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Extra Credit: Embroidery Stitching Tool
Embroidery Stitching Tool: The Swag Tag! By Shannon and Jason We give you, the Swag Tag! NOTIONS AND TOOLS Clover Embroidery Hoop – Item #8812 Scissors – Bordeaux 130 – Item #4940 Embroidery Stitching Tool – Item #8800 3 ply Needle – Item #8803 MATERIALS Fabric Top – Plain cotton fabric or muslin, enough to fully cover the embroidery hoop. Backing fabric – recommend using felt or a paper textile like Kraft-tex. 6 ply Embroidery Floss 3-5 colors of floss (we used Aurifil Cotton Floss 18yd/spool). Colorful is the word…
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Extra Credit: Marking Tools
Pins By Shannon and Jason A quick glance at Clover’s website will show a plethora of items made just for marking fabric and projects…literally dozens. GAH! Where to start? We understand how confusing it can be. We keep a healthy variety of these marking tools at our cutting table, sewing machines, and workspace… just in case… which means we have a lot of marking tools. So, with all the options available to us, which tools do we reach for first when we are working in our studio? Glad you asked!…
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The Ultimate Quilt `n Stitch Presser Foot
The Ultimate Quilt ‘n Stitch Presser Foot with Instructor Steve Butler Class 164 Visit Our Website Here! What is it? The ultimate goal of any sewing tool or notion is to arm the creator of a project with the ability to achieve his or her creative intent. No limitations, no holds barred. If you can see it in your mind you should be able to put thread to fabric and reproduce that vision. But some self-limiting notions, or the complete lack thereof, often produce more myopic versions of that creative vision. Without specific notion…
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Straight Pins
Straight Pins with Instructor Steve Butler Class 163 Visit Our Website Here! What is it? Let’s assume you’ve just found that perfect sewing project. Fashion, fashion accessories, heirloom, quilts, home décor, crafts, whatever. Fabric and pattern are identified and are on hand ready to go to work. What else do we need? Tools! We’ve got to measure, mark and cut our fabric to very precise standards. All set now, time to sew, right? But wait, how do we hold all of those perfectly shaped gems of fabric in perfect position? ‘Cause we know if the alignment and…
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Extra Credit: Pins
Pins By Shannon and Jason It goes without much debate that the pins are the multi-tasking wonder of any creative space. And, more often than not, we tend to take them for granted until we can’t find one… or as the case might be, find the RIGHT one. Our philosophy in our art and life is to Embrace the Creative Chaos which means we have a w-i-i-i-de variety of projects going on all at once at any given time. So, for us, having the right pin at the right time…
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Extra Credit: Stack and Slash Pillow
Stack and Slash Pillow By Shannon and Jason This month’s Tool School Extra Credit focuses on that wonder of tools, the Clover Rotary Cutter. We have three sizes of the Clover Rotary Cutters in our studio. Three above our big cutting table, one on the smaller cutting table, and one 45mm in our portable studio kit. The project video for this month features the 60mm rotary cutter that makes easy work of multiple layers of fabric used for our Stack and Slash Pillow. What a name, right? Just wait… you’ll…
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“Quick” Yo-Yo Makers
“Quick” Yo-Yo Maker with Instructor Steve Butler Class 162 View at our website What is it? Fabric yo-yo’s. What’s not to like? They’re fun, fast and a definite avenue for creative expression. What can you make with these little fabric gems? Who cares? For some it’s nothing more than a therapeutic journey to some level of nirvana. But if you’re actually into making something with them, those little creative fabric medallions are perfect for all kinds of home décor applications like doilies, quilts, bead spreads, pillows, placemats or fashion accessories like dresses, vests, headbands…
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Fabric Folding Pen
Fabric Folding Pen with Instructor Steve Butler Class 161 View at our website What is it? We get it, no one likes to take the time to press fabric pieces when putting together that new creative inspiration. The sewing machine is ready, that fabulous fabric is ready, the complimenting thread is ready and, most importantly, we’re ready. Taking the time to press those preparatory seams just feels anticlimactic somehow. The truth is though, those initial ironing steps are a significant factor in determining whether our finished project is something that is polished and…
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Tracing Paper “Clover Chacopy”
Tracing Paper “Clover Chacopy” with Instructor Steve Butler Class 160 View at our website What is it? When it comes to sewing, and that’s what we do, tracing our pattern designs onto fabric is one of our least favorite activities. We find that perfect pattern, amazing fabric and complimenting thread and we just want to jump right into the sewing process so we can experience that highly anticipated creative fervor. But hold on, there is still the drudgery of the not so exciting prep work. Bummer. Probably the least favorite is tracing the pattern…
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Hot Ruler
& Hot Hemmer Hot Ruler Large and Hot Hemmer Square with Instructor Steve Butler Class 159 View at our website Visit our website What is it? If we were to make a list of essential actions required to achieve our most lofty creative aspirations when sewing, pressing would be near or even at the top of that list. Precise pressing of our project component pieces during the construction process often marks the difference between a completed project that appears polished and professional or something that appears more homemade and amateurish. By pressing during the construction…