Get Organized!!

Happy Almost-May! How did we get here? School will be out in a matter of weeks and it’ll be SUMMER! So I had an idea several months ago about something new to offer my Applique Cafe-ers. I LOVE a notepad. I have a list going for things to do today as a matter of fact (return dress I bought to Target, Bank, B-day gift, Grocery Store, etc) and I love to cross through what I’ve done. So I love a notepad, but am sometimes not so good at using one when someone brings me something to monogram. Or I can’t find one and end up using a sticky note that falls off. I think I can remember what they want. It’s easy… bubblegum pink thread, initials mGr in the Fun House font. 17 minutes later I usually will have forgotten what color [Did she say bubblegum pink or hot pink?] or which order the initials were in. Did she say Fun House or Party Time? Hence…..

Why not create a notepad for embroidery orders {monogram orders + applique orders}… so that’s what I did. It’s been a long process of trying to find the right company to print them, then figuring out exactly what information I would want to include. It took me probably 2 weeks just to decide which sizes I wanted to offer. What’s the best backing for the notepads? So many options!! Then another month finding the other pieces of the puzzle. I need Thank You stickers. I need poly bags to ship them in. What about mailers? What’s the best way to do postage? How do I even charge shipping on 2 items when everything else on my website is a digital file? Several months later…. I think I finally figured it all out and the notepads went “live” on my site yesterday. I had my first 2 orders in a matter of minutes so I wanted to share here too!

I decided to offer 2 sizes since some people do only monogramming and would only need the 4 x 5 pad. For applique and/or embroidery design orders, the bigger 5.5 x 8.5 pad with space for more information is perfect. Each pad has 50 sheets!

When you do the math, being organized and keeping up with your orders only costs you cents per order. Fill it out and pin it to the item! If I charge $10 to monogram a towel, then it’s worth 15 cents to know exactly what goes on that towel!

You can check them out on my website ~ our Embr”order”y Notepads are featured on our home page at Applique Cafe. Cheers to being more organized!

The Best Sewing Machine For Kids

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Hello Friends! I am always looking for good blog material. This one actually came to me! Maria with Stitch and Sew sent me a link to her guide to kids sewing machines and I thought it was a great fit for The Cafe Blog! I bought my first sewing machine (see above) off E-bay for $99 when my first born was about a year old. He is now about to turn 14 and it still works! Granted there is some tape holding it together, but I whip it out every now and then as needed and it still works like a charm. At the time I took a class and learned to make jon jons and a few other things like kids pants and shorts. I attempted a bed skirt once and always wanted to learn to REALLY sew. I never did, as embroidery took over my life as well as applique and then 3 kids. I can, however, sew a straight line when needed.

Do you have a daughter, granddaughter, or a boy in your life who is interested in sewing? If so check out this article! It covers things to consider like:

Speed control of the machine

Brand name {I have always owned Brother machines}

Auto needle threaders

Large dials

***SAFETY***

and much more! Click on the picture below to check out the article now! She also has several other articles that look interesting. Like I’ve never really understood SERGERS and how they work and what you use them for. Amateur, I know.

Best-Sewing-Machine-for-Kids

Embroidery Blanks Sources

Happy Spring Everyone! I hope everyone is enjoying the spring weather {before it gets hot and we all melt} and the last month or so of SCHOOL! This year has flown by! The hours and days fly by. I was at work today and before I knew it, it was almost 1:00. Tomorrow is Friday already. TIME FLIES!

I’ve added a new Ad over on the right for a website that has been on my LINKS list forever. Apparel-n-bags! The pigment dyed hats, Comfort Colors t-shirts and sweatshirts, trucker hats…. all there! I’ve been using the Adams brand hats for a long time and have done a blog post or two on doing them (monogramming hats + I’ve done a couple of designs on them too (Mini Stitch & Anchor Patch). They come in youth and adult sizes too. We all love Comfort Colors also. And I feel I am too old for trucker hats, but they sure are popular these days! Anyway, great blanks and all from ANB. Check them out! Click on any of the pics below to pop over!

adams pigment dyed hat adams youth hat comfort colors youth trucker hat

We hope to get a few new designs done ASAP. We hosted 40 people for Easter, so now that it is behind us we can get some other stuff done (besides pine straw, cleaning and mowing the grass). You can check out all of our latest designs at Applique Cafe! Have a great weekend! Here are those HATS I did on the Adams hats… Also, be sure to click on the LINKS tab up top for lots of other BLANKS websites! It needs updating but it’s a great place to start browsing.

anchorpatchhat500

ministitchapplique