All Posts Tagged With: "sewing"

I am just In love with Anna Maria Horner. Although these were not done with her fabric the skirt is to cute. Check out my things for sale at Etsy

This is a great purse! Easy easy to assemble and very attractive. Coming soon to my etsy.

My Prototype – In general this is any easy purse from a piecing standpoint. Oh but the assembly is a real pain in the you know what!!! I made the mistake of putting a way to thick peltex. I might suggest that you might want to go with 2 layers of craft bond maybe even one. I am still struggling with the strap placement as they are almost unsewable. Alas I made the mistake of cutting the run before I did the prototype . Oh yes I use a metal snap and added a pocket.

My run of Jelly Bags is all done and posted to Etsy.  Want one just, pop over there and pick one up.  I have already sold a few so maybe you better hurry.

1. The next time you are at the fabric store, ask for an empty bolt board. Wrap a towel around it and safety pin in place to make portable ironing surface.
2. Instead of moistening the thread moisten the needle.  The moisture in the eye will help draw the thread through.
3. Loosen paper backing of fusible web by scoring it with a strait pin.
4. Don’t use fabric softener for pre-washing for projects with appliqued fusible web.  This may prevent fusible web from sticking.
5. Use PVC pipe to raise a “T” type banquet table to comfortable cutting height .
6. Use medium gray or taupe thread for piecing except for light colored fabrics.
7. Put white paper behind the eye of a needle to help you see it better.
8. Clean and oil your rotary cutter often.
9. Homemade value viewer can be made with red plastic school report cover.  Cut it into four pieces stack them and tape around the sides to hold it together.
10. Use permanent marker to the notch on thread spools.  It makes it easy for to locate it to lock thread when you store it after use.
11. Homemade light table can be made with shallow, opaque, plastic storage tub and portable fluorescent light.
12. Use a sticky note to mark the line you will use on your ruler when rotary cutting.
13. Use a paper grocery back to protect your iron when working with fusible web.
14. For safety when throwing away rotary cutter blade tape them to a piece of cardboard larger than the blade.
15. To firm up fabric before cutting and sewing spray with sizing.  Flannel and homespun fabrics should be sprayed on wrong size.
16. Replace your fluorescent light bulbs with sun equivalent bulbs.  They make for more natural light and help you if you suffer from seasonal affective disorder.
17. Save old rotary cutter blades to cut paper.
18. You can use a door security lens as a reducing lens.  Looking at your work through this type of lens gives you distance and better idea of contrast and composition.
19. Make a storage back from the plastic instruction sheets that come with interfacing.  Just sew up the sides of a folded long piece.  Then you have the product and the instructions in one place.
20. A loop of quilting thread can be used as an instant needle threader for larger thicker threads.
21. Use the the flannel side of a flannel backed plastic or vinyl table cloth as a design wall.
22. Use masking tape wrapped sticky side out as a lint or thread remover.
23. Place a wad of masking tape next to your sewing machine to catch clipped threads.
24. To prevent slippage on signature quilts press pieces of freezer paper to wrong side of signature areas
25. Clean your iron of goo by ironing on a fabric softener dryer sheet.