sports and gathering items to donate Goodwill. Because this is their season for receiving. So I give to them each year so they can help others.
Leona
10 years agoI de-stressed this year by asking our children not to give us presents but to donate the money to charity. This we did and no shopping or gift wrapping left me with time to make our grand-daughter a jumper to wear on Christmas, attend many events like Handel’s Messiah, a devotional book signing, a Salvation Army sponsored event, Kid’sSing at our son’s church, Christmas Eve service and parties in which our grandchildren were involved. The most wonderful Christmas ever!
Kim H
10 years agoI have a habit of taking a nap when I feel stressed! It helps a great deal and when I wake up I feel refreshed and de-stressed.
PAtricia Hite
10 years agoI enjoy it when my husband is watching his football games and I have time to go to my “Creative Hideaway”(my sewing room)♡. I put on my tunes and relax while creating.
Doreen
10 years agoI watched a lot of Christmas shows to de-stress after baking and embroidering.
Carole Solverson
10 years agoCongratulatioins on reaching your destination. Well done… as they say in Ireland.