Category / Sewing

Miter Me This
by Vanessa Nirode

Miter Me This

One of the alterations I did last week for the television show Blindspot was lengthening the sleeves on a woman’s suit jacket for one of our actresses – a straight-forward and fairly simple task.

Or so it should be

Functional, cut buttonhole, unless you need to lengthen the sleeve.

Functional, cut buttonhole, unless you need to lengthen the sleeve.

This time, though, the alteration gods (and the clever designers at Banana Republic) were against me. The suit jacket had cut, functional buttonholes (three of them) on the sleeves. Not that big of a problem. I just needed to lengthen the sleeves 3/4″ and could get away with leaving the buttonholes as they were as the first hole was only an inch and ¼ from the hem.

No biggie

So, no big deal, I could still re-miter the corner 3/4″ below the original hem and not have to mess with the buttonholes. I might have to cut some of the seam allowance free from the bottom hole but it shouldn’t matter. I would still have enough fabric to do the miter properly.

I pulled both sleeves inside out to find the one with the top stitched opening. Women’s jackets normally just have one sleeve with the lining opening and the entire thing can be pulled through that hole and inside out. This is because, in most cases, the armhole lining isn’t attached all around the seam allowance as it is in men’s suit jackets.

I pulled my two sleeves inside out through the opening and started taking the hem apart. Much to my annoyance, I discovered that the miter corner had been trimmed so it was impossible to redo the miter at a longer length. I also needed to add more seam allowance to be able to lengthen the sleeve the amount I needed.

Take a step back

A simple alteration just got a bit more tedious. First, I dug into my fabric stash to find a wool similar to that of the jacket. In this particular case, the jacket I was working on was a dark brown and black tweed. The jacket was paired with black wool pants so I decided I could get away with using a black wool for my corner and added seam allowance.

I cut two pieces of black wool 2″ wide ( ¾+ ¾+ ¼ for each seam allowance. you need ¾ twice because you need the length for both the lining and the face fabrics) and 10″ long (this length doesn’t matter except it needs to be longer than the sleeve hem) on the bias (or diagonal). I also cut an addition 2″ wide by 6″ long bias piece for the corners.

Sleeve lining with topstitched seam (open up from here and pull everything through).

Sleeve lining with topstitched seam (open up from here and pull everything through).

The next thing to do after opening the entire sleeve hem up (don’t press, you’ll want to see the original seam creases) is to sew the black wool to the miter edge. Follow the stitching line from the original miter and make sure to leave additional fabric on both ends. Then, open the sleeve hem up so you can see the straight angles of the bottom and side edges. Draw straight lines to connect those edges, then trim.

The mitered corner.

The mitered corner.

Next, attach the 2″ piece to hem edge and trim any excess off the ends. At this point, I redraw my miter line. Measure down ¾ from the original hemline exactly on the fold line – that’s your cross line for miter. Use your old miter line as a guide for the proper angle. Sew the miter, press, and turn. Don’t cut. I use a wooden tailor point pressing block, a simple point turner, and generous steam.

 

Diagram on where to add fabric and redraw miter seam line.

Diagram on where to add fabric and redraw miter seam line.

Wash, rinse, repeat

Mark the ¾ down on the un-mitered corner and any sleeve underarm seams into your fabric extension so that you can match up the lining properly. Then, pin together your hem edges and sides. Sew. Repeat for the other sleeve, turn everything back right side out, and sew the opening closed in the sleeve lining.

The finished contrasting corner miter: (note: the suit jacket will be worn with black pants so the corner coordinates nicely).

The finished contrasting corner miter: (note: the suit jacket will be worn with black pants so the corner coordinates nicely).

Done. I now have a jacket with a cool little detail. Most people probably won’t notice it but if you happen to watch Blindspot and see it, let me know! I like it and my designer and actress like it, if only for the reason that the sleeves are the proper length.

by Millie Green

Sewing Machine Needles 101

Machine Needles

When I first started sewing, broken needles were part of my learning curve. This wasn’t necessary, but I had no one guiding me, and I learned as I sewed. I could have learned to sew without all that trial and error if I only had a basic education on the types and thicknesses of machine needles and their uses.

You’ll save yourself more trouble than just the inconvenience of changing a broken needle by using the right needle for each project that you sew. Your thread could break or shred, and seams could pucker or be otherwise unseemly. No pun intended. You can also mess up the machine’s timing or damage the bobbin hook. All of which would require repair.

Of course this is all true and I promise you don’t want to have to stop sewing and wait for machine repair. To save you the troubles of any broken machines, stitches, or needles, allow me to share this short lesson:

Sewing Machine Needles 101

Now you will know which machine needles to buy and what kind to put on your machine for every project you sew.

The short answer is to buy and keep stocked a variety, because you’ll need to use different sizes and types for different projects and fabrics.

Another rule to live by is to change out your needle with every project. At least be in the habit of considering this between every project. Sometimes when working on a string of small or similar projects, you might take a look at the needle to make certain it is still straight and true, and then decide to keep it for the next project too. Definitely change any needle after sewing with it for six or eight hours max.

Sewing Machine Needles: Types

Machine needles are classified according to their point type and by their gauge, or thickness. The fabric or project determines the needle gauge. While classification and types of fabric is another post, they can be broadly classified into two main types: woven and knit fabrics. Because these two types of fabrics are produced by different means, they require different types of needles.

Universal, or Regular Point Sewing Machine Needles

Use these pointy, sharp, regular machine needles to sew woven fabrics. They come in a wide array of sizes, and different fabrics and projects will need different sizes. We’ll look at needle sizes further on in this post.

Ball Point Needles

Also known as jersey needles, these have a rounded tip. Use them for sewing fabrics that are knit. These also come in various sizes. Knits include stretchy knits in varying thicknesses, and also non stretchy knits such as terry toweling. For the stretchier knits, try a stretch needle instead.

Stretch Needles

For some super stretchy fabrics like Lycra, even a ball point needle will still be prone to skipping stitches. I also find a stretch needle to be the key to working with fleece. For these difficult fabrics, a stretch needle will make the difference in being able to pull your project off well.

Wedge Needles

Used for sewing leather and vinyl, wedge needles are designed for piercing holes into these fabrics which will close in on themselves, minimizing the risk of tearing of these special fabrics.

Specialty Sewing Machine Needles

While one of the major needle types listed above will work for most every sewing project, there are many special uses for which your project might benefit by you using one of these specialty needle types, instead:

  • Jeans needles have sharp tips and strong shafts for sewing heavier fabrics
  • Embroidery needles have larger eyes to avoid breakage or damage of specialty threads
  • Topstitching needles work with heavier threads, or even with multiple threads
  • Quilting needles have tapered points and extra strong shafts for sewing through multiple layers
  • Sharps, or Microtex needles, which are even sharper and thinner than universal points and ideal for sewing on fine fabrics or cottons with a high thread count; these work great for appliqué and piecing
  • Metallics needles have teflon coated eyes, for sewing with metallic threads; other needles ravel and damage metallic threads.
  • Twin Needles, which can be universal, ballpoint, or other needle types

Sewing Machine Needles: Sizes

The thinner the material you are sewing, the thinner gauge needle you need. Heavy fabrics, or thicker projects will need thicker gauge needles. Both regular-point and ball-point needles come in sizes ranging from the thin size 8, to heavy 16 gauge and even heavy-duty sizes up to 19.

You will sometimes see these needle sizes labeled by gauge and also by needle diameter. So a size 9 gauge needle will sometimes be labeled as size 70/9; size 11 might say 80/11; then there are sizes 90/14, 100/16 and 110/18. The larger numbers refer to the needle’s thickness, in millimeters. US measurements are by gauge, European measurements use diameter.

So which size needle should you choose for which fabric? Here are my choices for the sizes you will use most often and on what fabrics and projects:

Size 9 (European 70) – Use these for sewing sheers and the finest fabrics, such as lace and chiffon.

Size 11 (European 80) – Use these with light-weight fabrics such as silk, muslin, and calicoes.

Size 14 (European 90) – Choose when sewing medium-weight fabrics such as rayon, gabardine, satin, chino, linen, denim; thick quilts. Use ballpoint size 14 for light to medium-weight knits such as tricot or jersey.

Size 16 (European 100) – Sew with a size 16 needle when using medium to heavy-weight fabrics such as: wool or wool blends, canvas, cotton duck, sailcloth, or upholstery fabric, and on thicker projects such as purses.

Size 18 (European 110) – Use these for construction of quilted bags, sewing on nylon web, and other heavy-duty projects.

Here is a helpful chart from Schmetz for further reference.

Be sure to stock needles in all these sizes and in several types so that you are always ready to sew.

by Sarah Woodard

Christmas Sewing Projects

Christmas is fast approaching.

Christmas is fast approaching.

Christmas is fast approaching. Thankfully, there’s still time to sew special Christmas decorations or gifts. With so many Christmas themed fabrics to choose from, it may be hard to decide which one(s) you want for your project, but with so many projects, you won’t have to narrow it down too much.

Christmas Tree Skirt Sewing Project

This 50.5” x 50.5” square Christmas tree skirt is easy to make and uses multiple fabrics to create a look that suits any home. Basic quilting skills are necessary as is a template to use for the center circle. An inverted bowl works well. You can make it from fabric scraps and by using washable materials, it’s easy to clean. The red ties in the back are cute and ensure the skirt isn’t pulled off by pets or kids.

Christmas Tree Ornament Project

If love hand sewing, this cute hot cocoa mug ornament is a perfect way to add some whimsy to your tree. The pattern ensures accurate placement of the faces on the mug and marshmallows. You will need to know how to make a French knot for the eyes. If you’ve got felt scraps, you may be able to use those for the bulk of this adorable Christmas sewing project.

Christmas Stocking Sewing Project

Christmas isn’t complete without “stocking hung by the chimney with care.” With this easy Christmas stocking pattern, you can make individualized stockings for everyone in your family. The large size makes it the ideal stocking for creative stocking stuffer gifts and depending on your choice of fabrics, it’s entirely washable. Choose different colors or patterns for each person in your family to personalize the stockings.

Christmas Tree Angel

There’s something about angels…they belong adorning a Christmas tree. This sweet ribbon angel adds a touch of class to any tree. Use different colored ribbons to make each angel a little different. Sewing is optional with this project, but it’s a great opportunity to use some of the wide ribbon you’ve got sitting around from previous projects.

Christmas Garland Sewing Project

Garland doesn’t have to be tinsel and shine. This adorable garland adds Christmas cheer with rows of fabric Christmas trees. You can either use bits of fabric from your stash or buy remnants from your local fabric shop. This is a great project to do with kids! Their small fingers are great for everting and stuffing the little trees. The number of trees you make will depend on the length you want for the finished garland. A coordinating ribbon completes the project. Use it to decorate your tree or string across a doorway.

What other Christmas sewing projects do you enjoy? If you try any of these, please share the results! I’d love to see them.

Bunk Bed Privacy Curtains
by Charlotte Kaufman

Bunk Bed Privacy Curtains

Privacy curtain open.

Privacy curtain open.

If you’ve ever been on a sailboat you might have seen little panels that draw closed across the sides of berths to give sailors a modicum of privacy. It was this tack I took when figuring out how to make each bunk in my daughters’ bed a small, personal space of their own.

Privacy curtain open.

Privacy curtain open.

Supplies

Here are the items you need to make your own bunk bed privacy curtains:

  1. Tension rod and curtain rod holders. We had to affix two square pieces of wood on either end of the bunk bed in order for the rod to fit.
  2. Shower curtain rings (I used clear).
    3. Fabric for the panels (mine are double-sided).
    4. Batting for structure (if using white or light-colored material).
    5. Drapery wands. These are especially useful for keeping little hands off of white fabric, plus they are a ton of fun. I got mine on Amazon in a mini-size by searching for RV Drapery Wands.
Drapery wands.

Drapery wands.

Put it all together

Each panel is 36”x29”. I sewed button holes along the top width and then used shower curtain rings to hang the panels. On my first attempt, I made the buttonhole too close to the top hem.

 

One of the things I love about sewing is how easy it is to remedy your mistakes. Here I simply sewed across the upper portion of the hole to align it with the others at the correct height. And unless you take a magnifying glass to the finished project, no one is so much the wiser.

 

The fabric is from Sarah Jane’s Magic line. I used a mix of Magic Parade Double Border in White Metallic and Lucky Stars in White Metallic.

Ta-da!

My girls adore these too, as you can see.

My girls adore these too, as you can see.

Projects that come together quickly and look awesome are my favorites. My girls adore these too, as you can see.

What types of quick projects have you done lately that really knocked it out of the park?

—————————–
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.
Recreation, Meet Sewing!
by Connie Smith

Recreation, Meet Sewing!

Ever get the feeling that you have 2,394,093,294,032 things to do, but you only have time for, like, 3?

Ever get the feeling that you have 2,394,093,294,032 things to do, but you only have time for, like, 3?

Ever get the feeling that you have 2,394,093,294,032 things to do, but you only have time for, like, 3? Yeah, that. Between work, family, and such, I feel like I just don’t have enough time in the day to tend to everything that requires attention. But I guess that’s being an adult, right?

It’s a real issue to find time for everything that’s a major priority on my plate, but that leaves less time for recreational things that aren’t so big of a priority. You know how long it’s been since I read a book? A while, let me tell you!

But at the end of the day, I’m a southern girl. I like front porches, fresh-picked blackberries and time that’s just for enjoying life. So even with a busy itinerary, I’m all for finding time to relax and do things I appreciate.

In order to have that time, it pays to find ways to mingle productive endeavors with enjoyable concepts to get the best of both worlds, and sewing happens to be a task that allows the kind of openness to let that happen. For one thing, even if I’m working on a business project, the overall process of sewing can already be soooo relaxing. No matter what’s going on around me, it’s a basic process that gives me a structured place to send my focus—straight pin here, needle there, and I’m doing something productive!

And the relaxation element can go beyond the general details of sewing itself, since I don’t have to just sew while I’m sewing. The task is so flexible that working in other recreational hobbies with it is fairly easy!

For me, I sew when I watch TV, which would let me catch up on my favorite TV shows (I’m caught up on none of my favorites!!!) while doing something productive. I say “would let” that happen, because until I get a HDMI cable, anything that I need to watch via computer just isn’t showing up on the flat screen in the living room! Still, TV and sewing can go hand-in-hand for me!

Food Network

Of course, there might be a drawback or two for this TV-sewing notion. For instance, those with louder-running machines might find that there’s too much noise to bother trying to hear the TV. But for those with a quieter machine, those who are hand-sewers, and those who are in various stages of sewing that are before or after the sewing machine comes into play, it’s an option! I might not even know what sewing machine I’ll have in the future, but I do know that I hand sew, and that any project I can think of involves those before and/or after stages in regard to a sewing machine. Basically, no matter the project or the noise level of a machine, sewing is one hobby that I can do while watching episodes of my preferred TV shows — like ones from my darling Food Network.

Cutting fabric, shredding material along the edges, plotting the pattern for a project… These are all things I can do away from a machine, and if I can do them without a machine, I can do them in front of a TV.

I do like sitting on the front porch with some lemonade & mountains like this around me for the visual.

I do like sitting on the front porch with some lemonade & mountains like this around me for the visual.

There are other options as well for the pause-and-enjoy life aspect that can still fit with working on projects away from a machine, and one that I haven’t tried — but might try in the future — is to sit on my front porch sewing, preparing, or plotting. As I said, I’m a Southern girl, and I do like a good-sized front porch! Sitting there with some lemonade and mountains like this around me for the visual? That’s a big yes, and a muse for that matter! Can you imagine plotting a new quilt with this kind of Autumn color scheme in mind? Talk about inspiration right before my eyes! I’m inspired just thinking about it!

I could also listen to audio books while sewing, or plot out a new project when sitting in a waiting room. Sewing truly is a hobby that can be tended to alongside other tasks, letting me do what needs to be done and what I want to do while moving those projects along. I like sewing, and this flexibility might be one of the main reasons!

I’m a TV sewer with an interest in sewing on my front porch, but as I mentioned, those aren’t the only possibilities for multitasking with sewing.

Do you have other activities you like to do while sewing or working on projects? Comment and let me know!

The Safety Pin
by Vanessa Nirode

The Safety Pin

I try to collect them all in one drawer, but they escaping & disburse themselves all about the apartment.

I try to collect them all in one drawer, but they escaping & disburse themselves all about the apartment.

Almost every pocket in every article of clothing I own, there are a couple of safety pins. I can also usually find at least three of four of the little buggers on the bedroom floor. Sometimes they end up outside my apartment door because I reached for my keys and pulled out a fistful of safety pins instead. I try to collect them all together in one drawer but seem intent on escaping and disbursing themselves all about the apartment.

I use safety pins for fitting clothing, for hanging patterns, to attaching notes to things. Of course, there are different sizes and flavors of safety pins.

Size matters

I use the tiny gold ones when I’m fitting something very delicate like silk or gauze so that they don’t make an unsightly pin hole.

I use the tiny gold ones when I’m fitting something very delicate like silk or gauze so that they don’t make an unsightly pin hole.

I use the tiny gold ones when I’m fitting something very delicate like silk or gauze so that they don’t make an unsightly pin hole. For some reason, someone thought that gold pins without the end spiral were good idea. I suspect because sometimes things snag on the little coil but, without that coil, the pin is free to slide about so it’s hard to know exactly where/what the mark is.

I use the big number 3s for the majority of my fitting needs. And the number 2s if I need a thinner pin.

History Hunt

Walter Hunt invented the safety pin in 1849. He was the first one to create a pin with the coiled spring on one end and the clasp or catch on the other end to keep the pointy bit safe from tender fingers. Hunt sold his idea outright for $400.00 so never collected any royalties or anything from it. Legend has it that he needed to pay off a debt and thus invented the safety pin and sold the rights within a few hours.

I use safety pins for fitting clothing, for hanging patterns, to attaching notes to things.

I use safety pins for fitting clothing, for hanging patterns, to attaching notes to things.

Selling his safety pin idea wasn’t Hunt’s only unfortunate business decision though. He was also the first one to invent many of the significant parts of the sewing machine, including a curved needle and a shuttle. Hunt created the first sewing machine prototype in wood, which didn’t work all that well so he ended up selling his idea to Elias Howe and Isaac Singer.

Hunt invented a plethora of other things including a streetcar bell, a knife sharpener, paper collars, and an antipodean walking device – or suction cup shoes!

Alas, Hunt didn’t seem to have much business savvy or any true idea of what his inventions could be worth, and just how wide spread and common place they would become.

A modern twist

The safety pin has found its way onto the catwalk and into high fashion with decorated, embellished safety pin broaches and large dangling safety pin earrings.

The safety pin returns as punk becomes more relevant than ever – via Independent.

The humble safety pin also has a rich symbolic history and significance. Punk culture has long used the safety pin as an expression of individual freedom and DIY culture. In the wake of the UK’s Brexit and the US presidential election it has come to symbolize tolerance and unity with all people.

Wonder what Walter Hunt would have sold his idea for back in 1849 if he had been able to foresee even a small fraction of what his pin would become.

Pet Sewing Project Roundup
by Sarah Woodard

Pet Sewing Project Roundup

Do you have four-legged family members? I’ve got four cats. They’re my kids. My fur babies won’t take well to clothes, but I often imagine how cute they’d look in certain outfits. They’re also not awesome about sleeping in beds I make them, but that doesn’t stop me from trying! If your four-legged family members are better about using or wearing the projects you make them, check out these cool projects.

Dog Boots

Does your dog hate going out in the snow? Make them a set of boots. Their feet won’t get cold and the boots protect their pads from the salt and sand used to keep you from slipping. They’re also adorable and stylish. The grippy bottoms on these boots help your dog keep their balance and the fleece lining dries out quickly.

Each boot takes less than 10 minutes to make and fit on any of their four feet. The quick and easy nature of these boots means you don’t have to worry about making new ones when they inevitably wear out. If you’ve got a small dog, you might be able to make these dog boots with your scrap stash.

Pet Beds

Does your pet destroy blankets trying to make themselves a bed? Or maybe, like my cats, they take up more space on the bed than they give you? Show them you love them and save yourself money on new blankets or a bigger bed with these cute pet beds. They come in three sizes and styles suitable for any pet. Each one has a contrasting inner pillow for added comfort. Give your pet a comfortable place to sleep and choose easy care fabrics so you can wash it any time you need!

Dog Coat

Pet Sewing Project Roundup

Dogs who get shaved regularly as part of their grooming regimen feel the cold more deeply than those who keep their full body of fur. Help your dog withstand cold weather by making them a dog coat (Note: this can also be adapted to make a coat for hairless cat breeds). Depending on your dog’s tolerance, you can add additional lining for more insulation or use snaps or buttons instead of Velcro if your dog is skittish with noises.

 

Dog Pullovers

Does your dog already have a coat, but still looks cold? Maybe they need a hood! Or maybe they’ll just look adorable with a hood pulled up and their nose peeking out. Either way, try this cute pullover pattern. It comes in four sizes, so you’ll be sure to find one that fits your pup – big or small.

What items have you sewed for your pet? Take some pics and share!

Pressing Accessories: Essentials To Buy and DIY
by Millie Green

Pressing Accessories: Essentials To Buy and DIY

Last week, Charlotte Kaufman showed us her precious pressing station she made for her sewing room. Vanessa Nirode wrote about irons a while ago. But we haven’t discussed pressing accessories on this blog yet. We need to, because there are a few things that you really must have near your iron to get things done well.

While I am on the subject, I want to explain the important difference between pressing and ironing, because they are not the same thing. Ironing is when you move the iron back and forth across a fabric or garment, smoothing wrinkles out. In pressing, you don’t move the iron back and forth in the same manner, but rather press down with the iron, moving it slowly or not at all. You can iron clothes or fabric, but usually use pressing in sewing. Press seams open or to one side. Press to shape garments during construction. And press to affix fusible web and other heat treated adhesives to fabric.

Proper pressing technique makes the difference between a perfect finished product and a mess. Quilters who press every seam know that it’s key to success. Other things that can make a difference to your finished products are pressing cloths, a seam roll, pressing ham, and spray starch- or something better than starch. Useful but not as essential are a clapper, seam board, and pressing mitt. If you are lacking these things, you fix that with DIY; here is a link to a detailed page with instructions for making them: Make your own pressing equipment

Let’s take a closer look at the pressing accessories that are essential, so that you can understand why these items are must haves.

Pressing Accessories: Essentials

Don’t be without these:

Pressing Cloth

These serve more than one purpose. They can protect delicate fabrics from too much direct heat, and protect your iron from gunk and goo when you are affixing glue. A pressing cloth is essential for fabrics like linen and rayon, which develop a sheen if pressed without one. For most projects, I prefer to use a large square of T-shirt knit that I cut for this purpose. However, a see-thru pressing cloth is essential as well, to see what you are doing when working with small pieces and applique.

Seam Roll

A seam roll is helpful to have for pressing small curved seams and darts.

A seam roll is helpful to have for pressing small curved seams and darts.

A seam roll is helpful to have for pressing small curved seams and darts. It also prevents seam allowances from impressing through to the front of the fabric when you iron garment seams open. The way to do it is to place the spread open seam down over the roll, then press the right side of the fabric instead of the seam itself. I made a seam roll following the directions linked above, except I made one variation. I started with a couple of magazines, rolled tightly together as the base. Then I covered these completely by wrapping electrical tape tightly around. I added the extra layer of a felted wool sweater sleeve, and then wrapped the whole thing with another piece of cotton canvas and hand sewed it closed.

Tailor’s Ham

It's called a ham because it looks just like one. It's a stuffed and curved helper.

It’s called a ham because it looks just like one. It’s a stuffed and curved helper.

It’s called a ham because it looks just like one. It’s a stuffed and curved helper. You can use a tailor’s ham for many purposes, most importantly and often to shape garments and curved seams. You’ll use it on collars, sleeves, sleeve caps, cuffs, bustlines and darts, waistlines, hip seams, and more. You want a ham made from two fabrics: wool on one side for pressing wool, synthetics, and other fabrics that need low or medium heat; cotton on the other side for high heat tolerant fabrics like cotton and linen.

Here’s the one that I made, instructions are linked at the top of this page. Or you could save time and stuffing and just order one from our store.

Best-Press

I’m not a big fan of starch. It can be messy and it smells, polluting my room. Anyway, aerosol cans are environmental bad guys and I try to be environmentally conscious. Treating fabrics is essential,though, so I use Mary Ellen’s Best Press instead. I love this stuff and go through it quickly, because I never use my iron without it. As opposed to starch, it smells really nice. It doesn’t flake or leave any residue, which starch sometimes does. It provides a crisp finish and makes fabrics soil-resistant. I really recommend ditching the starch and switching to Best-Press instead; you’ll be glad that you did. Order some right now. In fact, do yourself a favor and get two bottles, because you will love this stuff and not want to be without it.

Be sure that your sewing room has all of these items so you can conquer any pressing job.

These will make gorgeous DIY gifts.
by Charlotte Kaufman

DIY Pom Pom Fleece Blanket

I rarely meet someone who doesn’t like pom poms or fleece. They are two great unifiers and when you put them together, magic happens. They became my inspiration recently when perusing through Pinterest for ideas for our handmade holiday gifts for the girls’ teachers. I began my search for ideas in September, well in advance of December, so I knew that I’d have time to get them done.

This DIY tutorial was my starting template. However it is a no-sew version of what I’m about to show you. Here is how to make a DIY pom pom fleece throw blanket.

Assemble your Materials

Order a bunch of fleece. I waited until Joann’s had a 50% off coupon and I ordered 9 yards. I want to make 6 blankets and each blanket will be 1.5 yards in length. 1.5 x 6 = 9. Do the math for however many blankets you need.

This is Joann’s anti-pill fleece fabric in Ivory.

This is Joann’s anti-pill fleece fabric in Ivory.

This is Joann’s anti-pill fleece fabric in Ivory. The roll arrives with the fabric doubled on the roll. Carefully measure out 1.5 yards for each blanket and then square up the sides as needed.

Carefully measure out 1.5 yards for each blanket and then square up the sides as needed.

Carefully measure out 1.5 yards for each blanket and then square up the sides as needed.

Voila, six blankets awaiting their pom poms.

Voila, six blankets awaiting their pom poms.

Voila, six blankets awaiting their pom poms.

I wanted to do an ombre, triple row of pom poms on each end of the blankets. I did the math here again. The fabric I ordered is 58” wide, by 1.5 yards (54”). I planned to add the pom poms on the shorter side, so I’d need 3 yards (1.5 yards per end) for each blanket. 3 yards time six blankets is 18 yards of EACH color of pom poms.

I got these from IchiMyLove on Etsy. Handily, they sold pom poms in bulk by 18 yards (IT’S LIKE IT WAS MEANT TO BE!) And their color selection was fantastic. They ship from Thailand but the shipping was only a little longer than the wait for a US shipped product. Plan ahead!

Their color selection was fantastic.

Their color selection was fantastic.

Know Your Fabric

A few tips when sewing fleece:

  1. Use a longer stitch length.
  2. I saw a lot of tutorials that said to use a ball point needle but I didn’t have any. I used a quilting needle, size 14, and it worked out great.
  3. Don’t mess up. It’s really difficult to rip out stitching on fleece. To prevent mess ups, practice on a bit of scrap to make sure you have stitch length and tension set correctly.
  4. Fleece doesn’t fray when cut. Because of this, you can decide to add reinforced stitching on the longer (non-pom pom) side or not.

Fleece doesn’t fray when cut. Because of this, you can decide to add reinforced stitching on the longer (non-pom pom) side or not.

Take Your Time

Stitching on the triple rows of pom poms on each side is time consuming. Put on some music or your favorite podcast and zen out.

If you have a tag to include, plan out between which layers you want to add it.

If you have a tag to include, plan out between which layers you want to add it.

If you have a tag to include, plan out between which layers you want to add it.

Take it slowly, pushing each pom pom out of the way of the foot, or you’ll end up like this, with your needle in the middle of a pom pom and your project on hold until you get yourself out of that mess. Don’t be me like me!

Take it slowly, pushing each pom pom out of the way of the foot, or you’ll end up like this, with your needle in the middle of a pom pom and your project on hold until you get yourself out of that mess.

Take it slowly, pushing each pom pom out of the way of the foot, or you’ll end up like this, with your needle in the middle of a pom pom and your project on hold until you get yourself out of that mess.

Once completed, I washed the blankets on the gentle cycle in warm, not hot, and did not use fabric softener. Tumble dry on the gentle cycle as well. I added a Shout Color Catcher just to make sure the pom poms didn’t bleed.

Here is the finished product. These will make gorgeous DIY gifts.

Do you give handmade gifts during the holidays? What are your plans for this year?

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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.
by Connie Smith

Tension from Scratch?

Baking is hard

One of the best pieces of advice my mom ever gave me in regard to baking was to buy a box of white cake mix and blend in whatever flavor of cake I wanted to make. It’s proven effective for banana cake and coconut cake, and I’m interested in trying an orange cake later on down the road. The problem with the strategy though is that I never really learned the more elaborate way to make those cakes, if you consider it a problem. I mean, the cakes taste fine, so what does it matter if Pillsbury was involved?

I find myself having a similar conundrum now that it’s potentially approaching the right time for me to buy a new sewing machine. Which, by the way, isn’t the easiest step for me. I’m a creature of habit and comfort, guys — to the point where making myself watch a new movie might be a challenge. So buying a new sewing machine? Not necessarily an experience I excitedly dive into!

Decisions, decisions.

It also doesn’t help matters that I can be a cheap frugal person, so my #1 criterion in the past might have been, “Which one is cheapest???” Well, now that I have different goals in mind for the sewing machine other than just a hobby, I’m thinking I might want to expand my ideas a bit to make a more complex decision. That decision though has led me into the Pillsbury version of a sewing problem — should I learn more from scratch, or rely on modern conveniences?+

Let me explain that reasoning!

The truth of the matter is that I’m nowhere near a sewing expert, and there are details about the process and machinery that still leave me metaphorically scratching my head. I’ve come some distance in the things that I did learn and have practiced with, but there’s still so much left to find out and excel at. One of those things — something that I haven’t quite gotten the hang of yet — is tension, which can be SUCH A BIG DEAL with sewing by machine. As one source said, “[n]o matter what stitch you are sewing, it will look terrible if the tension if off” (Lawson, 2011, “Tension” section).

That’s a hefty amount of pressure to put on any one specific aspect of a sewing machine. Basically, I could do everything else perfectly and still have a horrible final product because I missed the mark on the tension detail. I kid you not when I say that my experience and understanding of tension might be laughable to a number of more advanced sewing enthusiasts, so logically, finding a machine that can make that detail easier would be a good idea for me, like one that automatically adjusts the tension.

Or would it?

That question moves into the Pillsbury section of territory for the sewing concept. Should I get a machine that will automatically adjust it for me, like Pillsbury assists me with cakes? Is that the best strategy in the long-run?

The lazy part of my brain screams, “YES!” and can back up that idea with coconut and banana memories of simple, scrumptious treats. But the other part of my mind — the one that realizes technology has definitely eased up sewing (and baking) to the point that my grandmother would probably be disappointed — says, “Uh, no.”

Can you picture someone casually sewing on one of these now?

Can you picture someone casually sewing on one of these now?

Honestly, when I think about the history of sewing and how few tools used to be available for the process, it’s potentially hard not to be a tad bit ashamed if I lean too much on technology to do the work for me. Even after sewing machines became a thing, there were still real differences to what we now have.

The struggle is real

It’s just like the notion that my Pillsbury-based cakes lack a certain impressive quality in comparison to a tasty baked-from-scratch cake. Sure, they’re good, but they aren’t that level of remarkable.

It’s a struggle between wanting an easy route and wanting a more challenging route, and at this point, I’m not 100% sure which way the decision will go. I could buy a machine that does the tension for me, and I could end up with wonderful projects without ever fully getting a handle on how to do tension for different crafts. Or I could make things harder on me for the moment, then come away from the experience as a more advanced quilter/sewing enthusiast.

Should I Pillsbury-cheat, or go the distance? Decisions, decisions, guys!

What do you think? It is worth it to learn how to do these things by hand and my own skills, with limited technology, so I can have a better grasp on the issue? Or do you think it doesn’t matter so long as the end products are good?

References
Lawson, S. (2011, August 17). “Sewing Back-to-School: Stiches & Tension.” Sew Sweetness. (2016, November 10). Retrieved from http://sewsweetness.com/2011/08/sewing-back-to-school-stitches-tension.html