Electic Seam Ripper

Have you ever spent hours unsewing?  My record is about 4 hours after mismatching a queen size quilt design.  I could have used one of these!  In the 4 hours I could have had it unstitched and resewn properly.

Some people have been using a personal care product called a mustache trimmer (also used on other facial parts) with some success.  At retreat in November a quilter had one of these ones and highly recommended it.

Galaxy Notions has released this as a notion for quilters.  The electric seam ripper comes in a more quilterly purple. 

Looks like a winner to me!

More Notions For Cutting Accurately

As well as notions for under the ruler or plastic templates, there are notions for the top of the ruler to help mark your place so you don't cut the wrong size. 

Highlighter Tape-  I have written about this tape before and love it so much I will again.  I am sure this comes from the office supply store (although I've never seen it there).  It is coloured clear repositional tape that comes in a variety of colours.  You tear off a piece at a convenient length and stick it to the top of your ruler.  It marks the cutting line so you don't have to go looking for the right line every time. 

Here I have used the tape to highlight the correct size cutting lines on the rulers.  I find it more useful on the long ruler but would need blue or orange tape to contrast with the yellow lines on the ruler and with the green cutting mat.  I have shown how you can use it to highlight 3 lines in a pattern so you can find your place easily.  It helps with the long lists of cutting instructions that start patterns.  Knitters and cross-stitchers find it useful for charted patterns.

Glow Line Tape comes from Omnigrid.  It is half the width of the one above, comes 3 colours in a package and works in much the same way.  The temporary stickiness lasts for moving the tape a couple of times.  It doesn't leave residue on the plastic if left for a little while. 

Qtools  introduced this plastic triangles not too long ago.  The purple ones on the ruler under the package show how to use them.  They are made of a heavier plastic than the tapes so they last much longer.  The points of the triangles point to the line you are using and the circle in the centre allows you to see what is under the plastic. 

You could use the different colours on one project if you have to cut the same size strips out of several fabrics for a project.  I do like these very much!

Notions to Help Cutting Accurately

When you are starting out, one of the most frustrating first steps is cutting accurately with a rotary cutter and ruler.  It's hard to see and remember the line to follow.  The ruler slips and the cutting blade swerves.  There are always the expensive notions to make cutting more accurate but most of those are outside our budget or we need to invest more in fabric to start stash building. 

Today, let's look at a couple of products to help stop your ruler from sliding.  Most of us use the ruler with the yellow marking made by Omnigrid.  The same company makes green lined rulers called Omnigrip because there are textured areas on the bottom of the ruler that helps it grip the fabric.  The same company makes a clear plastic product for you to cut to size and place on the back of the yellow rulers to provide more traction.

I have used this on the back of the long ruler and really like it.

Creative Grids makes the rulers with black lines and textured or frosty looking dots on the back.  The frosty dots provide traction between the ruler and the fabric or cutting mat.  They have to be imported into Canada by individual quilt shops from an American distributor so they tend to be more costly, especially when the exchange rate drops.  They are great rulers though.  If you see someone using one, ask if you can try it out.

True Grips are small circles that you add to the back of the ruler.  You can place as many as you need and reposition them to suit a project's cutting needs.  When you peel one off the paper backing it looks like a donut.  The little centre circle comes away.  These little ones are great in the point of a triangle ruler like Studio 180s 'Rapid Fire Lemoyne Star.  It keeps the fabric under the narrow point from slipping.  We used them with Marti Michell templates too. 

Binding Tools

Like everything else in the world, there are lots of ways to end up in the same place.  Choosing the one that works for you takes time and testing.  People ask me what kind of sewing machine is the best.  I ask them what kind of car is the best.  There is not one right answer to either question.  You have to test drive both vehicles and sewing machines to see which one works best for you, your budget and your lifestyle.  You wouldn't buy a great big embroidery machine and expect to take it to classes easily.
The same theory works for binding.  There are lots of videos on YouTube to watch.  There are lots of tools to try.  This time of year you could have lots of quilts, tablerunners and placemats to bind.  It is a great time to test different techniques.  If you are giving it away to non-quilters they will love it no matter how perfect your binding is.  If the recipient is not too thrilled with a handmade gift, he/she won't notice your binding efforts either.  After you have tested several and decided what works best for you, bind the gifts for your quilter friends so they will be impressed.
The trickiest and most controversial part of binding is how to connect the ends once you go around and get back to the beginning strip.  Current practice expects you to sew the 2 ends together.  There are 2 popular tools (although I don't use either and would help you if you want to come and sew the ends together at the store).

The picture is fuzzy but you can see it is the Fons & Porter binding tool.  I have used this one and made it work.  The second time I had to hunt for the instructions, which I needed because I forgot how to use it.  If you are better organized this is a good tool.

This one is the TQM binding tool.  It works if you cut your binding 2 1/2" wide.  I like mine cut 2 1/4".   If you want to avoid rulers and math calculations, this one will work for you.

 

Creative Grids has a binding tool for turning corners that are not the usual 90 degrees.  It made turning 60 degree corners make a lot of sense and work out beautifully.  They have great instructional videos which make using their tools so much easier.

 

 

 

 

Ready, set, go and bind!



Laser Cut Applique

Laser cut appliques are fabric with fusible webbing attached which have been cut for you.  The precise cutting is often more complex than you would do on your own. 

The centre block of the July Shop Hop featured a laser cut blue heron.  Until next year, the applique is available only with the 'Silhouette' quilt kit.

Creative Iron Fusible Applique designed by Nancy Zieman is a line of appliques.  They come in a variety of sizes depending on the design.  I have seen them mounted on fabric and framed. mounted on a stretcher frame and appliqued to wallhangings.  I want to do a 'Chocolate Therapy' wallhanging with a border of fabric with chocolates and chocolate chips.  I'd best get sewing.

Anne's Border Placemat

Anne works at The Marsh Store and thinks of ways to use the things I order.  Last month (or in October) she came up with a way to use border prints.  I love border stripes and order lots because they make such beautiful borders.  Here is her method for 4 quick placemats from half a yard of border print.

Choose about 16 to 18 inches of a border print.  Cut into 4 identical sections.  I like to line the 1/4 mark/line of the ruler on a line of the print to cut.  That way you have a sewing line to follow.

Choose an accent colour to go on the top and bottom of the placemats.  Cut one 2" strip for each placemat.  Subcut each strip in half. Sew one strip to the top of the border print.  Sew one strip to the bottom of the border print.  Press away from the border print.

Cut backing for each placemat.  Make the back about 1 inch longer and 1 inch wider than the placemat.  Cut a scrap of batting for each placemat at least as large as the backing.

Place the batting on a flat surface.  Place the backing on the batting with the right side up.  Place the placemat top on the backing, right sides together so the placemat top is wrong side up.  Sew a 1/4" seam around the placemat, leaving an opening of about 3 inches.  Trim the batting to the sewing line.  Clip the corners to reduce bulk.  Turn the placemat right side out through the opening.  Press, pulling out the corners to a point and the sides so the fold is right at the stitching line.  Quilt some lines of the border print to hold the layers in place. 

Hot off the ironing board.  To close the opening you turned it through, topstitch about 1/8" away from the outside edge.  Then I like to topstitch a second line about 1/4" from the outside edge.  For easy quilting, follow lines in the fabric design until there is enough quilting to safely wash the placemats.  The batting you choose will tell you how far apart it needs to be quilted.  Off to finish 4 placemats!

Enjoy or gift.

Precut FabricPart 2

Well, seems like all my planning, to make everything line up nicely, didn't work in the last post. 

Here is another precut by Timeless Treasures.  The 'Treat 6Pack' is 6" strips cut the full width of the fabric.  There are 2 strips of 20 different fabrics.  That means it is equivalent to 2 jelly roll strips plus an extra 1 inch, for the same price as a jelly roll or Treat Strip package. 

 

I forgot all about the line of Cantik Batik line of precuts called Gems.  Here is the equivalent of a jelly roll called a Gemstone and the charm pack called Gemsquares. 

 

 

This is a selection of precuts from the Moda line called 'Soho Chic'. 

Here is a Hoffman line of batik precuts.  They produce a collection based on a theme.  Each collection has 6 colourways with names based on the theme.  The three above are Pacific, River Rock and Volcano.  The Bali Snaps and Bali Crackers are in new packaging.  On the back is a list of the fabrics in the package, a colour sample, the name of the print and the Hoffman product number.  No more guessing which fabric is which as it is all there for you!