Wedding Gift: Couple Embroidery

As I have mentioned in previous posts, my sister-in-law just got married. A few weeks ago I was invited to a bridal shower and I really wanted to make something to give to her as a gift. I looked online and came across this link that had some handmade wedding gift ideas. Number 13 on that list is an embroidery of the couples names and a large ampersand. I saw that and thought that was something that I could make pretty easily. Mine does not look exactly like the one in the picture of course, I played around with different fonts until I found a combination that I liked. I ended up making it at kind of the last minute so I didn't think to take any pictures so that i could post it here. I just made it, stuck it in a bag and gave it away. The only pictures that I had were the two below that I had texted my husband from Walmart to get his opinion on how I should frame it.

Not exactly the best pictures, snapped quickly with my phone in my cart at the store, no pictures of the finished product. So, when I saw that they were using it at the reception I took a couple of pictures that show how it actually turned out. 

To make it I used PicMonkey to design it, however our printer ended up being out of ink so I ended up kind of free handing it from what I had designed on the computer. It would have been much easier to print it out. Basically I just decided how big I wanted to make it and made a giant and sign that almost filled the space. I tried several different fonts and the one that I ended up using Ultra for that part. Then I typed up their names and again tested out different fonts until I found one that I liked. For the names I used Sacramento. Both Ultra and Sacramento are free fonts on PicMonkey. I don't remember what sizes I made the fonts. Again, I just played around until I found a size I thought worked and really it would depend a lot on the names were that you were using and how long they are. I traced it on some unbleached muslin backed with some thin cotton batting and stitched it using 3 strands of embroidery floss. The ampersand was done in a chain stitch, at least I am pretty sure that is the name of it, and the names are backstitched. I framed it using an unfinished wood frame that I painted blue and sanded a little on the edges. I used covered the back with felt to make it a little more finished. 

So, If you ever need a personalized gift for someone who is getting married this one was pretty quick and easy to make. I really like to try to make gifts that aren't just something you can go get anywhere. I think that is one of my favorite things about being able to make things. I love having the ability to give something that is unique, you never have to worry that someone else is going to give them the same thing.