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Extra Credit: No-Hassle Triangle Gauge
No-Hassle Triangle Gauge Komorebi Table Protector By the Shibaguyz Komorebi: Translation – Japanese: Sunlight filtering through the leaves of a tree. Sitting outside during summer on our patio is a special pleasure that we never take for granted. One of the things we love most about it is that, as the sun starts its descent into night, we get the most beautiful scattering of light and shade through the trees of the backyard. The Japanese have a word for this—Komorebi, which although technically untranslatable into English, is roughly thought of…
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No-Hassle Triangle Gauge
No Hassles Triangle Gauge with instructor Steve Butler What is it? – We’ve all been there, right? We’re in our favorite quilt shop and as usual, we see some amazing quilts. Flying Geese, Drunkard’s Path, School House, Log Cabin, Dresden Plate, Double Wedding Ring, Bear Paw, Half Square, Mariner’s Compass, it goes on and on. Talk about inspiration! Or maybe you’ve envisioned something original. In either case we’ve been bitten by the creative bug. An hour later we’re on the way home with the most gorgeous fabric that was ever made. Within minutes of arriving we’ve cleaned off…
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Quick Cut Thread Cutter
“Quick Cut” Thread Cutter with instructor Steve Butler Class 138 What is it? – Is there anything more exciting than sitting down with a stack of gorgeous fabric in front of you and an image of the most incredible quilt solidly focused in your mind? Maybe we just found the ultimate Charm Pack at our favorite quilt shop. We just can’t wait to start putting it all together, to see that creative vision solidly locked in our minds finally realized at our sewing station. Once we get the blocks in order we take…
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Extra Credit: Snag Repair Needles
Snag Repair Needles By the Shibaguyz It’s happened to us all… you’re pulling your favorite sweater down from the closet and oops, it catches on a spot on the shelf—SNAG! Or maybe you’re the outdoorsy type and tend to walk a little too close to brambles or blackberry bushes—SNAG! Perhaps you’re like us… just walking through the house and somehow your handmade sweater (crocheted from 7 skeins of $30.00 a skein silk blend in a one-of-a-kind dye lot that you totally adore) magically gets a—SNAG! GAH!! You totally have to…
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Snag Repair Needles
Needle Threaders with instructor Steve Butler Class 137 What is it? – Every notice how it’s never the old garments that fall victim to the dreaded snag? Those sweaters, coats, blouses or pants that never leave our home seem to never to snag. But something new, something we can’t wait to be seen in and snags plague our very being. Oh, and did I say then never develop in obscurity. No such luck. These snags are children of the obvious, proudly standing for all to see. Those unruly snags. They’re thread or threads or maybe a section…
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Extra Credit: Fork Pins
Fork Pins By the Shibaguyz Pins are the ubiquitous tool of sewists, crafters, quilters, garment makers, crocheters, knitters… basically anyone who ever touches fabric will use pins, and use them often. Some pins tell you what they are designed for—like Silk Pins or Quilting Pins—others you must play with a while to find their best use. They all have their own unique characteristics that make them suitable for different uses.There is one type of pin that we keep close at hand as the secret weapon in matching up any seams.…
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Needle Threaders
Needle Threaders with instructor Steve Butler What is it? – Few sewing tools are more useful and necessary than hand sewing needles. Specific needle styles have evolved into virtually every genre of sewing specialty including general sewing, appliqué, embroidery, ribbon embroidery, quilting, upholstery, tapestry, basting, beading, darning, tailoring, etc. Additionally, and regardless of style, each needle is manufactured with great attention ensuring it is produced with a point that ensures precise fabric insertion, a flawlessly smooth shaft that pulls effortlessly through layers of fabric and a smooth eye that securely holds the…
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Finger Presser / Hera Marker
Hera Markers and Finger Presser with instructor Steve Butler Class 135 What is it? – Hera Markers. Wow! Kind of a misnomer. Kind of not. Compared with other more traditional markers like pens and pencils that leave definitive lines, they’re not markers at all. If, however, you want a marker that leaves clear, easily identifiable lines to follow while applying your stitches without leaving any potentially “permanent” pencil or ink marks on your quilt, then the Hera Marker is the ultimate marker. Just like using a pen or pencil, you can inscribe either straight or…
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Fork Pins
Fork Pins with instructor Steve Butler Class 134 When we think about it, the pursuit of our creative sewing aspirations always seem to follow the same basic path regardless of genre. Quilting, fashion, home decor, heirloom or crafts. In each we cut large pieces of fabric into smaller pieces of fabric, reorganize them in some imagined design and then sew them back together into larger pieces of fabric. In that process we measure, mark, cut, pin and then sew. The more precise each step is, the more satisfaction we enjoy with our finished…
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Extra Credit: Tunisian Crochet Mug Rug
Tunisian Crochet Mug Rug By the Shibaguyz It should come as no surprise to most of you that we like to play with a lot of different types of crafting. We knit, crochet, quilt, sew, spin… you get the idea. Our general philosophy for our making and art is that all forms of art and craft inform one another; there are transferable skills from each form that support, enhance, and expand the others. When we were asked to create something using the Clover Tunisian Crochet Interchangeable Hook Set, this philosophy came…