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Sew Gifts for Everyone on Your List
by Millie Green

Sew Gifts for Everyone on Your List

Do you make most of your holiday gifts?  Have you wanted to start this tradition?  If you haven’t, this is a great year to sew gifts for everyone on your list.Sew Gifts for Everyone on Your List

I have been sewing and/or making most every gift I give for many years now.  So I know from experience that it is easy to get stuck for ideas, especially for certain recipients.  But I have learned that with time and thought, it is possible to sew gifts for everyone on your list.

The most important tip I have learned in making holiday gifts over the years is to get started early.   With an early start you can complete your gifts in plenty of time to enjoy your holidays.   Starting in December can make for a stressful season!  Learn from my mistakes and get started now, or you could wind up as I have- sewing late into the night on Christmas Eve.

For babies, try a stuffed ball with ribbon tags for grabbing.

For babies, try a stuffed ball with ribbon tags for grabbing.

You can sew gifts that everyone will love.  Here are some ideas to consider for everyone on your list:

For Kids

Quilts – here are some tips for sewing fun, quick quilts.

Soft Toys –  dolls, stuffed animals, robots, monsters. For babies, try a stuffed ball with ribbon tags for grabbing.

This rainbow book of colors is one of my favorite gifts ever.

This rainbow book of colors is one of my favorite gifts ever.

These are a lot of fun, both to make and to play with.

These are a lot of fun, both to make and to play with.

Soft Books – These are a lot of fun, both to make and to play with.  This rainbow book of colors is one of my favorite gifts ever.

Bags – make a tote bag with divided pockets for crayons and include a coloring book.  Or whip up a precious little purse to match a sweet girl’s personality.  I’ve even made a Star Wars backpack from an outgrown favorite T-shirt.

ou could sew a sack lunch, complete with felt brown paper bag; pretty cupcakes and donuts; even a whole roast turkey!

Felt Food – these are both easy and lots of fun to make.  You could sew a sack lunch, complete with felt brown paper bag; pretty cupcakes and donuts; even a whole roast turkey!  There are a ton of free patterns and tutorials for felt foods available online, but these are easy to make up off the top of your head, too.Crayon, Marker, or Colored Pencil Rolls- make a great gift for kids on-the-go.

Crayon, Marker or Colored Pencil Rolls – make a great gift for kids on-the-go.

Doll Clothes and Accessories – Sew something new for her favorite dolly.  Make a dress or two, a carrying bag with a front pocket designed as the doll’s bed, or a doll quilt.

For Anyone

Lap Quilts.Zip Bags – These are useful for everyone.  Ladies can use them for cosmetics, men will appreciate them for holding shaving and toiletry supplies for travel. Children can use them as crayon or pencil bags, or for containing sets such as legos to-go.  They also make great first aid kits for the car or travel.

Lap Quilts – Be inspired by your recipient’s favorite colors or personality and sew them something special for snuggling.

Pillowcases – You can sew a pillowcase from any yard of cotton fabric.  Choose a beautiful print or fun novelty fabrics.These are always appreciated and a great way to use fat quarters from your stash. Embellish with ruffles, pockets and/or appliqué.

For Ladies

Half Aprons – These are always appreciated and a great way to use fat quarters from your stash.  Embellish with ruffles, pockets and/or appliqué.

Needlebooks –  These are a fun little project for playing with patchwork and make useful and treasured gifts.

Folklore Bag

Folklore Bag

Purses – What lady wouldn’t like a pretty new handbag?  My favorite purse pattern is the Folklore Bag from the book One-Yard Wonders.  I like to add special details like an attached clip for easily finding keys.

Cloth Napkins – Holiday themed sets from novelty fabrics make a lovely gift. This is my go-to for teacher gifts.

Cloth napkins.

Cloth napkins.

For Men

Barbeque Apron – Here’s another fun place to use novelty fabric.  He’s sure to appreciate one emblazoned with his favorite ball team’s logo, or choose a funky fabric with vintage cars, guitars, or hot dogs.

Handkerchiefs – I use the embroidery feature on my machine along the edges.  My machine has an alphabet, so I like to sew “Bless You” on these too.

Throw Pillows – with football fabrics or something else he’ll appreciate.  Be sure they match the couch or décor in his man-cave!

Over-the-Visor CD Pockets for the Car – include a mix cd for extra fun.

For Furry Friends

Gift wrap.Dog or Cat Bed – You can make these as a simple stuffed rectangle or square, or go fancier with patchwork or other design details.

Stuffed Toys – catnip stuffed mouse or felt or fleece “bones.”

Matching Collar and Leash – I buy ugly collars from the dollar store for the hardware, then I make nicer, new collars with nylon webbing covered with embroidered ribbon.  These make a super nice gift for pet parents.

Make this the year that you sew gifts for everyone on your list and they will thank you for it!  And don’t forget the gift wrap; use holiday fabric and whip up gift bags to fit any size gift. These re-usable wrappers are zero-waste and your recipients will be happy to use them again next year.

Should you Include Barter in your Sewing Business?
by Charlotte Kaufman

Should you Include Barter in your Sewing Business?

If you run a small (or sometimes large) sewing business, you may occasionally have the desire, or encounter an offer, to barter services. Bartering is an age old method of exchanging labor and/or goods and it’s one I would encourage you to not dismiss until you’ve fully considered what it could offer.

Bartering is an age old method of exchanging labor and/or goods and it’s one I would encourage you to not dismiss until you’ve fully considered what it could offer.

When considering barter, keep the following things in mind before you agree:

Make Sure you Get an Equal Exchange of Goods

Ensure your barter is for an equal exchange of goods or labor. If you are providing someone with $500 worth of labor on repairing upholstery, make sure you get the equivalent in return. If, for example, you would only receive $300 in custom built-in shelving, be very explicit that the remaining $200 will be paid in dollars. Be sure to delineate labor versus supplies/shipping/etc., and that both parties are in agreement on which exactly of those things is being bartered equally for.

Is it Worth it to You?

A lot of people have a hard time saying no. Remember, in addition to practicing your craft, you are running a business. If you prefer cash or the person offering the bartered goods or services doesn’t have something you need or desire, politely decline and ask for actual payment instead.

Exchanging my labor for spa services worked for me. Here I’m on a Mexican vacation, rocking a pedicure obtained via barter for my sewing services.

Exchanging my labor for spa services worked for me. Here I’m on a Mexican vacation, rocking a pedicure obtained via barter for my sewing services.

Recently I was approached about doing barter for a local spa. They needed large amounts of their high-end spa robes repaired and offered to barter in exchange for spa services. I’m a sucker for a good pedicure and I usually pay for this indulgence. A barter of my labor in exchange for spa service in this case was definitely worth it. I submitted invoices of the time my labor took for each batch of robes, and the monetary amount was then put 1 to 1 into my vendor account as credit at the spa.

Write it Down

Get your agreement in writing. Even if that writing is an email thread where you go back and forth until all the details are fully worked out, it’s crucial you have the agreement in writing should either party need to go back and clarify.

Also consider only doing barter for a specific time or a specific project. Just because you’ve used barter in the past does not mean you are forever stuck doing that. Be clear about for how long you’d want that specific agreement to last and don’t hesitate to ask for monetary payment in the future.

Understand whether or not to include tax on a barter invoice. In California, you do not need to charge tax for labor on repairing items that have already been made.

Understand whether or not to include tax on a barter invoice. In California, you do not need to charge tax for labor on repairing items that have already been made.

Don’t Forget Taxes

You may need to include tax on your barter invoice. Every state has its own laws in this regard, so look up where you are living to make sure you bill accordingly. I live in California. In the example above where I bartered my labor in exchange for spa services I did NOT need to charge tax but that is only because my labor was on repairs. If I had sewn new robes for them, I would have needed to charge tax on that labor. Take the time to find out how to report each transaction.

Do you barter? If so, what types of bartering situations motivate you? If you haven’t tried bartering, you may want to give it a try. Let me know how it goes.

—————————–

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

Fabric Guidelines and Tips!

I’ve written tips on this blog, and I’ve written about fabrics. Truthfully though, some of the most sensible pieces of advice I think you can give a person just diving into the world of sewing are about fabric. While it might be easy to fall into the mindset of simply looking for patterns and colors, there’s more to consider in regards to your fabric choices—particularly for those of us with potential baby-steps skills with sewing. Those details, as it were, can have severe impacts on the ease or difficulty of putting together your first quilt, pillow, shirt, etc. For this particular post, I’ll focus on one specific kind of project: Patchwork Quilts.

Running the risk of making this read like a high-school, three-point essay, I’ll still stick to my idea here in saying that there are at least three fabric details worth considering before beginning your first patchwork quilt: Type, stretchiness and size.

1) Type:

Can words honestly express how big of a deal the type of fabric you pick can be? Well, let’s look at it logically. Through Amazon, you can buy these pieces of material:

Which one, just by looks, seems to be the most agreeable to work with? If you chose the owl-including Door #2, you would be correct!

Of course, that was an easy example since lace just looks like it would be a pain, but even choosing silk or satin as your first fabrics could prove a regretted decision. They’re slick, and that easy-to-slide quality could lead to stitching that is too wavy to be precise.

A good first-fabric, in my opinion, is cotton. It’s simple, but it stays where you put it more than silk or satin, which could lead to more accurate stitching with less hassle. A better product that’s simpler to come by could be in your hands and on your sewing-resume just by picking the right fabric!

Another detail worth considering in type is *you* personally. Example: I have potential issues with polyester—like sneezing—so that’s probably not the way I should go!

Some fabrics have more give than others seem to have.

Some fabrics have more give than others seem to have.

2) Stretchiness:

Some fabrics have more give than others seem to have. That doesn’t mean you should necessarily rule out every piece of material for the rest of your life that has a stretchy quality, but it’s something worth noting as you pick out fabrics. If you’re making a quilt, a stretchy piece of material that’s beneath a non-stretchy one could be an issue.

Example: If Block A is non-stretchy and is above stretchy Block B, the end result could be that Block B *has* to be stretched out to match Block A’s size. Say you measured Block B’s fabric by *having* it stretched out. That decision, if your blocks are the same size, would lead to the need to keep Block B’s fabric stretched for it to reach the same end-line as Block A. That, in turn, could lead to a scrunchy detail for your quilt that you don’t care for because the material condensed back into its original form.

Trust me! Few things are as disappointing on a quilt you made as seeing lines that are obviously not straight and blocks that are clearly mismatched in size! Speaking of size…

3) Size:

Last but not least, the size of your material matters, and I’m not talking about how much you get from your fabric store. I’m talking about block sizes. It really pays to think about where you want your overall product to go, and in two particular ways for this idea: How complex you want your product to appear, and how difficult you want your journey toward a final product to be. Once you find the answers to those questions, you might be closer to deciding on a block size for your patchwork quilt.

For instance, if you want something that looks really complex, smaller pieces of material might be your friend. Think of it like a puzzle. If your puzzle has one hundred pieces, you might have an easier, quicker time finishing it than a puzzle with fifteen hundred pieces, but the fifteen-hundred-piece product might look more impressive to someone who notices it. It’s the same principle with patchwork quilts. Even though tiny squares can look impressive, there’s more time that goes into making smaller squares into that large final product. It might look better if you get it right, but be ready for some effort!

If you want something that’s easier, you might think of having larger squares—like ten inches. The final product could look particularly amateurish though *because* the quilt squares are so large. Without some kind of embellishment for the patches, the simplicity might make your product seem less impressive.

For those reasons, you might want to decide on a combination of impressiveness and ease for your first quilt—maybe 8 inches. They’re large enough blocks to be easy to work with, but with the material that would be taken up while sewing the patches together, the final product might look more professional. Sounds like a potential win/win!

One final tip about size: Once you select one, you might think of buying pre-cut fabric squares in that size for your quilt. It’ll ease up your first-quilt process, and maybe you can get enough confidence with their help to give you fuel to keep going in your quilting journey!

Families, Mentors, Legacies and Sewing
by Vanessa Nirode

Families, Mentors, Legacies and Sewing

My first long-term professional job in a Costume Shop was at The Alley Theatre in Houston, TX. The Alley has two stages and puts on a creative and diverse season of plays, often mounting the regional premieres of new productions. I certainly never intended to live in Texas for as long as I did but I spent my 20s at The Alley. The Alley is where I grew up and where I learned the basis for pretty much everything I know about sewing and pattern making.

Family

Years later, I was having a conversation with some friends and co-workers about our professional backgrounds. One of them asked me if I was still friends with the people I knew when I worked there.

“Friends?” I said, “They’re family.”

Then I got to thinking about family and home, mentors, and the sense of ‘belonging’ somewhere, of finding your people. Sewing is often a solitary activity. In fact, I spend most of my time these days in my little windowed corner at Steiner Studios sewing and patterning by myself. Some days, I miss being in a shop with others, everyone working and creating together.

There were days at The Alley when we would all be bent over our machines or projects, working diligently and quietly. Sometimes there was music playing, sometimes NPR (there weren’t podcasts yet), then suddenly, from the silence, someone would say, “Ummm…do we have any more of this fabric?” And everyone would burst out laughing. Ha. Tailor humor.

Nothing Beats Experience

The thing, or person, I miss most from those years in theatre, though, was my mentor, Jorge, the man who taught me patterning, millinery, and gave me to courage and tools to think outside the box and trust my instincts.

I don’t have a degree in any sort of Costuming or Fashion Design and I only ever took one sewing related class at college. Lots of people I know follow patterning or draping guidelines from a particular book. I don’t dispute that many of these books are extremely useful with their formulas and precise calculations (I own and reference many of them) but I always like to say that I pattern from the heart. I know that sounds dorky but that’s the way I work. Pretty much ten times out of ten I end up at the same result as I would if I had followed some directions in a book.

And, yes, I have tested this theory many times.

The point, I think, that I’m trying to make is that the books are useful but they only tell you the how, not the why. I always want to know the why. I believe that once you figure out why something needs to be done a certain way or why that curve should look like that, the how easily follows. I also believe wholeheartedly in mentors. I think our country and society is sorely lacking in that arena. Here’s a great paper about the importance of mentors.

My Mentor

“Are you going to save that thread?”

“Are you going to save that thread?”

One of the best and lasting gifts I’ve ever received was Jorge’s knowledge. I am his legacy. I hope that in my approaching old(er) age I will be able to give back and share his knowledge which has become my knowledge to someone young and just starting out. In this way, he, and eventually me, will continue to live on. How humbling to think that I might have a legacy to leave.

Teach someone, even if it’s just one someone, the things you know and have learned through the years. Before books and computers, people passed their stories and knowledge to their children who passed them to their children and so on and so forth. Create your own legacy. The knowledge and talent you have so worth passing on.

Jorge has been gone from this world for over ten years now but every single time I am unwinding a bobbin because I need an empty one and its less than halfway full, I hear his voice in my head, “Are you going to save that thread?”

And often, I do. I wrap it around a manila card because you never ever know when you might need a bit of bright green thread.

Birthday Present Ideas for Sewers
by Sarah Woodard

Birthday Present Ideas for Sewers

Birthday Present Ideas for SewersI’m lucky enough to have an October birthday, which is the inspiration for this post. But whether you or the sewer in your life has an October birthday or any of the other 11 months of the year, they’ll love these birthday gifts and use them all year long.

Sewing Machine Needles

If you happen to know the particular brand of machine, or can lay your hands on universal needles, these make a great gift. Get a variety of sizes suitable for many fabric types. Sewers know that machine needles break and get dull, so a package or two of machine needles to replace the ones they’ve gone through will be greatly appreciated.

Dress Form

If the sewer you’re buying a gift for makes a lot of clothes a dress form will be a gift straight from heaven. These aren’t inexpensive so most casual sewers don’t invest in them, but they make the process of sewing a dress much easier and help make sure they’re sized correctly and will fit as expected. Look for one close to the sewer’s size. They’re adjustable, but only to a point.

Self-Healing Cutting Mat

The larger the better. These mats are amazing! If the sewer in your life uses a rotary cutter, a self-healing mat protects the table, floor or other surfaces. Quilters use these a lot and may need to put several together to make a mat the size of the finished quilt. Get a few so they can make whatever size they need.

Straight Pins

Straight pins are essential for every sewer. They hold the sides or pieces of fabric together while they sew over them with the machine. Sometimes, the pins get bent in the process. They also get dull over time. A package of these is inexpensive and will be greatly appreciated by the sewer in your life.

Supply Boxes

Your sewer likely has numerous spools of thread, bobbins, buttons and innumerable other supplies. A set of clear plastic boxes in various sizes will help her organize them while keeping her supplies visible and easily accessible.

Sewing Books

There’s a huge variety of sewing books available. You can get a collection of patterns, tips on fitting, advanced fabric guides or a variety of other sewing related books. Depending on what interests your sewer has, you can find a book, or books, to suit.

Gift Certificate

What sewer doesn’t love a craft or fabric store shopping spree? If you’re not sure what to get the sewer in your life, gift certificates to the local craft or fabric store will be greatly appreciated. They can revel in fabrics, poke through threads and notions, and flip through patterns to their heart’s content.

Sewing Class

If the sewer in your life is dreaming about learning a particular technique, sign them up for a class. They’ll love the chance to learn something new and appreciate the thought you put into the gift. And who knows, maybe they’ll make you something to boot!

What other gift ideas do you have?

Fabric Trend: Crazy Cat Lady
by Charlotte Kaufman

Fabric Trend: Crazy Cat Lady

You are bound to get a cross over between fabric lovers and cat lovers.

In the United States alone, we have over 85 million house cats. Additionally a 2014 survey by Quilting in America showed that there are over 16 million active quilters in our country as well. With numbers that high, you are bound to get a cross over between fabric lovers and cat lovers, and when you do, new fabric lines like these are born:

From Porto with Love, by Sarah Watts, for Cotton + Steel

Inspired by designer Sarah Watts’ travels to Portugal, From Porto with Love features cats designed with old world charm.

Inspired by designer Sarah Watts’ travels to Portugal, From Porto with Love features cats designed with old world charm.

The line includes a pattern for cut-out cat plushies in two colorways.

The line includes a pattern for cut-out cat plushies in two colorways.

There are two cat plushies per panel and when complete they mirror each other. Just cut, stuff and sew.

There are two cat plushies per panel and when complete they mirror each other. Just cut, stuff and sew.

Cat plushies from Cotton + Steel’s Pennie print

MEOW or Never, by Erin Michael, for Moda Fabrics

Designer Erin Michael continues her paint-by-number palette with this new line, MEOW or Never, featuring a colorful assortment of feline friends.

Michael’s purrific designs stood out Quilt Market Spring 2016 and quickly inspired many projects including this cat clutch designed by Anna Graham of Noodlehead.

Michael’s purrific designs stood out Quilt Market Spring 2016 and quickly inspired many projects including this cat clutch designed by Anna Graham of Noodlehead.

The true piece de resistance of the MEOW or Never line is this giant kitty cat quilt. Truly, cat lovers everywhere are lining up to order this quilt kit, which is sure to please both humans and felines alike.

The true piece de resistance of the MEOW or Never line is this giant kitty cat quilt.

Cat Lady, by Sarah Watts, for Cotton + Steel

Sarah Watts is a co-founder and designer for Cotton + Steel. After the purrfection of her cats in From Porto with Love, she is back with the Cat Lady line of fabrics.

After the purrfection of her cats in From Porto with Love, she is back with the Cat Lady line of fabrics.

And yay, cat lovers everywhere rejoiced!

And yay, cat lovers everywhere rejoiced!

Cat Lady fabric, image via Lady Belle Fabric

Cat Lady is full of whimsy, color, and movement.

Cat Lady is full of whimsy, color, and movement.

Cotton + Steel offers this free pattern for this Cat Lady quilt on their site. I love the cats playfully flow around the quilt.

Cotton + Steel offers this free pattern for this Cat Lady quilt on their site.

This Frida Cat is one of my current faves by designer Cynetik.It’s not just fabric houses that are getting onboard the cat craze. Spoonflower has pages of fabric designed with cats galore. This Frida Cat is one of my current faves by designer Cynetik.

There are even fabric websites dedicated solely to offering cat-themed fabric. www.felinedezine.com and www.felinedrive.com are just two examples. Have you made anything that made you or a favorite pet meow? I think the Meow or Never kitty quilt by Erin Michael’s is next on my ‘to make’ list.

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.
I Sew! You Sew! We Sew!
by Connie Smith

I Sew! You Sew! We Sew!

When I was a little girl, music was a group experience in my family. Clearly, that would be the case if we were members of a band or something, and we certainly had some musically inclined folks in our circle. I, more’s the pity, only ever learned to play a number of simple tunes on a recorder and very—very—minimal details of a guitar. With that lack of musical ability, I wasn’t exactly going to grab some drumsticks and make awesome music with anyone!

Old school—fifties and sixties, and maybe even some from the decades before those.

Old school—fifties and sixties, and maybe even some from the decades before those.

So the band element isn’t what I mean about music being a group experience. What I *do* mean is that my parents had this floor model record player, and it wasn’t all that odd for us to sit around said player while old school country and rock played from it. And by old school, I mean old school—fifties and sixties, and maybe even some from the decades before those. That idea of group music-listening continued as I grew older, taking shape in sitting around with my brother while he played 80s rock and such. In case anyone wants a reason as to why my music collection might seem outdated, I think I’ve given you a direction to consider to find the reason!

The point is that we’re the type of people who can sit and talk about music or play music together, and it’s not too weird of an occurrence. In fact, it’s kind of normal.

Back in the Day…

Even in my high school art class, working on projects was a group experience because the classroom was arranged in such a relaxed way. We were allowed to talk with one another while we worked, so we basically ended up chatting and working in small groups—and I might have broken out a Disney tune or so along the way.

Those are two artistic categories that I’ve treated with group experiences, and I recently had reason to consider making sewing a group experience as well. As of right now, if I’m around people when I sew, it’s potentially because we’re all watching TV or something, and I’m sewing while we watch. I might be in a group, but it’s definitely not group sewing!

Branching Out

This month though, I had a Facebook comment conversation with someone that got me thinking. If music is a group experience in my history, and art was a group experience in my high school class, why not sewing? I did some browsing online, and the idea doesn’t seem like a new one! Apparently, sewing clubs exist! Who knew?

Still, I happen to live in a lesser known area of my state, so the odds that there’s going to be a local sewing club are pretty low. If I want a group sewing experience, I should think about leaning toward the idea of virtually sewing in groups, which is okay because virtual sewing possibilities are evidently out there, even if we have to make them happen ourselves.

That friend I had the comment conversation with.For instance, that friend I had the post conversation with? She claimed that she, like me, wanted to make a rag quilt. Well, if we both want to make rag quilts, why not make them at the same time and compare notes online along the way? It sounds like a good idea to me, and as of right now, we’ve talked about the possibility of doing exactly that next year.

What I want to do for a pattern.

What I want to do for a pattern.

The idea is so intriguing to me!!! I even have a possible idea of what I want to do for a pattern, and it looks something like this Craftsy project, but with a more equal-block style:

 

Beyond my personal idea for my own quilt, I also have an idea of expanding this situation beyond just two people, or at least trying to. You see, I’ve decided that what would be even more awesome is if this could somehow become a bigger thing—like if more people decided to make a rag quilt around that time, and it became something that included dozens of people. This notion, in fact, is so intriguing that I’m putting it on my goals list for 2017. The official goal would read something like this:

Create an organized sewing project, promote it online, and hopefully engage a number of people in the endeavor.

Let’s Collaborate

Even if I only gained five people who would be willing to partake through Twitter promotion and such, that’s five people to discuss my rag quilt with beyond what I already have! That idea of comradery is hard to pass up, and it isn’t something I necessarily considered before that series of Facebook comments. Something that simple got my thought process going, and I want to run with it!

So, dear reader(s) that I hope are out there, keep an eye out for future posts regarding specifics about this event. I want to plan things out right in order to ideally get good results, so I’m not going to throw out a specific date without that proper planning. But unless things change and the plan shifts, the rag quilt virtual extravaganza is happening! And I’m looking forward to the possibilities!

What do you guys think? Interested in the event? Even if you aren’t, have you ever sewn in groups? Details, guys! Details!

The Pressing Matter of Irons
by Vanessa Nirode

The Pressing Matter of Irons

There is something sort of Zen and comforting about it for me.

There is something sort of Zen and comforting about it for me.

I actually kind of like ironing. There is something sort of Zen and comforting about it for me.

One of my first jobs in a professional theatre setting was as a dresser at the Alley Theatre in Houston, TX. Being a backstage dresser means helping actors get dressed (obviously), laundering actors’ costumes, assisting actors in changing their clothing really quickly, seeing in the dark, and a whole lot of steaming and pressing. The Alley does an annual production of A Christmas Carol every holiday season. Almost every main male character in the production wore a white cotton shirt that needed to be ironed before every show. One of my responsibilities was to iron the pile of white cotton shirts every day. Anyone who has ever spent a significant amount

I pretty much always use a sleeve board.

I pretty much always use a sleeve board.

of time ironing shirts has developed their own little system, order.

I do yoke, front, back, sleeves (no creases), collar. I pretty much always use a sleeve board. And a proper iron makes all the difference – whether you are simply ironing to get the creases out or sewing. Everything looks better with a good press.

A gravity feed iron is the one with the plastic water bottle you suspend from above to feed water into to iron that heats it and converts it to steam. I’ve worked places that had nice custom wood ironing tables complete with a wood arm/pole on one corner to hang the water bottle from but an IV stand works just as well.

Reliable

Reliable makes a system of steam irons and ironing boards with reservoirs and poles attached that I’ve heard are very good though I’ve never used them.

Gravity feed irons are heavier than other irons and made from actual metal. And they produce lots of steam. (I’m a big fan of steam).

Goldstar

makes an excellent, very reasonably priced, and durable iron. The thing about industrial irons is that they don’t have that annoying automatic shut off feature and are made to remain on for a full day. They tend to last for a long time (like 20-30 years) though you may have to replace the water tube that extends from the bottle to the iron (a $5.00 or so repair).

Pacific also makes a nice model.

The first professional shop I ever worked in had two gravity feed steam irons and, to this day, they are still my favorite iron.

The first professional shop I ever worked in had two gravity feed steam irons and, to this day, they are still my favorite iron.

Gravity feed irons usually come with blue de-mineralizing crystals that you put in the bottom of the water bottle. You can forgo the crystals though and simply use distilled water. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend using tap water but I will say that I’ve been putting New York City tap water through my industrial irons for years without issue.

The crystals, on the other hand, have been known to occasionally work themselves into the water feed tube and cause havoc. Just saying.

So what if you want a good steam iron but don’t have room, or the means, to hang a water bottle? The prevailing iron of choice on most wardrobe trucks I’ve worked on is the Rowenta Professional Steam iron.

It provides a strong burst of steam without the assistance of gravity: the iron rest and water reservoir are all in one. It does, though, have the automatic shut off feature which can be annoying when you have an ironing emergency (don’t laugh, it happens!) and you run to the iron only to find it cold as ice.

The Rowenta is also self-cleaning and flushes minerals and the like out so you can use tap water without thinking twice.

The Rowenta is a fairly durable iron but they do wear out if you use them ten hours a day every day for months and months on end. We may have killed about four of them the first season of Boardwalk Empire until we finally bought gravity feed ones.

As for portable, domestic irons, I have an old Rowenta of some kind that I dropped once and inadvertently broke the automatic shut off. It’s the one I drag along with me if I’m just doing a short one or two day job.

What’s your favorite iron?

Halloween Costume Pattern Round-Up
by Sarah Woodard

Halloween Costume Pattern Round-Up

Halloween is just around the corner. Plan ahead & avoid holiday headaches.

Halloween is just around the corner. Plan ahead & avoid holiday headaches.

Fall is in the air which means it’s only a matter of time before kids (and some adults) meander neighborhoods in search of candy. Halloween is loads of fun for everyone. I used to love to make my costumes as a kid and I bet your children would love a unique, made-by-you (maybe even with their help) costume too. Here are some of my favorite Halloween Costume ideas for 2016.

Wall-E Costume

I loved this movie and I know a lot of your kids probably did too. The title robot is so cute! I’m also a huge fan of reusing materials whenever possible. This awesome costume on Instructables uses old boxes and some other easily obtained

materials to make the cutest Wall-E costume ever!

Black Umbrella Bat

Bats are such an iconic part of Halloween. There are tons of bat costume ideas out there on the web, but I really love this one from Evil Mad Scientist. It’s fast and easy to make, requires few materials, and has huge wings and ears. Grab a black umbrella you don’t mind cutting up and a black top (sweatshirt for those in colder climates) and you’re ready to start.

Bag of Groceries

No one else on the block is going to have this costume, I bet. Take a look next time you hit the grocery store for some inspiration. This idea from Costume Works is sure to be a hit and it costs less than $5 to make. All you need is some brown bags, a box and save some of those food packages from your normal shopping trip to use as items in the grocery bag costume.

Sheep or Lamb

Baaa! This costume is great for kids and adults of all sizes and the directions are in Spanish and English. You’ll need a few supplies, but once you have them, it’s a quick 10 step process to becoming the cutest sheep on the trick-or-treat patrol. Add a little face paint to complete the look and make sure to say “baa!” at each house!

Monarch Butterfly

Butterflies are always popular. Buggy and Buddy provide great instructions to make kids’ size wings, but you can resize them for any measurements to make a monarch butterfly costume for everyone in the family. Or switch up the colors and be any butterfly you wish.

Kid and Baby Doll

Does your daughter love to dress up like a princess? Does she bring her “baby” everywhere? These costumes by Simplicity are right up her alley. In one pattern envelope you get three princess pattern choices and the matching one for the doll. They’re easy to make and absolutely adorable.

Classic Characters

Childhood is full of classic stories from Little Red Riding Hood to Robin Hood and everything in between. The devil and the joker are always popular too. This set of five classic costumes from Butterick guarantees you’ll be able to make a sweet costume for your kid in just one hour!

What other costumes have you made?

Organic Fabric for the Future
by Angela Porter

Organic Fabric for the Future

What a beautiful day!

What a beautiful day!

Last time, I described how excited I was to begin working on some conservationist ideas I have about designing items with organic fabric for baby items, for newborns and small children. I named my article, Natura Domani which means “ Nature Tomorrow” in Italian.

Then, I came to realize quickly that everyone, the whole family, can be using products that replace paper and use natural products for everyday living. If everyone just thought for a moment, how many paper products we use on a daily basis, it would be overwhelming. Think of the negative effect this has on our forests.

Think of the trees we could save, like these in Connecticut. They were so beautiful and green.

Think of the trees we could save, like these in Connecticut. They were so beautiful and green.

Then, think of the trees we could save, like these in Connecticut. They were so beautiful and green.

So, I started brainstorming the products I could make to make a difference on our carbon footprint. The first was to save the trees, and replace paper with fabric, specifically bamboo fabric.

I have begun using organic thread to ensure a pure, safer product for babies and children.

I have begun using organic thread to ensure a pure, safer product for babies and children.

Then, I thought about the chemically-intensive production of cotton. Harsh pesticides are used, and in some foreign countries where cotton is produced, the water sources are getting polluted as the chemical waste is dumped into the water and also the environment, plus causing a work hazard as well. An alternative to this nature-depleting production is the farming of organic cotton.

An alternative to this nature-depleting production is the farming of organic cotton.

An alternative to this nature-depleting production is the farming of organic cotton.

I have begun using organic thread as well to ensure a pure, safer product not only for babies and children, but for today’s and tomorrow’s generations.

The most exciting part of my message is that I feel compelled to share information about organic fabrics and sustainability of our environment to others. Many people talk about going green, eco-conservation, toxic chemicals, and water pollution. They just talk, and not act. So join me in making “baby steps” to make a difference. Replace paper with reusable organic fabric, softer, quick-drying and safer for the environment.

Natura Domani on Etsy.com.

Natura Domani on Etsy.com.

About two weeks ago, I made a big step toward doing something. It has been on my “bucket” list for quite some time, but since my visit to Italy where the country has preserved so much of their surroundings and natural beauty, I had this strong inclination to put it into action. My desire to spread the word is my new shop called “Natura Domani” on Etsy.com.

So reflect about what I have said here, and comment about what un-paper articles would help you save Nature for Tomorrow. For us, and for our children, and their children.

NATURA DOMANI…NATURE TOMORROW We all can make a difference. Until we meet again!