Wish I'd thought of that before! To save your iron from getting sticky when pressing seam open, try using a sheet of silicone baking parchment between your fusible interfacing and your iron.

I love anything 'textile'...the more tactile the better-texture is good. Free machine embroidery is like meditation for me. But I love the rhythm of hand embroidery too - it suits the busy multi-tasking lives most women live, very often with only short time slots to fit it in. I used to keep some handwork in the car to do while sitting outside my daughters' school, dance and music lessons. Not so much of that any more but I still carry something to do when travelling and for waiting for appointments with my Dad. He's always interested in what I'm doing this time and it is a good conversation starter with other patients!

I want one!!! Is there one to fit my Pfaff Grand Quilter (hobby 1200) to save me switching machines/threading etc just for a little zigzag in a project??

So simple but so clever!! how did I never hear of this?

Ah Girls, this is wasting precious stitching time!!

Great article, will be taking out my embellishing machine to play again. One of the women in our textile group has coined the term "Lisher" for her embellisher, so we all practise "lishing", Fiona "lished" a wonderful piece applying wool (knitting yarn)and other snippets to a background of linen scrim. After free machine stitching the finished piece looked just like the lichen covered rock which was her inspiration. Happy Lishing!