We debuted this fun wristlet project just last week on Sew4Home, and knew it would look cuter still with a dash of embroidery. So, we return during Embroidery Week with Wristlet Deux: same great design, a new set of fabrics, and with the personalization of embroidery. You can keep the one you like best and give the other to your sister for Christmas.

We debuted this fun wristlet project just last week on Sew4Home, and knew it would look cuter still with a dash of embroidery. So, we return during Embroidery Week with Wristlet Deux: same great design, a new set of fabrics, and with the personalization of embroidery. You can keep the one you like best and give the other to your sister for Christmas.

Janome is our Signature Sponsor here at Sew4Home, so this project was made on the Memory Craft 11000 Special Edition sewing and embroidery machine. Therefore, the embroidery steps below relate specifically to this machine. If you have a different type of embroidery machine, follow your instruction manual to stitch your design.

Sewing Tools You Need

• Embroidery Machine (we recommend the Janome Memory Craft 11000 Special Edition)
• Clothsetter extension table
• Embroidery Hoop (we recommend the Janome Free Arm Hoop)
• Zipper foot

Fabric and Other Supplies

• Fabric scraps to work with the cutting dimensions shown below
• Small embroidery design, we used: Janome’s PC Design Card #1008 Small Floral Collection
• ½ yard medium-weight fusible interfacing
• ¼ yard light-weight fusible interfacing
• 7″ zipper
• ¾” D ring
• ¾” swivel clip
• All purpose thread
• See-through ruler
• Fabric pencil
• Scissors or rotary cutter and mat
• Embroidery scissors
• Iron and ironing board
• Straight pins

Getting Started

Based on the diagram above, cut all the pieces listed below. These kinds of precise cuts of small pieces are best done with a rotary cutter, mat and see-through ruler. You’ll get straighter edges and truer 90˚ corners.

For the bag:

• A – strap: 14″ x 3″
• B – strap tab: 3″ x 3″
• C – top front accent square: 2½” x 2½”
• D – top front rectangle: 6½” x 2½”
• E – bottom front: 8″ x 4″ – THIS IS THE PIECE YOU WILL EMBROIDER
• F – back: 8″ x 6″

For the lining:

• G – back lining: 8″ x 6″
• H – front top lining: 8″ x 2½”
• I – front bottom lining: 8″ x 4:

From the medium-weight fusible interfacing:

• C – top front accent square: 2½” x 2½”
• D – top front rectangle: 6½” x 2½”
• E – bottom front: 8″ x 4″
• F – back: 8″ x 6″
• G – back lining: 8″ x 6″
• H – front top lining: 8″ x 2½”
• I – front bottom lining: 8″ x 4:

From the light-weight fusible interfacing:

• A – strap: 14″ x 3″
• B – strap tab: 3″ x 3″

At Your Sewing Machine

1. Select your embroidery design. Make sure it is the correct size and perspective for the project. We choose design #3 from Janome’s PC Design Card #1008, Small Floral.
2. Insert the PC Card into the machine, select the design, confirm the recommended hoop size (we used the 2″ x 2″ Free Arm Hoop for our sample), and set up the MC11000 Special Edition for embroidery (two steps: select mode, swing out embroidery arm).
3. We reversed the direction of our design, using the machine’s built-in editing tools and the touch screen, because we wanted the design’s ‘leaves’ to curve in towards the middle of the wristlet.
4. Select thread colors to best match your fabric accent colors.
5. Find piece E (the bottom front panel, a beige linen in our sample), and figure out the best embroidery placement. We wanted ours in the bottom right corner. Janome’s PC Design Cards come with templates you can use for placement. Move your temple around until you have a pleasing position, then make four marks with your fabric pencil at the four points on the template’s crosshairs.
   
6. Connect the points to create crosshairs on your fabric.
   
7. Hoop a sticky type stabilizer, and peel back the paper covering to reveal the sticky surface.
   
8. Attached the hoop to the Janome Clothsetter, drop the arm and match up the cross hairs on the arm with your drawn crosshairs. When the two are perfectly aligned, press the fabric firmly to the sticky stabilize to adhere.
   
9. Remove the hoop from the Clothsetter and attach the hoop to the machine.
   
10. Thread with your first color and stitch.
    
11. Re-thread with your second color and stitch
    
12. Re-thread with your third color and stitch.
    
13. Re-thread with your fourth and final color and stitch.
14. Remove hoop from the machine. Remove fabric from hoop, pulling gently to tear the fabric from the stabilizer.
    
15. Using your tiny embroidery scissors, carefully trim any jump threads from the front and any leftover stabilizer from the back.
    
16. Remove your placement points and lines. We used a wash-away pen; so we very gently wiped away our marks with a soft, damp rag.
17. Wristlet piece E is now ready to assemble.
    
18. Complete your embroidered wristlet following the directions for the original wristlet.
    
    

Hints and Tips

When you add embroidery to a project you’re making from scratch, you always add the embroidery first. Then, cut out and/or assemble the embroidered piece as if it were simply another cut of fabric.

We wanted our tiny embroidery to end up on a very specific place on our wristlet, so it was best to pre-cut the fabric piece, mark our exact placement, and hoop the actual cut piece. If you have plenty of fabric and/or a bit of leeway in design placement, you could hoop a larger piece of fabric, stitch out your design, then place your pattern piece over the embroidered fabric, moving it around until you feel the embroidered design is in the proper place, then pin and cut.

Concept and construction process is by Jody Scofield of Javajem Knits. Take a look at Jody’s blog for other terrific tutorials.

Other machines suitable for this project include the Pfaff creative vision and the Bernina artista 730E.