I’ve spent this week preparing for the Vacuum and Sewing Dealer’s Trade Association show (that’s a mouthful).
Since I will be demonstrating The Thread Director and how well it works with all specialty threads, I decided to tackle the granddaddy of all designs, Anita Goodesign’s “The Nutcrackers”. My first nutcracker turned out beautiful. Actually, my only nutcracker turned out beautiful. I have eleven more to go.
I used every metallic thread in my arsenal. Here are some tips when stitching these out. For Madeira, Sulky and WonderFil metallic threads, use a 90/14 Topstitch needle and don’t forget to lower the tension on your machine. When using the Madeira Supertwist (that’s the thread that looks frosted) use a 100/16 Topstitch needle and perhaps a few drops of Sewer’s Aid.
There are a lot of stitches in these designs so use fabric with a little heft to it. Per the design instructions, I backed my fabric with Ultra-Weft Fusible Interfacing and hooped a piece of mesh stabilizer. Sometimes it’s called No Show Mesh or Soft ‘n Sheer Extra depending on the manufacturer. As a topper, I used a heat-away stabilizer so the thread lays on top of the fabric instead of imbedded in the fabric. Let me know what you think!
Nutcracker 2
