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Hot Hemmer by Joan Hawley
Steve Butler teaches you all about the Hot Hemmer by Joan Hawley. Tool School is all about education on Clover’s tools, join us every two weeks for a new tool. Sign-up for Tool School at www.clover-usa.com or text “CLOVERUSA” to 22828 to get instantly signed-up for the Tool School email blast! Also stay tuned to Clover’s blog for a chance to win in our giveaway on Tool School! Learn More
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Nancy Zieman’s 5-in-1 Sliding Gauge
I’ve cut it twice and it’s still too short. Been there? Ever heard the old saying, “Measure it twice and cut it once”? Quaint. How about just measure it once and cut it once? Measuring is vitally important to everything we do in sewing. Quilting, fashion, home decor, heirloom, it really doesn’t matter what. Being able to precisely measure and place our hems, seems, pin tucks, button holes, appliqué, circles or whatever else fits into your creative fancy can make all the difference between making something you’re proud of or…
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Create-a-Pincushion
What is it? – Pincushions have been a necessity for about as long as the needle and pin have been used. Picture someone sewing by candlelight in the Middle Ages. She puts her needle down to adjust the fabric or throw another log on the fire and when she reaches for it again . . . well, it’s nowhere to be found. Necessity truly is the mother of invention. The pincushion was developed initially out of a need to organize and store pins and needles and then developed into so…
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Hot Ruler
What is it? – What do you do when you have a hit? That’s a no brainer. You make the sequel. And if you make the sequel well you will have another hit. And that’s exactly what Clover has done. The success of the Hot Hemmer was and is unprecedented. There is nothing like it and everybody wants one. For the first time a precision ironing tool is available that enables us to measure and set angles and press all at the same time. And it is all done with…
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Compact Sewing Kit
What is it? – Think how often you need just the basics for a quick repair and you don’t want to, or can’t, sit down at your sewing cabinet to do it. Maybe you don’t have time to go through the drawers and look for the tools you need. Maybe you’re on vacation and the family is ready to head to the theme park but you need to put a button on someone’s shirt and the hotel doesn’t provide mending kits. Or worse, maybe you’re in your car on the…
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Top 10 Sewing/Quilting
What is it? – Every organization has its all-stars, its MVP’s. These are the people, objects or ideas you go to when it counts, when you need the very best. And Clover is no different. It has its all-stars too. They are our most in demand, time tested and innovative sewing tools. They have become valued accessories to every creative endeavor. If you have a sewing kit that covers all facets of sewing, the Clover Top Ten should be in it. What does it do? – Sewing is comprised…
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Tracing Wheels
What is it? – The venerable tracing wheel. The first one I ever saw was as a youngster looking through my grandmother’s sewing basket. I thought it was there by mistake. It was obviously a toy. What could a stick and a wheel possibly have to do with sewing? Fast forward a few decades and it is all clear to me now. Not that I use it, I just have an appreciation of its use as a sewing tool. Almost everything we construct when we sew uses a pattern at…
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Hand Sewing Needles
What is it? – No tools are more basic to sewing than needles are. They existed even before thread and fabric as our ancient ancestors used pointed objects to perforate hides so they could be laced together with leather cords. Centuries of technology later we have highly advanced, modern hand sewing needles that do basically the same thing. But they do it so much better now. Few tools are more useful. This primordial sewing tool has evolved into virtually every genre of sewing specialty including general sewing, appliqué, embroidery, ribbon…
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Thimbles
What is it? – Thimbles in one form or another have been around a long as needles have. Ancient sewing artifacts include “press stones”, the precursor to modern thimbles. Almost 2500 years ago residents of the Mediterranean area were using more familiar shaped bronze thimbles. Why? Well, whether you’re pushing a spike through animal hides or a hand sewing needle through a high thread count cotton fabric it still hurts your fingers. Over the years those crude press stones have evolved into the refined, task specific thimbles in use globally…
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Bias Tape
What is it? – Let’s face it, a lot of sewing is just basic construction. You start out with a set of tools, some fabric and an intended pattern. Then you add your own creative expression and that’s what makes it yours. One of the materials used by sewers in virtually every genre is bias binding tape. Bias binding tape is simply fabric cut on the bias, or cross grain, and folded to a specific lengthwise dimensional width. By cutting and folding the fabric on a 45 degree angle from…
