January 1, 2010 – 10:11 am
If you’re like most people, you probably made New Year’s Resolutions. The typical ones include eating better, getting more exercise, losing weight and being more organized.
Sewers and crafters usually add to that list vowing to finish all their UFOs (unfinished found objects) and cut back on fabric or craft supply purchases. Sound familiar?
I’m moving soon to a new city and, lo and behold, a smaller sewing room. You can imagine how that has impacted my resolutions this year. In my area, we have a wonderful charity called SCRAP that accepts donations (from the local area only) of anything for crafts of any variety, from tiling to sewing, quilting and papercrafts. It’s a Goodwill of sorts, just for crafters. In the last couple of years since learning about it, I’ve become an avid supporter (OK, and purchaser or many things) of this wonderful store. Perhaps you have something similar in your area where you can recycle fabric and other supplies you no longer need.
Make it a resolution to find someplace for your unused sewing and craft items, whether it’s a school, sewing guild or elsewhere so they can be put to good use. And along with that, perhaps you can find a resource who needs you to teach sewing to youngsters, moms-to-be, or other folks eager to learn new skills–volunteering is very rewarding.
Check with your local American Sewing Guild chapter for opportunities in your area and explore them all year long, not just for the New Year’s list.
Once I get settled, I’ll put up some photos as I get organized in my new digs.
December 22, 2009 – 10:07 am
If you love threads and all that you can do with them, Thread Work Unraveled, by Sarah Ann Smith, is a must-have book. Learn about various types of threads, proper tension settings, needle pairings and stitching tips. You’ll never be afraid to adjust thread tensions again after making the suggested samplers showing the differences simple setting variations can make in the appearance of the stitching. Stabilizers are also discussed as means to better stitch quality, and the book highlights several applique methods as well. Close up photography and black & white illustrations detail the copy points, as do samplers from various artists.
December 13, 2009 – 11:52 pm
This time of year we’re all looking for ways to make gifts faster and easier, and sewing kits can be a great option. Kits, like the Craftime Corp. child’s apron
shown, come with all or most components ready to go. For example, this one comes with a pre-bound apron, studs and a tool for embellishing, and even a needle and thread for stitching on the pockets. Kits are timesavers, not only in the shopping process (just grab and go), but also in the gifting process…if you don’t have time to make it up before the present exchange, simply give it to the recipient with an IOU for post-holiday assembly.
Kits are also perfect things to help children learn to sew, as usually they’re simple to put together and they make great mom/daughter projects to work on together.
Look for sewing kits at your local fabric, quilting and craft stores, or on your favorite online sites. They’re all kinds of options, from outdoorwear accessories to full-size quilts and totes, and lots of projects in between.
December 4, 2009 – 1:03 pm
A sewing lounge is a relatively recent term for our industry and it refers to a place where you can go to sew with others. There may be people there to help you, there may be sewing machines and sergers available for use (either free or for a small fee), and sometimes there are regularly scheduled classes with an instructor. Generally the sewing lounge acts as a gathering place for friends, and sometimes there’s an on-site coffee or tea bar, bakery or other treat options. Many lounges also include knitters or other needleworkers in the group as well. Some lounges sell sewing products, books and/or handmade items on consignment.
Visiting a sewing lounge can also give you the opportunity to try out some new machines, as sometimes the latest and greatest machines are on loan from a local dealer.
Some sewing lounges require a small membership fee to help maintain the facility and pay the space rent; others are free and supported by a local sewing guild or sewing machine dealer.
Lounges are a great place to sew socially and learn from others attending, even if no regular classes are offered. Remember, most lounges are staffed by volunteers so do you part to help. To see if there’s one in your area, do an online search.
November 28, 2009 – 1:51 pm
How do I make a narrow rolled hem using my serger?
When using a serger, consult your owner’s manual for the setting changes needed for rolled hemming. You’ll be changing the stitch length and also the width of the stitch to produce a close satin stitch-look that encases the raw edges of the fabric as the serger stitches and trims. You can vary the width to produce an extremely narrow overcast edge, or a wider one, depending on the look you like. The key is that the stitch length is close enough together to roll the raw edges under and to cover them so no fabric thread pokies are visible. Woolly nylon or woolly polyester thread is great for a solid looking rolled hem as the texture of the thread fills in any open spaces.
How do I make a rolled hem on my conventional machine?
If your machine has a rolled hem foot, you’ll notice a scroll configuration that rolls the fabric edge under. Thread the fabric edge into the folder and stitch with a straight stitch or zigzag to secure the roll under. To mimic the look of a serger rolled edge, set the machine for a satin stitch (close zigzag)and sew over the folded edge. Rayon machine embroidery thread creates a lovely, shiny rolled edge finish, though most any thread can be used successfully for this purpose. Variegated threads create an interesting hem finish as well–often stripes, depending on the thread color sequencing.
