Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Any Sewing Tips You Would Like to Share?

I've been sewing away on a customer order. 

Another thing I'm working on is whittling down my scrap box.  Some scraps are being cut into 1 1/2 " strips for wrapping around cotton cording, some of the bigger pieces are being set aside for triangles for a 1,000 pyramid quilt in progress, and the smaller pieces will be die-cut into circles for yo-yos.  Waste not want not.

Recently I read a good sewing tip in the April issue of Better Homes & Gardens American Patchwork and Quilting magazine.  Caroline Arkow from Tenino Washington keeps a Pineapple paper-piecing block going on her machine and, when sewing off her chain piecing, she adds a strip to the Pineapple block instead of onto a thread bunny. 

I decided to adjust her idea a little by joining scraps to make rows for a Chinese Coin Quilt at the end of my chain-stitching.  This way I will be using up some of my scraps, and conserving thread at the same time.

I would love to hear your favorite sewing tips, if you would be so kind as to share them.

Happy Sewing ♥


4 comments:

  1. I read that same article and thought that was a bright idea! Loved it!!

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  2. I thought that was my original idea. I am always making an additional project at the same time as my main project. Right now it is blocks for a Breast Cancer Swap (lots of Half square triangles).
    I don't know if this is a real tip but I think the best sewing invention is the rotary cutter. I don't know how people survived without it.

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  3. Good point Crafty. When I tell someone how long I've been quilting, I often say, "it was before rotary cutters" lol.

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  4. I find when I'm sewing and ironing patchwork my ironing board ends up with little threads all over it. They "migrate" back onto my fabric or clothes! So I keep a lint roller/pet hair roller beside my ironing board to capture those little bits of threads that are too small to pick up. This definitely lessens my frustration level. :) I've also found that the small size Crystal Light Drink cannisters are perfect for holding pencils, pens, rotary cutters, narrow rulers, scissors, etc. The label comes off pretty easy and you can even make a quick fabric "wrap" to put around each one using velcro to close. If you machine embroidery you can do quick labels for them - Scissors, Rulers, etc. Sometimes when I'm going to a friend's to sew I even stick 3 or 4 spools of threadm a packet of needles, my thimble and my small scissors in one, snap on the lid and stick it in my basket. Great for containing small things that tend to get lost in the basket. blessings, marlene

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