Category / Quilting

by Connie Smith

Storing Your Fabric

As I wind down in the steps for making my quilt, I’m finding that I have fabric scraps left over from the endeavor that I really don’t want to toss. One of the problems though is that I have a very lacking fabric storage setup. In fact, it consists of stuffing fabric into a remarkably unprofessional Hello Kitty pail (Note: I don’t even like Hello Kitty). Once that happens, I put the pail into my closet. Since said closet kind of overflows at times, the method is even more lacking than it would otherwise be.

I want to keep this fabric, but I’d like to have a better strategy of doing so. That idea had me browsing some possibilities online, and some of the options I saw were pretty basic.

Simple Solutions

For instance, clear storage bins or canvas bins.

For instance, clear storage bins or canvas bins.

For instance, clear storage bins or canvas bins. While these are simple and efficient ideas for keeping my fabric in order, the truth of the matter is that they’re also, at the moment, things that would probably end up getting stashed away in my closet. As one of the qualms is that my fabric is stored in my closet, neither option fixes that detail.

At least, not alone. If I had a method of storing those bins out in the open, they’d work fine. In any event, the insufficiency could certainly lead to more searching in regard to the best (complete) fabric storage option.

The most fitting right now is the notion of keeping excess fabric pieces in a jar.

The most fitting right now is the notion of keeping excess fabric pieces in a jar.

So during my search, did I have find the perfect one? That might be a complex question since I’m not sure there is a perfect one, but I did find some that are worth mentioning. The most fitting right now is the notion of keeping excess fabric pieces in a jar. I’m not sure I’d ever considered using my extra fabric in a way that actually makes it decorative even before I use it for a sewing project, but I like this concept. Most of the fabric that I have remaining is block-ish, and that smallness of leftovers seems spot-on for the store-in-a-jar method. All I’d have to do is get a jar, fold up my scraps nicely, and let the storage add accent to a room before the pieces potentially add accent to a future project. A similar idea is to store those scraps in kitchen bowls or strainers, like you can find here, or maybe a flower vase.

A similar idea is to store those scraps in kitchen bowls or strainers, like you can find here, or maybe a flower vase.

A similar idea is to store those scraps in kitchen bowls or strainers, like you can find here, or maybe a flower vase.

One is to take the drawers out of a dresser, and once the furniture has been treated so that it looks finished and ready, fabric can be stashed where the drawers used to be.

One is to take the drawers out of a dresser, & once the furniture has been treated so that it looks finished and ready, fabric can be stashed where the drawers used to be.

Two of the more intriguing fabric storage options I found might be more suitable for a time when/if I have more room and/or extra cash. One is to take the drawers out of a dresser, and once the furniture has been treated so that it looks finished and ready, fabric can be stashed where the drawers used to be. I adore this idea, but it’s a project itself! Be aware though that if you don’t want to go through all the sanding and painting to prepare the furniture, you could still use a dresser, drawers intact.

Be aware though that if you don’t want to go through all the sanding and painting to prepare the furniture, you could still use a dresser, drawers intact.

Be aware though that if you don’t want to go through all the sanding and painting to prepare the furniture, you could still use a dresser, drawers intact.

Another option is this square shelf idea that hangs on the wall. This one is particularly of interest if, like me, your bedroom, sewing room, etc. is already pretty full of furniture. When that’s the case, going upward seems like a reasonable option, and that’s exactly what this shelf would do! Being the nerd I am, this square setup appeals to me more than a different shelf idea might because it’s comic-book-ish, but that’s not to say that squares are the only possibility for this method. In fact, you might find that you have some kind of old furniture around your house that can be repurposed for this prospect — like a headboard. There might be plenty of possibilities if you spread your imagination to find them!

Another option is this square shelf idea that hangs on the wall.

Another option is this square shelf idea that hangs on the wall.

Another option is a lot simpler, but might cost more — and that’s to buy a piece of furniture that’s specifically for this purpose. This hutch, for instance, makes a wonderful and aesthetically pleasing storage area for fabric, and other than price and space, I wouldn’t hesitate to have one of these in my home.

This hutch makes a wonderful storage area for fabric, and other than price & space, I wouldn’t hesitate to have one of these in my home.

This hutch makes a wonderful storage area for fabric, and other than price & space, I wouldn’t hesitate to have one of these in my home.

But as breathtaking as these furniture options are, the truth of the matter is that I’ll probably have to start with something easier and more money-friendly. Given that the majority of my current fabric collection is scraps and/or block-ish pieces, my best bet for advancement might be the jar or strainer method, which I’m okay with!

Still, someday, that hutch, that shelf, or that dresser would be a wonderful addition to my sewing life!

New Year, New Challenges: The Psychology of Sewing
by Angela Porter

New Year, New Challenges: The Psychology of Sewing

How many times do we seriously plan things, and within days or hours, our plans change. I used to think I prefer knowing what will happen ahead of time so I can grasp the idea, plan it to my specifications, and control the outcome. Not very many things happen that way.

So last time I wrote, I had a nice New Year’s Resolution list made up for myself. I was ready to learn new things, implement new creative expressions, and sew a rug made of scraps. That was a few days before New Year’s Day.

Now, the middle of January, about 2 days ago, I was able to sit and sew a project I have been thinking about. Sewing is so therapeutic, you forget where you are and the daily chores of life. But now, my Resolutions have been pretty much scrapped. Time changes things so quickly.

Turn that frown upside down

Now, I’m finding myself in a position to decide how to decorate a new home we are building. “Wonderful, you say! Congratulations!” Blushing but thankful, I tell you, “Thank you, but the downside is I’m losing my room for sewing.” For now, I have a countertop that wraps around half the room where I can cut, sew, press, lay out patterns, and holds my computer. Plus tons of shelves for fabric, ribbon, thread, and many other non-sewing related supplies. What will I do?

We determined that I will use the large guest room upstairs for my sewing projects, but it will be deemed a guest bedroom as well. So, gone are the days, of leaving my projects in different stages, and not worrying about things left out. I have to be neat and organized ie. (no thread on the floor) so if we should get company, (my daughter visits frequently) that room will be presentable. OMG, such pressure! I’m already stressed. I can’t even get away and be creative because my room has to be in picture perfect order and stay that way (much like the rest of the house by the way, as my in-laws will be living with us).

So, I need your help! I will explain later. I’m making a checklist of some things, I need to purchase if I am going to continue my psychological sewing retreat. At least I have until late July to decide.

Making a list – checking it twice

First is a desk. I like this one. Nice and neat!

See it here:

Fashion Sewing Cabinets of America 8300 Cloud 9

Or:

Sylvia Design Model 1520 Quilters Work Station

Then a rolling bag to store the sewing machine out of sight while my guest suite is being occupied.

Bluefig TB 23Travel Bag 23″ Julie

Also a box of Aerofil Incredible Threadable Quilt Box Maderia Thread so I can keep the thread bobbins and thread and neatly put away.

Then there’s the fabric and trims, buttons and numerous other collections. That worries me most. I would love to hear your suggestions on how to scale back and organize and still have the ability to retreat to my passion in my changing lifestyle. I hope all will not be lost even with a more spacious house and elder care ahead. One never knows! As for you, my advice is:

Keep sewing, it’s good for the soul! Until next time.

9 Cutting Tools for your Sewing Room
by Charlotte Kaufman

9 Cutting Tools for your Sewing Room

Do you know the difference between scissors and shears? I didn’t so I looked it up and now I can edify us all. Scissors usually have equal-sized finger holes and are under 6″ in length. Shears have one hole that is bigger than the other and their blade lengths are normally longer than 6″. The terms scissors and shears are often used interchangeably and for the purposes of this article, I flip back and forth between them.

Fabric scissors

These are the scissors you hide. Or keep locked away. Or you write in Sharpie on them. DO NOT USE. CLOTH ONLY. MOVE AWAY FROM MY SCISSORS. If you haven’t convinced your family to stay away from your fabric scissors, then move to the second pair below.

These are the scissors you hide.

These are the scissors you hide.

All purpose scissors

THESE are the pair you hand people who want to use your fabric scissors. Keep them sharp so no one is ever tempted to grab the pair you keep for working on your stash.

THESE are the pair you hand people who want to use your fabric scissors.

THESE are the pair you hand people who want to use your fabric scissors.

Heavy duty shears

When your regular fabric scissors won’t cut it. I’ve used these to cut canvas, Sunbrella, and leather. Don’t let your friends or family use these for everyday use. They’re heavy duty. Emphasize that by saying it in a low voice, “Sorry, these are heavy duty.”

Don't let your friends or family use these for everyday use.

Don’t let your friends or family use these for everyday use.

Snipping scissors

Snipping scissors, or scissors with very short, sharp blades are genius for cutting threads as you sew.

Snipping scissors, or scissors with very short, sharp blades are genius for cutting threads as you sew.

Snipping scissors, or scissors with very short, sharp blades are genius for cutting threads as you sew.

Pinking shears

Pinking shears are what you need if you are working with fabric that ravels or if you plan to leave a cut edge exposed. Pinking shears do what zig zag stitching or serging does, they stop fabric from unraveling. They are genius. You should get a pair.

You should get a pair.

You should get a pair.

Herb cutters, fringe scissors

Yes, bring the kitchen into the sewing workshop. These scissors are frequently used to quickly chop up herbs, but in the sewing room they create fringe.

Bring the kitchen into the sewing workshop.

Bring the kitchen into the sewing workshop.

Perhaps you want to make some fringe-cut garland? These would be your tool. They work best when you put the fabric back towards the center of the scissors and stop cutting before you reach the tips. If you have a LOT of tiny snips like this to make, however, you’ll want to see the next pair of scissors.

If you have a LOT of tiny snips like this to make you'll want to see the next pair of scissors.

If you have a LOT of tiny snips like this to make you’ll want to see the next pair of scissors.

Rag quilt scissors

For when you aren’t messing around. Rag quilt scissors have short, sharp blades that let you snip through chunks of fabric to create the famous look of rag quilts.

For when you aren't messing around.

For when you aren’t messing around.

Pro Tip: If you get a pair, make sure to get them spring loaded. Your hands will thank you!

My oldest made this rag quilt with and I snipped it right up with rag quilt scissors. Just put on a TV show you can zone out to and start clipping.

My oldest made this rag quilt with and I snipped it right up with rag quilt scissors.

My oldest made this rag quilt with and I snipped it right up with rag quilt scissors.

Rotary cutter

Rotary cutters are becoming more and more popular. Once you learn how to cut fabric with them, your fabric scissors may start to see a lot less use.

Goodbye fabric scissors!

Goodbye fabric scissors!

Ye olde kitchen drawer scissors

Also known as ‘household scissors’ or ‘the scissors you can do just about anything with and mom won’t get mad.’ They are the unsung hero of your scissors quiver because they keep the rest of your tools safe.

The scissors you can do just about anything with and mom won't get mad.

The scissors you can do just about anything with and mom won’t get mad.

What types of cutting tools do you use in your sewing room? Let us know in comments!

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Charlotte Kaufman is a writer and sewist in Mammoth Lakes, California. She specializes in marine and home interiors and continues to fall more and more in love with quilting. You can follow her at charlottekaufman.com.
Five Easy-to-Do Mistakes While Sewing
by Connie Smith

Five Easy-to-Do Mistakes While Sewing

If there’s one thing I’ve figured out over my sewing ventures, it’s that I can’t ever be sure what kind of sewing experience I’m getting into when I sit down to work on a project. It could be an hour or so that goes as smoothly as sewing can go. On the other hand, it could be a terror of a sewing session where my thread keeps bunching up, and I have to wrestle it back into submission more times than I want to.

Five Easy-to-Do Mistakes While Sewing

But whether or not today’s a day that I’ll sit down to sew and have those problems, I expect that those problems will happen in the future if I continue to sew. And, as much as I wish someone would’ve personally told me more about a budget and a probable no-positive-income when publishing my first book (talk about un-fun surprises!), I think it’s beneficial to step into the sewing world with open eyes as well. Odds are, you’re going to make mistakes, and those mistakes aren’t the best of reasons to throw in the fabric! Just like a new driver, a new sewer can expect to have to learn the skill.

It happens to the best of us…

Want to know something else? Even people with miles behind them in the sewing department can still make mistakes! The point is to be aware that they’re going to happen so that maybe, should you make one, you don’t feel like tossing your fabric to the side and trashing your sewing kit!

And that, readers, is the logic behind this post — to point out simple mistakes you might make, but shouldn’t beat yourself up over! They happen, and instead of letting them get you too far down, remember you’re hardly the only person to make one. Since others potentially make these same errors and keep going, use that for encouragement to continue on as well!

Five Easy-to-Do Mistakes While Sewing

Let me count the ways

With that positive thought in place, here are some of the smaller, more embarrassing sewing mistakes you might make, but should push through:

1) Accidentally sewing your fabric to something you didn’t mean to. There are few things I’ve personally encountered in sewing that can make you feel as amateurish as figuring out you’ve sewn your project to itself in a spot you didn’t intend to (as in, your fabric was folded under itself where it shouldn’t be), or if you’re hand-sewing, that you’ve sewn your project to, say, your own clothes. But as daft as you might feel if you notice that has happened, just — as Taylor Swift might say — shake it off! Sure, you might have to redo your stitching, but it isn’t the end of the world!

2) Sewing without knowing your bobbin is out of thread. This one is particularly troublesome since you could feasibly sew for a lot of minutes on your machine without realizing the mistake. However long you invest in that flawed sewing endeavor is kind of wasted time since there’s no thread coming from the bottom to finish your stitch. So, moral of the story: Check your bobbin before you sew by machine!

Five Easy-to-Do Mistakes While Sewing

3) Threading your needle without really threading your needle. For a sewing machine project, there are a number of steps to threading your needle, and you might miss one. As humiliating as that error might be though, it’s nowhere near as ridiculous as doing this while hand sewing. I, for one, recall thinking I’d threaded my needle, and at some point, I realized that although I’d tied it off and such, the thread actually was not through the needle. Now, that is embarrassing!

4) Cutting material you didn’t intend to cut. This could be in line with the earlier idea of sewing something you didn’t mean to sew in that while you’re cutting fabric, something else could be under it. If you do have this issue, depending on how important the now-damaged material is to you, it could be a big deal! Beyond the possibility of forever ruining Great-Grandma Trudy’s sewn-by-hand quilt that has been in your family for over a century (try replacing that one!), you could also harm your current project by cutting your fabric where you don’t need to or cutting a stitch that’s necessary to your work. This is something, in particular, to keep in mind when making a rag quilt since part of the process is to shred your edges. It would be crazy-easy to shred too far and snap a stitch or two, but imagine the pain of having to re-stitch an up-turned quilt block that’s already sewn to other quilt blocks!

Five Easy-to-Do Mistakes While Sewing

5) Thinking up strategies or tackling projects that you’re not ready for. For this one, I’ll give you an example. I didn’t know anything about using a border on a quilt/blanket project, and once I’d learned about it, I labeled it a waste of time and/or not for me. To my way of thinking — and for my past strategy — simply bending the fabric used for a backing to fold over against the front would work. And, yeah, it might… If I were a better sewer! At this point, I’m not advanced enough to comfortably pull this strategy off so that the sides are one-size at all points. So, don’t be like me! Start simple and with the recommended strategies, and work your way up from there!

Even if you manage to do all of these mistakes in one sitting, don’t give up! If you can keep that determination in mind, you might have a bright sewing future ahead of you!

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!

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.
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?