Ruffles Made Easy!

Fall was late this year and humans and our four-legged friends appreciated the

extended time for our gardens. I’m still pulling beets and brussel sprouts. I guess the deer appreciates the extended fall, too,  although she was munching on the chick weed rather than the nummy veggies.

One thing we can always count on in the fall is the introduction of new Clover products at the International Quilt Market in Houston. And as usual I have fallen in love with them all.

In the next few blog posts I want to share with you an up-close view of these products because I feel they will become essential items in your sewing/crafting stash.

First up is Fuse ‘n Gather. Any of you sewing for little girls or big girls know that ruffles are the current big thing for embellishments. I remember making things for my daughter who just turned 45! And ruffles or gathering of any kind was a huge pain when she was a young girl – so many steps involved, but not anymore!

Fuse ‘n Gather is a fusible webbing with two rows of gathering stitches embedded in it. Simply iron Fuse ‘n Gather onto the fabric you want gathered, leaving a couple inches on one end of the fabric to anchor the threads and prevent them from pulling completely out when you start to gather on the opposite end of your soon-to-be ruffle.  Loosen the threads up to the fabric, insert a pin and wrap the threads in a figure 8 around the pin to anchor the threads. Once your thread is anchored, pull the threads from the opposite end and you have your nearly instant ruffle.

I can see ruffles everywhere, especially now that Clover has

made them so easy to make!

With each blog post introducing the new Fall 2011 products we will be offering a giveaway!

Simply leave a comment below telling us what you think of Fuse ‘n Gather and what you would do with it by midnight Pacific time one week after the date of the post. One comment per person. We will select our favorite comment and that person will

win a package of Fuse ‘n Gather. Be creative!