Helpful Hints

WASHING LACE EDGED ITEMS
Lace is a delicate item and should be handled as such. We recommend hand washing our lace edged doilies and table runners.

ADDING OTHER FABRIC TO OUR QUILT SQUARES
If you are going to be adding other fabric to any of our products, make sure you pre-wash the fabric to prevent colors from running together. If you need to wash the item once it has been completed, use a color catcher, found in the laundry detergent section of any store. These are great for catching the dark colors that tend to bleed even after pre-washing.

INK
The ink used on our products is designed to wash out with any liquid that touches it. Even the condensation running off a glass or a soft drink can make the ink disappear if it drips onto your project. Avoid putting heat to the item before you get all of the ink out. Do not put heat, such as an iron or dryer to it in between washings. You can gently rub Dawn dishwashing liquid into any areas that have any traces of remaining ink. You can put a color catcher in with it when washing if you are worried about the added fabric colors running. Soak and rub gently until the ink disappears. Once you are satisfied the ink is gone, then you may dry the item.

INTERLOCKING QUILT SQUARES
Interlocking quilt squares means there is a design created where the four corners meet. It is not necessary to use strips of material between interlocking quilt squares. We recommend you sew the interlocking blocks together before embroidering them. Sometimes the tightness of your embroidery and putting the hoop on and off the material can stretch the design making it difficult to match up the interlocking squares when you have finished embroidering. We also recommend sewing together our large quilts (item 770's) prior to embroidering them so the designs match up properly.

WHAT SIZE HOOP SHOULD BE USED
There are many different shapes and sizes of hoops to choose from. You may find that some designs fit into an oval hoop better than a circle hoop and vice versa. It really depends on what you are comfortable working with in your hands.

WHAT SIZE NEEDLE SHOULD BE USED
There are many different size needles out there to choose from. There are needles that are labeled as "embroidery". These are the needles you should be using. If you get a needle with a larger size eye then the size of the needle will be larger. This will make larger holes in your fabric. We tend to use smaller eyed needles and use a needle threader if you have a difficult time threading the needle.