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by Vanessa Nirode

Thanks for the Fabric, Tahari

Throughout my career I’ve worked on a variety of projects. People often ask what my favorite show to work was, or what my favorite period is. Both of those questions are difficult for me to answer. I could probably tell you what my least favorite show to work on was but narrowing them all down to one single absolute best and favorite is not possible.

It all depends. Some projects require more creativity than others. Some are relatively simple straightforward gigs that involve hemming a staggeringly large number of pants. Some shows are more stressful than others with a higher than normal rate of last minute changes. Some involve working with difficult people. Others are filled with co-workers that quickly become family.

Whenever I mention any of the period shows or movies I’ve worked on, people usually say, “Oh that must be so much fun!” When I say I work on a contemporary procedural crime drama, the response is more something like, “Oh. The show with the tattoos?” or “That’s interesting.” Meaning: That doesn’t sound interesting at all. Don’t actors just wear store bought clothes? What do you possibly have to tailor on those shows?

To this all I can do is laugh. No major actor or actress on any contemporary procedural crime drama wears clothing that hasn’t been fit and altered specifically for him or her.

There are, always, a few exceptions to this, notably when a talented costume designer knows the cut and style of high-end clothing well enough to know which designer label will fit a particular actor the best with little or no alteration. Frank Fleming who designs Power for Starz Network is an absolute master at this.

I truly enjoy working on Blindspot (my current gig). Everyone in the costume/wardrobe department is absolutely amazing and all the actors are lovely to work with.

One of the lead actresses wears a lot of expensive high-end dresses and skirts and blouses. Most of the dresses I alter for her require alterations in the shoulder, side, and waist seams. Altering the shoulder seams means the neckline will need to be altered and the sleeve taken out and reset. Altering the side seam means (again) the sleeve will need to be removed and put back on. Basically, I must take apart the entire dress and put it back together (Thanks for the fabric, Tahari! or Black Halo or Escada or Nanette Lepore).

We also do things like changing necklines (from a high scoop to a vee) and changing short sleeves to long sleeves or even adding sleeves altogether. Jared B Leese who designs Blindspot comes up with many creative and brilliant ways to alter something so that it no longer is a dress ‘off the rack’. He’ll ask things like, “Can you open this neckline?” or “Will you make sleeves for this dress?” or “What if we turn this into a v-neck – do you think that would look better.”

The answer is always “yes”.

This beautiful suede Tahari dress used to have a high crew neckline and short sleeves:

Tahari dress with new neckline and sleeves.

Tahari dress with new neckline and sleeves.

This lovely dress (also by Tahari, I think) used to be sleeves and all suede. We replaced the center panel and added some sleeves.

Tahari dress with new sleeves and center piece.

Tahari dress with new sleeves and center piece.

And this Black Halo dress used to be navy.

To be honest, this one was a complete rebuild. I copied the pattern from the existing dress, made a few adjustments and cut out and built a whole new dress.

Make of Black halo dress.

Make of Black halo dress.

See, contemporary procedural crime dramas are anything but boring (and often my favorite type of show to work on).

Just a closer view of the Black Halo dress.

Just a closer view of the Black Halo dress.

Janome DC5100 Sewing Machine Review
by Millie Green

Janome DC5100 Sewing Machine Review

The Janome DC5100 is Super Sweet

The Janome DC5100 is super sweet!

The Janome DC5100 is super sweet!

When I decided to upgrade my basic machine several years ago, I took a lot of time investigating all the different options. At first I felt overwhelmed by the huge selection of makes and models available.

But then I discovered the Janome DC5100 with its impressive features. This was the clear choice as the right sewing machine for me.

I love this machine; it’s the sweetest sewing machine I have ever used. I have been sewing on mine for several years now and I have only grown fonder of this dear friend.

What’s so great about it?

Like all Janome machines, the DC5100 is well designed with user friendly features. Like other Janomes, it has a horizontally loaded bobbin with see-through cover, built-in needle threader, snap-on presser feet, one-step buttonholer attachment and more.

But the DC5100 is even more special than all the other lovely Janome sewing machines I have used, for quite a few reasons:

Variable Speed Controls and Quiet DC Motor

I love it because it is fast. It will sew 820 stitches per minute. But it also has a helpful speed adjustment switch which I can use to set the machine to sew more slowly. This helps me in sewing curves or other delicate tasks, since I have a tendency to have a lead foot on the sewing pedal. I can slide this easy control all the way to the left and force myself and the machine to go very slowly, toggle towards the middle for a moderate speed, or I can do what I usually do and slide it all the way to the right and run through projects with super fast speed. The Janome DC5100 sews well at all these different speeds because it has a powerful DC motor.

It sews quietly, too. The Janome DC5100 is the quietest machine I have ever used. Because I have little kids who keep me busy during the day, I often stay up quite late at night to do my sewing, and my husband used to complain about the noise. Now that I have this machine, when I come to bed, he asks “What have you been doing?” That’s because the Janome DC5100 is so quiet that no one outside of my sewing room can even hear it.

A Wide Variety of Stitches and Programmable Memory

Janome DC5100 has 167 different built-in stitches and 215 stitch functions.

Janome DC5100 has 167 different built-in stitches and 215 stitch functions.

What has made this my all time favorite sewing machine, besides its smoothness and speed, is its wide variety of functional and decorative stitches. This machine has 167 different built-in stitches and 215 stitch functions. It includes many quilting, blanket, heirloom, embroidery, home deco, and garment sewing stitches, as well as both upper and lower case alphabets, numerals, and punctuation. It can even cross-stitch.  And it can make five different types of easy one-step buttonholes.

The Janome DC5100 also has a programmable memory which holds up to fifty different patterns. I use this both for programming stitch patterns combining multiple decorative stitches, and also for remembering my favorite zig-zag stitch length and widths. The programmable needle up/down function allows you set the machine to stop sewing with the needle in either position.

Includes a Huge Selection of Feet

It also came with a great selection of feet. Besides the impressive variety of stitches, this detail was the selling point for me. No other machine I looked at included so many feet. The Janome DC5100 comes factory packaged with ten different feet. These include a ¼ inch seam foot, straight stitch foot, a zigzag foot, a satin stitch foot, a zipper foot, the one-step automatic buttonholer foot, overedge foot, adjustable blind hem foot, darning foot, and even a walking foot.

That darning foot is darn helpful, too. I use it with the feed dogs dropped for both free motion quilting and embroidery. The foot package also includes a handy quilting bar. And if you buy this machine from Sewing Machines Plus, they even include three additional feet in their bonus package: a ditch quilting foot, a concealed zipper foot, and my favorite, a see-through appliqué foot.

And More

Other user-friendly features include a built-in needle threader, thread cutter, jam-proof magnetic drop-in horizontal loading bobbin, super fast automatic declutch bobbin winding, auto-lock button for securing seams, easy reverse button, superior feed system, seven piece feed dogs, easy drop feed switch for free motion sewing, stitch length up to 5mm and width up to 7mm, backlit LCD screen and touchpad, hardcover, automatic presser foot tension which you never need adjust, roomy accessory storage compartment, and more.

The push button controls are easy to use and intuitive; the display even shows what foot to use after you select your stitch. This machine also comes with an excellent manual that covers everything in depth. Another special feature that I especially appreciate is the extra high presser foot lift.

Excellent Value

After sewing on mine for several years, I have zero complaints and nothing but raves.

I heartily recommend the Janome DC5100 as an amazing value. It’s a sweet, reliable, powerful machine that can increase your creativity with its wide variety of stitch functions and accessories. And the price is pretty sweet, too. After sewing on mine for several years, I have zero complaints and nothing but raves; I fell in love with it the first time I used it and I can’t imagine loving any machine more.

You will love it, too. Now is a great time to upgrade from a basic machine to expand your capabilities with a computerized Janome DC5100. You will be amazed by the difference this machine will make for your stitching and your creativity. Act now to take advantage of Sewing Machines Plus’ great price on this Janome and get the free bonus package with three additional feet and two kinds of needles while this hot deal is still available.

Envision Your Sewing Goals
by Sarah Woodard

Envision Your Sewing Goals

For the first time this year, I made a vision board. If you’re not familiar with the concept, let me explain. A vision board captures the things you want and desire for the upcoming year. They can be serious, silly, fun or anything at all so long as they’re important to you. Making them is fun too! You cut pictures and words from magazines and paste them on your chosen background. You then place the completed vision board somewhere that you can see it daily.

Doing this helps you stay focused on your needs and wants and helps propel your forward.

They Really Work

Here’s a quick story from a friend who put a silly item on her vision board. She loves country music, particularly Keith Urban. While she’s had many cool Urban experiences, including a chance to meet him, she didn’t have his signature. So, one year she decided to put something with his signature on her vision board in hopes that somehow she’d get it in the coming year. She found a picture of a black guitar with his signature online and printed it out.

Later that year, she went to see Keith Urban in concert. As she was entering the venue, she sang for a stranger to enter a contest and win his signature. As a shy person, she’d normally not sing in public. Of the 30,000 people in attendance, my friend won! And it turns out, she won the very guitar she’d put on her vision board – and it was signed to her!

Making a Sewing Vision Board

Since it seems vision boards do help manifest goals, even silly ones, I thought it might be fun to make a vision board for sewing goals, wants and needs. Whether it’s a fancy new sewing machine, a certain fabric, completing a particular project or moving your love of sewing from a hobby into a career a vision board may help you get there.

To start, think of all the things you desire with your sewing. Grab your latest sewing related magazines or go buy some and a pair of paper scissors. Find words or pictures that connect with your desires. Even if you’re not sure of the connection, but simply like the way the picture makes you feel, cut that out too. It could be connecting to a subconscious desire.

When you’ve got loads of clippings, have fun dry placing them on your vision board. When you like the layout, glue everything down. Feel free to add to it throughout the year if you come across other items as you peruse new issues of your sewing magazines. Place the completed vision board somewhere you can see it daily. You don’t need to study it in depth, just glance at it and let your subconscious do the rest.

At the end of the year, take a look at your vision board. How many of the items of on it have become reality?

Basting Your Quilt: Sprays and Pins
by Connie Smith

Basting Your Quilt: Sprays and Pins

Last week’s post was on batting, but as I freely admitted within that post, there’s more to finishing up a quilt than deciding on that detail. As the time approaches to dive into those final stages for this quilt, I’d say it’s a logical decision to explore those other topics.

Basting Your Quilt: Sprays and Pins

This week’s subject of interest: basting.

Coming off of the holidays, it might be easy to think of basting a turkey, but baking isn’t the only realm that has a form of basting! For quilting, this is the stage where you’re preparing to sew your quilt sandwich together. All of the layers are ready to be connected, and basting allows you to make sure those layers are level and even for sewing. You smooth them out, line them up, and do something to make sure they stay in line as you join the layers together through whatever method you choose.

It’s a simple idea, but there’s more than one way to keep those layers in line. For this particular post, two of those possibilities are the focus as I weigh the pros and cons of each to decide which option to use for my quilt. Those possibilities are straight pins and spray basting.

Straight pins:

I would think that straight pins would be the more recognizable and common of the two approaches. In fact, according to one source, straights pins (in some form) date all the way back to Ancient Egypt.

Straight pins are the more recognizable & common of the two approaches.

Straight pins are the more recognizable & common of the two approaches.

The benefits:

1) They’re financially friendly! You can pick up a pack of these for a small amount of money, which is wonderful for me since I am, like I’ve mentioned before, cheap.

2) They’re reusable! Unless you damage or lose the straight pin, you can pull it from the fabric when you no longer need it for a project, then you use it again and again for endeavors to come. So long as it’s in good shape, it doesn’t need to be replaced.

3) They’re common! Because of this trait, they’re easy to find at a store, meaning you might not have to go too far out of your way to pick up a set.

4) They’re easy to store! They’re small, after all, so you can keep them comfortably in your sewing kit.

Problems:

1) They’re easy to lose! I don’t know how many times I’ve spotted straight pins that have fallen around my sewing area when I’m finished working on a project for the day. Not only is this bad because losing them can lead to replacing them, but these pins are sharp! Losing them could equal pain if you accidentally find one in a not-good way!

2) They’re sharp! Yes, I stated this in the last detail, but it’s worth noting as its own issue. Just like your needle can cause pain if you let it slip, straight pins can do some finger-damage. Using a thimble might help, but I guess I’m a rebel since I don’t usually use one!

3) Quality varies! This is something I learned from my own experience. I have two different sizes of straight pins, and I’ve come to the conclusion that the tiny ones are lacking in comparison to the others. They potentially fall out more easily than the larger ones, which could leave extra spaces of fabric that are unpinned and straight pins that are lost in my workspace. Neither of those things are necessarily good!

My two different sizes of straight pins.

My two different sizes of straight pins.

Spray Basting:

This is a method I haven’t tried, but I’ve done some research on it. I first became aware of it through a Craftsy.com class, and it intrigues/puzzles me. A spray that holds your quilt together? For some reason, that seems bizarre to me! Still, there are supporters for the spray basting method, so who am I to toss the possibility aside without considering it?

A spray that holds your quilt together.

A spray that holds your quilt together.

Benefits:

1) You won’t poke yourself with a straight pin! With how many times I’ve accidentally stabbed myself with a pin or needle, this is promising to me!

2) It’s less time consuming! You don’t have to go through the entire quilt to place pins all over it. You just have to even it out, spray sections at a time and smooth it back out. How easy is that?

3) The effect doesn’t seem to be permanent! Instead, it apparently washes out of your quilt, so its effects are temporary.

You just have to even it out, spray sections at a time and smooth it back out.

You just have to even it out, spray sections at a time and smooth it back out.

Problems:

1) It’s more expensive! A can of basting spray can cost more than a pack of straight pins. Remember how I’m cheap? Yeah…

2) It’s not reusable! Unlike pins, you can only use this product once. Sure, you might be able to space it out to use for more than one project, but once your can is empty, you have to replenish your supply (if you want to keep using this method).

3) It’s messy! As with any spray product, there’s no guarantee that you’ll never get said product on things surrounding what you intended to spray. For this reason, you might have to do some cleaning once you finish your basting.

4) It’s dangerous to your lungs! The fumes can be hazardous, so it’s recommended that you only use this method in a well-ventilated space — like outside.

For me, I’m torn between wanting to dive into the ease of spray basting, but I can’t see myself being okay with hauling my quilt outside to spray it down. Sure, I might be able to find a suitable place indoors. I might even decide that working outside isn’t a big deal. For now though, I think the fume concern is significant enough to keep me unintentionally jabbing myself with straight pins! That’s not to say the day won’t come when I leap into the world of spray basting. It’s just a current decision to keep things a bit more tried, true, and non-toxic!

How to See in the Dark
by Vanessa Nirode

How to See in the Dark

During the course of my career, I’ve had the good fortune to work on quite a few large film productions with some highly recognizable actors and actresses. Film-making is exciting and tedious all at once, both exhilarating and debilitating. It’s not a life choice to venture into lightly – at least not if you require a steady, dependable job and paycheck.

You’ll never work again…

In movie making, and even more so in television, nothing is ever a sure thing. Shows get cancelled or pushed (postponed), people get let go for various, and sometimes odd, political (company) and personal reasons. I, personally, never believe a gig is going to happen until I’m actually there on the first day, filling out the inevitable novel of start paperwork you must complete at the commencement of every single job.

I’ve worked like this for twenty-five years now and I can say only two things for sure. One, explaining to people not in the business, be it your family, friends, or the bank you want a mortgage from, what you do and how you are hired, is never an easy thing. And two, that weird space you enter when you’re between jobs and the phone isn’t ringing and the little voice inside your head whispers you’ll never work again, never gets easier, not really. It doesn’t matter that history has always proven that you will indeed work again; you simply believe, irrationally, that this time is different.

At least that’s how it usually is for me. Yet, at the same time, I can’t imagine doing anything else. I can’t fathom going to the same office every day for thirty years or more and doing the same thing over and over. It’s just not how I’m made. So I take the uncertainty and the freelance roller coaster ride in exchange for getting to do something that, most days, I love.

If you’re thinking of a freelance career in film, television and the theatre, you need to be really honest about whether or not you’re able to live with a heightened amount of insecurity.

I fought, bit, screamed, clawed and scratched my way in. There was no way I was giving up.

Here are a few of the things that I’ve found invaluable and helpful in surviving the freelance life.

1. Tenacity

Be determined. Wholly and truly give it your all. Remain persistent. Things don’t necessarily come easily. I remember a conversation I had long ago with a friend and colleague. We were talking about ‘breaking in’ to the movie business and how we landed our first job on a major film.

“I fought, bit, screamed, clawed and scratched my way in,” my friend said, “There was no way I was giving up.”

2. Resilience

It’s easy to believe in yourself and your talents when other people do. The true feat, though, is to believe in yourself and your abilities when no one else seems to. There will be failures and missteps and things that you wished had turned out differently. That’s all part of the whole thing.

There will, of course, always be that odd, seemingly infinitely lucky individual, who coasts, completely upright, into a successful freelance career with out skinning even one knee. But that’s the exception.

Most of us arrive a bit battered and disheveled with grass stains on our knees and twigs in our hair.

3. Vision

As the extremely successful celebrity stylist (and all around nice guy), Derek Roche has said, Build your own dreams or someone will hire you to build theirs.

 4. Learn how to see in the dark

When the darkness comes (and it will) you have to be able to navigate your way out and through it…

Some of my first theatre jobs were as a backstage dresser during live performances. This involved laundry and maintaining the costumes, as well as, helping the actors get dressed if needed (period things like corsets and garments with multiple back closures) and doing quick changes backstage in the dark.

Many backstage dressers use small bite lights to help them see while performing fast costume changes. I never really did. If you spend enough time in the wings in the dark, you eventually are able to see. I have no idea if this is a scientific fact; I only know that it was true for me. I have no problem finding zipper ends, or a slew of hooks or snaps in the dark.

Darkness, of course, can come in different forms – it can be literal like working backstage or it can be figurative like not being certain what your next move should be or being unable to see the path in front of you. When the darkness comes (and it will) you have to be able to navigate your way out and through it, you have to reach for that zipper and be able to insert one end into the other by feel.

Seeing in the dark is a tricky thing to master. It involves taking all your tenacity, resilience and vision at once and stepping forward, all the while trusting that the ground is indeed beneath your feet – just as it should be.

Sewing Circles for Charity
by Sarah Woodard

Sewing Circles for Charity

Many people have items related to charitable donations on their new year’s resolutions list. If you’re one of them, you can use your sewing skills to spend more time with other sewers and achieve your charitable donation goals for the year by having a charity-focused sewing circle. Here’s how to get started.

Get out in your community and find a cause to support.

Pick a charity

Sewing Circles for Charity

Are there local organizations that would appreciate handmade items? Perhaps a shelter would appreciate clothing items or hospital would appreciate baby hats? Animal rescues may appreciate blankets or pet shirts. Get out in your community and find a cause to support! Ask to speak to the director or someone in charge of community relations. Tell them you want to contribute handmade items on a regular basis and see what they can use. Once you find a charitable organization in your community and understand their needs, you can get started planning and promoting your group.

Find a pattern

Once you know what the charity needs, find an easy to make pattern. It should be simple enough for a beginner to make while interesting enough to engage more experienced sewers. Make sure you have numerous copies and bring them with you to each sewing circle so newcomers or anyone who forgot theirs can get a copy without hassle.

Pick a date, time, location

Will this group be in your home? Do you have space for several sewing machines to run simultaneously? If not, you’ll need to find somewhere more suitable. Local libraries, churches or community centers may be able to host your sewing circle. Make a few calls, send a few emails. Most people and organizations rally around good causes so it shouldn’t take long to find a suitable place.

Working with their availability and yours, pick a recurring date for the sewing circle. Once a month is a good frequency. It’s often enough to keep people interested and excited, but not so often as to feel like a burden. Decide what time of day you’d like to meet and get that room booked with your site.

Invite and promote your sewing circle

Facebook and other social media outlets can be a great way to promote your sewing circle. Create a public event and include all the details about the charity as well as meeting time, location, etc. Invite your friends who sew and encourage them to invite others. See if the location hosting your charity sewing circle is willing to promote the event too. Ask the charitable organization if they’re willing to promote it to their members and donors.

Post fliers (with permission) in community centers, craft stores, fabric stores, senior centers, etc. Include an appealing photo or graphic along with the text information to entice people to look at it.

No matter how you promote it, make sure people understand what they need to bring (fabric, sewing machine, etc.) Also, be sure to include contact information as well in case people have questions.

Collect finished projects

As the charity sewing circle meets over the course of several weeks or months, projects will be completed. Collect them and deliver them to the designated charitable organization. Be sure they understand about your sewing circle – they may promote it to their members and donors now that they’ve seen results. Keep doing this on a regular basis and provide any feedback from the charity to group members. This will keep them engaged and motivated to continue donating.

Sewing Bucket List
by Millie Green

Sewing Bucket List

Have you made your sewing bucket list yet?

A sewing bucket list is a fun list to make for the New Year, or anytime. I only set one resolution for each New Year, but I invest my list-making enthusiasm into creating a new bucket list of exciting possibilities and things to do each year instead. Here’s my sewing bucket list for this year. Use my categories for your list or just use these to get you thinking of what you want to include on your own sewing bucket list.

52 Project Challenge

This first item could fill a sewing bucket list, as well as help ensure every other item on the list gets checked off. The challenge is to complete a project every week for the year. I have completed this fun challenge several years, but I decided not to do it last year. I missed it, and so I’ll be doing it again this year. Now I recommend you accept this challenge, too; just think how many things we will collectively make if lots of us join in!

Finish UFOs

Are unfinished objects piling up in your project room? I have three quilt tops that need quilting, one of which is an inherited UFO that my husband’s grandmother died before quilting herself. I also have more inherited UFO projects to complete. Hopefully I won’t die anytime soon, but whenever I do, I really do not want to leave any UFOs behind. So I try to stay on top of these, but just now I do have quite a pile to finish before I start too many new projects. What UFOs do you need to complete before another year gets away?

I have quite a pile of UFOs.

I have quite a pile of UFOs.

Use up the Fabric Stash

I decided a couple of years ago to let the fabric live at the store, but I still have too much fabric, including scraps, stashed. I’d really like to use it all up to free up some space and not store so much stash. If I can, I’ll like to complete all my projects using stash fabric and not spend money on fabric when I can avoid it this year. This means I can have fun making scrap quilts and patchwork items. Can you use up or at least halve your fabric stash this year?

Sew wardrobe pieces

Thank you, I made it myself.

Thank you, I made it myself.

Thank you, I made it myself.

For my wardrobe this year, I will like to design several new tops, especially for Spring and Summer, from my husband’s large button downs, which I’ll make over to be more feminine. I’d also like to make a colorful new patchwork maxi skirt for the warm seasons. And I need yoga pants; I’ll like to refashion these from my husband’s large T-shirts. What is your closet lacking? If you haven’t started sewing garments yet, make this the year you do. It makes you feel great to be complimented on your clothes and be able to say, “Thank you, I made it myself.”

Add skills

This goes with the previous bullet point, for me. I’ll like to both increase my pattern-making skills, and work with more patterns. I have collected many more patterns than I have found time to make yet. It is time for me to increase my confidence and skills by tackling more challenging patterns with greater design details. I also want to learn machine embroidery and digitizing. What new skills will most help you? Do you need to learn to make buttonholes or want to learn quilting? Learning these new skills might be the most important entries to add to your sewing bucket list.

Make more quilts

Among the quilt blocks I inherited from my great-great grandmother was one odd square that I want to replicate and build on to create a design I have never seen before. I’ll call it Grandmother’s Garden. I’m also very anxious to start on my first landscape quilt design, which I’ve been thinking about and sketching for a while now. I could make a whole separate sewing bucket list just for quilts I want to make. There are a few traditional patterns that I want to play with as well. But first, I want to make a toddler sized I-Spy quilt for my youngest, to match the twin sized version I designed for his brother. I bet your list of quilts to make is long, too.

A toddler sized I-Spy quilt I want to make for my youngest.

A toddler sized I-Spy quilt I want to make for my youngest.

Christmas in July

Don’t you hate feeling rushed in your Holiday sewing? This year, I want to get a great head start by focusing on Christmas in July. If we do this during both June and July, then we could do craft shows and sell some of our handmade gifts. At the very least, I want to sew quite a few gifts for my giving list, so that I can devote the holidays themselves to festivities and family, rather than risk having any last minute sewing from not being prepared. I’ll like to plan gifts I can handcraft in small batches, and get a Santa’s factory vibe going in my sewing room this Summer, how about you?

Plenty of purses and bags

Santa brought me a beautiful yard of printed duck that I want to turn into a fabulous new tote. I also have been saving a yard of embossed, vegan faux leather for a pretty purse for me. And I need to make myself a new laptop sleeve and a travel case for my ukulele. Purses and bags will be my projects for the 52 project challenge on several different weeks, I bet. I will love to make a new patchwork purse design this year, too. Couldn’t you use a new handbag or two, too?

Purses and bags are my favorite projects to sew, I'll make a few this year.

Purses and bags are my favorite projects to sew, I’ll make a few this year.

Home projects

I need to make new un-paper towels. I won’t buy disposable paper towels or products for my busy kitchen, so we heavily use a lot of kitchen cloth. The unpaper towels that I made have been in use for several years now and are starting to look dingy and worn; replacing these will be one of my first projects for this year. How about sewing for your home, do you need new curtains? FYI, pretty pillowcases are a perfect project for both reducing your fabric stash and also super easy winners for the 52 project challenge on otherwise busy weeks.

New machines

I am perfectly happy with my favorite sewing machine and my mechanical model back-up machine, as well as my serger. But I will sure love to expand my capabilities by adding two new machines. First I want to add a Janome Coverpro coverstitch, and then an embroidery machine, to my lineup. I didn’t think these would be in my budget this year, but Sewing Machines Plus‘ offer of financing and monthly payments has me wondering if I can swing these sooner rather than later. I bet you could do cool stuff with a new machine or two, too; which sweet new baby will you most like to add to your collection?

That’s my sewing bucket list; writing it has me excited about all the fun projects I will make this year. What do you want to sew this year? Will you do the 52 project challenge? Have you made a sewing bucket list of your own yet? If not, I encourage you to start one now.

by Charlotte Kaufman

Five Household Items to Help with Sewing

While it is true you often need to acquire specific tools to take your sewing to the next level, there are also items you will find around your house that easily make sewing and quilting a breeze. Each of the following items were truly an “ah-ha!” moment when I discovered them. I hope they help you too.

Shelf Lining

I used to have the infuriating problem of my machine slipping as I tried to quilt. Short of cutting a hole in my desktop to fit the machine level with the table, I wasn’t sure what to do to remedy the problem, until I saw shelf lining used under a sewing machine. Genius!!! Now I put a piece underneath where I work and my machine stays put every time.

Now I put a piece underneath where I work and my machine stays put every time.

Now I put a piece underneath where I work and my machine stays put every time.

Hairspray

I’m far-sighted, which means threading a needle can be difficult. It gets worse the longer I’ve been sewing, if I’m really tired, or the lighting is poor. Hairspray fixes that. Spray a little bit onto the end of the thread and it will glide through the smallest needle hole like magic.

Spray a little hairspray onto the end of the thread and it will glide through the smallest needle hole like magic.

Spray a little hairspray onto the end of the thread and it will glide through the smallest needle hole like magic.

A Laser Marker

This little tool is currently all the rage in quilting circles. I bought mine at Harbor Freight. It has multiple ways it can attach to your machine, including magnets, sticky back, and screws.

The laser marker is currently all the rage in quilting circles.

The laser marker is currently all the rage in quilting circles.

Just look how far it extends the straight line you need to sew. Plus it makes you feel like a high-tech ninja when you use it.

Just look how far it extends the straight line you need to sew.

Just look how far it extends the straight line you need to sew.

Don’t want to get a laser to extend that line? You can also use washi tape or painter’s tape to do the same.

You can also use washi tape or painter’s tape to do the same.

You can also use washi tape or painter’s tape to do the same.

Elmer’s Glue (the washable kind)

It’s time to raid your stash of school supplies and bring the Elmer’s Glue over to the big kids’ table. Like the Laser Marker, quilters are currently gaga for glue. The genius of washable Elmer’s is that you can apply a tiny amount, heat set it with an iron, and it holds beautifully. You can sew through the heat set glue without a problem and when your project is complete, it washes out without leaving any marks or stains. If you ever wonder how people achieve perfect corners, they are probably using Elmer’s Washable Glue.

If you ever wonder how people achieve perfect corners, they are probably using Elmer’s Washable Glue.

If you ever wonder how people achieve perfect corners, they are probably using Elmer’s Washable Glue.

A Square

My whole life I’ve called the carpenter’s tool called a Square, an L, because that is what it looks like. These giant L-shaped tools make squaring your quilts or larger projects very easy. Pictured is a smaller, triangle version, which I use for corners that need to be evenly squared.

A smaller, triangle version, which I use for corners that need to be evenly squared.

A smaller, triangle version, which I use for corners that need to be evenly squared.

What other common household items do you use as part of your sewing and quilting took kit? I’d love to hear in the comments!

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Charlotte Kaufman is a writer and sewist in Mammoth Lakes, California. She specializes in digital patterns, marine and home interiors, and continues to fall more and more in love with quilting. You can follow her at charlottekaufman.com.
by Angela Porter

New Year Resolutions

New Year Resolutions

Where has the time gone? This year is almost over, and has gone by so fast. The last week of the year is my time to regroup, reduce (stuff) and reorganize for the coming year. A fresh start, another chance, a new agenda and personal growth. What a great idea! Moving forward in positive movement to find ways I can inspire people to continue their love of sewing by finding interesting facts and ideas to share. I am EXCITED!!

Take scraps and make a woven rag rug with a wonderful and colorful texture!

Take scraps and make a woven rag rug with a wonderful and colorful texture!

My Plan is the following:

  1. Research textiles and discover ways they are used in various applications in sewing and other art forms. My favorite is mixed media using sewing, quilting, tie dying plain fabric and other ways to create 3D artwork.
  2. Make new curtains for my sewing studio using drapery fabric. Choosing one is the hardest task!
  3. Experiment with different types of sewing feet like the Narrow Hem Foot to make professionally stitched napkins, table cloths and handmade scarves that will make people think you bought them from expensive designers! And some are very expensive!
  4. Use the wide variety of stitches on my machine to create interesting embroidery on quilt squares to piece together to create a scene or story. It is amazing how many things you can do. It may be a great time to upgrade your sewing machine to a designer model next year! Check this website for your choices! Sewingmachinesplus.com is the best place to buy. They offer many great choices!!
  5. Reduce scraps, and pieces of fabric that can be made into a crazy quilt, or used for small projects for a children’s class project. (This is difficult for me because I always think of something I can make from them.
  6. Design fresh ideas for NaturaDomani, my online Etsy Store. I hope to make a difference in the interest of organic fabrics, bamboo, hemp, and other eco-friendly textiles to save trees, water conservation and hazardous working conditions and to preserve beautiful things of Nature.
  7. Find outlets for charitable giving to pay forward Etsy sales and products.
  8. MOST IMPORTANT! Inspire my readers to use your creativity in sewing, and in life, to find happiness in yourself by learning new things and enjoying your achievements. Also, to embrace love and the love of others so that 2017 will become one of your very BEST YEARS!
I find it fun to share my sewing experiences with you as I am building an online presence at Etsy.com. While I sew, I realize that as careful as I stitch, handmade things are never perfect. It’s the challenge and effort that counts.

I find it fun to share my sewing experiences with you as I am building an online presence at Etsy.com. While I sew, I realize that as careful as I stitch, handmade things are never perfect. It’s the challenge and effort that counts.

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND BEST WISHES FOR 2017

Choosing the Right Batting
by Connie Smith

Choosing the Right Batting

I have definite plans and goals for the new year, and not just the ones that I’ve mentioned in previous posts. I want to take another class. I want take better care of myself. I want to read more. But one thing that I want to do under the sewing umbrella is to finish up the quilt I’ve been working on for a while now. That goal happens to come in steps. Firstly, I need to finish with the patchwork design I have going on (the goal is to have twelve rows of patches) to get this top layer ready for the next two.

The quilt I’ve been working on for a while now.

The quilt I’ve been working on for a while now.

That step, though it’ll take time, is pretty cut and dry. I plan, I pin and I sew.

The steps that follow are the ones that merit consideration beyond those general details — like how I plan to join my quilt sandwich. Do I stitch? Do I tie? Do I spray? Decisions! (Details can be found here).

Hungry? Have a sandwich

Quilt sandwich.

The more immediate topic to debate is what kind of batting I’m going to use for the middle of my quilt sandwich. This will be, by the way, the first time I’ve used batting since I only recently realized that quilts do, in fact, need three layers to fit the official definition, thus the term “quilt sandwich.” Before, I just used the backing and the front, but I want to be more by-the-books for this one! Given that I have little to no experience with batting though, it seemed reasonable to do a bit of research on the matter so that I could make the best decision for me.

Research, I did, and I’ve come to a potential fabric for the job: Cotton.

The fabric of our lives

There are plenty of batting types to choose from.

There are plenty of batting types to choose from.

There are a number of reasons for this choice, and I urge anyone who is going to make a quilt to consider their own purposes and situations when choosing the right batting. While cotton might be a good choice for me, it might not be the best option for another person or another project. There are plenty of batting types to choose from — polyester, wool, blends — and to make the best decision, maybe spend some time looking into the pros and cons of each. You can find details about the possibilities here and here.

So with those other possibilities in mind, why did I choose cotton? There are a number of reasons. For one, it’s cheap. Yes, I know, cheaper isn’t always better, but for a learner on a budget, price can definitely be something worth considering! Remember that this is my first time adding batting, so it would be not-so-good to spend a bigger amount on a batting type just to mess the whole thing up! It’s also worth noting that this quilt will be for personal use, which leads into the reasoning that everything doesn’t have to be top-of-the-line quality like I might strive for if a company name was on the line. It’s for me, it’s my first experience with batting, and I think testing the waters on a smaller money scale is a good idea!

Synthetic but equal

Now, this might make you wonder why I didn’t go with polyester. Simple answer: Itchiness leads to polyester not always being my best friend! This is a personal decision, but the idea is something to keep in mind should you choose to make any kind of sewn product. If you have an allergy or a bad reaction to a certain fabric, keep that in mind so you can steer clear of it!

Choosing the Right Batting

There’s also the issue of loft, or how thick the batting is. Something like wool is high loft, meaning it’s very thick, so a quilt made with wool would be thicker. If you’re a person who gets cold all the time, wool might be your fabric for batting! For me, I want something with a lower loft so that the final product will be thinner. For one thing, I like the size that the first layer of my quilt will be, and I don’t want to shrink it too much by having it cover a thicker middle layer. For another thing, to me, higher loft looks more like a comforter, and I don’t want to go that route with this product.

Cotton is a better choice then, and it’s a fabric that I know is easy to work with on sewing projects. There’s no known itchy detail that I need to worry about, and I can feel comfortable knowing that I’m accustomed to it. I like cotton and — as weird as it might sound — I trust cotton. In addition, the recommended stitching distance for cotton is wider than other fabrics, giving more freedom in that respect.

And all of that, my readers, is a pleasant combination to deal with for my first dive into batting! How about you? Do you have a preferred batting option?