Embroidery on super fluffy fabrics can be a challenge, especially when you want to stitch a monogram design that won’t get lost in the texture of the material. The design featured on this throw answers that challenge with a diamond grid that tames texture surrounding the outlined letter. Open space left inside the outline of the letter lets the texture shine through and gives this design a special look. Create this throw to lend a look of luxury to your home décor. Made from a plush fabric, lined with silky satin, and trimmed with soft suede, it’s a delight for the senses and perfect for a soothing nap!

Embroidery Products

• Brother Dream Machine Model XV8550D or XV8500D with Premium Pack I Upgrade installed. Featured design is created using a built-in font along with the Stamp feature and special fill stitches found in My Design Center
• 9.5″ x 9.5″ embroidery hoop Embroidery thread, needle, and bobbin thread
• Non-fusible cut-away mesh stabilizer
• Thin, water soluble film type stabilizer or fine netting to match fabric

Supplies

• Press cloth for pressing faux suede
• MuVit™ digital dual feed foot for constructing throw
• Paper or pattern tracing cloth to use for template.
• Clips or long pins to manage fabric bulk while embroidering
• 6″ x 24″ quilt ruler

Materials

• 2 yd. 56″ to 60″ wide plush synthetic fabric for throw.
• 2 yd. 56″ to 60″ wide synthetic silky fabric for lining.
• ¼ yd. 56″ to 60″ wide faux suede for trimming top of throw.

Fabrics featured here were generously provided by Shannon Fabrics. Throw is made from Luxe Cuddle® Marble (navy), lined with Silky Satin Solid (dark navy), and trimmed with Cuddle® Suede (navy).

Important notes about Luxe Cuddle Marble fabric and my discovery after making this throw: This fabric is washable and easy to care for. It’s important to know that it’s not possible to press this fabric like you ordinarily would. Instead of ironing, simply use a bit of steam, hovering over fabric without touching it, while manipulating the seam gently with your fingers. Official instructions call for cold water wash and rinse, and low temperature for the dryer. However, water-soluble film topper requires mildly warm water to dissolve excess. My watersoluble film was very thin and while I had no trouble washing the embroidered section in warm water to remove the stabilizer on this fabric, be aware that warm water could flatten the texture of other similar embossed fabrics from Shannon. This factor got me thinking and after making the throw, I decided to make a pillow using Shannon Luxe Cuddle® Rose Embossed Fabric. This time around I used a matching color of fine netting (bridal tulle), in place of the water-soluble stabilizer, layering it over the top and trimming the excess away from the finished edges of the design. Voila! The netting proved to be a great alternative and since it was left in place it helped to further tame the nap of the fabric. I now prefer this method and plan to use it for similar, future projects.

Cut and prepare fabric for throw

Trim selvedges from textured fabric and make sure top and bottom ends are cut straight. After initial cutting this fabric sheds excess fibers but then it will stop shedding for good. To remove loose fibers, I chose to run my cut piece through a 45-minute cycle in a dryer set for NO HEAT, just air. Thoroughly clean lint filter when finished and fabric is ready to embroider.

Create theEmbroidery Design

My Design Center tools used for creating the design:

STAMP KEY

BRUSH TOOL KEY
Touch the page icon to select thread color and stitch type for filling enclosed regions. Touch the bucket icon to assign stitches for each enclosed region.

SAVED OUTLINES KEY

Joanne’s Tip
Remember to touch OK to confirm your selections as you proceed.

Choose a letter from striped font menu No.03. Set design and touch Edit to choose Stamp option and turn the letter into a stamp shape you can recall from My Design Center.

Touch Home key to delete and exit. Open My Design Center. Start by selecting the stamp key and then
touch the hoop key to choose the 9 ½” square hoop. Touch OK.

Re-select the stamp key and recall the letter from the menu of saved outlines.

Next, touch the page icon from the Brush Tool key to select a fancy fill and then choose 006 diamond fill.

Touch the bucket icon from the Brush Tool key and then touch a blank area within the square to fill area surrounding letter with diamond stitches. Touch Next, decrease size to 50%, touch Set, Preview, OK, and then select memory pocket to save in memory of choice.

The first part of the design is complete. Touch Return.

Create the second design by turning the outline option to Off. Change direction to 90 degrees.

Touch Set, Preview, OK. Touch Set and OK to proceed to embroidery mode.

Next, select Add to retrieve and set the first saved design from memory. Touch the Edit key to bring up additional options. As a last step you want to decrease the size of each design using the size key along with the recalculation feature, resizing each selected item to equal 8.51. Save into memory if you want to stitch at a later date.

Joanne’s Tip
Using the stamp option for the striped version of letter “O” will result in an outer outline only. You can use the built-in shapes to easily add an oval shape to the center and complete the letter before adding fill stitches.

Embroider

Joanne’s Tip
Fluffy fabric is difficult to mark. I made a simple 8 ½” square template from tracing cloth, marking the center with a dime Target Sticker.

Hoop fabric with a layer of cut-away underneath, centering design template approximately 6″ below top edge. A 6″ quilting ruler makes this easy.

Attach hoop and adjust if necessary to precisely align design. Use clips or pins to keep excess fabric out of the way.

Remove template, layer water-soluble or netting over fabric, and add a basting outline before stitching. Embroider the design with the slowest speed, using thread that contrasts with fabric.

When finished, trim away excess stabilizer and wash it out before continuing.

If you used netting, trim excess away from outer edge of embroidered square and carefully trim netting within the outlined letter.

Prepare to finish

Set up machine for sewing with MuVit™ foot. Layer lining with fabric and trim so pieces are equal in size.

Joanne’s Tip
I found this easiest to do by using this method: Place lining right side up on a large flat surface. Center throw on top with right sides together. Smooth layers, pin around all edges. Trim as needed so fabric and lining are the same size.

Sew side and bottom edges with a ½” seam allowance, leaving top edge pinned but unstitched to keep fabric from shifting. Remove all pins, turn right side out through top and steam edges lightly if necessary. You can fluff texture from seams by gently running a pin along the seamline.

Machine baste top edge closed. Measure top edge of throw and add 2″. Using this measurement for the length, cut a piece of suede 6″ wide. Turn and press under ½” along wrong side of one long edge, basting folded edge by machine.

Center unfolded edge of strip along the top edge, with right sides together and raw edges matching. Pin, and then sew suede to throw using a ½” seam.

Wrap strip over raw edge, turning raw ends to the inside along sides and having basted edge covering the seam on the lining side.

Topstitch from the right side to close sides. Anchor all layers of band in place by stitching close to seam from the top side.

You are finished! Enjoy!

Visit Joanne Banko at her sewing and embroidery website, www.letsgosew.com for more sewing and embroidery ideas and inspiration!